More names for Wall of Fame

Several household names are among those being added to the Wall of Fame at the University of Otago's School of Physical Education.

Former All White Michael McGarry, Olympic and Commonwealth Games runner the late Sylvia Potts, netballing greats Lyn Gunson and Robyn Broughton, and leading academic in leisure studies Professor Grant Cushman are all being inducted at a special gathering in Dunedin this evening.

They are only the second group of inductees, joining other well-known New Zealand sporting identities, including Lorraine Moller, Graham Henry, Leigh Gibbs and Farah Palmer, as well as sports scientists Dr Lindsay Carter and the late Dr James Hay. The Wall of Fame and its first inductees were unveiled in May 2006.

School of Physical Education Dean Professor Douglas Booth says the new inductees are a timely reminder of the quality of graduates the school has produced during its 60 years.

"Each of these inductees have graduated from Otago and gone on to have tremendous careers – not only as sportspeople, but as sports administrators and academics," he says.

"I am sure they were talented people even before they arrived here – but I am equally sure they came here because they knew Otago's School of Physical Education was their best opportunity to develop those abilities to the fullest. And that's exactly what they have gone on to do.

"The School is delighted to be able to honour their contributions and achievements in this way and it is our hope that the Wall of Fame will serve as a source of inspiration for students now and in the future."

The concept first came about in 2003 when Associate Professor Rex Thomson left after more than 25 years with the School of Physical Education. As a departing gift, he pledged a generous donation towards the Wall of Fame.

Physical Education graduates and members of the community are invited to nominate suitable candidates for the Wall of Fame.

Philip Ashton Smithells Memorial Scholarship
Meanwhile, the inaugural winner of the Philip Ashton Smithells Memorial Scholarship is also being announced tonight.

The new scholarship honours the founding director of the School of Physical Education and will be awarded biannually to a student going into the third or fourth year of study for either a Bachelor of Physical Education or a Bachelor of Physical Education (Honours).

Funds for the scholarship were given by alumni and augmented by donations from a 1985 reunion commemorating the retirement of two long-serving lecturers, Frances Cruickshank and Hillary Evison. The scholarship emphasises the applied aspects of physical education.

The inaugural winner is Abbie Law, who is in the final year of her Bachelor of Physical Education degree; she also completes her Diploma in Teaching (Secondary) at the end of this year.

The formal inductions for the Wall of Fame and the Smithells Scholarship will take place tonight at a function at the Otago Golf Club from 6pm. The Wall of Fame plaques will be unveiled at 10.30am on Saturday at the School of Physical Education building (55 Union St West).

Wall of Fame inductee profiles

Robyn Broughton, MNZM
Robyn Broughton attended Hutt Valley High School before enrolling at Otago for the Diploma in Physical Education in 1961. An outstanding netballer, she was a non-travelling reserve for New Zealand in 1960 and represented Hutt Valley, Otago and Southland, captaining the latter two provinces. She also captained Otago University and New Zealand Universities, and was awarded Otago and New Zealand University blues.

A Southland physical education teacher, Robyn's contribution to netball administration has been lifelong, serving on the Southland Netball Union executive from 1970-2001 and chairing South Island Secondary Schools Netball from 1997-2008. She has also coached her school team, Verdon College, to South Island and New Zealand Secondary Schools Championship titles.

Her outstanding coaching at elite level has made Robyn a household name. She coached Southern Sting, which contested the National Bank Cup final for 10 consecutive years, winning it for the seventh time in 2007. She has been Assistant Coach of the Silver Ferns and selector/coach of New Zealand A and New Zealand Young International Teams. Robyn is a Life Member of Netball Southland and Netball New Zealand; she was recently appointed to coach the Southern Steel Team in the ANZ Trans Tasman netball competition.

Grant Cushman
Dr Grant Cushman was born in Hamilton, grew up in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty, and was a student at the School of Physical Education from 1968-1970. After completing a Diploma in Teaching at Christchurch Teachers College in 1971, he studied in the United States, gaining his PhD in Leisure Studies at the University of Illinois in 1978.

After holding tertiary teaching positions in Australia, he was appointed as the inaugural Head of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism at Lincoln University in 1987. In 1991, he was promoted to Professor.

