Jim’s Legacy
Jim’s Legacy
Champion footballer, selfless philanthropist, respected writer, inspiring youth worker, qualified teacher, passionate chairman, loving husband, caring father and most of all, a role-model to thousands. The Jim Stynes name means many things to many different people.
Some think of the footballer who, with no prior knowledge of the game, travelled from Ireland to Australia as an 18 year old as part of the Melbourne Football Club’s “Irish Experiment”, to eventually win the game’s highest individual honour and set a record for endurance that will never be broken. Many will be reminded of the man who, alongside friend and then fellow school teacher Paul Currie, started the Reach Foundation in 1994 with a vision to try and inspire young people to believe in themselves and get the most out of life. A vision that now touches the lives of more than 30,000 young Australians every year. Or you may be reminded of the man who so very publically fought his illness, with a resilience, strength and dignity that inspired so many others in a similar situation.
Whichever Jim Stynes you think of, whichever words you use to describe Jim Stynes, it’s certain to be of a positive nature.In his lifetime and beyond. Jim Stynes the man and Jim Stynes the name remains and represents as an Irish-Australian icon of sport and charity work.