Seven NSW Volunteers Honoured by Athletics Australia

21 October 2022

Seven NSW Volunteers Honoured by Athletics Australia

At today’s Athletics Australia AGM and in the 2022 Annual Report, seven NSW volunteers were honoured for decades of outstanding service to the sport. Kim Owens was awarded Life Membership, while Margaret Beardslee, Don Brodie, Frank Overton, David Archbold, Peter Douglas and Ross Douglas were recognised with Athletics Australia Platinum Service Awards for 40-years club service. Combined, the six AA service award recipients have given a staggering 314 years of club service an average of 53 years each.

Athletics NSW thanks these outstanding seven individuals for their extraordinary service to the sport in NSW.

Kim Owens

Kim Owens has for over two decades been an international official for Australia. Ahead of being appointed a technical official in the Call Room for the 2000 Sydney Olympics, she volunteered for the Administrative Services Project Committee for the 1996 World Junior Championships.

In her second international appointment, the Sydney 2000 Paralympics, she was a judge on the track and in the field. After being an umpire for the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, for the next Commonwealth Games in 2018 she had risen to Meeting Manager.

A regular leading Technical Official at Australian Championships, Kim is often the Competition Director for Athletics NSW Championship events. Kim has been a significant Athletics NSW official for two decades, involved in the leadup and post championship and competition reviews.

Kim has also served the sport as an Athletics NSW Officials Advisory Panel member for over a decade – since 2009/10. Nationally she has also been a NSW Representative on Athletics Australia Officials Commission from 2013.

Through her roles in NSW and Australia she had been involved in officials exam supervision and marking, retention and acquisition of officials, appointments, mentoring and competition planning.

Margaret Beardslee

A athlete with Randwick Botany Club from 1979, Margaret’s administration started within a few years as Secretary of the Runners Club. While in Sydney Margaret was also a member of Easts and her University Club. In the early ‘90s she relocated to the Central Coast and her club administration involvement grew when she formed the Tuggerah Lakes Club, later renamed Mingara. Her club involvement started a 25 year stretch as Secretary, but she was also Treasurer, club competition manager, club delegate to Athletics NSW and the region, newsletter editor and club coach. Within a few years the club hosted their first Athletics NSW State Championships - the Short Course XC Championships, going on to host well over a dozen State Championships including the Road Relays and NSW Country Championships. Margaret was also Central Coast Secretary for nine years, a representative on committees in the Hunter, NSW Country and for Championship events. She was also involved in the development of the track at Mingara.

Frank Overton

For over 63 years Frank Overton has been involvement as an athlete, coach, administrator and official in the sport of athletics.

He first joined Western Suburbs in 1959 and by the ‘70s was combining his successful athletics career with officiating at state and national championships and international meets, including 1985 IAAF World Cup (Canberra), 1996 IAAF World Juniors (Sydney), 1983 and 1985 World Race Walking Cup. He held many officials positions, including walk judge, track umpire, wind gauge operator, jumps official, walk judge and competition manager.

For nearly five decades he has been a key administrator in Sydney and on the Central Coast with Parramatta Athletics, NSW Race Walking Club, Gosford Athletics, Gosford Walkers Club, Gosford LA’s and Mingara Club. On the Central Coast he was instrumental in the development of Adcock Park as a dedicated athletics field, President of Gosford Athletics, Secretary of the Walkers Clubs and coach and an official at all his clubs. In the ‘70s and ‘80s he was also an Athletics NSW state selector.

Don Brodie

As a teenager in 1945 Don Brodie started his connection in the sport when he joined Western Suburbs Athletics Club as an athlete. He also joined the club’s committee, starting a near seven-decade involvement in administration at the club that continued as recently as 2013 when he was President.

