Sporting Heroes

31 Jan 2017

The sporting successes of some very active retirees continue this issue, with stories from a golfing natural and a member whose impact on Australian basketball has been immeasurable.

 

One very sporty lady Willy Johnstone from Ulverstone Ladies Probus Club has tallied up quite the list of sporting achievements in her time. Now at the age of 77, Willy enjoys playing indoor and outdoor bowls, while also being an enthusiastic member of the club’s entertainment committee. But in years gone by, you could find her enjoying a very active lifestyle anywhere from the swimming pool, to the basketball court or cricket field. Here are just a few of her achievements:

 

• 1953 – Athletic and Swimming Champion at Ulverstone High School

• 1959 – Basketball and Softball, in Tasmanian State Teams

• 1962 – Basketball and Softball, in Tasmanian State Teams

• 1987 – Basketball, over 45s Tasmanian Team, first Masters Games in Tasmania

• 1987 – Netball, over 35s Tasmanian Team

• 1988 – Indoor Cricket, Tasmanian Masters Games in Hobart

A lifelong cricket career

Julian Hughes has been involved with cricket for almost his entire life. His passion for the sport began when he first played for Washington Cricket Club (now Washington Park Cricket Club Inc), for the under 16s team back in 1954. He quickly progressed to the first XI team the following year, and ended up playing there for 18 seasons. During that time he undertook 199 senior games and four premierships, the last three of which he was captain. In later years, he was Club     Secretary for eight seasons, Club President for two seasons and coach of the under 16s team for several seasons. He has proudly been a life member of the club since 1970. In the early 70s, Julian joined the Glen Waverley Church of Christ Cricket Club, where he played 23 seasons from 1972 to 1955, including 256 senior games and three premierships, two of which he was vice captain. Over the years, he also proudly took on the position of Club President for three seasons, as well as coach of both the under 14s and under 16s teams. Julian has been a life member of the club since 1985. Making the move to umpiring was a natural progression for Julian. He’s been a life member of the Eastern Umpires Association since 2010 and has enjoyed 15 seasons as a senior umpire, during which time he made some big calls in more than 200 matches. Now a valued member of the Narre Warren Probus Club, Julian would like to thank his wife of 51 years, Lorraine, and his family for their ongoing support of what has been a truly wonderful career in cricket.

Basketball brilliance

Although he has never played basketball, Richard (Dick) Butler’s infl uence on the development of the sport in Australia has been significant. His passion for the sport began in 1972, when his three young sons were invited to learn the sport at the Adelaide-based Forestville Eagles Club. Dick quickly became involved in the running of the club, representing it on state committees. He managed several state junior teams and represented South Australia on the Australian Junior Basketball Council – he was elected President of that body in 1980. Six years later, while still in that role, Dick was elected president of Basketball Australia, a position he held for the next 11 years. He also held the role of Basketball SA president from 1986 until 1991, during which time he also served on the board of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) for six years. Later, Dick became CEO of Basketball Australia from 1997-1999.

At an early stage in his national involvement, Dick realised the inequality that existed between the support of men’s and women’s programs at all levels. In his efforts to correct this imbalance, he insisted that a Junior Women’s National Program be introduced. This led to Australia winning its first international medal, a bronze, at the second Junior Women’s World Championship at Bilbao, Spain, in 1989. Four years later, at the third World Championship in Seoul, Korea, Australia won its first gold medal, followed by a silver four years later in Natal, Brazil. These successes lead to the Australian Women’s Team winning our first Olympic medal, a bronze, in 1996 in Atlanta. Silver medals followed for the women in Sydney, Athens and Beijing. Then in 2006, this team won a gold medal at the World Championship in Brazil. Dick was responsible for the naming of the Australian Women’s Team, the Opals. It was always his belief that this team would be the “Jewel in the crown of Australian Basketball”. The Opal, with its fi re, beauty, brilliance and Australian origin was a name synonymous with the attributes of the team. His naming talent surfaced again when he formed and named the NBL team, the Adelaide 36ers in 1982. Dick was director of the NBL for 17 years. He is a life member of the Adelaide 36ers, Basketball SA and Basketball Australia. His final role for Basketball Australia was at the Sydney Olympics, where he was the liaison officer for SOCOG with FIBA. His legacy continued with his eldest son Michael representing Australia as a basketball referee at the Atlanta Olympics, and currently continues with youngest son, Scott, who was an assistant coach of the Opals at the Rio Olympics.

A golfing natural

Dawn Scott, a member of the Horsham East Ladies Probus Club, first joined the Warracknabeal Golf Club in 1956. In her first year she reduced her handicap from 36 to 27, dropping it even lower to 13 in her second year. She played A grade pennant and, as her handicap reduced, became the number one player on a single fi gure handicap. The lowest handicap Dawn ever achieved was 6, however she generally played off 7 and maintained a single figure handicap for many years. Just some of her achievements include:

• Contesting the Warracknabeal Ladies Championship fi nal four times, before winning her first of nine titles in 1968.

• Awarded Wimmera District Champion in 1975, as well as Champion of Champions.

• Won the Wimmera District Foursomes on three occasions with her golfing partner Roma Kosloff.

• Represented the Wimmera as the number two player for Country Teams Events in Melbourne for several years.

• Nominated by the Warracknabeal and Southern Mallee Sportsman of the Year Committee in July 1976.

Following her husband Max’s retirement in 1985, Dawn went to live in Malua Bay, NSW, where she became heavily involved with the Catalina Country Club at Batemans Bay. In 1986, she was elected to the Ladies Committee and before too long became vice captain. She was ultimately nominated as captain in 1988/1991. From 1991 onwards, Dawn somehow found time to tackle the positions of assistant secretary, captain, chairman of match and vice president to the Far South Coast and Tablelands District Ladies Committee. By 1996/97 she was reelected as Ladies captain and by 1998/99 was awarded the role of Ladies president, before becoming Club vice captain in 98 and finally club captain in 2002. Dawn was the first and only lady to have held the position in Catalina. Other career highlights include winning the matchplay championship and a rare hole in one on the 13th. Dawn was awarded Life Membership of Catalina in 2001.

While she has since relocated to Horsham, where she’s a proud Probian, Dawn is still an active member of the Horsham Golf Club and gets out on the course twice a week, weather permitting, with a GA handicap of 23.5.

Champion of champions

Redcliffe City Mixed Probus Club member Dorothy Field, along with her team of fellow bowlers, has excelled in the sport of lawn bowls by recently taking out the Champion of Champions Competition. Competition was tough, but not tough enough to stop Dorothy’s team from first winning their own club championship at Bramble Bay, before securing the winning title at the district competition against clubs in Brisbane North. A play-off from this resulted in winning the Club Champion of Champions award. Well done Dorothy, you’re certainly one very active retiree!