Meet Our Committee
Club President Leo Dobes
Like many others, my acquaintance with WVGC started with taking a grandchild to Kindergym. I couldn’t do half the stuff the kids were doing, so I enrolled instead in the innovative Groove and Move (over 50s) program.
Now I even go to Adult Gym, and am part of the Gymnaestrada team going to Amsterdam in July 2023. The skill and expertise of the Club’s coaches in all its programs never fail to amaze me. But the chief attraction of WVGC is its inclusive nature. Old and young, talented performance team members and acrobats, those with special needs, school programs, and the increasingly popular FreeG/Parkour program: everyone is looked after. Our Management and the previous Committee have steered the Club brilliantly through the COVID era without missing a beat, and numbers have grown significantly over the last few years. The focus now needs to be on continuing early work to address our cramped floor space.
Club Vice President Robert (Bob) Loftus
I joined the Move and Groove (over 50's) Program in WVGC in late 2015. I have represented the club in Gymnastics for All (GfA) competitions in Australia and overseas. Prior to 2015, I had no exposure to gymnastics other than on television. I have had a great experience since joining and am keen to see WVGC prosper as an all-inclusive Gymnastic Club.
Club Secretary Kathy Anderson OAM
When we moved to Canberra from Sydney in 1986 my eldest daughter was a keen gymnast. She joined WVGC in the WAG program when the Club was using the gym at Woden Valley High School. Then the Club moved to Alfred Deakin High School canteen area and two more of our daughters joined the Club, I started judging and the girls started coaching. We were very happy when the Club moved to the Gym at Holder High School when it closed as we no longer had to put the equipment up and down every session.
I trained as a PE / Science / Maths teacher so did some basic gym in the 70’s but not very well. After I retired, I joined the Groove and Move group which is fantastic fun. I also go to Adult Gym and am part of the Performance Team which competes interstate and overseas. I love doing gym and am keen to contribute to the work of the Committee of the Club.
Club Treasurer Alice Dobes
My association with the Club started in early 2016 when our grandson joined KinderGym WVGC. We have found that he has become more agile and active. He always looks forward to going to the Club and has a very enjoyable time. After seeing the benefits to him, my husband and I joined the Move and Groove (over 50’s) program. The WVGC is an inclusive gymnastic club and people are very friendly and communal. My family gets a lot out of it and we hope that we can contribute to the Club by making it available to more people. My aim is to work closely with the Club’s Management to continue the significant improvements already made over the last few years.
Committee Member Andrew Collins
My first introduction to the Club was through a holiday program that my son attended. He had so much fun he asked to be enrolled into a Recreational gym program and only attended a few classes before being asked to move into the MAG Nationals stream in the Pre-Nationals group. Soon after, I found myself dancing and crawling around the gym on Saturday mornings at Kindergym with my younger Daughter Sammi. 6 years after that first holiday program, Patrick is MAG Level 7 and Sammi is WAG Level 3 and I am an Intermediate Bronze MAG Judge! Our family loves the Club atmosphere and what the sport of Gymnastics has taught, and continues to teach our kids. The Committee and Management Team have made great progress in the last few years in the running of the Club and I am keen to continue that work as well as pave the way for the future expansion of the Club.
Committee Member Laurel Loftus
I joined Woden Valley Gymnastics Club as a gymnast in the Gymnastics for All Program in late 2015. I had never done gymnastics before but really enjoyed the benefits to my mind and body. I was part of the Australian Team which competed in World Gym4Life in Norway in 2017 and I also went to Gymnaestrada in Austria in 2019. The motto "Start Here, Go Anywhere" really resonates with me.
Committee Member Gary Fisk
I’ve been associated with Woden Valley Gymnastics Club for about 12 years - with my two daughters starting in Kindergym, moving into pre-Nationals, and now training as senior athletes at the club.
Committee Member Carmela Pavlic Searle
My experience with gymnastics began about 12 years ago when my first daughter started Kindergym….and she never left.
I have an interest in the future of the Club on many levels. As an event strategy and logistics specialist, I have a desire to ensure a contemporary and competitive Club. As a communications practitioner I have a desire to ensure parents are informed about club activities and options available to them. As a mother of two beautiful girls, I am also keen to support a complete wellbeing approach to training.
