EDWARDS Darren Mandy
Residing “Eli’s Run”
1729 Dualling Road Nyabing
Lot/Location: WLMS 11509 L21 A528
2007 – Current
By Mandy Edwards
Darren and Mandy came to Nyabing in February 2007 after purchasing the “The Nyabing Piggery” with their three children Adam, Ethan and Amelia.
Adam was in year 9 at Aquinas College when they moved to Nyabing. Come long weekends and school holidays he would make the trip down from Perth to spend quality time on the farm. In this time Adam became a hockey umpire with the Nyabing Women’s Hockey Club. Hockey had always interested Adam and, whilst attending Aquinas, Adam played 1st XI Hockey, and toured Malaysia in 2010.
In 2011 he was accepted into the Biomedical Science and Pre-Medicine program at the University of Notre Dame, with his heart set on the eventual goal of becoming a Paediatric Surgeon. However Adam has been required to question his eventual career pathway in Medicine as many members of the Nyabing community have expressed their interest in becoming future clients (in particular Deb Williams!!).
Upon moving to Nyabing it was realised that there was a vast age difference between primary school students and adults; despite this Adam has found it easier and easier to fit in with the Nyabing community due to the friendly nature of everyone involved.
Ethan was in year 6 when the family moved to Nyabing. He was an active hockey player so, when finding out that the children in Nyabing played all three sports (of hockey, football and netball), on a Saturday he was overwhelmed. However, like any young boy, he was not keen on the idea of playing a predominantly female dominated sport.
The weekend sport appeared to have rubbed off on Ethan, as in year 7, he achieved the feats of being the Nyabing Primary School Sports Leader, and being awarded the “Bat and Bell” trophy in the school athletics carnival. Ethan now attends Aquinas College and he will do so until 2013. After trying one year of playing Aussie rules, Ethan was required to reconsider this decision after revealing his weak stomach whilst visiting the UWA School of Medicine. He fainted and knocked himself out when he hit the floor after a lab technician was showing him what tools are used for surgery. Alas, after this mishap, and a lingering concussion Ethan decided that his sport of choice is hockey. After much deliberation and hard work his efforts had payed off and he was chosen to be a part of the Western Australian Institute of Sports’ Hockey Talent Squad in 2012.
Amelia was in Pre-primary when they moved to Nyabing. At this age Amelia was too young to play Saturday sport in Nyabing, however Amelia became an active member in the dance programs held in Dumbleyung, and gymnastics held in Katanning. Like any country community the only form of transport at this age is to rely on mum’s ability to car pool with the Ramm’s and Collins‘ families. Being brought up in a family where hockey runs through their blood, she was thrown into this wonderful world!
Amelia however did play a handful of netball and Auskick games but, despite this, her final decision on winter sport was always hockey. In 2011 Amelia took part in Kukerin/Dumbleyung Gymnastics and once again car-pooling was required. This time the Browne family was called upon to help provide the transport.
Now that the children have been introduced to you, it is time to meet the parent’s. By this time you could probably guess that the sporting traits would much resemble that of the Edwards family children, hockey. Mandy played her first game of hockey with the ‘Chicks with sticks and attitude’ in 2007.
Darren spent one year on the side-lines however, in 2008, Darren thought it would be a good idea to dust off the old faithful footy boots, and several rolls of strapping tape for those typical lingering injuries which always tend to ruin a ‘good season’.
Jenni Dolan saw this new family in Nyabing and decided she might use this as an opportunity to recruit some members to the junior hockey coaching positions. Mandy began junior coaching in 2008 and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. After the retirement of John Berger from the coaching position of the Women’s Hockey Club, Darren applied for the coaching position and in 2009 he was appointed coach. The women knew that they were in for a hard time with fitness. However the vomiting over the hockey field fence, needless to say, was not welcomed!! However Darren seemed to get enjoyment out of it!! Darren and Mandy decided to throw themselves into the Nyabing community, first with sport, then secondly becoming active members of the Nyabing Primary School P&C.
We all would like to take this opportunity to thank all members of the Nyabing community for making us feel so welcomed, and for your continued support throughout tough times. A comment should also be made that we thank every ones acceptance of us being ‘normal pig farmers.’ We look forward to continuing our involvement within the Nyabing community for many more years to come.
“The Nyabing Piggery” from the air
Visit the Lost Katanning Website
Edwards Darren Mandy
Edwards Darren Mandy. Edwards Darren Mandy. Edwards Darren Mandy.