David Cramer

Nominated by- LAWA

Category- Volunteer

1973 Founder member of the Warnbro Little Athletic Club, having 3 sons and a daughter competing. 1974 Level 1 Coach in all events.

Warnbro Little Athletics Club Club Positions: Treasurer Club Delegate Assisted with coaching over the past 24 years.

Rockingham Little Athletics Centre Executive: Treasurer - 6 years Championships Officer and Coach – 2 years Chairman - 2 years Delegate to WALA Association meetings. Officiated at walks and events Life Member of the Rockingham Little Athletics Centre

West Australian Little Athletics Association - Board of Management 1984 Elected to the position of Officer for Competition & Special Events (Incorporating Technical & Cross Country)

1987 Elected to the position of Chairman

Conducted coaching clinics in various Country Centres Conducted inaugural meetings for the commencement of new Centres. Attended ALA Conferences/Seminars/Think Tanks as delegate at the following:

1985 Technical & Standardisation meeting - 1986 Adelaide 1987 Darwin 1988 Sydney 1989 Queensland 1990 Launceston 1991 1991 September – extra-ordinary meeting 1992 - Annual General Meeting May - extra-ordinary meeting 1993 January - extra-ordinary meeting 1993 Melbourne - Annual General Meeting June - Think Tank September - Half yearly Conference November - joint ALA/AA meeting 1994 February - Think Tank

1986 As Officer for Competition & Special Events, attended inaugural meetings in Singapore with the Singapore Schools’ Sports Council. Attended all International Competitions up until 1994 as Chairman of the WALAA Board of Management.

Group Leader for the U14 and U15 International meet - 1986 to 1994

At the request of the Singapore Schools’ Sports Council delivered a paper in Singapore on Little Athletics as a Seminar for Teachers, Physical Education Officers and Coaches.

Attended meeting in Kuala Lumpur in December 1993 with the Secretary General of the Malaysian Schools’ Sports Council to discuss the inclusion of Thailand and Indonesia at future competitions.

David is still very much involved in the West Australian Little Athletics in the capacity of coaching. He has coached the WA ALAC Team and International State Team for many years.

Life Member of the West Australian Little Athletics Association

Australian Little Athletics 1986 ALAU Representative at the Asia Pacific & Oceania Sports Assembly held in Perth.

Chaired W.A.L.A. Standardisation Committee & Standards Events of ALA

Appointed Chairman of the ALA Medical Sub Committee

1995 Appointed Director of Competition & Standards Events of ALA

1996 - 2000 Appointed President of Australian Little Athletics.

Robin Johnson

Nominated by- LAWA

Category- Volunteers

In 1967 Robin saw Little Athletics in action in Victoria and decided to start the sport in Western .

Ably assisted by some helpers the first Little Athletics meet was held at Perry Lakes Stadium on 17th February 1968. This was the foundation of Perry Lakes Little Athletics Centre.

During the next year another Centre was formed and the Association of WA Little Athletics was formed.

Six more meets were organised by Robin and his merry band during which time a public meeting was held and so the West Australian Little Athletics was formed under the leadership of Robin Johnson.

Thus after much work under the leadership of Robin and with his very able assistance his wife Beris the Association of West Australian Little Athletics was formed.

By 1969 a total of 16 Centres were forming with a total of 940 athletes between the ages of 9 and 13.

In March 1970 the inaugural interstate Teams competition was held and Robin Johnson and his wife were the Team Managers who accompanied 20 athletes.

In August 1970 Robin took up the position of Manager/Secretary. In this position he was part of the forming of the Australian Little Athletics Union.

In 1973 Robin was awarded Citizen of the Year award for Sport for his contribution to athletics in WA.

In 1975 Robin resigned his position as Secretary/Manager.

In 1975 Robin was awarded a Life Membership for the West Australian Little Athletics.

Simon Black

Nominated by- LAWA

Category- Sportsmen

AFL Football

Little Athletics: Started Little Athletics at the age of 9 and competed until 15. 800m and 1500m were his favorite events. Competed for Leeming LAC which is part of the Melville Little Athletics Centre His father was his coach and Simon said as follows “It actually helped me a lot with my footy career over the years, obviously the endurance component but also he ability to deal with nerves…a big part of athletics. Also there is no one there to help you, its only you on the start line. Great for dealing with pressure.

