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Obituaries
Raymond Arthur Allsopp OAM (OW1952)
20/12/1933 - 20/10/2021
Ray was an outstanding Cricketer and Footballer at Wesley and beyond. Along with OW Cricket, he famously went on as a rover at the Richmond Football Club where he played 54 games and kicked 69 goals between 1955 and 1959. Ray’s father Arthur played state cricket for Victoria and NSW where he shared a sixth-wicket stand of 180 runs with Donald Bradman.
As our 1951 Cricket Captain, Chronicle describes his actions in the Seasons Highlights: 'To obtain a century and hat-trick in the same match is a remarkable feat. When Allsopp did this against G.C., he became the third Wesley player to achieve this double.'
Ray was a Primary School Teacher and sports administrator, later leaving teaching to become the first person to be employed in a development role in Football. He directly contributed to the community through sport, co-founding the Waverley Softball Association in 1961 where he worked tirelessly. The high standard of softball facilities at Jells Park owe much to his lobbying.
Ray is also remembered as the 'Father figure' of Auskick, the long-running introductory football program for school aged children. Ray also improved what was known as the ‘Little League’ in the 1980s, enabling thousands of young footballers to play at half-time at VFL matches. For Ray, it was all about encouraging their enjoyment of the game, not about winning. He was made a Life Member of the AFL in 2010.
AFL Talent Ambassador, Kevin Sheehan, described Allsopp’s role in the development of what became Auskick as 'the creator, the inventor and at a time when we needed someone to focus on skill development in those primary school years…He was the father figure.'
Ray found a way to 'win the hearts and minds of primary school kids' to support the future and success of Australian Rules Football at a time when there was growing competition from other sports.
Along with other OWs, Ray played in the famous Australian Rules exhibition match at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games. He was a sports-writer, editor of Junior Football Magazine, coach and the Junior Victorian Coach of the Year award is named in his honour.
Ray's model for teaching softball while a teacher at Glen Waverley Primary School was adopted by the Physical Education curriculum and replaced Rounders as a team sport. His model for encouraging enjoyment of team sports at a young age has been universally adopted across sports here and overseas. In 2017, at age 82, Ray was recognised by the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his service to sport, particularly for school children.
Ray died at the age of 87 and is survived by his sister and softball world champion Norma, children Stephen (OW1978), Lynne, Rodney (OW1982), six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.