Athletics Victoria yesterday announced that two new Life Members would be inducted at the 2021 Annual General Meeting for their services to Athletics. Peter Burke and Rod Griffin were inducted as Athletics Victoria Life Members.
Along with Peter’s administrative service, his 50 years of contribution as a coach has seen him guide athletes to National championships and International representation in Track & Field, Cross Country and Road Running.
Rod completed eight years on the then Athletics Victoria Board along with 35 years of service on the Ballarat Regional Athletics Board in various roles, including President and Vice President.
Peter Burke
Peter has been involved in sub-committees and held various roles with VAAA and Athletics Victoria, including
- – Summer Competition Committee member
- – Member of the AV Trust from 2015
- – Member of the AV Awards Committee from 2015
Peter’s contribution to the sport exceeds 15 years of service accumulatively, including from 1978 – 1982, working on the merger between the VAAA and the VWAAA.
Along with Peter’s administrative service, his 50 years of contribution as a coach has seen him guide athletes to National championships and International representation in Track & Field, Cross Country and Road running, including athletes Morgan Mitchell, Amy Cashin, Matt Hussey, Cody Shanahan. Liam Cashin and Mia White
Peter first joined Essendon in the late 1950s under the guidance of his father, Club legend Bill Burke. He ran Cross Country in the 1960s and was instrumental in the Clubs move from Essendon Football ground to Montgomery Park. This work initiated Council negotiation for a bitumen rubber track at Aberfeldie, which was completed in 1972. He was President for one year, and it was at Essendon that he began mentoring young athletes
In 1972 Peter moved to Werribee and joined the Werribee Athletics Club, and commenced negotiations for the club to become a City (metro) club, rather than a country club, with success. In 1995, Peter was instrumental in the amalgamation of the Werribee, Footscray, and Sunshine Athletics Clubs into Western Athletics Club, where he continues to serve his community.
In 2005 Peter was awarded Life membership of Western Athletics Club, and in 2021 he was elevated to Club Legend.
In 2021 Peter was the recipient of the Coles Community Hero Award.
Rod Griffin
Rod Griffin commenced his involvement with athletics in Victoria in 1971 as a Sebastopol athletics club member until 1981, when the club merged with Eureka.
A talented and respected Coach, Rod has been instrumental in guiding athletes, including Collis Birmingham, Stewart McSweyn, Victoria Mitchell, and Duer Yoa, in naming a few.
Rod completed eight years on the then Athletics Victoria Board along with 35 years of service on the Ballarat Regional Athletics Board in various roles, including President and Vice President.
Rod has also been part of the World Cross Country Championships Coaching team in 2013 and 2015; the World Uni Games in 2004 and 2008; the World Junior Championships in 2016 and 2018 and the Commonwealth Youth Championships in 2017. Rod was also National Junior Coach for five years.
50 Year Service Awards
Congratulations to the following recipients for 50 years of service to the Athletics community.
Tony Doran – Glenhuntly
Ian Handashyde – Old Scotch
Andrew Jamieson – Old Scotch
Peter Burke – Western Athletics Club
AV Life Member Ronda Jenkins – Brunswick
AV Life Member Richard Lawsyz – Geelong Region