Bereaved father calm amid storm

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This was published 12 years ago

Bereaved father calm amid storm

By Peter FitzSimons

WE will, of course, let the coronial inquiry that will no doubt be forthcoming work out just why it was that Matt Barclay, the 14-year-old lad from Maroochydore SLSC, drowned at the Surf Life Saving Australia Championships this week at Kurrawa Beach, Queensland.

That it was a tragedy of monumental proportions goes without saying; the question to be answered is just how avoidable it was. As in, are great risks inherent in lifesaving and this is just something that happened? Or was it outrageous to be putting 14-year-olds in a tough competition, in rough surf.

<em>Illustration: John Shakespeare</em>

Illustration: John Shakespeare

Such is the central debate going on inside and outside the surf-lifesaving movement. Amid all the accusation and heat and grief and anger on the day of Matt's disappearance, however, one notable figure stood out. That was Jeff Gatenby.

If there was anyone with reason to be critical of Surf Life Saving Australia and to carry bitterness, it would be this man - as Jeff's son Robert also drowned while competing in a surf-boat race at Kurrawa 16 years ago. But he wasn't. Instead, I am reliably informed, on the day of the disappearance, Mr Gatenby criticised no one, drew no attention to himself, and simply assisted with the search for Matt, comforting people, and being rational and supportive of a lot of very upset people.

TURNABOUT

My thanks to Fitzphile Sam Clough, who drew my attention to this fascinating news item: the Manly cheer squad has just returned from a trip to an orphanage in Zimbabwe.

''It was a great chance to meet underprivileged people with very little hope in life,'' said Alfred Mgombo, aged six.

SUN DAZE

An interesting web poll in the Herald this week.

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Which time of day should be the default kick-off time for Australian Super Rugby?

Afternoon 64 per cent

Twilight 22 per cent

Evening 14 per cent

And it was very pleasant to attend that game on the afternoon, just like the old days - and all the better because the Waratahs actually won! Next year when the NSWRU does it, however, it should be done just a week later, so that, with the benefit of the end of daylight saving, those of us in the eastern grandstand won't be burning up in the afternoon sun.

SOBRIQUETS

Meanwhile, here's a quote from rah-rah Jono Jenkins on his former teammate Phil Waugh: ''I've played six years at University, and [was] with 'Waughy' for most of that.'' Jono, are you kidding? Waughy? WAUGHY? Is there no creativity in nicknames any more? Steve and Mark Waugh were ''Tugga'' and ''Afghanistan'' for many and many a moon, the latter because for a long time he was ''the forgotten Waugh''. On your current form you blokes would have no doubt called Phil Sigsworth ''Siggsy'' instead of the brilliant ''What's-A-Packet-of …''; would have called Matt Hilder ''Matty'' instead of the breathtakingly clever ''Waltzing …'' Lift your game!

BRILLIANT YOUTH

''Youth Girls.'' Such is the name of Sydney's inaugural female AFL competition, yet one more brilliantly inclusive move from the Aussie rules crowd, as they effortlessly run rings around their competitors. Tomorrow at 2pm, the Maroubra Saints Youth Girls play the Mosman Swans Youth Girls team in an exhibition match at Middle Head Oval, Mosman. Bravo to the lot of them.

TATTOO YOU

In reference to the spelling mistake in Todd Carney's tattoo - ''Life's to short to wake up in the morning with regret'' - one unkind reader noted: ''It confirmed my belief he has the maturity of a too-year-old.'' Another said that it's meant to say "when you come to in the morning …'' But what does Carney care? At least he is playing very well this season and is a rough chance of being selected for Origin duty! In the meantime, however, just before we leave the subject of tattoos, another reader, John Allen, recalls seeing a member of the British Forces Hong Kong rugby team in the changing rooms at Hong Kong Football Club, one Saturday arvo circa 1985. ''Dazed from Friday night, with a brand new tattoo, a big one, all over his back. An Indian chief in profile: square nose, jutting jaw, full feathered head dress and, written large in an arc beneath, the rendition GERANOMO!''

ETHICS CLASS

My thanks to the reader who sent me the following very interesting ethical dilemma: Say you're playing in the club championship tournament finals and the match is tied at the end of 17 holes. Say you hit your ball 250 metres to the middle of the fairway, while your opponent then hits his ball deep into the woods. Being the gentleman you are, you help your opponent look for his ball. Just before the permitted five-minute search period ends, your opponent says: ''Go ahead and hit your second shot, and if I don't find it in time, I'll concede the match.'' So you hit your ball, landing it on the green about 3m from the pin. About the time your ball comes to rest, you hear your opponent exclaim from deep in the woods: ''I found it!'' The second sound you hear is a click, the sound of a club striking a ball, even as the ball comes sailing out of the woods and lands on the green, stopping no more than 20 centimetres from the hole. Now here is the ethical dilemma: Do you pull the cheating bastard's ball out of your pocket and confront him with it, or do you keep your mouth shut?

