Champion Sportsman & Public Servant
Ken was an inaugural student at Cyril Jackson High school in 1962. He has very fond memories of this time at the school and of the boys he was friends with. All enjoyed sport and he remembers his peers being very competitive – even at marbles at recess and lunch.
Cyril Jackson HS was officially opened in 1963, so students went to Forrest HS in Mount Lawley in 1962 while the school was being built. Ken lived in Bayswater and rode his bike to school every day.
He captained the school cricket and football sides during this time. The cricket team won the Premiership 3 years in a row in the Swan Helena competition which was a superb achievement considering the team members were all a year younger than opposition players. In 1963 Ken was selected in the WA State Schoolboy’s Football Team which won the National Carnival in Brisbane.
The school was lucky to have a young Physical Education teacher, Mr John Suckling on staff who organised for the school team to be included in the competition. Mr Suckling would transport the team in his car (a station wagon) and take them to play matches. Even when he left for Kalamunda SHS 1963, he continued to coach the CJ teams. Sixty years on, many of the players in the team still maintain contact with John.
Ken passed his Junior Certificate in 1964 and joined the Public Service. He worked in the Service for 48 years, retiring in 2013 as the General Manager of the Insurance Commission of WA. During his early career he gained tertiary qualifications, including a Post Graduate Diploma in Business from Curtin University.
After leaving school he enjoyed a very successful sporting career playing First Grade cricket with Bassendean-Bayswater and league football with East Perth. He is proud of being one of a small number of sportsmen who have represented WA in both cricket and football.
Ken represented WA in cricket on 22 occasions as an opening batsman and scored 1,251 runs for the state. He was a member of two winning Sheffield Teams in 1972 and 1973.
As a footballer, Ken had an exemplary career before injury forced his retirement. He played 158 games for East Perth and 6 for WA. 1972 was a stellar year for Ken winning the Tassie medal at the Australian Football Carnival in Perth and being a premiership player with East Perth. He also won a Simpson Medal during the Carnival and a further one for being best afield in the 1972 Grand Final. He was also named as an All Australian player.
Ken is a family man being married to Judy (50 years in 2022) with 3 daughters and 8 grandchildren. He enjoys the opportunity to spend time with his family.
Ken is acknowledged for his tremendous sporting achievements at school and in the community and today is named as a Champion of CJ.