Stuart Mackay joined the Perth Redbacks in 1965 when he was a Year 11 student at Kent St SHS and played in the Redbacks’ U18 team as a two-year player. Peter Simper, a state player, was the U18 coach at the time. Stuart played in senior teams in 1966 to 1968 under coaches Eric Erkins, Ed Rogers and Peter Simper. (Eric Erkins had been the Men’s coach at the 1960 Rome Olympics!) Stuart then played in the 1969 A-Grade team (the equivalent of SBL today) under coach Norm Majors.
Upon returning from a two-year teaching appointment, Stuart served on the Junior Committee from 1972 to 1979. He recruited and coached young players to play for Perth while he was a teacher at Kewdale SHS with his former Kent St schoolmate Tony Ewing. Those young players included David Almond, Chris Cassir and Debbie Fitzsimons among others.
Upon returning from teaching positions in Kununurra and Carnarvon in 1985 Stuart re-joined the Redbacks Junior Committee and coordinated the 1985-87 Redback Classic at the Vic Park Recreation Centre. He was Chairman of the Junior Committee from 1989-1998. At that time Perth had 85 junior teams playing at the Park Centre, 32 teams at Leederville and 16 boys and girls teams playing in the WABL. With Ed Rogers, Stuart started and coordinated the junior domestic competition at the Loftus St Recreation Centre.
He was club President in 1999 and has remained a loyal and enthusiastic supporter of the PBA, in particular in establishing the Club’s Roll Of Honour, supporting the PBA’s annual WABL Breakfast award presentations and the PBA Redbacks ever since he joined the club in 1965.
Stuart was honoured to be named a Life Member of the Perth Redbacks in 1988.