The Perth Football League proudly congratulates Barry Nicholls on receiving the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in recognition of his extraordinary service to community sport as a trainer and first aid officer. 

Barry has been a familiar and trusted presence at Bayswater Football Club since 2022, serving as a trainer and becoming an integral part of the club’s fabric, not just on game day, but throughout the week and across the wider football community.

“I got a letter from, I think it was the PFL, saying that people were looking for trainers and Bayswater was one of them, and I selected that,” Barry said. “And I’ve been a trainer there ever since.”

What began as a simple response to a League call-out has since become four years of unwavering commitment, shaped by decades of experience and an approach grounded in people first.

Pictured: Barry (left) with club members, celebrating their most recent premiership win in the Women’s C3 Grade.

“Before I came over from over East, I spent 30 odd years over there with different clubs, touch football, Aussie rules and rugby league,” Barry explained. “I never treated it just as a sports trainer thing, but as a family thing. I’ve made a lot of family friends out of it, and that’s the main reason why I keep coming back.”

That sense of family is felt deeply at Bayswater. Club member Danielle Santoro, who has worked alongside Barry since his arrival, says his impact extends far and wide.

“He gives everything, his time, his energy, his heart,” Danielle said. “Not only to our players, but to the opposition as well. He’s just beautiful, that’s the only way to describe him.”

Pictured: Barry Nicholls and Danielle Santoro (Bayswater members) 

Barry’s service spans multiple levels of the game. In addition to his work at Bayswater, he has supported junior football across WA for over 10 years, all while staying across evolving medical and safety standards within the sport.

“As far as being a sports trainer, it’s getting very difficult with concussion, neck and spinal rules,” Barry said. “I take that very seriously. I keep myself fully updated with all that sort of stuff.”

When Barry was informed he had been nominated for an Australia Day honour, he had to keep it under wraps for a month.

“I got an email from Canberra saying I’d been nominated,” he recalled. “Then about a month later, I got another one to say I’d been accepted for an OAM and not to tell anyone until Australia Day.”

Pictured: The newspaper announcement of Barry’s award.

Despite the personal recognition, Barry remains characteristically humble.

“I did have some joy,” he said, “but I felt good for all the other people that have been around me that made it possible.”

Barry is also deeply aware of the pressures facing community sport volunteers.

“It’s a very important thing, volunteering,” he said. “There are a lot of volunteers out there who just can’t do it anymore, costs, family commitments. I’ve been very lucky to have full support from my family.”

From the Perth Football League’s perspective, Barry represents the very best of community football, the quiet contributors, the consistent presences, and the people who turn clubs into communities.

Recognition like an Order of Australia Medal may be rare, but service like Barry’s is felt every weekend across our League.

Congratulations, Barry, and thank you for everything you continue to give to the PFL and community sport across the country.