Like Mother, Like Daughter | Christine and Caitlin Christie

Athletics runs deep in the veins of the Christie family. It’s the shared heartbeat that connects Christine and Caitlin, transforming their familial bonds into a unique relationship molded by their shared dedication to the sport.

The mother-daughter duo from Ballarat have skyrocketed up the ranks of Australia’s national technical officials to become World Athletics Silver referees, but it is their story of how a common passion can turn challenges into milestones and shared experiences into lasting memories that resonates most.

The journey to the heart of athletics began with a simple, family-oriented act, as Christine introduced her kids to the sport that she fell in love with in high school.

“I think it was mostly when Caitlyn was five. She just had this boundless energy and we just wanted to channel it in a constructive manner, so that’s when we signed up for Little Athletics and our journey hasn’t stopped since,” Christine said.

Like many grassroots clubs, Ballarat’s local facilities were starved of resources and it wasn’t long before Christine got her first taste of officiating as a volunteer timekeeper alongside her husband, Bruce.

“It’s just what we do in our family. If you can see something that needs doing, you just step up and do it,” she said.

“And if people engage with you and encourage you, it gives you the enthusiasm to keep going.”

Finding her high jump ambitions momentarily derailed by injury in her early twenties, Caitlin, now 32, found herself at a crossroads, leading her to ask how she could stay connected to her sport while not being able to compete.

Officiating was a domain that not only offered her a lifeline back to athletics but a new avenue for bonding with her mother. The transition marked the beginning of something that would bring them closer, on and off the field.

“I think I probably would have always officiated,” Caitlin said. “I’m not entirely sure that I would have gone to the lengths that I have without Mum. We go to nationals together, we travel together, we went to the Commonwealth Games together and it just makes it so much more fun,” Caitlin said.

Humble in her influence on her daughter, Christine responded: “She hasn’t stopped since she was five. That’s a long commitment to a sport in an unbroken way. For her to embrace that part of her life and run with it, and find her niche, and find another niche within her sport, it makes me very proud.”

Their shared experiences have led to moments that resonate so deeply between them, creating a bond that extends beyond the family home and beyond the track. From officiating at the 2018 Commonwealth Games to sharing the anticipation of national competition, these moments have solidified their relationship not just as mother and daughter but a friendship.

“We still keep memories that we talk about. We might see an athlete and you’re like, ‘oh they were at this event, do you remember that?’ or we were looking at some pieces of the Gold Coast uniform recently. They’re the kind of memories you don’t just get by sitting in the stands, watching and cheering on your favourite athlete. It’s beyond that I suppose.”

Christine adds in, “the memories that we make as a family and as a mother and daughter are so important, but through officiating, my relationship with Caitlin as my daughter is very different as well. I feel privileged to have been given this opportunity to learn about her as a growing woman and to learn about her as a person beyond the family dynamic.”

While their quest together has seen them witness the heights of the sport, it has not been without its challenges. Christine’s battle with ovarian cancer introduces a poignant layer to the story, with the sport providing strength amid her health setbacks.

“Officiating gives me an outlet beyond my health issues. A few months ago I thought my officiating years might be over but all of a sudden, with an experimental drug, I’ve got my energy back again. To get back out and officiate, like doing the Maurie Plant Meet three weeks ago, it’s been wonderful.”

Caitlin’s admiration for her mother’s courage and determination shines through, inspired by Christine’s ability to continue throwing herself into a passion amid such challenges.

“I guess I know her more as a person, not just my mum. She’s not just the person who raised me or does me favours and helps all the time. She’s actually her own person, which I think is pretty special for me to know.

“She doesn’t do it for the accolades or the acknowledgement. She just goes about her business and does it for the better of the athletes, which is why we should all be doing what we do.”

To find out more about becoming a National Technical Official, click here.

By Sascha Ryner, Athletics Australia
Posted: 7/3/2024