Athletics
9 October, 2024
Price receives Meritorious Service Award
A Horsham volunteer has received acknowledgement for the hours of dedication and passion he has contributed to the Little Athletic Club in the town. Ricky Price was presented with a Meritorious Service Award recently, at the organisation's State presentations.
Price started his story with Little Athletics in Beaufort in 1993, before moving to Nhill in 1994 and Horsham in 1996.
He has been a committee member, officer for publicity, vice president, president and co-ordinator and leader on track, amongst being involved in many momentous occasions - like heading and initiating the club's move to Dudley Cornell Park and heading and initiating the implementation of the Kannamaroo Gift into the Club.
Price is the coaching coordinator with Western Country Region of Little Athletics Victoria and a judge/referee at championships regionally.
He is an accredited athletics coach with Athletics Australia and does coach athletes - both old and young, admitting it's something he enjoys immensely.
"I enjoy passing on knowledge to athletes," Price said.
"Working on each athletes abilities to try to get the best out of themselves, along with getting to know the athlete."
Price believes athletics is a foundation sport for all other sports.
"It has different sports within the one sport," he said.
Price's fellow Little Athletics members congratulated him on his meritorious service, with Peta Bond, Horsham Little Athletics Club president, commenting the club owe Price a lot of gratitude for his hard work over decades, not only in Horsham and the Wimmera, but across the region and at State.
"Rick is a very well renowned coach in the state, and still enjoys commitment and success with athletes that he privately coaches," Bond said.
"Rick is a worthy recipient of the Meritorious Service award for all of the thousands of volunteer hours he has committed over his athletics journey.
"Horsham Little Athletics committee thank Rick for the effort he has put in for our club over the years and congratulate him on his award."
Meanwhile, Shane Bell, Western Country Region Little Athletics president, noting Price has been a wonderful ambassador for both athletics in general, and Little Athletics, for both Horsham and the Western Country Region.
"A well credentialled coach he continues to be an asset to centres, parents and the athletes he helps to develop," Bell said.
"Not only has he helped athletes produce high level individual results his focus continues to be on the overall development and wellbeing of the athlete as a whole."