The following is a parting message from our long-stand president, Bernard Griffiths.
After serving VSA since 2009, I have come to the realization that it is time for me to make room for the next generation of leaders for Skateboarding in Victoria.
Highlights of my time are:
Taking a leadership position on Equal Prize money for Females in Victorian competitions since 2015, and that is now national. (I am really happy about this one!)
Governing the Skate Park Leagues athlete ranking and results tracking systems which inspired young skates to compete, and in some small part helped to identify the Victorians selected for the Olympic Team.
Reaching out to Skate Australia, to obtain the right to train nationally accredited coaches, after a challenging time when they needed people with the coach training experience. And providing some small amount of guidance when they suddenly had to help deliver an Olympic campaign.
Delivering successful government funded programs for the benefit of our fellow Victorians, by improving health through enjoyable Skateboarding activities.
Creating opportunities for coaches to earn a living from delivering skateboarding programs.
Seeing Skateboarding recognised by School Sports Victoria as a sport.
Supporting Skateboard racing events, and convincing councils to close roads just for us.
Seeing skateboarders getting involved as leaders in developing their sport they way they want to develop it.
Supporting Local Councils with letters of support for their funding and approvals, and sharing the news when they call for community consultation for a lot of really great new skateparks.
Plus a quite a lot of “off the books” skateboard racing events in drainage ditches and closed roads, that many have enjoyed.
I would now like to thank all of you who have shared the journey towards cementing VSA as the only
government recognized State Sporting Association in Australia, that has made a lasting contribution to the development of the sport, and creating opportunities for generations of skateboarders who will one day represent Australia.
In particular I would like to thank the Board that made room for me in the first place,
- Sue Kirk – skate mum, and event manager who was there making it happen when the big Vert comps made Victoria the Place to Skate!
- Nick Buskens – Running YMCA action sports to deliver excellent projects for VSA, and for building the Skate Park League series of competitions into a truly national development pathway, that started Victorians Shane O’Neill and Hayley Wilson on their journey to represent us in the Olympics, and for his wise counsel on so many things that I would otherwise stuff up!
- Josh Feggans – for guidance and wise counsel in relation to skateboarding culture, and the importance on being involved in community skatepark development.
- Ryan Harbottle – for his dedication to the skateboarding scene in Melbourne and fostering a community and team of professional skate coaches.
- Pete Franklyn – Owner of Goliath Skateboards and long term sponsor of skateboarders and many of our events.Later on we were joined by
- Renton Millar – International Champion, and an Original VSA Champion, and wise counsel on how to create excellent competition opportunities, and for his dedication to coaching and the King of Concrete competition program which provides our skateboarders with the experience, and “competition toughness”, vital for being ready to perform on the world stage .
- Rohan Mansfield – Skate dad and accountant to VSA – Life saver!
- Chloe Blanchet – Skate Mum and IT guru who has looked after our ranking tables.
- Julian Sherman – Downhill Racer delivering the incredible Yarra Ranges, Lake Mountain, andsoon the Arthurs Seat downhill festivals of speed.
- Nicole Mills – Skate mum providing wise counsel and acting as safety officer and managingDownhill racing events, and for her work as Chef de Mission for the World Games inArgentina.
- Jesslyn Mooi – For creating the Sunset Skate Sessions and growing a wonderful communityof social skaters and long boarders.
- Estelle Seymour – for being our youth representative, and her parents for backing her.
- Al Taylor – Delivering for Skateboarding in Wodonga
- Richard Flude & Rachel Delphin – (last but not least!) who designed and delivered the worldleading All Aboard training program, and became experts in securing funding to deliver projects that VSA is now famous for.I also need to thank a couple of people who were not on our Board
- Rob Francis – for keeping the MOSS skate sessions alive, and the famous MOSS Jam bowl competition/get-together and for years of supporting skate park developments
- Alice Hogan – and her team at the YMCA for being a reliable delivery partner.
- The Ministers of Sport, SRV and Vic Health – who believed that skateboarders could beorganized enough to run a proper sport, most notably Damian Drum, John Erin, and JustinMadden.
- The entire Canberra Skateboard Association, and the CROSS teams – most notablyDave Pang, Scotty Taylor, Brendan Wood, Tony Caruna, and Luke Brown, who all who have a long history of continuing to deliver for Skateboarding in Canberra, by hosting the Belco Bowl Jam, and the Australian Skateboard Slalom Championships, and leading the way in community skatepark development.
- Colin Beck and Hagbarth Strom, founding members of The Australian Skateboard Racing Association, for their leadership in race management, and systems for tracking athlete performance.
- Tony Hallam, International Champion, for his many years of putting back to the sport in the form of coaching and many hours of being involved in skate-park design consultations.
- The MOSS Tuesday & Wednesday night sessions groups, who are still active and are great fun to skate with.
- Braden Schlager, who helped me get back on board in 2005, and who founded the Charliedontskate website forum, pre-dating social media, creating new connections which formed a national community of skateboarders interested in creating great events and getting so many of us together to share the joy of skateboarding.
- My parents for that first proper skateboard in 1968! It has been an honor to know and work with you all.
For the future,We have parents of children who will one day represent Australia and the highest level, and I look forward to them joining our board where they can have a voice that Skate Australia will need to hear, and to take advantage of the support the VSA can obtain.I am confident that I am leaving VSA in good shape, and to add to that, Nick Buskens has kindly offered to re-join the board, and assist with strengthening the relationships that VSA now has, and I am sure that you will all make him welcome.Thanks and farewell.Bernard Griffiths (Former) President VSA
A copy of the farewell message available here: FarewellVSA
