Gibb/Loomes Shield to honour Rod Gibb, Jan Gibb and Valmai Loomes

20 January 2024

Gibb/Loomes Shield to honour Rod Gibb, Jan Gibb and Valmai Loomes

The most prestigious award for an Athletics NSW country club will now be the Gibb/Loomes Shield, a new award which recognises the 166 years of extraordinary volunteer service by three stalwarts of country athletics - Rod Gibb, Jan Gibb and Valmai Loomes.

Inaugurated at this year’s 79th 2024 NSW Country Championships, the Gibb/Loomes Shield replaces the Hooper Cup which was donated by a Physical Education Centre in Ryde some decades ago. The club winning the point score at the annual three-day country championships will be awarded the shield and also named Athletics NSW Country Club of the Year in the end of year awards.

Individually Rod Gibb, Jan Gibb and Valmai Loomes have volunteered in athletics for nearly their entire lives and particularly country athletics. Over the more than six decades that they have been involved, they have provided opportunities and assisted tens of thousands of athletes. Imagine how many athletes have run the Willandra cross country course that Rod has manicured? The number of athletes that have been members of Illawarra Blue Stars or run at Kerryn McCann Athletics Track that Valmai has supported for over 60 years or the number of athletes that Jan has assisted at her clubs Nowra and Victory Runners or the number of athletes who have competed at the Country Championships over three decades when Jan managed the entries and program. There positive impact through sport is immeasurable on so many people.

A little more about their involvement in athletics:

VALMAI LOOMES (Illawarra Blue Stars)

Born into an athletics family, Valmai Loomes has been the key volunteer administrator with one of NSW’s leading clubs, the Illawarra Blue Stars, for a staggering 61 years. Aged 18 in 1963, she became Treasurer of the club and a year later Secretary and has held that position since 1964 – 60 years. IBS have hosted many state level meets, including the NSW Country Championships. Valmai has coached, administered, and officiated for six decades. She took over the running of the club from her family who were also significant contributors to the sport. She is the key driver behind the Illawarra Track Challenge which this year celebrated 10 years. Valmai has been recognised for this service with an OAM, and Life Membership with Athletics NSW and her club.

JAN GIBB (Nowra Athletics Club, Victory Runners)

In the early ‘80s Jan Gibb joined husband Rod Gibb in administration of the Nowra Athletics club. By 1982 Jan had become Secretary, a key position she held for an extraordinary 33 years. She continued her involvement with Victory Runners as secretary.

Jan has also worked tirelessly for the Country Championships. She would move to Sydney for two weeks prior to the championships where she prepared the medals, sorted the entries, produced the program and start sheets – no Meet Manager in those days! She also complies the Country meet records. For over four decades she officiated at Athletics NSW meets and was a State team manager.

She and husband Rod’s property have hosted 31 NSW State and four Australian winter championships over the last 33 years. Jan has been recognised for this service with an OAM, and Life Membership with Athletics NSW and Nowra Athletics Club.

Rod Gibb (Nowra Athletics Club, Victory Runners)

Rod Gibb became a member of Nowra Athletics Club in 1961, initially in junior roles like captain and race secretary. He started officiating with Athletics NSW in the ‘70s and organised the NSW State Marathon held in Nowra in 1978 and 1979. His club service with Nowra, was for decades and Victory Runners in recent years, has been extensive - secretary five years, treasurer one year, president eight years and patron 43 years.

He, along with wife Jan Gibb, their family and the club, have developed their own property into a world class cross country venue. For 40 years local schools, school regions and clubs have held their cross country at their property Willandra. Carnivals range from 100 to 800 athletes and run throughout the winter – there would be tens of thousands who have trotted the hills at Willandra. The venue has hosted 31 NSW State and four Australian Cross County Championships in the last 33 years. Rod has been a technical official at club, state, national and international level for over five decades. He managed Australian teams to the World Cross Country and Ekiden events.

His direct contribution to country athletics is enormous, serving as an Athletics Board Member and Commissioner for Country athletes, where he managed the former regional structure. He has also served as a member of the country championships organising committee.

Awarded an OAM in 2006, Rod is a Life Member of Athletics Australia, Athletics NSW and the Nowra Athletics Club.

A final word about Jan, Rod and Valmai, is their volunteer service has been alongside their families. Valmai was initially on her club committee as a teenager with her parents, before taking over the reins from her parents, while Rod and Jan have been joined by many of their family to assist in every aspect, from club committee members to leadup and on the day roles at the many cross country events. They are carpark attends, canteen staff, course marshals and the venue manager.

Thank you Jan Gibb, Rod Gibb and Valmai Loomes. Your service is, and will continue to be remembered, with the annual awarding of the Gibb/Loomes Shield.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW
Image: Rod Gibb, Jan Gibb and Valmai Loomes checking out the new Gibb/Loomes trophy (Image courtesy of David Tarbotton)