ALAC in Canberra in U12 age group won a bronze medal in the 800m Remarked how cold it was Part of the International State Team Singapore Won a State Schools title and represented WA in the National Cross Country Championships

Career Highlights: 1998 – Lion’s Best first year player 1999 – 3rd AFL Rising Star Award Lions Rookie of the year Lions Barometer Award 2000 – Equal 7th Lions B & F 2001 – Member Brisbane Premiership side All Australian Selection Equal winner Lions B & F Herald Sun Player of the Year Lions Attitude Barometer Award 2002 - Member Brisbane Premiership side Brownlow Medal Norm Smith Medal All Australian Selection Lions B & F 2003 - Member Brisbane Premiership side 2004 - Member Brisbane Grand final side 2006 – Winner Lions B & F 2007 - Equal R/Up Brownlow medal Lions Captain Lions Life Membership 2008 - R/Up Brownlow medal R/Up Lions B & F Lions Best Midfielder Lions Co-Captain ABC Player of the Year 2009 – R/Up Lions B & F Member ‘Player of the Year’ Players ‘Player of the Year’ Courier Mail Player of the Year

2010 – R/Up Lions B & F Players ; Player of the Year’ Courier Mail Player of the Year

Milestone Games: 2000 – 50th 2002 – 100th 2004 - 150th 2007 – 200th 2009 – 250th AFL Games – 279 AFL Goals – 159 AFL Finals – 20 AFL Final Goals – 9

Summary; Simon Black is one of the most decorated players in the game’s history. He’s a triple premiership player with the Brisbane Lions, he won the Brownlow Medal in 2002, was runner-up in 2007-08 and has finished top six no less than five times. Winner of the Norm Smith Medal as best afield in the 2003 grand final, he is a three-times All- Australian, three-times winner of the Lions Best & Fairest, four rimes runner-up Best & Fairest, and former Australian International Rules Representative. A veteran of 279 games over 14 years at the elite level, he was WA Sports Star of the Year in 2002.

Megan Marcks

Nominated by- LAACT

Category- Sportsmen

Megan Still is a former Queanbeyan Little Athlete from the age of 6 to 14 (1978-79 to 1986-87). She excelled across a whole range of events and held records in many events for many years, two of which still survive nearly 30 years later: U11 60m hurdles 1983 U13 80m hurdles 1986

Megan Marcks (née Still) (born 19 October 1972, Queanbeyan, New South Wales) was formerly a women's rower who represented Australia at two Olympics. She was selected by the Australian Institute of Sport as a candidate rower (based on physique and aerobic capacity) through their Talent Identification program in 1988, having had no former involvement with the sport, although Marcks had had a successful career as a junior athlete.

She initially competed at the Olympic-level in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics where her boat achieved the position of sixth in the women's final. In 1994 Slatter and Marcks achieved bronze in the women's four at the World's Championship. In the following year the pair earned a gold medal in the women's coxless pair. In 1996 Slatter and Marcks achieved a gold medal, winning by 0.39 seconds over the American team, at the Atlanta Olympics.

Marcks and Kate Slatter were the first Australian female rowing crew ever to win a gold medal at an Olympic Games.

Notable rowing accomplishments 1990 Junior World Championships-France, Women's Eight: 4th 1992 Olympics-Barcelona, Women's Four: 6th 1993 World Championships-Czech Republic, Women's Four: 6th 1994 World Championships-Indianapolis, Women's Four: 3rd 1994 C'Wealth Games Regatta-Canada, Women's Four: 2nd 1994 C'wealth Games Regatta-Canada, Women's Eight: 2nd 1995 World Championships-Finland, Women's Pair: 1st 1996 Olympics-Atlanta, Women's Pair: 1st

Post retirement rowing honours Order of Australia Medal Australian Sports Medal Australian Sports Hall of Fame Inductee Marcks is honoured within her home city of Queanbeyan (NSW, Australia) by the naming of "Megan Still Court", which is located adjacent to the Queanbeyan City Council Chambers.

Christine Stanton

Nominated by- LAWA

Category- Track & Field

Christine ("Chris") Frances Stanton (born 12 December 1959) is a retired high jumper from Australia, who was born as Christine Annison. She set her personal best on 26 January 1985, jumping 1.96 metres at a meet in Adelaide, South Australia. An eleventh-time national champion in the women's high jump and pentathlon event, she competed for her native country at three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1980 (, ).

