The humble Fairy Meadow father has been lending a hand behind the scenes at netball and soccer clubs for more than two decades, but insists it is no big deal.

‘‘They need someone on the barbie sometimes so I get volunteered, or I volunteer,’’ he said, matter-of-fact.

It is easy to get roped into things when your wife is president of Woonona Netball Club.

Even more so when you have five kids who have played everything from netball and soccer, to cricket, baseball and nippers over the years.

It is the type of attitude that saw the coalminer spend his 60th birthday marking the grass netball courts at Fairy Meadow, without complaint.

Mr Jones’s tireless work prompted his wife Catherine to recently nominate him for the Philips Community Sports Dad of the Year award.

‘‘Over the years he has taken the kids everywhere, to all their sports and all their training sessions,’’ Mrs Jones said.

‘‘If you need someone to do the barbecue he’ll do it and he just doesn’t go there for an hour or two – he’ll stay there all day.

‘‘He never complains and he has always been so humble, which is why I nominated him.

‘‘He works night shift but he still comes down on Saturday afternoon without having any sleep to watch our daughter play.’’

At their busiest, the couple spend their weekend ferrying their five children to sporting events around the region, squeezing in some time to enjoy a game for themselves.

‘‘He’s a sporty person himself,’’ Mrs Jones said.

‘‘Over the years he has played hockey, footy, squash, surfing and now he plays golf a couple times a week.’’

Finalists will be announced on August 24.