Taking out one of the most coveted awards in Western Australian sport and recreation was no stroke of luck for Hillarys local Tony Head, but instead was the result of 20 years of commitment and service to the industry.
07 January 2010
Tony was awarded the John Graham Award at the biennial Sport and Recreation Industry Awards 2009 for exceptional service to the aquatics industry, including as President of a peak body, LIWA Aquatics, for 17 years.
Tony won the award because he has truly made a difference to the lifestyle and wellbeing of all Western Australians.
For 20 years he has been involved in the continuous improvement and professionalisation of his industry. When he joined the industry it was fragmented and operated under antiquated legislation and poor management practices. Under his leadership the state now has a clear code of practice for the design, construction, operation, management and maintenance of aquatic facilities. The industry has also benefited from the development of recognised qualifications and training.
John Graham was the inaugural director of the Department of Sport and Recreation which he led for 16 years and the award named in his honour is one of the most coveted awards in the night's presentations. It recognises long-term commitment and service to sport and recreation.
John Graham himself presented the award to Tony on the night. The awardee is chosen from those nominated by the Industry Peak Bodies, so Tony’s win represents recognition from his peers as well as the sport and recreation industry as a whole.
Congratulations Tony!
