Magpies Sporting Club Mackay general manager Darren Smith has sadly passed away following a battle with cancer.
The news of Smith’s passing was announced by the club on LinkedIn.
“With the heaviest of hearts, our Magpies family mourns the loss of our courageous and much-loved leader, Darren Smith.”
Smith has served as the club’s manager and leader and played an integral part in the club’s success for the last 12 years, but had over 20 years of senior management experience in Queensland community clubs, from general manager roles in Brisbane, to marketing and gaming experience.
He relocated from Brisbane to the tropics of Mackay in 2012 specifically to fill the Operations Manager role at the club and did not look back. Smith was also a sports tragic at heart.
“Darren touched the lives of many of us, known for his kindness and positivity, his passion for sport and his dedication to Magpies. Most of all, he was known for the immense love and devotion that he had for his family,” the club stated.
“At his heart he was a people person, and he shaped our Magpies team culture into the warm, respectful and collaborative team we are today – something Darren was incredibly proud of. Darren was also a passionate supporter of our community contributions, he loved to give back and was motivated by our Club’s dedication to serve sport and our community.
“Despite fighting a personal battle with cancer, Darren continued to show courage, strength and resilience and he has been an inspiration to us all.
“The hearts of our Magpies team are broken. We will be wearing black ribbon in honour of Darren and his enormous contribution to our Club and our team, as we endeavour to do what Darren did, continue to show up with courage, strength and resilience.”
Smith is survived by his wife Sarah and children Kyden, Teya, Ashton, Atari and Tayah.
Club Management and Food and Beverage Media would like to extend its condolences to Darren Smith’s family and the Magpies Sporting Club Mackay team.