Box has dedicated sixty years to the SMW Rovers Football Club and Mininera Football League since starting his football journey in 1960.

Box said he felt "it was time to step aside".

"I have been president and chair person for six years and I just felt it was time to step aside and let someone younger or someone with a few more ideas come on board," he said.

"I still have a year left on the board, so I won't be too far away."

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Box said he wished his final year in charge wasn't clouded by the pandemic.

"It wasn't a very happy ending," he said.

"I think if we could have gotten our finals done, it would have finished the year off much better.

"A club like Woorndoo Mortlake not losing a game after struggling to make finals for a couple of years, it was disappointing they couldn't finish it off.

"Lismore-Derrinallum in the reserves and Penshurst in the juniors too, they all went through the year undefeated, it would have been good for them to have a finals series."

Box said he looks forward to spending more time with his family.

"I am 71 now and Lorraine (Box's wife) and I want to a bit of travelling if we can," he said.

"My grandchildren play sport too, so it would be nice to watch them and spend quality time with them too."

Box said the league is in a strong position moving forward.

"The leagues looking good, the numbers in the seniors and the reserves were up there," he said.

"You have the Ararat Eagles who a year ago couldn't win a game, and now they finished in fifth.

"Netball and Football is very strong in the Mininera league."

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Box said he hopes the junior participation rates will rise in the coming seasons.

"The only disappointment would be the juniors only having six sides this year," he said.

Box has been instrumental in driving the success of the junior competitions. He was Auskick Coordinator for 30 years at the SMW Rovers Football Club and has lived and breathed the club since he can remember.

In his playing career, Box won the Rovers seniors best and fairest in 1978 and 1980 and captained the club from 1977-79 and again in 1987.

"I have been a trainer at SMW Rovers for 25 years, playing football there and I have coached seniors, reserves and under 16s," he said.

"I have always been involved in some way.

"My highlight for SMW Rovers is the 1987 premiership that we won. I will never forget that day.

"I will still be involved with the SMW Rovers Football Club, that's for sure."

Box said the best player he has seen grace the Mininera League is former Collingwood forward Brett Cooper.

"If I had a favourite which stood out to me in the Mininera league it would probably be Brett Cooper, he was just an outstanding footballer," he said

"There are some pretty good footballers in the league.

"You could go through every club and name someone. Tatyoon has the Astbury's. You've got Stewart Knight and Mick Jennings at Bolac.

"There is heaps of them really."

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