PORT ADELAIDE midfielder Travis Boak has described as a “great honour” being recognised with the 2021 Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award.
Boak was given the award at the Brownlow Medal count in Perth on Sunday night, recognising his dedication and commitment to supporting children and families impacted by cancer through his role as an ambassador for the Childhood Cancer Association (CCA).
No stranger to the impact cancer can have on a family after losing his father Roger to cancer in 2005, Boak’s association with the CCA has been ongoing for almost 12 years.
As well as fortnightly visits or virtual catch-ups with children in the Michael Rice Centre for Haematology and Oncology to offer a distraction from the challenges they face, Boak has helped CCA with its annual fundraising efforts.
The Jim Stynes Community Leadership award recognises philanthropic achievements within the AFL community, and is named in honour of the late former Melbourne Football Club President and player Jim Stynes.
Boak said it was special to be considered worthy of the award.
“I didn’t get to know the great Jim but obviously he’s left a great legacy within the AFL and the wider community,” he said after collecting the award in Perth.
“It is a great honour. You don’t do the stuff we do to get recognition but there’s so many good people in the AFL and AFLW doing great things so it is a great honour.
“We play footy to win premierships and achieve our goals but at the end of the day we’re just here to be great humans and athletes second.”
Boak was quick to thank the Stynes family for the recognition but saved special thanks for both CCA and his Port Adelaide family.
“To the CCA, the Childhood Cancer Association, what you do for so many sick kids and their families is incredible and I’m just fortunate to come along for the ride,” he said.
“(I’d like to thank) the Port Adelaide Football Club and the players there for supporting me and that community as well along the journey.”
Boak’s award means CCA will receive $40,000 thanks to Telstra, the AFL and the Jim Stynes Foundation.
Runners-up Georgie Rankin (Geelong Cats Football Club), Jordan Roughead (Collingwood Football Club) and Nicola Stevens (Carlton Football Club) were also acknowledged and praised for their commitment to the community.
Boak becomes the second Port Adelaide player to win the award after former teammate Jack Hombsch took it out in 2017.
