Jock Athletic 2012.07.pdf

LONDON CALLING

EXCLUSIVE

OLYMPIC

FOREWORD BY

STEVE WAUGH

OUR OLYMPIC ISSUE

JOCK ATHLETIC PAYS TRIBUTE TO

GEORGE MALACOS

In the late 80’s I came across this fellow at uni who seemed to know

everyone, was always happy, outgoing and enthusiastic. His name

was George Malacos. George was in the year below me but we soon

became good friends. I played in the uni Rugby League team with

George and he was a star player as well as a star bloke. Late that

same year, during a uni break, George and a few friends hired on

a houseboat and this is when George’s life would change forever.

Deciding to go for a swim, George dove off the boat near the shore,

slipped, went head irst and broke his neck. Thankfully, through the

quick thinking of great mate Paul Watson and others, they saved

him although forevermore George would be a quadriplegic.

Sadly last week, George passed away, some 25 years after his

accident. This tribute is in honour of George, a man who made the

most out of his situation. A reminder to all out there that one simple

mistake can change your life drastically.

This is a tribute to George, a great bloke, a sporting life that might

have been, and hopefully a story that might save just one other

person from a similar fate. We wish you well George, wherever you’ve

gone and hope you’re in a much better place. You have made a great

mark on us and we will miss you.

The choices we make, determine the life we lead!

RIP George.

jockathletic.com

IN REMEMBERANCE: the Saturday morning sandhills

group pauses for a minutes silence, in honour of George.

INSET: George, right, with one of his best mates and true

friends, Paul Watson.

JULY 2012 3

STEVE WAUGH

Foreword by

I was lucky enough to represent my country for 18 years and tour the world with one of the most successful

sporting teams in history. We won two World Cups, 8 Ashes Series in a row and broke the World Record by

winning 16 Test Matches. I enjoyed every moment of this journey and the challenges and life lessons that

revealed themselves along the way. Little did I know that many of these experiences would one day be of

value and be sought after by an Australian Olympic Team.

I was awarded the tremendous honour of being selected as an Australian Liaison/Mentor at the Beijing

Olympic Games and now again in London. Talk about the “Dream Role” – imagine living in the Olympic

Village, marching in the Opening & Closing Ceremonies and having access to every venue and event! As a

kid I used to love watching the documentaries on the Olympic Games and I’d marvel at the “against-all-

odds” Cinderella stories, the courage in the face of adversity feats, the underdog triumphing or the great

athletes elevating themselves into legendary status through extraordinary performances. Four years ago

I sat poolside as Michael Phelps broke Mark Spitz 7 gold medal haul, I was trackside to watch a man who

will one day be mentioned alongside Muhammad Ali as “the greatest athlete of all time”, Usain Bolt, I was

courtside to see Rafael Nadal dismantle Lleyton Hewitt and I marveled at Lionel Messi’s dazzling skills as

he assured Argentina a victory against our football boys. But there is nothing like seeing the Australian flag

hoisted to the top position, accompanied by the National Anthem and I was privileged to see this happen

12 times in Beijing.

Being a mentor of course allows me to be a part of these incredible highs but our task is much broader than

purely watching incredible moments in sporting history. Our brief is to be a supportive without interfering,

to enhance the camaraderie and team spirit of the group and to make ourselves available in anyway that

benefits individuals, teams or coaching staff. In Beijing I talked to a number of athletes about how to handle

pressure situations, the challenge of being away from home and support groups for extended periods of

time, the unusual occurrence of being in front of big crowds, which was an issue for teams like Badminton

and Archery and most challenging was the confronting situation of embracing defeat or not achieving

expectations and whether or not to continue the dream for another 4 years.

The one constant from my Beijing experience was the universal trait that binds all the athletes competing

in this pinnacle of sport – they are all dedicated, professional and make enormous sacrifices which in most

cases lead to little or no financial gain. Fully paid professional sportspeople contemplating how tough life

can be would soon get a reality check if they spent time with some of the teams I am now working with

before London. The synchronized swimming team receives absolutely no funding and in fact need to raise

about $30,000 a year just to stay in the team. They pack their own lunches, billet each other out when

needed, pay for lane space in the pools and fundraise to offset costs, yet they remain totally committed to

doing their best against teams like Russia, who are fully professional and financially supported.

It’s these Aussie girls that to me are what the Spirit of the Games is all about and I can’t wait to be part of

it again and stand and salute all those who represent out great country.

Steve Waugh

Photo courtesy of Sean Izzard, www.seanizzard.co m

JULY 2012 5

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