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Executive Officer - Taylah Perry

Taylah came to the role of EO to challenge herself and expand her career in a sport which she is passionate about and in a community which she already knew and loved.

She spent five years at Little Athletics Victoria in the role of Membership, Programs and Merchandise Coordinator which covered a broad range of activities, from liaising with 100+ Little Athletics Centres across the State, designing merchandise and managing the online store, to organising community events and major sponsor activations, including the Good Friday Appeal, Kids Day Out.

Taylah has been racing in professional running events for 10 years and she still loves it as much as the first year. Her highlights include winning the Open 70m's at Geelong & Ballarat Gifts, the Stonnington Gift and making the Womens Stawell Gift final in 2017.

Taylah has a Bachelor Degree in Marketing and Event Management from Latrobe University.

Taylah’s vision at VAL is to increase participation, provide greater Club support and strengthen the opportunties for pro running across the state of Victoria.


President - Matt McDonough 

Matthew has over 20 years’ experience in athletics as a runner, trainer and administrator.  A two time VRTA Athlete of the year, amongst his wins are the Stawell Herb Hedeman 1600m and Stawell 3200m. Matthew is also a former elite triathlete having won the Australia Duathlon Championship in 2005 and 2008. 

Matthew is a Certified Practising Accountant and Fellow of the Association for Tertiary Education Management.  He is currently Faculty General Manager at Deakin University having previously held senior financial roles in the public and private sector. Matthew brings a strong background in corporate governance, accounting and more recently education leadership.


Vice President - Andrew McManus 

Andrew McManus’ competitive running career spanned 17 years with his first run at Maryborough in 1989 and last at Stawell in 2005. He won the Stawell Gift in 1992 (finalist in 1994 & 1999), Bay Sheffield Gift in 1999 (finalist in 2003) and Botany Bay Gift in 2000 and was a member of the Australian Olympic Team in Athens in 2004 for the 4x100m Relay.

Throughout his running career he has always been interested and involved in sports administration and took an active role in the clubs he competed for. From 2005 to 2009 he was a member of the Victorian Runners & Trainers Association (VRTA) and was President from 2007 to 2009. He joined the VAL Board in 2007 and was President from 2009 to 2011. Andrew’s vision for the sport is to see its future secured through continued growth, development and organisational improvements that deliver greater benefits for athletes, trainers, clubs and local communities.   

Andrew is the General Manager Managed Services for the Fred IT Group. His previous business experience includes time as GM Operations at Fred, as a HR Consultant, covering Performance Management, Organisational Development and Strategic Advice, along with other Sales and Management roles. He has an undergraduate degree in Psychology and Sociology. Andrew and his wife Suzie have three children, Milla, Addison and Finn.


Director  - Mathew BoyesMathew Boyes

Mathew Boyes is a chartered accountant. He is a director of his own chartered accountancy and financial planning firm in Frankston. He currently holds membership with the Institute of Chartered Accountants and SPAA. He has over 15 years’ experience in working with SME and assisting them with their business, taxation and superannuation issues. He has been involved in athletics at various levels since age of 7 and has been involved in VAL competition for over the last 20 years. He has made many finals over various distances and has won a few races over the years. His most recent win was the 2011 Maribyrnong Gift.


Director - Simon Jackson

Simon is a marketing and sales professional in the consumer goods industry. He joined the VAL board in 2019 with the goal of building awareness, trial, and participation in the sport, so professional running can flourish in the future.

Simon's running career started at age 7, and continues today into his Masters years as a self-trained athlete. Simon has won races in every distance from 70m to 300m. Major wins include the Northcote Gift (2012), Sandringham Gift (2014), Maryborough Gift (2017), and Meadowglen Gift (2018).

When away from the track, you may find Simon running after his two children or dog.


Director - Keely Henderson

Born into the world of athletics, Keely Henderson has been involved with athletics since she was 5 years old. In 2014, she competed in her first VAL competition at St Albans.

Prior to joining the VAL circuit, Keely competed in the Australian Youth Championships and has been a Victorian champion and finalist in a range of track and field events.

As a previous winner of the Ballarat Women’s Gift (2017), the Stonnington Gift (2016), and a finalist in the Women’s Stawell Gift in 2015, Keely is very familiar with the VAL circuit. She has also won Open 70m races at Wangaratta and Maryborough.

Currently, Keely is completing a double degree of Bachelor of Health Science/Applied Science (Osteopathy) at RMIT and is an advocate for Women in sport and supporting up and coming junior athletes.


Director - Katie Moore

Katie has competed in both amateur and professional athletics for over 27 years, competing in VAL competitions since 1996 to current. Katie has achieved wins across the VAL, TAL, SAAL, and NSWAL over 70m to 400m, has medalled at Victorian State Championships and has made multiple National Championship finals.  

Katie has a range of sports administration experience, having been the secretary of the Victorian Runners and Trainers Association Committee for 5 years and a member of the Ringwood Athletic Club Committee for 4 years. Professionally, she has over 20 years working in research and evaluation across the medical, education and health sectors, and understands the importance of evidence-based decision making. Katie has held a number of leadership positions and is currently the General Manager of Research and Partnerships at the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine.

Katie will provide a strong female voice and is passionate about equity and decreasing and removing barriers to participation in our great sport.


