Legend gets accolades
01 Mar 2013
Athletics Tasmania has joined with the State Government to recognise a unique commitment to the sport from Noel Ruddock AM, who recently commenced the 67th year of his involvement in athletics as either an official or administrator.
The Association’s new office suite was officially opened and designated as the Noel Ruddock Administration Centre, by the Minister for Sport and Recreation, Hon Michelle O’Byrne MP as a prelude to last Saturday’s Briggs Athletics Classic.
It was a special occasion, not only because the sport’s staff finally have a home after more than 25 years of temporary arrangements in the photo finish room but because the sport and community were able to recognise in person the most distinguished career in administration that 110 year old association has seen and is ever likely to see.
Tasmanian athletics has for decades and still continues to achieve well above its station – due in no small way to the quality and length of service of Noel Ruddock and his long time colleague Graeme Briggs.
As Noel commented during the evening’s formalities - Graeme had the ideas and Noel provided the execution. There was a good deal of truth in the quip.
The environment they created has ensured that Tasmanian athletics finds itself today with three fully operational and equipped athletics stadia around the state, a rich history in high performance, association administration, competition delivery, an extraordinary talented officials team which has always included teenagers through to those in the most experienced ranks and largely thanks to Noel, always money in the bank.
In addition the State has always made more than its fair contribution to the administration of the sport nationally – evidenced in part by Noel’s constructive and thoughtful contribution to Athletics Australia conferences over more than forty years.
Noel was a technical official at both Olympic Games held in Australia, the 1962 and 1982 Commonwealth Games and the 1985 World Cup in Canberra.
Recognised as an AA Life Governor and AT Life Member, doyen of the Tasmanian Olympic Council and Australian Commonwealth Games Association and through countless other honours, Noel was bestowed with membership of the Order of Australia in 1982.
Noel has been involved with the Australian Commonwealth Games Association (Tas Division) for more than 36 years. During this time he has held positions of President, Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer, member of the Executive Committee and delegate to ACGA national meetings.
He has maintained a similar involvement over the same period with the Tasmanian Olympic Council, holding the positions of President, Vice President, Treasurer and member of the Corporate Fundraising Committee. Noel was very active with the Pierre de Coubertin Awards program held in schools throughout Tasmania and is a life member of the TOC.
Now mostly retired from administrative roles, Noel still finds time to serve as a starters’ assistant at club and schools athletics meets and recently became treasurer of the Tasmanian Branch of the Order of Australia Association.
On behalf of both the broader Tasmanian community and the athletics family, Minister O’Byrne closed out the formalities of the evening by presenting Noel with a fine caricature drawn by artist John Farmer which symbolised key elements of Noel’s sporting career, including his playing days with the Sandy Bay Football Club.
The office development which was made possible by an extension of the existing functions building at the Domain Athletic Centre was jointly funded by the State Government and Athletics Tasmania.
AT President Brian Roe extended the thanks of the Association to all involved in the development including Fairbrothers Constructions and athletics family members - William Yee, Mark Dick, Frank Hill, Ken Atkinson, Tony Zito, Christian McKenzie, Paul Williams and especially to Dean Giblin and Board members Wayne Fletcher and Kevin Morse for their oversight of the project.