What they said

Sachin Tendulkar: ''When I finally got the century, I asked God what I had done wrong, why did it take so long?'' And on the seventh day, God spaketh to him: ''Verily, thou hast not played Bangladesh often enough.''

Rebels winger Mark Gerrard after slotting a penalty from 45 metres out on the angle to give his side a last-gasp 30-29 win over the Western Force: ''I've done it in my dreams a stack of times. I looked across at 'Hux' [Julian Huxley] and James [Hilgendorf], and they both shook their head, so I said, 'I'll have a crack.'''

Renowned American artist Chuck Close reacts to the news that Tim Tebow has joined the New York Jets: ''He's going to be in the end zone praying? This is New York. He should go do that in, uh, the Midwest somewhere.''

Olympic gold medallist beach volleyballer Natalie Cook on gay marriage: ''I'm already married. But part of the reason the fight for gay marriage is so strong is because if Sarah is involved in a car accident, legally I'm not allowed in as her partner. They are the human rights issues the [gay rights] movements fight for.''

Bernard Tomic during a losing match against David Ferrer in Miami, asks the umpire to remove Tomic snr, who is seen to be sighing heavily at the loss: ''He's annoying me. I know he's my father but he's annoying me. I want him to leave but how is this possible?'' And I know Tomic is Australian, and we want to love him, but how is this possible?

Parramatta coach Stephen Kearney comparing losses: ''They sort of blend into one to be quite frank …'' Somewhere in the naked city, we might take it as given, that Denis Fitzgerald is feeling somewhat vindicated with those who were unhappy with his regime.

Ernie Els after losing a tournament he might have previously won: ''I played a hell of a round to get to the lead, then OK, I made some mistakes. You guys keep going on like I've killed somebody.''

Pele: ''I was born to play football, just like Beethoven was born to write music and Michelangelo was born to paint.''

Maradona: ''If Pele thinks he's the Beethoven of football, then I'm the Ronnie Wood, Keith Richards and Bono of football, because I have so much passion.''

Welsh prop Adam Jones: ''I'm not particularly aggressive. If I'd got my mother's aggression, I might not have been a bad player.''

Darren Beadman dealing with the fall he had in Hong Kong: ''I had the skullcap in my hospital room and at the back of it is a three-or four-inch mark. It is cracked. I reckon a horse has hit it with a hoof. I handed it to the psychologist, she was looking at it, and asked, 'Can you put it on and see how it fits?' I grabbed it, put it on and started crying.''

Outgoing Sydney FC coach Vitezslav Lavicka on his only regret on his three years here: ''My English still not very well.'' Nevadí´ı, Ví´ıtezslav. Doufejme, ze miloval bý´ti v Sydney stejne.

Team of the week

Stuart O'Grady OAM and Gavin Woods. The cyclist and water polo player should also be candidates to carry the flag in London, as they are participating in their sixth and fifth Olympic Games, respectively, and are both fine ambassadors.

Tiger Woods. Had his first win against a full field in 923 days and 26 tour events. Bugger. Two-and-a-half years of faultless death-riding, and now this!

Claire Polosak. The 23-year-old Sydney student became the first woman to umpire at the Sydney women's first-grade final, and did well. Perhaps she might one day umpire the Boxing Day Test?

Sydney FC. Made the finals with a pulsating win over Newcastle.

Penrith women's Brewer Shield (under-17) cricket team. In their first year in the western Sydney competition, they finished undefeated, in part courtesy of one Amy Edgar, who travelled all the way from Cowra each week.

Sarah Rose. The Paralympic swimmer, 26, who did us proud in the Athens and Beijing Paralympic Games, is making a comeback and is on track to do the same in London.

PLC Pymble Rowing VIII. Won the schoolgirls Head of the River on the Nepean last Saturday - a credit to the young women and their coaches, Gill and Mark Campbell. One young woman, Genevieve Horton, has been selected for the Australian junior team on the strength of it.

Gerard Price. The man who has been the chairman of Briars Cricket took his 1000th wicket in shires in his side's semi-final last weekends, adding to his tally of more than 7000 runs and 240 catches.

Lane Cove Cricket Club. Will attempt to win their first 1st grade premiership in the Sydney Shires comp since 1945-46, against the Burwood Briars.

The NSW croquet team. Won the Eire Cup in Perth, their third national title in a row. Additionally, Alison Sharpe won the Australian Women's Championship to become only the second New South Welshwoman in 42 years to have won this. RAH!

pfitzsimons@smh.com.au

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