Established in 1976, Ginninderra Athletics Club is based in Belconnen a Town Centre of the ACT. Steve Dodt was awarded a Life Membership to Ginninderra Athletics in 2018 following his strong commitment and outstanding service to the Club. 

Steve Dodt first joined Ginninderra West Belconnen Little Athletics Centre as a parent in 2007 and was formerly an athlete of the University of Canberra Athletics Club (Combined Universities) from 1995.

In recognising Steve Dodt’s contribution to Ginninderra Athletics, the Club printed a special “edition” of the “Tiger Times”, the Club Magazine. The 68 page document highlighted the many and varied contributions Steve made to the Club but also Athletics and the wider community. The following words are taken from that publication.

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Unstoppable Force

Steven is the founder and president of Ginninderra Athletics club. Steven is an unstoppable force. Displays strong leadership, and commitment. He commits to the ideals of the club and works hard in all committee matters. Steve develops and introduces new ideas, approaches and innovations. 

Made History

Steve led Ginninderra Athletics club into an era of significant and positive change. Steve first formed the UC Ginninderra Athletics in the 2015 season. A seniors Athletics club with a robust and sustainable committee of volunteers. The club supported junior athletes moving into competing in ACT athletic events. The volunteers provided a supportive and welcoming environment for junior athletes to succeed. 

And in July 2018, Steve made history. He envisioned one club (One Athletics). And through endless effort and hard work, he made it happen. His campaigning led to all members, making a unanimous decision. They voted to merge the Little Athletics Centre and the UC Ginninderra Athletics Club. This founded the Ginninderra Athletics club. One Club for all ages and all levels. 

The club provides a fun and inclusive sporting community. It supports and provides pathways to all athletes throughout their career. It creates a community and builds friendships. 

Highlights

Since the Appointment of Steve as President, the Athletics Club has registered a gain in number of Athletes each season. Doubled the number of participants in the past year. Increased the athletic performance of hundreds of athletes. Won several local, national and international awards. 

Leadership

Steve Dodt leads by example. He leads has a strong and committed volunteer leadership group who dispose of philosophy and commitment to Athletics, to inclusion and to the members of the club. In developing programs, Steve has developed a universal design that permeates the club’s programming, policies and attitudes, stretching far beyond basic physical access to the whole environment. 

Led by Steve, the club draws on resources and support from governing bodies and agencies, such as the Department of Sport and Recreation, the Australian Sports Commission and Disability ACT. 

CBR Sport Innovation Award

The Canberra Sport awards are Canberra’s premier sporting awards. Steve’s hard work, and leadership led Ginninderra Athletics Club to win. 

The Award celebrates the outstanding achievements of Canberra top athletes and teams. They also recognise those behind-the-scenes special contributors that make our community so great. 

The reinvigorated format for the Canberra sports awards includes nine award categories. The annual ACT Sport Hall of Fame induction is also embraced within these awards. 

Facilities and equipment

Steve is without doubt a rockstar when it comes to all the money he has been able to inject into Ginninderra. In 1976. Charnwood was an empty field with nothing on it. In 1978 a shed was erected in the grounds near the tennis courts at Charnwood Oval, saving parents time and effort transporting things from their homes. However, the shed was demolished soon after, and a permanent structure was built at the northern end of the oval became operational in the 1989 season. 

Today this looks completely different. Steve’s hard work and amazing ability to get sponsorship and write grants has seen equipment and facilities go from a few things in one small shed to many very large sheds and two shipping containers bursting with equipment. 

In the time that Steve has been part of the club he has bought in over $200,000 of funds (grant and sponsorship funding) and has been a lead in adding: discuss cages, long jump pits, shot put circles, seating stands, large sunshade shelters, storage shed, and shipping cages, electric Timing gates, flags and banners, and marques. 

Online Media

Steve is truly the face at the front, and also at the back of the club. Ran by Steve, Ginninderra has a very active social media presence. Steve actually actively posts on Facebook pages and Twitter, providing constant and relevant communications to members. 

