Former Horsham footballer Wayne Schultz has proved he can still match it with the younger generations, winning the Jack Fullerton Medal as the 2021 Victorian Amateur Football Association Division Two best and fairest.
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The 39-year-old Schultz, who plays for Ivanhoe Amateur FC, polled 15 votes from 10 matches to finish three votes clear of Old Paradian's Marcus Nolan in second.
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"It was a little bit unexpected at 39," Schultz said of the win.
"At 39, I'm really there to put into the next generation of footy. My teammates are all much younger than I am, so really I'm there to support them in their growth and development.
"It was certainly unexpected to receive the award but I'm very grateful for it as well."
"I'm grateful for the acknowledgement, but I thank my teammates. Without them, these individual accolades certainly don't happen."
The 2021 season was the first in a few years for Schultz, who took some time away from playing the game. He signed for Ivanhoe ahead of the cancelled 2020 season because of his relationship with coach Ash close.
"I'm actually playing with one of my best mates, Ash Close at Ivanhoe, which is pretty awesome," Schultz said.
"I've absolutely loved it (being at Ivanhoe).
"As a family, we're just so grateful in the way we've been embraced in the Ivanhoe Amateur Football Club and the Ivanhoe community and we can't thank them enough."
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The honour adds to a long list of footballing accolades for the 39-year-old, who won the Michelson Medal for the Bendigo Football Netball League's best and fairest in 2011.
He was the runner up in the Rosbrook Medal for the Northern Football Netball League's Division One best and fairest in 2015.
The former Horsham Demon has also plied his trade with North Ballarat, Port Melbourne, Bendigo and Essendon in the VFL.
Off the field, Schultz works as a school teacher while holding down a role as a skills acquisition coach with Carlton's AFLW team, which he is "absolutely loving".
"Supporting players in their growth and development is a real passion of mine," he said.
"Obviously last season wasn't the season we were hoping for with where we feel we're really at as a program. But that's footy and the challenge and the beauty of it is we get another opportunity."
As for whether or not he will take the field for Ivanhoe next year, Schultz said he is "definitely on board".
"I'll definitely go around. I've absolutely loved supporting my teammates on the park," he said.
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