Johnson recognised for years of service
The name Brian Johnson is synonymous with junior rugby league in Toowoomba.
With an involvement spanning almost 30 years, the man better known as Pat has been a fixture at the local leagues.
Now, his name has been forever etched in history after being awarded life membership of the TJRL.
“It’s quite an achievement because the TJRL is a very big organisation,” Pat Johnson said.
“My first appointment for them was in 1993 when I went away on a tour to North Queensland.
“Being such a big organisation, it covers a lot of clubs and a lot of people. It’s quite an honour when you look back.
“You don’t think of what the future is going to hold. It’s when you look back it only just seems like it was the other day.”
When Pat started out, the landscape was much different to what it is now in terms of rugby league officials,
“No one was designated as a first aid officer at the ground, it wasn’t the law as such. It was a given that someone would help but never that designated person” he said.
“From that early stage I could see there was an opening for that sort of thing and within a few years I did an NRL first aid course.
“Glyn Rees was in charge of the South West Mustangs and he got me involved then, putting me in the course in Gatton.”
Indeed Pat’s involvement in the game has spanned far and wide throughout his tenure, and has even seen him travel abroad for a game he loves.
“The role has taken me overseas. In 2005 I had a job with the Queensland Universities,” he said.
“We went to Sydney to Leichhardt Oval and then they selected me to travel with the Australian Universities team to go to Tonga, Samoa and New Zealand.
“The year after that I went to New Zealand again and England.”
Pat holds a life membership with the Brothers club, and credits his wife Cheryl, who just so happens to be a Southern Suburbs life member, as one of the biggest reasons he has been able to achieve so much.
“Without the support of my family, I wouldn’t have gotten as far as I did,” he said.
“I believe that with anything in life you have to work hard at it. Admittedly I did a lot of hours of work, but only got the rewards because my family supported me.
“I’ve spent a lot of time away at the fields when I could’ve been at home with my darling wife, but she has supported me all the way.”
Pat is still involved with Brothers, as well as a number of schools and events, and lists being able to lend a helping hand as the reason he has been involved for so long.
“The main thing is pretty simple and basic, it’s looking after kids and their injuries. That’s a big enough incentive,” he said.
“I’ll be stepping down a little bit with club scene. There are a couple under me learning the ropes and it’s time they stepped up and took over the reins.
“I still have certificate has a few years on it. My way of looking at it is that I will never let any organisation or club down that asks for help.”