Johan “John” Vrolyks was born in 1922 in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, and emigrated to Australia in 1952. After arriving in Sydney, he worked first as a car washer in Crown Street before becoming a cook with Cahill’s Restaurants. Keen to explore more of Australia, he soon joined the Postmaster-General’s Department as a technician-in-training. His first posting was at Lockhart, and when later offered a choice of Dubbo, Port Macquarie or Wagga Wagga, he selected Wagga simply because “the name sounded interesting.” He settled there in 1954 and made it his lifelong home.
Sport played a central role in John’s life. Already active in Dutch football circles, he joined the Dutch Sydney club “Austral” in 1952. Upon arriving in Wagga, he immediately set about establishing a local soccer scene. His first team, made up of Dutch migrants, was called “The Clogs.” Two years later, he formed a second team, “Arsenal,” which brought together players from a variety of national backgrounds. Through these initiatives, John helped build the foundations of multicultural football in the Riverina.
He was an all-round sportsman, also playing Australian rules, rugby and basketball. His enthusiasm for sport naturally led him to teaching and coaching in local schools and youth organisations. John introduced basketball as a school sport in the region and coached numerous teams, later establishing a Junior Basketball Competition at Hill Street that became an important pathway for young players.
John’s contribution to Wagga Wagga went far beyond sport. Together with his friend “Tikky” Thomas, he co-founded the Good Neighbour Council to welcome newly arrived migrants to the community. This work fostered cross-cultural understanding and ultimately led to the introduction of local Saint Nicholas Day celebrations, where John warmly embraced the role of Sinterklaas and helped preserve Dutch traditions for new generations of Australians.
For his extensive service to the community, especially through his involvement with the Asthma Foundation, John received the Australia Day Achievement Award in 1994. In 1997, he became one of the first recipients of the Wagga Wagga–Kooringal Rotary Peace Award, recognising his long-standing dedication to people-focused community initiatives.
John was the brother of Bill Vrolyks, the well-known Dutch–Australian football figure who played 510 first-grade matches, helped establish coaching structures in NSW and was inducted into the Football Australia Hall of Fame. While Bill’s legacy was rooted in elite football and coaching, John’s life story reflects community building at the grassroots level — two brothers whose contributions enriched very different parts of Australian sporting and social life.
As of 2025, John continues to live in his beloved Wagga home with his wife Janice, marking 103 remarkable years of life, service and community involvement.
Source: Museum of the Riverina