A leading academic in leisure studies, Professor Cushman was on the Board of Directors for the World Leisure Organisation from 1985-2001 and has been President of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Leisure Studies since 2005. Professor Cushman's research has focused on national and international studies on leisure and sport participation, and on leisure, sport and social/public policy.

More recently, Professor Cushman was Director of the Science and Resource Divisions and Director of the Undergraduate School at Lincoln University. He has now returned to a full-time academic role teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students and undertaking research in leisure and sport studies.

Lyn Gunson
Born and educated in Northland, Lyn Gunson completed a Diploma in Physical Education at Otago in 1974 and a Master of Business Administration at Waikato University, where she also lectured from 1995-1999. Following a successful career in secondary teaching, Lyn was Director of the Waikato Institute for Leisure and Sport, where she was heavily involved in the development of the Bachelor of Sport and Leisure Studies degree at Waikato.

Lyn is arguably one of the greatest netballers to have played the game in this country, captaining the New Zealand team for 11 years, winning two World Games titles and one World Championship, and losing a second world title by one goal to Australia. Her international coaching record has been similarly successful. She guided the New Zealand team to 45 wins in 49 tests in her three years as national coach - a truly outstanding record. She later coached the England national team at the 2002 Commonwealth Games and the 2003 World Championships.

Currently National U21 Coach and National Talent Coordinator for England Netball, Lyn is also Co-Leader of the Performance Coaches Programme at the South and South West England Netball Performance Centre based at the University of Bath.

Michael McGarry
Michael McGarry grew up in Dunedin and attended Taieri High School before completing a Bachelor of Physical Education degree at Otago in 1986 and a Diploma in Teaching from Dunedin College of Education in 1987. He taught at Otago Boys' High School, where he was Head of the Physical Education Department since 1988, Dean from 1992-95 and Manager of the school hostel since 2002.

An outstanding young footballer, initially coached by his father and then through the Mosgiel Football Club and Taieri High School, he was offered and accepted an apprenticeship with Newcastle Football Club; He was also a professional player in Australia for two years. Rated as one of New Zealand's greatest players - and ranked by many behind only Wynton Rufer and Ryan Nelsen - he was an All White from 1986-1997, gaining 87 caps and scoring 24 goals. Along the way, he gathered Chatham Cup winners' medals and Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year trophies.

Michael is currently President of the Mosgiel Junior Football Club and a member of the New Zealand Football High Performance group. He has mentored many young football players who have achieved at national levels.

Sylvia Potts, ONZM
Sylvia Potts completed her Diploma in Physical Education at Otago in 1964. She was coached in Dunedin by Allan Potts, who she married in 1965. This was the beginning of one of the greatest husband–and-wife partnerships in the history of New Zealand athletics.

Sylvia was selected for the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico, finishing sixth in the semi-final of the 800m. She finished fifth in the final of the 800m at the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games, but it was her effort in the 1500m final at Edinburgh which has become a legend of track and field in this country. Sprinting to a narrow lead in the home straight, she was in front two metres from the finish when she tripped and fell, losing a certain gold medal.

Her contribution to New Zealand athletics was recognised by her selection to carry the Queen's baton at the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, her appointment as Athletics Team Manager at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland (where her son Richard was a competitor), and the award of a joint ONZM to her and husband Allan for their outstanding contribution to track and field in this country.

Philip Ashton Smithells Memorial Scholar – Abbie Law
Abbie Law, the inaugural recipient of the Philip Ashton Smithells Memorial Scholarship, is in the final year of her Bachelor of Physical Education degree and will also complete her Diploma in Teaching (Secondary) at the end of this year.

At secondary school, Abbie was Head Girl, school council member, peer mentor and peer leader at Cashmere High School. She also took part in cultural exchange programmes in both Chile and Mexico.

Abbie has been a keen participant in sport and physical activity, and her involvement in dance is especially noteworthy. However, she is also involved in netball, touch rugby, running and lawn bowls, is a KiwiSport leader, and holds surf survival and first aid qualifications. She is also a University of Otago tour guide.

A talented student, Abbie has obtained first-class marks throughout her academic career, and is committed to a career in physical education befitting the winner of this scholarship named after one of the foremost figures in New Zealand physical education.