THE past nine months have been nothing short of a disaster for many involved with the Batemans Bay Seahawks.
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From the South Coast bushfires to COVID-19 - which ultimately ended their 2020 AFL Canberra season prematurely - 2020 has been a year to forget.
And while their players haven't been able to contribute on the field, many have them been kicking goals off it.
"Over the summer, a lot of people at the club and around the community were affected by the bushfires," Seahawks senior men's coach Michael Kenny said.
"I wasn't personally in the area over the summer but we all saw photos and videos of the devastation how much it impacted people we knew.
"So we all got our heads together at the club and thought of how we could lend a hand - as we saw first hand how tough some people were doing it."
After brainstorming, the club held a Country vs City footy game in March as a way to raise money for the local Rural Fire Stations.
"On top of the match, which was really well received, we held a silent auction on the night, which involved 12 pieces of AFL and NRL memorabilia," Kenny said.
The evening was a huge success, raising more than $6,000, which the Seahawks have recently donated to Deau River RFS, Nerrigundah RFS, Tinpot RFS, Belowra RFS and Malua Bay RFS - which are five of the smaller stations that don't receive government funding.
"The night was so important to us because, at our club, we have the unique situation where half are from the area and spent their whole lives here, with the others moving here and something like this helped us become even closer," Kenny said.
"The smiles in the room that night are something I'll never forget and everyone felt really satisfied they'd help give back to the community and lift the overall spirits."
In recent weeks, the Hanging Rock Oval-based club has received a thank you letter from the secretary of the Tinpot Rural Fire Brigade Sue Dickinson.
"On behalf of the Tinpot Rural Fire Brigade, I would like to thank you for your kind donation.
"On December 31, our community was devastated by fire, leaving the majority of our residents with no homes, stock or livelihoods - just like many other communities on the Eurobodalla.
"We are all trying to rebuild our fractured lives.
"At least half of the residents are members of the fire brigade and your donation will allow us to continue to improve our support pf the community and purchase much-needed equipment for our brigade.
"We wish you well during this difficult period and thank you for your concern and support."
While this year hasn't gone to plan for the Seahawks, Kenny, who has been involved in the sport since four, knows how important a club like theirs can be in getting through adversity.
"We are really lucky here at the Seahawks that the majority of us have been together for six years and are best mates - which is a really strong foundation to build success on," he said.
"But not just on the footy field, but in day-to-day life.
"Although we have stopped training this season, we make an effort to all try and catch up every couple of weeks, because we can see the benefits of it - especially on your mental health.
"Plenty of people are doing it tough at the moment and sports clubs like us provide an avenue for people to open up, chat or simply interact with one another - which in turn brings people together and puts them in a better frame of mind.
"We aren't completely through the tough year but I'm sure, with the help of our club's community, we will all come out the other side stronger."