In the early years Don combined his successful career as a middle-distance runner (on the Wests team that broke the Australian club 4x880 yards relay record) and hurdler, as the Club’s Social Secretary. Before the days of sponsorship social events were a method clubs derived income. At just 32, in 1961 his contribution to the club was recognised with Life Membership of Wests. He continued to have significant roles as manager of their weekly club competition, Ground Manager, member of the organising committee for the Western Suburbs Schoolboys Cross-Country Championships and Western Suburbs Schoolboys Athletics Championships. He also coached extensively, including as the foundation coach for two-time Olympian and Commonwealth Games heptathlon gold medallist Jane Jamieson.

Such was his involvement with the club a special dinner for his 50-year anniversary was held in 1995. Also in 1995 he was made a Life Members of Athletics NSW as he had held many positions including State Selector and State Team Manager. In 1997 he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM). His service continued when in 2004 he was elected President of Western Suburbs, a position he held until 2013.

Ross Douglas

For an astonishing 48 years, Ross has served UTS Norths Club as a volunteer committee member. A sprinter and jumper, he joined the club in 1970. Within four years, in 1974, he was elected to the committee. From 1979 to 1985 he was club captain, and alongside twin brother Peter, Ross has been the face of the club to thousands of members as the inter-club team manager for decades.

Ross has held the position of register for a staggering 38 of those 48 years – from 1984. To the present. For four years (1985 to 1988) he also doubled as the Club Secretary. He has also served as the club’s publicity officer, regularly submitting reports to the North Shore Times.

Ross has been involved with the club’s events from State Relay Championships to the Club Championships, where he was involved with selecting team, then managing them on the day of the event. He also volunteers at the West Metropolitan Cross Country competition.

During its peak years in the ‘70s and ‘80s, Ross volunteered at Northern Zone, usually held at their own track – Rotary Field. Ross, along with his brother Peter, also wrote the Athlete’s Foot in the early 1980s - a weekly newsletter handed out at the summer competition which included information and results about the club.

In 1992 he was made a Life Member of the club and in 2002 received the Athletics NSW Service Merit Award.

Peter Douglas

In 1974 Peter Douglas was elected to the UTS Norths Club committee. This incredible service to the club continues nearly five decades later. Four years earlier Peter had joined as an athlete, competing in the sprints and jumps. After three years as vice-President of the club, in 1982 Peter was elected Treasurer, holding the position for 24 successive years. The next year (2006) he moved to the role of club Secretary holding the position for 10 of the next 11 years, until 2017. For decades, he and twin brother Ross were the face of the club at the weekly summer competition as team managers.

Peter also served on committees for special events and assisted organise teams for State Relays, Cross Country and Club Championships. He was also a delegate and liaised with various organisations like Athletics NSW and the council.

In 1982 Peter was recognised with the awarding of the inaugural Mike Poirrier Trophy for Best Club Person. In 1992 he was made a Life Member of the UTS Norths club and in 2002 received the Athletics NSW Service Merit Award.

David Archbold

David Archbold joined UTS Norths as a 12-year-old school athlete in 1961. A few years later he became the Club’s Vice-Captain. While still in his teens, in 1970 he started a 41-year club committee involvement with UTS Norths. He served as President from 1999 to 2004-05, and club Vice-President from 1988 to 1993 and 2005-06 to 2010.

With his interest in electronics, as an 18-year-old he was responsible for the club’s amplification system. He later studied electrical engineering at UTS. From 1974 to 1994 he was editor and publisher of the club’s newsletter the North Star. For 25-years he managed the running of the canteen at Rotary Field. He also drove the club becoming incorporated.

A tireless volunteer for the UTS Norths club, he was named Club Man of the Year in 1966, 1971, 1992 and 2001.

In 2011 Dave moved his club involvement to the Blacktown Club and also stepped up his involvement with the popular West Metropolitan Cross Country series, which is conducted over winter. When Athletics NSW has held State Cross Country events at Upjohn Park, Dave Archbold has been a key member of the organising committee, using his strong relationship with the council to ensure smooth running of the event.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW
Images: Kim Owens, Margaret Beardslee, Don Brodie, Frank Overton, David Archbold, Peter Douglas and Ross Douglas (images courtesy of David Tarbotton)