Winter Committee Elections 2008

On Tuesday, 5 February 2008 at a General Meeting of the Coburg Harriers Club the election of our XCR08 Athletics Victoria winter   season officials took place. Positions to be contested were the Winter Committee, consisting of Captain, Vice-Captain and three Committee Members, plus two Coburg Harriers Winer Club Run Handiicappers. Results were as follows :

Wiinter Captain - Philiip Van Dueren

Van Dueren has an excellent pedigree after leading the 2007 Women's Division 2 to promotion into the top flight of Victorian distance running. The Coburg Harriers showed their appreciation by subsequently voting Van Dueren as Summer Captain. In a remarkable performance Van Dueren then led the Coburg Harriers Divison 2 women to a premiership and automatic promotion to the top flight of North Wes tregion athletics. A worthy candidate

Winter Vice Captain (Team Manager) - Jackie Steel

Steel is a relatively new addtion to the club but has made a big impact in a short time. Upon joining the Brian Delaney squad, Steel, along with partner Michael Jordan, soon showed a keen interest in competition. After a couple of months good training undet the belt, Steel came on board during the 2007/08 winter seasoin immediately making an impact. Her performance over the course of the season was good enough for Steel to be selected to compete for the Coburg Harriers in the 2007/08 AV Shield Final in the 3,000 metres. We are pleased to welcome this promising endurance athlete to the Winter Committee in a leadership role

Winter Committee Member - John Braszell

Since joiining the Harriers, Braszell has shown he is a class athlete. After a long break since his time with the Keon Park athleeics club, Braszell has fitted right in with the Harriers competing in both our top winter and summer teams. In the 2007/08 summer season Braszell undertook the role of Vicce-Captain. In addition, Braszell has also shown a willingness to represent the Harriers at Championship events, having participated in the Athletics Victoria Relay Championships in 2006/07 where he was part of the Coburg Harriers team that scored fifth place in the 4 x 1500 m Relay at 40+ level.

Winter Committee Member - Deb Canal

Of all of the members of the 2008 Winter Committe, Canal would be most deserving of the tag veteran. When the Coburg Harriers women's team were slowly re-building in 2004 after a long recess from winter competition, Canal was instrumental in our women's team securing the Division 3 premiership, thereby securing her team a promotion to Division 2. With several yteas experience on the Coburg Harriers committee, Deb will provide the voice of reason and experience on this relativelly inexperienced committee

Winter Committee Member - Jeremy Grey

After meeting Rey Villegas through a local umpiring group, Grey was keen to improve his fitness to re-gain his place on the VFL umpires list. Six years later, Grey's VFL umpiring career has been and gone, but his running career continues unabated. Injuries have afflicted this athlete in recent times, but after serving several years on the Summer committee, this athlete is keen to make a contribution to the winter competition for the club

Winer Handicapper (1) - Edwin Cheung

Cheung took on this role for the first time in 2007 and evidently showed some flair for handicapping with some very tight races under his watch during the season. Westerfolds Park was a highlight with the top five all within a minute of each other. After serving his "apprenticeship" under one of the club's Grand Masters of handicapping in Mark Kelly, Cheung will no doubt do an outstanding job once again this season. We can be very pleased to see Edwin willing to take on this role again for the new season

Winer Handicapper (2) - Mark Kelly

CXlub president Mark Kelly had no hesitation on taking this tough job and comes with several years experience in the role. Following on from forner club president and current secretary Chris Harrap before him, Mark has a knack for knowing who is on song and who needs a challenge. Like Cheung, Kelly oversaw some very tight races under his watch. Both handicappers do give backmarkers some hope in the long winter season, and this ensure that all runners compete at their best as should be

Please congratulate our Winter Committee. Their contact details will be posted to the Winter AV 2008 page shortly