The Centralian advocate Tue 25 Sep 2007
Centralian Advocate; NewspaperNT
2007-09-25
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English
Community newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Alice Springs; Tennant Creek (N.T.) -- Newspapers; Alice Springs (N.T.) -- Newspapers.; Australia, Central -- Newspapers
Nationwide News Pty. Limited
Alice Springs
v. 61 no. 38
application/pdf
Copyright. Made available by the publisher under licence.
Nationwide News Pty. Limited
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00251
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/233377
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/657469
Centralian Advocate, Tuesday, September 25, 2007 29 PU B : C A D V D A T E : 25 -S E P -2 00 7 PA G E : 29 C O L O R : C M Y K WOMENS CRICKET Come along to some exciting events happening in womens cricket leading up to the local cricket season commencing on 11 October 2007 Thursday 27th September 2007 Traegar Park 4.30pm 5.30pm Skills Development Clinic (run by NTCA representatives) 6.00pm 7.00pm Womens Sign On day (and BBQ) * Come along * Have fun * * Give it a go * Bring a Friend * For further information please contact: Jarrod Wapper: 0417 895 788 Ph: 08 89 508327 or Jenny Kroker: 0419 865 667 Ph: 08 89514 301 3 8 1 3 0 2 /0 8 Sport is a family affair Our new series The Insiders highlights the people behind sport in Alice Springs. Sports reporter Christopher OLeary talks to Alice Springs Motorcycle Club secretary Nikki Westover and her husband Alice Springs Turf Club chief steward David Westover. FAMILY SPORTS: David and Nikki Westover with horse Dougie. Picture: CHLOE ERLICH I t is 10am on a Friday at Video 2000 on Railway Terrace and owners Nikki and David Westover are busier than a one-armed bricklayer. It is one of their busiest rental days and the phone is ringing off the hook, but the calls are mainly about motocross. The shop has turned into a makeshift administration hub for Alice Springs motocross with Nikki being the clubs secretary this year. Club documents lie around the shop counter and treasurer Liz Hansen often comes in so the secretary can sign off on a mountain of club cheques. As secretary, Nikki organises club meetings, event flyers and often mans the canteen with other committee members. She said: I couldnt do it if I didnt have the shop, because Id get the sack from another job. Meanwhile, David stands quietly about his business. As chief steward at Pioneer Park racecourse he draws heat at times from the local racing industry, but the job at least has fixed hours. David mans the family business at night along with tending to the needs of the couples children Zane, 10, Scott, 14, and Jessica, 18. Zane rides motocross while Scott, who was a club junior champion, gave up his two wheels this year to work as a stablehand. Despite their commitments the couple explained why they love spending any spare time helping local sport. Christopher OLeary: So, starting off with the hard hitting questions, how many videos do I owe you at the moment? Nikki Westover: (Laughs) About 10! CO: Every time I come in here on a Friday we gossip about the sports youre involved in and I forget when videos are due. How long have you been involved in motocross? NW: Ive been involved in motocross for six years, since Scott started. CO: Scotts interest was the main reason for it? NW: Yes, and I think you need to be involved and theres a lot you need to know about motocross. Thats why I joined the committee so you find out then instead of at the last minute. David Westover: Ive been in horse racing for 27 years and I was a jockey in South Australia as well. Ive been chief steward here for 14 months. CO: You also run your business here and you would be doing something like 60-hour weeks with your sports. The question is: Why? DW: You get used to it and I cope because I am loving the life that Im living at the moment. Were lucky to have our own business with the sports were in. NW: We both do it for the kids. Theyre only young for so many years I suppose and while we can support and back them for what they want to do, we might as well do it. It helps knowing they appreciate it, but the day they stop, we would too. CO: Is that the reason why most parents involve themselves in sport in Alice Springs? NW: I think theres not much for kids in Alice Springs. The whole towns sports orientated, there just needs to be a lot more volunteers I think to make it more successful. DW: I think you cant help it and you can get a bit sucked into it. But once that happens you can help sort out problems which needed a voice. CO: Without getting too negative what are problems in motocross right now? NW: I suppose its the same people doing things and you do need new committees and you just need guys in the background picking up on things. Thats what I got involved along with a few other people. But every year we have a turnover of committee members and it has become quite a successful club all because of the volunteers. Janice Campbell, for instance, has been president for years because her sons are involved and she is out at the track every week. CO: So what things have been done since you began at the club? NW: Theres been track changes for what the kids want and that happens every six months, along with training days for the riders. CO: And what were the highlights for motocross this year? NW: The NT Titles were so successful. We raised around $10,000 and had around 136 riders, which was 22 more than last years event. CO: What about for you at the Turf Club David? DW: One thing Id like to see is a way to attract more riders from interstate, but weve got enough trainers and the club is going well. I think running my first Alice Springs Cup carnival was good. It was a success, but there was a lot of stress. NW: The whole house was stressed! DW: Yeah, but there was a lot of pressure for everything to be right. Its shown on pay TV and with one stuff up everyone is onto you, including the media. CO: Which is me? DW: (laughs) Which is normally you, yes. CO: But it must be hard as a steward dealing with riders and trainers that live in your community? DW: Its not hard, because you dont take them as friends on race day. NW: Youve got to be tough. DW: Youve got to be tough, and you dont make many friends, but if you can accept that and get on with it most people will appreciate it. The Insiders with Christopher OLeary Official noteOfficial note SO what do the people who work with the Westovers think of their hard work? Motorcycle club committee member Glen Auricht: Nikkis a dynamo. She runs the canteen, does all the paperwork, organises meetings and takes minutes, and makes flyers for the events. So she puts in a lot of effort and between her and David at Pioneer Park I dont think they have much time at home together. Turf Club chief executive Andrew OToole: Being a steward in a town like this is not an easy job because the buck stops with David. But hes been in there for 14 months and hes made a few changes and hes really done a good job. G&K AKERS Contracting Pty Ltd Friday 28th September 2007 1.00pm - Alice Springs v Darwin Saturday 29th September 2007 8.30am - Darwin v Alice Springs Sunday 30th September 2007 11.00am - Alice Springs v Darwin Come along and watch Alice Springs defend the Cup! For further information please contact: Jarrod Wapper: 0417 895 788 Ph: 08 89 508327 or Jenny Kroker: 0419 865 667 Ph: 08 89514 301 DESERT ROSE CUPDESERT ROSE CUP (Traegar Park) SPORT Morton to choose between families Kenny Morton Aussie Rules Christopher OLeary THIS years Minahan Medallist Kenny Morton must decide between family or friends if the CAFL and Ngurratjuta Cup merge next year. Under one of AFL Central Australias competition format suggestions for 2008, Ti Tree will merge with Central Anmatjere and Rovers will play in their current form. But Morton along with other country footballers registered in the CAFL will have to decide which team he wants to play for. Morton said he was still going through his options for 2008. He said: Im still thinking about it because Rovers boys are like my family, but Ti Tree is still my family. Im still thinking about it, and it is really hard. Morton thought it was special to win the Minahan, as he also played football this year for Ti Tree. Later in the season his attention shifted to Rovers and winning the Minahan. He said: Once (Ti Tree) lost like seven games in a row I was just like Okay, focus on Rovers and go for my goals and go for my dreams, which was to win the CAFL townside medal. Morton has played with Rovers since he was a junior in 2001 and there is no town side he would rather play with. He said: Winning this medal is the best thing ever and I feel really proud to win it for Rovers. I stuck with them for seven years and Rovers is just like family.