National Volunteers Week | Ronda Jenkins

At 80-years-young, athletics keeps Ronda Jenkins active. But not in the way that most would imagine.

Though a stark difference to her days as a national level sprinter, a day of athletics for the Victorian includes hours upon hours of paper work and administration. Tasks that would scare off the uninitiated, Jenkins revels in her work, fulfilled by her contributions to her club, state and national federation.

“Yes, I suppose it’s many hours that I contribute. It’s hard to say but nowadays, unless I go out somewhere, I’m always doing something athletics related at home,” Jenkins said.

“But for me, athletics has always given me so much. You know, the athletics family has been my family.”

Falling in love with the sport in her youth, Jenkins made a name for herself in the 1960s when making the national 100m final and quickly found her community within Victorian Athletics.

Since then she has been involved in the sport from the grass roots to international level – in myriad capacities over four decades or more.

“I used to run against Pam Kilbourne, Judy Pollock and Raelene Boyle and all those big time names way back in those days. It was all so much fun,” Jenkins said.

“And then from there I got on to some committees, and I’ve been doing the Australian records since 1984, which is a big job.”

She’s been the backbone of Brunswick Athletics Club for more than fifty years, with the club being particularly keen to preserve its history through her immaculate documentation and celebratory and anniversary events.

At state level, Jenkins spends hours before every major event preparing the paperwork that will be required for athlete check-in right through to that needed for the conduct of competition.

Until very recently, she was the competition secretary and administration manager for every national championship and even now checks every result after every meet to see that there are no errors or discrepancies. Most other officials and staff have also long worked out that they need to find some sort of excuse at every meet to so to Jenkins’ room – to help themselves to the nearly always full lolly jar or some slice or other treat in one of her many Tupperware containers.

She remains the long term State Records Officer for Athletics Victoria and the National Records Officer for Athletics Australia – always following any changes in rules or specifications that might affect the records approval process.

Internationally Jenkins has played a role in almost every major event staged in Australia – in roles ranging from Administration Officer for the Oceania Team at the 1985 World Cup in Canberra to key roles in the Technical Information Centres for the 1996 World Juniors and Sydney Olympics and Paralympics and Competition Secertary for the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Despite this, when asked about it, she remains so humble.

“I’ve been so lucky to travel around Australia, which is good. I haven’t travelled overseas, but it’s just about being part of the family for me.”

For Jenkins, it comes down to her ‘why’.

“The reason for being in the sport for so long is because it is a great sport. I love being involved with all the other officials, and being a paper person, I am happy when surrounded by paper work. I’m not sure if administration will dissolve with all the new technology but for now it works for me,” she said.

A champion volunteer, Jenkins also spends her time at Epworth hospital, giving countless hours on behalf of patients as the secretary of Friends of Epworth since 2000.

“I try and encourage a lot of those people that I speak to, to volunteer because it’s fun to be a part of it. A lot of people now, a lot of athletes, they just stay on and compete and don’t think they will get the enjoyment out of being an official, but I beg to differ.”

To get involved with volunteering in athletics, click here.

By Sascha Ryner and Brian Roe, Athletics Australia
Posted: 24/5/2024

Photo with thanks to Athletics Victoria