Max Cherry OAM - 1927 - 2008
29 Apr 2008
VALE - Max Cherry OAM
Max Cherry was a guru coach - in every sense of what that word has come to mean. He was widely respected, particularly by thinkers within the Australian athletics community. They saw a man who had coached for a huge period of time, who in his senior years retained extraordinary enthusiasm for coaching youngsters and senior athletes, alike.
They also saw a man who had a substantial pedigree as a coach at the highest level. In the 1970’s when Tasmania was as strong in cross country and distance running as any state in the country, the accepted reason was the influence of Max Cherry. He guided and inspired a generation of athletes who in turn ensured that Australia's smallest state punched well above its weight in producing national medallists and international representatives.
Max was never afraid to provide his thoughts on what was best for athletics either in Tasmania and nationally. No-one, for a moment, disputed his right to do so - he had earned it many times over by the contribution he had made over 60 years as an athlete, administrator and most importantly and significantly, as a coach.
Quite apart from that - he was never far off the mark with what he had to say. Often accompanied by a well-directed pointer finger, his advice, input and contribution were ever present and highly valued.
But, more importantly, to watch Max in action on the track, would have been of benefit to any aspiring coach. He was equally enthusiastic with, although perhaps slightly less demanding of, a 13 year old starting out athletics, as he was with one of his international representative athletes like Kent Rayner, Randal Markey, Dave Chettle or Donna MacFarlane.
But even more noteworthy was the respect that he got back on each and every occasion. He had a rare gift of knowing how much training an athlete could absorb, how much encouragement they needed or alternatively how much constructive criticism to deliver if training or competition failed to achieve realistic expectation.
The reality of the athletics of today, right around Australia, is that participation in the sport is very much coach driven. There is little doubt that without people like Max, and Max in particular, there would have been far fewer athletes in the sport and certainly many less who would have achieved as much as they might have been capable.
Coaching Donna MacFarlane to a Commonwealth Games, 32 years after achieving the same (in 1974) with Randal Markey, and then to an Olympic Games, 32 years after doing just that (in 1976) for Dave Chettle - says much about Max - about perseverance, dedication and patience, in addition to the necessary coaching knowledge and skill.
There are few coaches who would have been happy during most of such a hiatus, to continue to mostly coach youngsters and then almost out of nowhere coach someone to the highest levels once again.
But it was not an avenue Max chose to take. Whether there was any expectation of producing another string of Australian representatives over the years, no-one really knows. But it was fulfilled.
The fact that he was able to coach Donna to a medal, after she had been out of the sport for five years to start a family, is testament to the drive and determination of both people.
In complete contrast, Randal Markey went to his Commonwealth Games, basically out of schoolboy ranks. For Max, there was no standard textbook - only the next challenge.
As he again delivered on, in 2005, when the then burgeoning talent of Ryan Foster, won a place in the Australian team for the World Youth Championships in Morocco in the 2000 metres steeplechase.
Although Max was always the first to say he did not want it, he was well, and often, recognised for his passion of helping others fulfil their athletic dreams. He was the recipient of the Australian Sports Medal in 2000, and then in June 2007, the Medal of the Order of Australia.
Max was the Tasmanian Sports Star Awards’ Coach of the Year and a multiple winner of the Athletics Tasmania equivalent. He was accorded Coach of Merit status by Athletics Australia for 2006-07 and 2007-08, and was bestowed with the sport’s most prestigious coaching honour, the Henri Schubert Award.
A shining example to others of all ages, Max was a finalist in the Senior Australian of the Year Award in 2005 and 2006. On the lighter side he was even a “calendar boy” – Mr April in “Still Inspiring”, a calendar published in 2007 to celebrate older Australians.
Max was a Life Member of Athletics Tasmania and his beloved club, Sandy Bay Harriers. In this his 54th year in coaching, he was continuing to provide support to others as the President of the Tasmanian Branch of the Australian Track and Field Coaches Association.
Above all, and perhaps most importantly, he remained until his passing on Monday a most active coach to a large squad of athletes and freely gave of his time for clinics conducted for schoolchildren and state development squad athletes.
Here we mention only Max’s contribution to athletics, but his devotion extended well beyond our sport to football umpiring, where he was also a life member, and to many other sporting and community activities.
It is too often said that no individual is impossible to replace. In the case of Max, this is simply untrue.
We will do our best but we suspect that we will come up short. They simply don’t make them any more like they made Max Cherry.
Max is survived by his wife, and fellow Athletics Tasmania Life Member, Jo, together with his children from his first marriage – David, Sandra and Helen.
Brian Roe, President - Athletics Tasmania