Australia’s greatest coach June Ferguson MBE, MA, Dip Phys Ed who in the course of her illustrious career guided her athletes to a total 16 World records and 5 Olympic Gold medals, died on 3 December aged 76.
Friend and fellow coach Jackie Byrnes pays a personal tribute.
June Ferguson (Maston) was born 11 March 1928 in Sydney. She grew up in the suburbs of Sydney and was an excellent student and keen sportswoman. She attended Sydney University where she gained her degree and chose teaching as her career. Her interest in sport, particularly track and field athletics became a major focal point in her life.
Both at school and competing for the Western Suburbs Women's Amateur Athletic Club she was an all rounder but was particularly successful in long jump and sprinting and for 3 successive years 1946-48 she won the NSW 440 yards title.
In 1948, at the age of 20 she was selected to represent Australia at the Olympic Games in London in the long jump and 4 x 100 yards relay. The relay team was made up of athletes Shirley Strickland, Joyce King, Betty McKinnon with June running the second leg. This was the first women's relay team to represent Australia and they were successful in winning the silver medal.
It was on this trip that June met fellow Olympian Jack Ferguson who was in the Water Polo Team and on their return from London they became engaged and later married.
June's interest turned towards coaching in the early fifties, and while teaching Physical Education at Parramatta Home Science School she came across a young athlete named Betty Cuthbert. So began a coach/athlete relationship that, over the next 12 years was to re write world records, win Olympic Gold medals and establish itself in the history of Australian Sport.
Many young athletes sought June's expertise in coaching and in 1957 June decided to form her own club located near where she lived in Epping.
Cumberland Women's Amateur Athletic Club was formed and over the next 2 decades proved to be one of the most successful clubs in Australia under her guidance both as the initial President and throughout that whole period of time as the coach.
Throughout these years June not only became an outstanding coach, she also broadcast for the ABC for more than 10 years, was a sports writer for the Sydney Daily Telegraph, lectured at the Sydney Institute of Education and was involved in founding Coach Education in Australia. Because of her commitment to her athletes and sport in general, in 1967, she was awarded the MBE.
June was ahead of her time with her innovative ideas such as the introduction of stretching regimes, blood testing, monitoring of the individual recovery rates, weight training sessions and the use of treadmills. She produced athletes at a time when women were not accepted as coaches throughout the athletic world, making her the pioneer for women in the field of coaching. She did this with successes that far outshone her male counterparts.
Her results spoke for themselves with performances at the elite level with Olympians such as Maureen Caird, Penny Gillies and Sandra Brown. She was instrumental in the early development of two-time Olympian Darren Clark. June also became the mentor to many young athletes who sought her advice in many subjects.
June retired from coaching on 18 May 1988 and moved to Queensland leaving behind an outstanding list of achievements. At her farewell Dinner her incredible coaching record was highlighted. Her athletes had won/achieved:- More than 200 NSW state titles; More than 30 state records; More than 60 national winners and placegetters; 4 Olympians; 16 World records; 5 Olympic Gold medals.
June Ferguson will be in the Australian sporting history books forever for the contribution she made to the sport. She was outstanding, her commitment unquestionable and along with her knowledge and application bought about successes that are unequalled to this day in Track and Field.
In the year 2000 suffering from Motor Neuron Disease, and with her health deteriorating rapidly she had a wonderful day, assisted by her daughter Megan and family taking part in the Torch Relay for the Sydney Olympics. The local Gold Coast crowd gave her the ovation she so justly deserved.
On Friday, 3 December, June lost her battle with the disease. June is survived by her children Ian, Jerry, Fiona, Megan and Debbie and their families.
June was my mentor and I feel so very privileged she was my friend.
Jackie Byrnes OAM
Level III Coach
