Ermel honoured by athletics life membership

BENDIGO Athletic Club great Rick Ermel is glad the stars aligned and he was back in town as he was unveiled as the club’s newest life member.

The 64-year-old, who has called the Gold Coast home for the last three years, was bestowed the honour at the club’s annual cross country presentation night earlier this month.

Back in Bendigo due to multiple commitments, including his granddaughters’ first birthday, he was proud to accept the award in person.

Despite a few hints from family members, Ermel declared his life membership as a nice surprise.

A 19-time club champion, he continues to look on his involvement with Bendigo Athletic Club with fondness.

“It was just a really great part of my life,” Ermel said.

“What it did is, when you become a runner and meet good people, you get really grounded and everyone stays fit and healthy.

“Your lifestyle changes.

“It also gave me a job and career, as people know you have a good work ethic,” Ermel, who worked for 36 years in disability services in Bendigo, added.

“I’d like to think I was a pretty dedicated club person.

“It’s a wonderful club.”

His 1984 club champion win was not only his first, but launched a streak of five straight award wins.

He won three more straight from 1991-93, six on the trot from 1997 to 2002 and three on end again from 2005 to 2007, before winning for the final time in 2009.

Ermel said he was humbled and honoured.

“There probably just over a dozen people in the history of the club, who have been honoured since about 1974,” he said.

“I came into the club as a 21 or 22-year-old, trying to find my way in life and found out I had a little bit of running ability.

“I didn’t know a whole lot about sports.”

Ermel, who dabbled in amateur boxing under renowned Bendigo trainer Pat Connolly before

“I had a go at boxing mainly to try and lose weight and was lucky enough to represent Victoria at 20 years of age,” he said.

“I quickly found out I was a lot better runner than fighter.

“I have a saying – I won all my fights by one hundred metres.

“My nickname was The Astronomer; all I saw was stars.”

Ermel’s long association with the BAC coincided with a successful career, highlighted by back-to-back 3200m wins at the Stawell Gift Carnival in 1985-86, the latter won as the backmarker.

“Those wins were a real privilege, especially the second one in the red jacket,” he said.

“I gave eight runners a lap start and was lucky enough to reel them in.

“Amazing memories and a great honour winning at Stawell, as it’s the pinnacle of professional running.

“That’s the biggest thing I learned with athletics, it doesn’t matter whether you are a millionaire, or on the arse end of your pants – we’re all equal.

“I took that into life; everyone deserves respect and dignity, and that’s applied all through my career in disability services.”

Other major wins included a victory on home turf at the Bendigo International Madison, a Maryborough backmarkers’ mile, and success at the Wangaratta Gift.

Despite the move interstate, Ermel retains an involvement with athletics through the Southport club as a parkrun volunteer.

“Athletics is still in the blood – just enough to give me another injury,” he joked.

“The old body has nearly given up on me, but what a journey I’ve been on.”