2010 Kokoda Youth Leadership Challenge
2010 Kokoda Participant Selected!
Western Australia’s lacrosse league has always struggled for public recognition thanks to competition from sporting giants such as football, cricket, soccer and rugby union.
However in less than two weeks time the code will score a win over its sporting rivals when one of its star players flies to Kokoda, having been selected for a national program that identifies young people with leadership potential.
Twenty one year old Tim Chaney from Subiaco has beaten out several thousand young people to be selected to walk the gruelling Kokoda Track, which at 155km in length, requires a person with
incredible physical fitness and remarkable mental strength. Tim was selected by ClubsWA as part of a national program called the Kokoda Youth Leadership Challenge which rewards young people across Australia who have made an outstanding contribution to their local community through sport or volunteerism.
Tim, who recently completed his degree in Exercise and Health Science at UWA, has been training for the past 3 months in order to ensure he is physically ready for the ten day trek, which will take the group of ten young people 60km off the Kokoda Track. Tim, who plans to return to university next year with the intention of becoming a Physical Education teacher, has played lacrosse for 12 years and has represented WA at junior and senior levels. He has coached junior Lacrosse for the past four years at the Subiaco Lacrosse Club and also works as a swim instructor.
Lacrosse is one of the oldest sports in the world, originated in the 12th century by the Native Americans of Canada.
Tim said he was looking forward to having the opportunity to walk the Kokoda Track, and has been interested in Australian War History since childhood. “My grandfather was a pilot in the Z special unit in WWII and my great granddad was killed in Syria. His battalion was one of the first to reinforce soldiers on Kokoda. I remember going to the opening of the Kokoda Trail Memorial in Kings Park with my grandad in my final years of Primary School. “Going to Kokoda would be an amazing experience as it would allow me to learn more about where men my age fought and died in 1942 and 1943,” he said.
Executive Director of Clubs WA Peter Seaman said Tim is an outstanding candidate and will represent WA proudly as he works with young people from across the country in their efforts to conquer Kokoda. “Tim is extremely level headed and has a quality that will inspire and motivate others as they invariably tire and doubt their ability to complete the Kokoda Track”, he said.
Tim departs for Kokoda on Monday 27th September from Sydney Airport.
Media: Please contact Peter Seaman on 0417 236 638.
Click here to read the interview with Tim Chaney.
Keep a look out for the applications in 2011!
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