Bob Parsons first made an impression as an all round sportsman in his schoolboy days.
He captained state schoolboys football teams and was a brilliant all round cricketer.
After returning from service in New Guinea in World War II, he recommenced playing with the New Town Football Club in 1945. Unknown to him at the time, strings were pulled in order to get him home on leave in time for New Town, who had
signed him, to include him in the side for a first semi final encounter. Although not entirely fit, he agreed to play in the game but recalled later that he hardly had a touch of the football all day until the last minute of the match when he kicked a goal to draw the
game. That was the start of his career with New Town where he became part of the famous ruck combination of Jack Rough and Bill Fox.
Bob was also dominant in State football, playing at the State Carnival in Brisbane in 1950 where he was leading goalkicker in the side and Adelaide in 1953 where he became known as the "Mighty Atom".
He retired as a player in 1955, after playing 211 senior football games, including 95 with New Town, 70 with Penguin 6 with Clarence and 22 representative games with the TFL and 10 for the NWFU plus 8 games for Tasmania.
After finishing his football commitments in the north of the state Bob returned to Hobart and coached the Glenorchy District Football Club from 1964 to 1968, taking the club to State premiers in 1965. During the five years that he
coached, he took Glenorchy to one premiership, two runners up and two fourths.
Bob had the ability to get the most out of his players, and commitment to his goals that made him a great coach of Glenorchy.
Bob Parsons gave a true commitment to all challenges he faced in life, something that made him the true champion he was.
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