Vale Dr Jean Evelyn Roberts

Vale Dr Jean Evelyn Roberts
18 August 1943 – 17 September 2024

Jean Roberts was Athletics Australia’s first National Director of Coaching and the first woman to be appointed to such a role in a united men’s and women’s national sporting organisation in Australia. Despite the prevailing attitudes at the time, Jean was a great choice – for she was confident in her knowledge and ability for the task ahead whilst at the same time being one of the most considered (and considerate) leaders in sport.

Ask Jean a question – and there would always be a short pause – not because she did not have an answer – but because she always wanted to deliver the information or opinion sought in exactly the right way.

Jean had already acquired both a love for and an exceptional breadth of knowledge about athletics. She began her involvement as an athlete at the Coburg Women’s Club in Melbourne – where the culture in women’s athletics at the time was amongst the most effective and embracing across the globe.

Athletics Australia Life Governors Ronda Jenkins and Lorraine Morgan recall the era with pride and were able, in particular, to reflect on Jean’s engagement with it.

“Jean was the perfect athlete – the best in her field in both shot put and discus. She was the idol of every up-and-coming thrower and mentor to many. Equally importantly, her demeanour as an individual was second to none. As an athlete and friend she was respected by all,” Ronda readily recalled.

“Jean was one who gave freely of her time and advice to those aspiring to attain her level of achievement. She was competing at a time when Australia’s female athletes had become household names for their world-class performances.

“Some of these came on a weekly basis at Royal Park in inner Melbourne – the home of the Victorian Women’s AAA and where Jean competed for her club. Those fortunate to be present were in awe of the distances she threw for Jean was an inspiration both on and away from the competition field,” Lorraine reflected.

Accordingly, Jean dominated the results of the field events at Victorian Championships throughout her time in the sport winning 21 state titles – ten in the shot, nine in the discus and two in her secret passion – the pentathlon.

It was a similar story at national level – eight times the national champion in shot put and five times in the discus. There were just two silver medals during her nine-year domination of National Championships from 1962 to 1970.

But her on-field achievements did not end there, for Jean was also on the podium at four consecutive Commonwealth Games on five occasions – beginning in Perth in 1962 with a silver in the shot, followed by discus silvers in Kingston (1966) and Edinburgh (1970). Bronze medals came in shot put in both Edinburgh and then finally in her swansong in Christchurch in 1974.

Joining her sister Val (Gymnastics 1960 and 1964), Jean became an Olympian in 1968 when she finished 16th in the discus in Mexico City – so proud to be a member of one of Australia’s very best track and field teams. She was also champion in the discus at the first Pacific Conference Games in Tokyo in 1969. Jean retired with personal bests of 16.38m in the shot put (1972) and 55.91m in the discus throw (1974).

Jean had trained as a physical education teacher but academia and its practical application also appealed to her – encouraged by coach and mentor John Cheffers, who later headed up the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.

She pursued study with as much vigour as she had applied to her on-field pursuits – emerging with a doctorate from Temple University in the United States before teaching at the University of New Hampshire.

By then she was ready to be part of Australia’s considered reaction to the country’s gold medal-less performance in the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. Not only did the AIS emerge from that analysis but so too did sponsorship, grant funding and employment opportunities in national sporting organisations.

In 1978, the Australian Athletic Union and the Australian Women’s AAU were in the process of merging to form the single governing body that is now Athletics Australia. It was also professionalising its operations – a non-state-based board of management and a fledging professional staff, including Jean from January 1979. She was chosen from a field of 30 applicants, nearly all male from Australia and overseas, who were keen to get one of the early employment opportunities in an Olympic sport.

Under her initial title of Technical and Coaching Director, Jean quickly made an impression – reporting to the Union Congress just two months into her role that the top four athletes in every event were to be invited to join a national coaching squad with similar opportunities for juniors to follow in 1980. She had sought a grant from the Federal Government of $38,000 to make it happen.

But the commercial world was also interested – and the Alcoa National Squad was born. This was Jean’s “baby” and it was a resounding success – quickly morphing also into a national competition series of meets as well.

It worked at just the right time – allowing Australia to field a strong and successful team at the home Commonwealth Games in Brisbane in 1982, where Jean was a team coach. She had been the assistant manager of the Olympic Team in Moscow two years earlier and was subsequently appointed as team coaching co-ordinator for the first World Championships in Helsinki in 1983 and as a coach of the Oceania Team for the World Cup in Canberra in 1985.

Jean’s time with AA finished that year and she turned her attention to new roles at the AIS as a senior sports administrator under the leadership of John Cheffers and working closely in due course with AA Life Members Peter Bowman and Carol Grant.

Also finding time to do some personal coaching, Jean guided Gael Martin to her two gold medals at the 1986 Edinburgh Commonwealth Games.

Later in the decade Jean took on a more specific role within AIS Swimming before a new role in 1996 in which she not only excelled as usual but from which she gained much love and respect. The Australian Olympic Committee and the AIS had joined forces to create the Olympic Training Centre. As its manager Jean was a star.

Carol Grant remembers Jean for her professionalism and the respect she garnered.

“Jean was a strong advocate for coach education and development.  When working with us in Canberra, she headed up the AIS Olympic Training Centre Program.  It catered for athletes, coaches and sports medicine practitioners from the Oceania region and some African countries in the lead-up to the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

Jean was always approachable, respectful and much admired by her peers at the AIS.  She worked tirelessly in the Olympic Training Centre Program, always doing her utmost for the athletes, coaches and other staff.  Her contribution over many years was much appreciated by both her colleagues and friends.”

Jean’s mostly quiet but significant achievements were recognised in many ways – including through the AOC’s Order of Merit (1996), Oceania Athletics’ Merit Award (1997) and the Australian Sports Medal (2000).

There is no question that she touched many – including current AA President Jane Flemming who is grateful for the guidance provided by Jean in her junior years as an emerging heptathlete.

Jean was known to be keen for a new adventure in life – and in retirement chose to take up chauffeuring where she found a whole new stream of acquaintances and sometimes by pure luck – old ones as well. And there was her never ending passion for her canine mates.

Later she fought a hard fight with cancer but the battle ended on 17 September.

Jean’s life, love for her extended family and close friends and her service to sporting excellence will be acknowledged on Friday 27 September 2024 at Norwood Park Crematorium, Mitchell ACT commencing at 12 noon.

Prepared for Athletics Australia by Brian Roe with assistance from Greg Blood and Paul Jenes
Posted: 26/9/2024