In addition to Facebook pages and Twitter, Steve has adopted several specific private Facebook groups, which facilitate Good governance, communication and awareness. These are linked to dropbox for collaboration and records Management. 

Steve designed, wrote and manages an interactive secure web content management system, that provides up-to-date, informative, and relevant information. The website uses open source and responsive technology, accepting online payments, including credit card, and PayPal for memberships, uniforms, special events, fundraising, and donations and contains online forms and submission management, including electronic workflows. 

Steve has also developed a web mobile app. Smart phone access, especially on the Field providing access to resources including cheat sheets. 

Steve promoting encourages culture inclusion to all club members throughout information in newsletters, noticeboards, websites, social media, networks, and attendance and participation in club events. 

Wi-Fi

With the wonderful support of another successful grant written by Steve, the Telstra foundation provided Ginninderra with free Wi-Fi. Through Steve’s hard work and implementation now each member of the club has access for free Ginninderra Wi-Fi. Steve has also connected the Timing gates to the internet to provide Live Results via the Results HQ web app. 

Club for all ages 

One of the most amazing and wonderful parts of Ginninderra is that has gone from a club catering for kids from 6 to 12 years in 1978 to now a club for kids 2 years to 99 years. All athletes and family members are included, invited and encouraged to participate. Programs and supports for the Social athlete to the most elite are supported and encourage. 

All programs have been either developed from scratch for redeveloped by Steve to ensure inclusion, encouragement, and capacity building for all. 

Junior coaching

Phenomenal and amazing program that has revolutionised the club, retained Athletes and provided leadership, mentoring and development opportunities for teens. Each team of teen and senior athletes, support, coach, mentor, and engage Athletes from tiny tots to under eights to help them learn, develop, smile, and shine. 

My Results

My Results is an inspirational invention of Steve. The program contains individual performances for athletes across the season. Athletes can log into my results and access in real time how they are going. The focus is 100% on the efforts of the individual. Each week is the performances are in My Results. The Athletes anxiously wait to see just how much they have been improving Week In, Week Out. Which adds to the excitement and fun of doing Athletics. 

My Results is mobile friendly with some Age Marshals entering performances at the end of each event. It’s intuitive interface and two factor security make it ideal for accessing personal efforts on the go. 

As My Results is all about the individual and doesn’t rank your efforts against others. You can track your progress against your own efforts over the season and see how much you’ve improved. My Results is all about positive reinforcement at home. My Results also tracks the following; how many PBs you have achieved over the season, individual event progression by week, amount of improvement achieved, and feedback on which events the athlete is showing the most promise. 

The backend system contains results for championships, carnivals, and inter club events held at Charnwood Oval. Performances of athletes at ACT and national championships are also entered into My Results, making it the most comprehensive repository of performance data in Canberra. 

Parents, coaches and the committee can also access separate reports showing best performance against the top 10 rankings at the state championships and progression towards Club records. 

My training

My training is the brain child of Steve Dodt and provides a development program tailored to the needs of athletes in the club. Age groups can access Athletics Australia accredited coaches who specialise in starts in sprinting, throwing, jumping, hurdles, walking, middle distance and fitness. 

Each week Athletes choose from what’s on offer on the My Training website, written and managed by Steve, guaranteeing their place in the small groups assigned to each specialist coach. 

Inclusion Focus

Steve Dodt has developed a club with an atmosphere of inclusion and support. This is inclusion across all areas. Cultural inclusion, disability, inclusion, gender, inclusion, and all ages inclusion. 

Steve is the driving force and encouraging efforts to support. All and works tirelessly to ensure all people are treated with kindness, respect, value, and welcomed in the club. 

Steve has a heart for Athletics and shares his desire and love with the sport. His goal is pure and real with the primary objective is to increase participation opportunities and Sport and Recreation for all in the community. 

Ginninderra provides mixed running races that will allow hearing Athletes compete seamlessly with body runners. genera has invested in Athletes with disability, throwing equipment, including grip, throwing balls, throwing clubs, precision grid mats, and throwing frames. 

This is just the start of Steve’s great plans and ideas to provide an inclusive, welcoming and supportive environment for children and adults of all abilities.