By RON LANE
OUT in the centre of the Girraween Sports Complex on Saturday 21 November, two people will be seen walking around with worried looks on their faces.
For Ian Smith and Val Hooper, members of the Noosa Little Athletics, the occasion and the reason for their expression will be the successful running of the sixth Annual Noosa Gift, the major event of the year for their club.
Now in its sixth year, the Gift has gone from strength to strength and with club members finally being named in both state and national teams, the future is indeed looking very bright.
“It has been a lot of hard work with all sorts of ups and downs,” Ian said.
“But we have a great committee and support group and from now on will go from strength to strength.”
With this Val Hooper, centre manager (club president) totally agrees.
“Everything is now progressing nicely. The fact that we now have our young ones making the major teams gives everyone a lot of heart.”
For Ian the road that was to end at Girraween Sport Complex and Noosa Little Athletics, started at the Brisbane Boys College when he became a part of the track and field team.
“My disciplines were the sprints and jumps and after a couple of seasons I was named team captain. It was my ability as a sprinter that was to get me into the beach teams when I later joined the life-saving movement.”
After leaving high school Ian enrolled at QUT where he studied land surveying and also took the time to join the Southport SLSC where he became a member of the beach team. On graduating from QUT Ian travelled to Cairns for work and while there he continued to compete in track and field events.
Returning south he obtained work in Nambour and reactivated his membership of the Southport Surf Club, travelling from Nambour to Southport and back to via Skinner Bus Service, to fulfill his patrols and training obligations.
“Settled in Nambour, I used to occasionally visit Noosa and became friends with Henry Young and Ian Hadley of the local surf club beach team.
“After competing at Maroochydore in the big East West Airline Carnival for Southport, I was persuaded to join the Noosa club; glad to say I did for this was where I met a clubmate Michelle, who in 1996 became my wife.”
Now happily married with three children, Ian still works in Nambour as a partner in Murray and Associates, Land Surveyors and Town Planners.
Val, who works as a teacher’s aide at Sunshine Beach State School, became involved in 2003. Finding she enjoyed the club life and hospitality, she took the next step and joined the committee.
Now 12 years on she is not only the centre manager, but also the longest serving member of the committee.
Before coming to Noosa she spent several years in Darwin where her husband Michael, a Defence Force member was stationed.
During his service to his country he did two tours of duty in Timor. Now along with his wife he is heavily involved in the club, working as head coach.
Speaking on the club’s recent successes, Val said: “I feel I can safely say, and I know that Ian agrees, our major achievement has been the Athletic Development Program (ADP). What this has done for us has been outstanding. It has covered many aspects but above all, with the structure we have in place the kids now realise that they can have a good career in athletics.”
Val is definitely right about the ADP. Before all this was in place, once the kids reached a certain age they felt there was very little to offer. Now it’s different, because it creates a pathway from little athletics through to the ultimate goal the Australian team. Also it was a great tool in strengthening the club as a whole.
“Another point is that in 2013 we had one boy and one girl at state level,” Ian said.
“But by 2015 we had 23 qualify for the state team. Just this week we had one of our athletes Luke Giacca, representing Australia in Soma in the Youth Commonwealth Games, where he won the bronze medal throwing the javelin; also Samantha Johnson has represented Australia at the Oceanic Games in Cains.”
The Gift first started at Reid Park. “We wanted to expand so I contacted Grant Cremer, CEO of Queensland Athletics and they agreed and gave us their approval and full support,” Ian said. “Because the race is a handicap event we had to have a handicapper who knew what he was doing, so the club contacted Bobbie Cook.”
Cook, who has 35 years in the business was also Ian’s beach coach back in 1983; so Ian made the approach and he said yes. One thing that has amazed many onlookers who have witnessed finals over the years has been the blanket finishes. There can be no doubt that this is due to the great work of Cook.
The entrance of schools from throughout the state, plus surf lifesaving clubs has greatly boosted the number of runners attending. From the life-saving clubs several state and national champions have competed.
Val’s hard work has not gone unnoticed. In 2014 she was awarded the Queensland Little Athletics Volunteer of the Year and was also the runner-up in the Queensland Volunteer of the Year; both well deserved.
With Ian’s workload, a major factor has been the hard work and support of his wife Michelle, always there always helping; again when the tracks have to be marked and lanes organised it’s up to Ian and his supporters.
With our climate, our facilities and a workforce like the people of the Noosa Little Athletics, there is nothing to stop the Noosa Gift becoming a major event on the Australian athletic calendar. Good luck to Val and Ian; just two more of Our People.