Director - Domenic Condello

With over 30 years experience in the building industry, I have been the Director of Moonee Ponds Plumbing and Bathrooms for the past 20 years. I am a licensed Plumber and Builder and have also completed The Diploma of Building from RMIT.

I have also been a technical regulator at the Victorian Building Authority, and taught English in Japan. I have previously been a senior coach at Aberfeldie FC.

I came into the sport of athletics as a masters athlete and I am trained by Max Warlow at the Essendon Athletics Club. I hold a few state relay records and have competed for Australia at Masters level. I have previously won the Geelong Gift 100 Masters 2019, Maribrynong 300 Masters 2020, and the Castlemaine Gift 120 Masters 2020.

I hold positions on the Essendon Athletics Club and the Beachside Gift committees.

I love the sport of pro running and am a big advocate for community involvement through sport.

I am also a big advocate for men's and women's health and well being.


Director - Chris Macdonald

 

 

 

 

 


VRTA Representative - Kirrily Burnett

Kirrily began pro running at 18 following in her Dad’s footsteps, who ran in the 1980’s. When Kirrily is not running and crafting she is busy working in the early childhood sector as an educator in a community centre. 

Kirrily values the importance of early-learning and is equally as passionate for the creative arts, literacy, language linguistics, special needs and STEM. 

As well as working on the reconciliation action plan at her centre Kirrily has a strong sense of community and governance, equity and equality, and a voice for the wider community at the VAL 


Officials 2022-23

Photo Finish: Leah Macdonald, Andre Pereira, Rob Jones, Chloe Blennerhassett, Emma Macdonald
Results: Nila Blennerhassett, Chloe Blennerhassett
Starters: Rob McIntosh, Graeme Humphrey, Brendan Ferrari, Matthew Webster, Kieren McIntosh
Race Caller: Ollie Wurm & Ed Sadler

Stewards: Rob Lehmann (Chief Steward) & Wally Meechan

Director of Handicapping: David Haigh

Handicappers

Sprint Handicappers: Graeme Goldsworthy & Colin Lane 70m -200m (Open, Men's, Women's, Masters & U18) 

Middle Distance Handicapper: Jonathon Rogers 300- 400m (Open, Men’s, Women's & U18)

Distance Handicapper: Chris Macdonald 300m Masters, 550m – 3200m all categories

Junior Handicapper: Narrelle Lehmann, all U14 races

2021 to current - Matthew McDonough
2018 to 2021 - Stephanie Spence
2011 to 2018 - Mathew Boyes
2009 to 2011 - Andrew McManus
2004 to 2009 - George Flack
2002 to 2004 - C Kuchel
1998 to 2002 - M Webster
1997 to 1998 - H Peucker
1995 to 1997 - C Perry
1991 to 1995 - G Robbins
1988 to 1991 - J Pryor
1983 to 1988 - L Salvas
1980 to 1982 - T Flynn
1978 to 1980 - K Fitzgerald
1977 to 1978 - P Gray
1964 to 1977 - PJ Kelly
1963 to 1964 - JP Esson
1962 to 1963 - V Fleming
1961 to 1962 - P Kelly
1960 to 1961 - J McNally
1959 to 1960 - AE Neil
1956 to 1959 - K McCracken
1955 to 1956 - GD Timmins
1953 to 1955 - K McCracken
1952 to 1953 - M O'Donohue
1950 to 1952 - JB Crook
1947 to 1950 - JW Beckwith
1945 to 1947 - M Moylan
1944 to 1945 - JJ O'Byrne
1942 to 1944 - JB Crook
1940 to 1942 - J Davine
1939 to 1940 - RJ Morris
1937 to 1939 - RA Sinclair
1933 to 1937 - M O'Donohue
1932 to 1933 - J Carney
1929 to 1932 - PJ Sheehan
1925 to 1929 - JB Crook
1922 to 1925 - ES Herring
1920 to 1922 - CA Lenne
1919 to 1920 - ES Hering
1917 to 1919 - M Williams
1915 to 1917 - W Hamilton
1913 to 1915 - J Stubbs
1912 to 1913 - W Lambert
1911 to 1912 - M Williams
1908 to 1911 - JR O'Donald
1906 to 1908 - CT Robertson
1904 to 1906 - TP Brophy
1901 to 1904 - CT Robertson
1900 to 1901 - L Phillips
1899 to 1900 - JC Matthews
1895 to 1899 - RV Lewis

 

Mr John Henry (2022)

Mr Mark Hipworth (2022)

Mr Matthew Webster (2018)
Mr Terry McGarity (2018)
Mr Graeme Goldsworthy (2015)
Mr John Holloway (2015)
Mrs Nila Blennerhassett (2014)
Mrs Sue Dunbar (2014)
Mr Brian Marantelli (2013)
Mr Bill Sutton
Mr Terry O'Donnell
Mr Graeme Ireland
Mr William Meechan
Mr Stewart Bradley
Mr Jim Pearce
Mr Max Martin 
Mrs Frances Connell
Mr B Morgan
Mr B Woodbridge 
Mr S Hurst 
Mr Graham Macdonald
Mr Tom Hopkins
Mr Jim King
Mr H Peucker
Mr P J Donovan
Mr R F Dunbar
Mr B Milligan
Mr P J Kelly 
Mr P Gray 
Mr A G Salter
Mr A E Neil
Mr Tren Du Bourg
Mr G Ross
Mr Wally Beckwith
Mr P Kelly (Snr)
Mr J Blair Crooks