A volunteer AFL coach from Katherine, credited with changing the culture of a once disjointed club and lifting troubled youth up through the ranks, has been nominated in the AFL National Volunteer Awards.

Coaching hundreds of young men through wins and losses over the past three years, Katherine Camels coach Scott Bertus is in the running for national recognition off the back of a Northern Territory ALF award last year.

Sport has taken a huge hit in a year that has been anything but ordinary, as coronavirus restrictions have forced the cancellation of games across Australia.

And in this case, it also forced an award ceremony that usually garners hundreds of spectators in Melbourne onto a televised setting – due to be aired tomorrow morning on AFL Grand Final Day.

“It is really humbling,” Bertus said, “there is a big deal of work that goes into the Big Rivers footy, and for someone to take the time to make a nomination is wonderful.”

“It is nice to be recognised, given the time as coaches we put into the game and into the junior development.”

Bertus has spent hundreds of hours dedicated to the teams he coaches and countless weekends travelling thousands of kilometres for games in Darwin, and in turn, has seen young players turn a corner.

Scott Bertus has been nominated in the AFL National Volunteer Awards. Picture: Katherine Times.

“It’s my personal opinion as a community person, we should all contribute in some way. It is really important, in particular with my work with youth, having a space where young men can engage with sport and engage with positive role models,” he said.

“With football being the wonderful game that it is, that’s really important to me as a person.

“Looking back at the way I grew up and the things I missed out on it is certainly something I take a lot of pride in, in terms of engaging with young men and trying to create good people.”

In a town where the high crime rates can’t be ignored, and youth engagement in school is an ongoing battle, Bertus said he’s chosen to be a part of the solution.

“I think a lot of people are quick to make excuses or only talk about crime and are quick to go to the negatives, but I think more people should put their hand up and be a solution to the problem rather than identifying it.”

Under his watch and support, he says he’s seen “massive” changes in school engagement, motivation to make it through the ranks and attitudes towards drugs and alcohol.

“Football in and of itself is bigger than just the game, if the government and AFLNT can really understand the power of football, particularly in remote communities, they can really make some strong inroads in education and health outcomes.”

Over the past four years as president of the Big River Hawks football club, Vikki Gardner says she has watched more young players jump into the game and rise through the ranks.

“He’s very positive,” she said, “especially with the juniors, even if they’ve been smashed there is never any negativity.”

“He gets a lot of respect from the players and we’ve just seen this big shift with more kids wanting to get involved with the Big River Hawks and then continue onto the Camels.”

Assistant coach and president of the Camels Football Club, Daniel Fisher, who has been on the scene since the club played their first year of league football in 2011, says he’s also seen the positive shift.

“There has been a really big difference in our club culture,” he said.

“Scotty has a way of communicating with everyone and forming really tight bonds, which we’ve found monumental in creating a positive environment that everyone wants to be a part of.”

The awards will be aired on Chanel 7 on Saturday, October 24 from 8.50am.