Picture: J.L.”FRED” SMITH
A PASSIONATE commitment to junior sport has brought a community award to Millicent resident Craig Kuiper.
The popular sporting identity has been named as the Australia Day citizen of the year for Corcoran Ward of Wattle Range Council.
Although he is involved with a number of sports, it is his 13 years as a committee member of Little Athletics in Millicent which has put him in the spotlight.
Mr Kuiper spent seven years as president and is currently the deputy to Katrina Warren.
Each week in the first and fourth school terms since 2007, Mr Kuiper has made his way at 2.30pm to the Little Athletics base at Newbery Park Primary School.
For the next four and a half hours, he has marked running lanes, set up hurdles, cooked the barbecue and performed a multitude of other tasks.
Such an enormous commitment of time is expended because Mr Kuiper sees the value of Little Athletics to the 60 youngsters who participate each week.
“Little Athletics is all about kids improving and bettering themselves,” Mr Kuiper said.
“Parents and guardians must always be there at each weekly session and so Little Athletics means fun and fitness for families.
“It’s an honour to receive the Australia Day award and I was chuffed to be nominated.
“I am not involved in Little Athletics for the awards.
“I want to keep Little Athletics going and the kids improving.”
It is a passion he shares with his teenage daughter Leah who started as a participant 13 years ago and is now a coach of the Tiny Tots.
Mr Kuiper takes great pride in the athletics achievements of the likes of Brad Hann and Charlotte Cutrale.
He is also pleased the Millicent Little Athletics is about to take delivery of a new set of electronic starting gates worth $7500.
The state-of-the-art equipment has been made possible from sponsorship from Wattle Range Council, Millicent Lions Club, KCA Millicent Mill, Millicent Lioness Club and Coles.
Mr Kuiper spent his formative years at Reynella and Forest Range, near Adelaide and it was a “blind date” to the movies which eventually led to his move to Millicent.
“I was working in retail in North Adelaide and one of my customers suggested I meet a young lady,” he said.
“It was Amanda Skeer, of Hatherleigh and she was studying in Adelaide at the time.
“We went to the movies on our first date and went from there.
“We married and after the birth of Leah 18 years ago, we decided to move to Millicent.
“I got some labouring work at the Nangwarry Mill and then spent three years on contracts at the KCA Millicent Mill.
“I was then put on the permanent workforce at the number five machine.
“Being on shiftwork allows me to help with the Little Athletics.”
One of his first workmates at the KCA Millicent Mill was Justin Muhovics who encouraged him to continue his cricket career at the Mount Burr United Cricket Club.
A successful 15-year stint as an opening batsman and spin bowler followed and Mr Kuiper decided to call “stumps” and retire after playing in the 2017/18 premiership team.
His other sporting interests are being the Millicent Golf Club vice-captain and monthly outings with Leah to dirt karts at Lucindale.
In the meantime, Mr Kuiper shows no sign of ending his involvement with Little Athletics.
Australia Day breakfasts will be held from 8am on January 26 at the Beachport Lagoon Reserve, Kalangadoo’s Riddoch Memorial Institute, Millicent’s Jubilee Park and the Penola War Memorial Park.
The communities of Southend and Tantanoola will also have their own Australia Day gatherings later in the day.
