VALE: Andrew “Andy” William Sheldrake
An Original 1963 Beauy Shark
BFC & BCC Life Member & Legend
8/03/1950 – 6/03/2025
Funeral Details & A ‘Celebration Of Life’
The Family will be conducting a Private Family Funeral for Andy:
but on Sunday 16th March at 4.00pm
there will be a ‘Celebration Of Life’ at the Oak Street Clubrooms for Family & Friends.
(Note that this will not be a formal Memorial Service)
Once a Shark always a Shark.
Words Provided by The Beaumaris Football Club
To call Andy Sheldrake a Beauy legend is probably an understatement after his sixty-three years of involvement within the local community and the two major Beaumaris Sporting Clubs – Football & Cricket.
When the Beauy Sharks Football Club was formed and primed to start operations for the 1963 season Andy Sheldrake was known amongst his local Beauy High schoolmates as a talented, 13 years old, footballer and cricketer. His Father, Bill, had been a first-class cricketer in Perth and he played and coached at the Beauy Cricket Club while Mum, Shealah, was known in the local community for her role as a Returned WW2 Nurse and Member of the RSL State Executive Council. The Sheldrake family, including Andy’s sister Anne, were very active participants in local community activities and Andy convinced his Rossmith Avenue neighbours & future BFC Legends, Wayne Judson & Ken Luxmoore, to also join the Sharks.
When sixty youngsters turned up to training for the first U/13 team in 1963, Andy quickly rose to the top and was recognized for his ability and leadership qualities, and he was appointed Captain of the inaugural team. This led to him becoming recognised as the first ever Beauy Shark to run out onto the Banksia Reserve in the Blue & Gold colours when he led out the U/13 team for their 9.45am match on Saturday 20th April, 1963. He didn’t mind that coming up at various functions over the decades as the older the club became the more significant the honour. Andy then Captained the U/15’s in 1965, the U/17’s in 1967 and later on as Senior Vice-Captain he tossed the coin a few times for the Ones, so in effect, he became the only player to have led each of the first four inaugural BFC teams in competition games.
After a stint with the Saints U/19 & Reserves teams in ’68 & ’69 he returned to the Sharks and played at CHF in the Sharks Senior Premiership team of 1970, which was coached by Frank Sherrard and led by his great mate, John Lolas. He was seen as a courageous Collingwood six-footer with plenty of footy smarts, not unlike the famous Kevin Bartlett. Seven more years as an integral part of the Senior team saw Andy line up in 1977 as part of the leadership group and then he suffered the disappointment of breaking his wrist prior to the finals and when the Sharks won a close Grand Final he was out there as Gerry Callahan’s team runner. During those years he had put his hand up to help out in many ways and he also appears in the photo of the first U/17’s Beauy Premiership team as Assistant Coach to the great Ted King in 1972. He was renowned for his participation in and organization of social activities along with his wife Jan, and in 1983 Andy was awarded a much-deserved BFC Life Membership.
During those early years Andy also studied and qualified as a teacher and he went on to become a very highly regarded Educator who was passionate about his profession. He and Jan had two sons, Jason & Darren, who played with the Sharks and they both enjoyed long and successful Junior & Senior careers with the Sharks. He even had a stint teaching at the Oxford Secondary College in the early 2000’s where several visiting Beauy friends enjoyed his hospitality. When he arrived at Oxford and on meeting the College Principal, he immediately had a cricket ball thrown to him accompanied with the words – you are an Aussie so you are now also our Senior Cricket Coach.
His cricket career progressed in tandem with his footy involvement and after three Premierships and several seasons leading a number of the BCC teams Andy became one of four legends who have been awarded Life Membership of both clubs - alongside his good mates, Bryce Gardiner, Mark Hall & Russell Blackmore.
Andy always stayed close to the Sharks and was a lifelong supporter of both clubs and in recent years he had joined the very active BFC Past Players sub-committee, and only ten days ago he attended a meeting to help plan some footy reunions that are coming up this year. On Sat 2nd March he attended and spoke at a Beaumaris Cricket Club Reunion with his usual zest and humour.
Although he has achieved many honours and recorded many milestones at both clubs over the years, they will not be the main substance of the high regard he is held in by friends and colleagues that he was involved with over those six decades and more. It was Andy’s ongoing positive nature and sense of humour that has endeared him to so many and the encouragement he always provided to teammates and fellow club members that made him the renowned leader that he became at both clubs. He was enthusiastic and passionate about every undertaking he was involved with, whether it be work or play, and his friendly, positive nature was appreciated and enjoyed by teammates and colleagues alike. Batting with Andy was more of a social catchup than a partnership. Between overs, rather than talking about the state of the pitch or plans against bowlers, Andy would always ask how your family was doing. Andy's positive nature always shined through in his thinking that we could always win from any position "we're a chance here aren't we."
His legion of friends will remember him fondly and we all know that he squeezed every ounce possible from the nearly seventy-five years that he spent on this planet – his love of life meant that he enjoyed his time with us and we know that we all appreciate the fact that we were able to share a part of that life with him. He had a great journey and gave as much back to his friends and community as he extracted for himself.
We will miss ‘the Drake’ and, while sad that he has left us only two days short of his 75th Birthday, we will carry very fond memories of his time with us.
Condolences to Andy’s family, especially to his sons, Jason and Darren, their Mother Jan, and his sister Anne, plus all extended family members – from all Members of the Beauy Sharks Football Club – Past and Present.