Little Athletics: Competed 1969 to 1973 with UWALAC (formerly Perry Lakes) State Team Member 1972 Current record holder of U12 and U13 Long Jump at UWA 4.90m and 5.37m

Career Highlights: Olympian 1980, 1984, 1988 (selected 1976 but omitted by AOC justification committee) 1978 (withdrew due to injury) 1982, Silver Medalist 1978, High Jump Commonwealth Gold Medalist 1986, High Jump 11 times National Champion – 10 High Jump – 1 Long Jump Numerous placing in National titles – High Jump, Long Jump, Hurdles, Heptathlon

Achievements: 3rd all time for High Jump – 1.96m 7th all time Heptathlon – 5938 points 20th all time for Long Jump – 6.40m 30th all time for 100 hurdles – 13.82 sec National record holder of High Jump on numerous occasions Unofficial world record holder for High Jump in a Heptathlon – 1.96m

Recognition: Edwin Flack Award (Awarded by Athletics Australia to an athlete who has rendered distinguished service to athletics) 1989

WA Institute of Sport Athlete of the Year – 1982

WA Sporting Hall of Fame inductee – 2000

First former little athlete from Western Australia to be selected in Australian Olympic Team – 1976 Montreal and first to compete 1980 Moscow

General: Former Director of Athletics WA Meet Director of Grand Prix competitions in WA

Level 3 coach, Level ¾ new system

Coached junior athletes from 1990 to 1995 including Kylie Wheeler

UWALAC coach from season 2002/2003 to 2010/2011 taking same group of girls from U10 to U17

Served on Committee of UWALAC and former Coaching Coordinator of Centre

Christine has been actively involved in athletics as a Little Athlete, Senior Athlete, Olympian, Coach and Administrator for 42 years. As the first Little Athlete to compete in an Olympics she holds a unique position in the sport.

She has been a role model to many athletes, coaches and is a great example of a lifelong family member of Little Athletics

A Primary School teacher kindled Christine’s interest in high jump, an interest that eventually took her to three Olympic finals and a Commonwealth Games gold medal. Tall and willowy, Stanton was encouraged by both her primary and high school teachers and she became one of Australians first female jumpers to use the "Fosbury Flop”. She enjoyed early success, competing in senior ranks from the age 13. At the age of 16 she cleared 1.83 meters and importantly, came under the influence of Ron Ewen, an eminent jumps coach who had arrived from England. In 1976 she won the first of eight national high jump titles and earned selection for the 1976 Olympic Games. When her selection was overturned by a justifications committee, Stanton and her coach were sponsored to travel to Montréal for experience. Her Olympic dream was achieved in Moscow 1980, when, in the first of three Olympic final s appearances, she finished equal sixth with the height of 1.91m. After her fourth at the 1981 World Championships, Stanton suffered a career- threatening ankle injury. In order to continue in the sport she too the radical step of temporarily changing her take-off leg. Back on her correct take-off leg the following year, she won silver at the Brisbane Commonwealth Games. Stanton again reached the Olympic final in 1984, finishing equal eleventh. In 1985 Stanton was chosen in the Australian netball team but withdrew to jump at the Canberra world cup. That year she produced her career- best height of 1.96m. That led to a gold medal at the 1986 Commonwealth Games where she cleared 1.92m. The 1988

Olympics was Stanton’s international swan song. She finished seventh in the final with a clearance of 1.93m.

Debbie Wells

Nominated by LAA Executive

Category- Track & Field

Debbie was born and grew up in Emmaville in northern New South Wales. It was a small town of about 500 people and there wasn’t a lot of sporting activities apart from those at school.

As a 9 year old, Debbie’s speed was noticed when she won sprints at the school Championships. Her Dad then took Debbie and her 3 older sisters to the Glen Innes Little Athletic Centre, a 50 minutes drive, which was attached to the New England Amateur Athletic Club (seniors), covering a large area of northern NSW.

Debbie was selected as an under 12 to compete for NSW at the Little Athletics Interstate Teams Championships held in Melbourne in 1973. She competed in the 100, 200 metre sprints and the long jump winning each event in 13.1 secs, 27.2, 5.02 metres respectively.

Little Athletics finished at under 12 in those days and Debbie progressed to seniors at the New England Amateur Athletic Club.

Debbie matured early and by 14 she was 5 ft 10” (178cm) tall. She understood how kids feel when they mature and achieve early results - and then as they go into their teens, everyone else catches up.

She was invited to the Olympic trials at age 14, and came 3rd behind Raelene Boyle and Denise Robertson (Boyd). Just after turning 15 she was an athlete in the Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada. She competed in the 100, 200 metres and the 4 x 100 metres relay. Debbie believes that she may have been the youngest track and field athlete to compete at an Olympic Games.

At 17 she was offered a job by TNT in Sydney, which she accepted and left school. Debbie joined the West Tigers Athletics Club and continued her training and competition.

Debbie went on to represent Australia at the Moscow Olympic Games in 1980, and Olympic Games in 1984.

She was also the holder of 12 national sprint championship medals and winner of 5 national sprint titles.

Debbie has two children who are now adults; both participated in Little Athletics and were very good sprinters.

She has worked at the Toowoomba Grammar School for the last 10 years as Director of Track and Field.

Debbie is the first female former Little Athlete to become an Olympic Hero