No 21 COLYN WHITEHEAD
6 feet 1 inch (185cm) Forward/Guard
1960 Olympic Games
ColynArthurWhitehead was born on September 2nd, 1938 in Newcastle, NSW.
He was an outstanding all-round sportsman. He represented NSW in basketball and was a NSW Country cricket representative.
He started his basketball career with the Novos Club in Newcastle and he gives credit to Jack Ryan the coach of the Novos Club, and to Harry Wheatley another Club Coach who Colyn credits as a coach with a particular talent for motivation.
Dr John Raschkea former NSW player, the Newcastle representative team coach, future Australian coach and “the father of the NBL” was also a prime influence on Colyn with the Newcastle representative team.
Colyn played on the Newcastle representative team with Newcastle greats such as Terry Charlton, Colin Milburn and Dennis Kibble. In the seven years Colyn played with Newcastle they dominated the NSW State titles.
He first represented NSW in 1955 when he was selected on the NSW Under 18 team to play in the Australian Championships in Melbourne. This team was coached by Merv Emms who has been inducted into the Basketball Australia Hall of Fame as a Coach.
In 1957Colyn was selected to his first NSW senior men’s team which was coached by Harry Burgess (1956 Olympic Assistant Coach) and included Merv Moy a 1956 Olympian, George Gedge who would represent Australia in athletics and Charlie Ammit who would become an outstanding coach in NSW and the National Basketball League (NBL).
Colyn was next selected for NSW in 1959 again under coach Merv Emms. It was a timely selection for Colynas the 1960 Rome Olympic Squad would be selected from those 1959 Australian Championships. On that NSW team were Terry Charlton and Ross Graham who would also be selected for the Rome Olympics.
Colyn was a very versatile all-round player. He was a magnificent athlete and a natural sportsman and very intelligent. With Newcastle he mainly played as a guard alongside Terry Charlton and Dennis Kibble or as a small forward. His strength and athleticism made him an excellent defender and rebounder.
The 1959 Australian Championships were held in Adelaide and NSW played well to be runners-up to South Australia in the Final. The good showing by NSW certainly helped Terry Charlton, Ross Graham and Colyn to be selected for the 1960 Rome Olympic Games.
The 1960 team assembled in Adelaide for three months prior to the Olympics. The intention was to give the team maximum preparation by training every day, doing individual sessions and playing against the very strong local Adelaide teams. The Australian Team was coached by Erik Erkins who lived in Adelaide. It was a big sacrifice for all the players to take leave from work, or give up their jobs to live in Adelaide, as players were strictly amateur in those days and they had to fully fund themselves.Colyn remembers, “I was one of the lucky ones because at that time I was working in Canberra in the Department of Foreign Affairs and they gave me leave and I worked for the Public Service in Adelaide.”
The 1960 Australian Olympic Basketball Team played games in Alice Springs and Manila (Philippines) on the way to Italy for the Rome Olympic Games. They also played a game against Italy in Rome before moving to Bologna for the Olympic Qualification Tournament.
“It was my first overseas trip”, recalls Colyn. “I was so excited to see Rome from the air and then visit places like the Forum.”
The Australian Team struggledin the tournament with the refereeing which was European based and with the sixteen panel basketball. Colyn had a particularly good game against Poland and generally gave a very good account of himself considering his lack of experience. He was a regular starter on the Australian Team and this was quite an achievement. Colyn’s athletic ability and strength also meant that he was often given tough defensive assignments. Colyn, as did his team-mates, struggled with the referees’ interpretations and he fouled out in a few games. “Our defensive techniques were found wanting and players went by us a lot, so of course we fouled a lot”, says Colyn. “That panel basketball was also a big challenge as it seemed very much out of shape.”
The Australianslost all four of their Group games and then defeated the Sudan to claim 17th position out of eighteen teams. It was not the result they wanted however they went to the Olympic Games in Rome where they were accorded full rights of all the Australian Olympic athletes except for accommodation in the Olympic Village. This allowed the Australians to watch and participate in the Games as a whole. “My fondest memory,” says Colyn, “Was watching Herb Elliot win the 1500 metres. I will always remember how he surged up that back-straight...I can still see it today. I also saw a lot of the swimming.”
After the Rome Olympic Games the Australian Team travelled home via India on the RMS “Strathaird”. “I will always remember that trip. Itwas as hot as hell and our cabins were steerage class down in the bowels of the ship. Travelling home by ship was not a good idea,” says Colyn.On the ship was also the West Indian Cricket Team on their way to Australia for the famous “tied test” series.
The Rome Olympic Games were the conclusion of Colyn’s representative basketball career for Australia and he played very little basketball after Rome as he concentrated on his cricket and academic life.
In cricket he specialised as a medium-fast bowler and was a good batsman and all-rounder.He was awarded a cricket Blue at Newcastle University in 1968 and played cricket for NSW Country against a visiting English team captained by Mike Smith. He was regarded by his team-mates in both basketball and cricket as a magnificent athlete.
Newcastle and Australian Olympic team-mate Terry Charlton describes Colyn, “As the ultimate team player, with a fine jump shot, who was always prepared to move the ball on for his team mates to gain the best shot available. A powerfully built player Colyn was good defensively and, although his preferred position was as an off guard, he also possessed excellent rebounding abilities.”
Colyn was an academic. He gained his Bachelor of Arts degree (Honours) from Newcastle University (issued through the University of New England, Armidale). He was awarded a scholarship to Sydney University where he gained a Masters of Arts degree with a thesis on French literature. He speaks fluent French and was employed at Newcastle University, first as a tutor in 1965 and then as a lecturer from 1967 to 1993 when he retired.
He lives in Newcastle where he has a busy life with his children and grandchildren. He maintains his fitness, is a regular beach jogger and an avid fisherman.
Colyn Whitehead was a very talented athlete. He had a distinguished career representing Newcastle in basketball and played for NSW and Australia. An outstanding cricketer and an academic he was one of the early Olympic pioneers in Australian basketball.
Colyn Whitehead (3) playing in the 1965 Newcastle District Grand Final against Mormons (Courtesy of C. Whitehead and Newcastle Herald))
Colyn Whitehead (Courtesy of C. Whitehead)