Sports Chaplaincy Australia is thrilled to announce the appointment of a new National Director, Michael Pailthorpe.
“We believe Mike’s business background, his work as CEO of Habitat for Humanity and with Variety in WA, and also as the NSW State Manager of World Vision, show that he has skills to build on and grow Sports Chaplaincy Australia” says Luke Tattersall, the Chairman of the SCA Board. “He is passionate about serving people, and has a deep love for sport.”
Michael officially takes up his role on 12th March 2018. He replaces Sports Chaplaincy Australia’s long-serving former National Director, Cameron Butler, who stepped aside from the role at the end of 2017.
Sports Chaplaincy Australia has been serving the people of Australian sport through chaplains placed in local and elite sporting communities for over 30 years. SCA’s chaplains have been involved in supporting sports clubs and people through many of the most challenging situations they have faced, including the untimely deaths of Phil Walsh (Adelaide Crows coach), Phil Hughes (Australian cricketer) and Peter Brock (motor racing legend). They have also served unheralded through critical moments in the lives of many regional sports communities. The recognised value of these men and women has led to SCA currently holding thousands of requests from local and elite sports clubs for chaplains. Warren Tredrea, Port Adelaide Premiership Captain, writing in a major newspaper after Phil Walsh’s passing, reflected on the question of who is the most valuable person in a football club. His words: “In tough times, there is no-one more valuable than a trusted and well-respected Chaplain.”
Michael Pailthorpe says: “I’m very honoured and privileged to be offered the opportunity to be take on the National Director role of Sports Chaplaincy Australia. SCA through its chaplains has such a rich history of serving clubs and sporting communities through Australia and I’m looking forward over the coming weeks and months to meeting and working with all of our key stakeholders including the local churches, sporting clubs, sponsors, supporters and of course the hundreds of dedicated chaplains that serve our sporting communities every day.”
Photo Above: Phil Bryant (SCA Board Member and Perth Wildcats chaplain, left) welcomes Michael Pailthorpe (SCA National Director)