Manager Security and Emergency Management
John Marrapodi attended Cyril Jackson Senior High School from 1971 to 1974. In 1974, he decided to repeat Third Year, as it was known at the time, as he was disappointed with his first results and believed that he could do a lot better. John noted that the school was very supportive of this decision, and he received a lot of support from staff and the other students. To this day, John considers himself lucky that he was afforded the opportunity to repeat.
He only recalls fond memories of all teaching staff that he came into contact. One stand-out was Peter Browne, who was his Mathematics teacher and later, the Director-General of Education. Another teacher was Peter Dunnell, John’s Social Studies teacher, who later became a Regional Director (now known as Director of Education).
In 1978, John commenced his career in the Department of Education. In 1983, he was given the task to set up the Department’s security operation. This involved setting up a security monitoring centre, patrol service, static guards, and alarm response. The security network now covers most of the State and provides support to schools 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. In 1988, he set up the School Watch Program in partnership with WA Police that is still operating to this day. He was awarded the C.Y O’Connor Award in 1989 for launching this initiative through the public school system. During his time with the Department, he went on to work with staff who, at one time, were his teachers at Cyril Jackson SHS.
John continued his studies after school, gaining a Diploma in Public Administration and later a Graduate Certificate in Security Management through Edith Cowan University. He is currently employed as the Manager, Security and Emergency Management for the Department of Education.
John has had an extensive involvement in Australian football. This commenced as a boy when he played football for the Maylands Junior Football Club and East Perth Junior Football Club. In 1975, he coached the Maylands Junior Football Club to a Grand Final, only the second Grand Final in the club’s history. In 1992 after spending several years with the East Perth Junior Football Council as the umpires coach, John joined the West Australian Football League as a goal umpire. He has umpired 204 League games (175 WAFL games and 29 AFL games), 2 WAFL Grand Finals (1998 and 2003) and one International Game (Australia verses Ireland). From 2005 until 2021 John was the AFL Goal Umpire Coach in Perth and the WAFL Goal Umpire Coach between 2015 to 2017 and from 2021 to the present day. In 2021, John was made a life member of the West Australian Football League Umpires Association and in 2008, a member of the Hall of Fame. In 2023 he was named a West Australian Football Legend and in 2024 made a life member of the Australian Football League Umpires Association.
He has been married to Tracy for 40 years and together, they have 2 daughters and 4 grandchildren. One of John’s daughters is a pharmacist and the other a journalist and author.
John hopes that in his 46 year career with the Department of Education he has made a difference and remembers his days at Cyril Jackson SHS fondly. For his distinguished contribution to education and football umpiring in WA, today John Marrapodi is named a Champion of CJ.