Eastwick, 75, has been involved with various voluntary administrative roles in rugby for 45 years – at his club Lincoln, the Ellesmere sub union and Canterbury Country. He is a life member of all.
Said Eastwick of his life memberships: “I feel that I’ve probably got this on behalf of several thousand people over the years that have probably done similar to what I have done.
“We have a huge volunteer base in any sport, and in most community projects, and there’s always so many people that go unheralded in what they do.”
He said the value volunteers like himself give to the game is “staggering’’.
“The effort that’s put in by so many people is huge. (But) it is just harder to fill positions these days.
“I’ve noticed over the last few years, it’s getting more and more difficult but the effort that is put in by so many is massive.”
He swiftly transitioned into administrative roles.
“I started off my administrative career at JAB rugby, that’s how I got into Ellesmere rugby initially,” he said.
“I’ve been president of the Lincoln Rugby Club, I’ve sort of climbed up the ranks to be chairman and president of Ellesmere Rugby, and I’m a life member of Ellesmere.
“I’ve been chairman and president of Canterbury Country and I’m a life member there, and I spent nine years on the Canterbury Rugby Union board.”
A retired accountant, Eastwick is also interim president of the Lincoln Bowling Club, where he started playing about 40 years ago.
“I started there, I think ... probably I was about 35, and I played for a number of years,” he said.
“I was very keen on my bowls, and I got caught into playing every bloody weekend, just about.
“I was trying to coach kids cricket and all sorts of other things, and in the end I gave up for a bit. I’ve just gone back to it in the last five (years) or so, but more on a social basis now rather than a competitive basis.”
But Eastwick’s competitive side was evident when his Lincoln four with Denis Smith, Luke Clark, and Kevin McCreanor won the Lex Stewart tournament at Lincoln this month.
Eastwick says his fondest memories of rugby are about the people.
“The rugby community’s pretty good, really, and I’m involved in (horse) racing as well, and I just find that meeting so many different people, all with the same motivations and the same desire to improve the game, has really got to be a bit of a highlight.”
“I obviously had many pleasant times on the Canterbury Rugby Union.
"Canterbury rugby has been strong for a long number of years, so strength in the teams that you follow is always pleasant.”
Eastwick now follows his grandchildrens' various sporting endeavours.
