The Wally Foreman Foundation has been established by the Foreman family to ensure the legacy and passion Wally held for sport will be cherished for future generations of Western Australians. The Foundation will be used to support opportunities Wally would have championed for future generations of athletes and coaches to pursue excellence in sport.

Wally was passionate about sport from grass roots participation to elite level competition for its ability to contribute to our communities. He spent his life in sports administration and broadcasting, seeking to enhance the value of sport for us all. Wally created many opportunities for talented young people to pursue their sporting dreams, which resulted in them not only reaching their sporting potential but also made them better people.

Donations
The Wally Foreman Foundation accepts donations all year round, with donations made via the Australian Sports Foundation fully tax deductable.

To donate please download the donation form here and return it to:-
Wally Foreman Foundation
PO Box 139
Claremont 6910

Scholarship Recipients
Emma Knox – Women’s Water Polo
Emma is the number one goal keeper for the Australian Women's water polo team and a 2004 Olympian. When not training for this demanding sport Emma works full-time as an immigration officer with Australian Customs. However during the build up to the 2008 Olympic Games Emma will need to take 26 weeks unpaid leave to fulfil her water polo commitments and secure a place on the Olympic team. Although not a burden to herself, Emma lives with her invalid pensioner mother whom she supports financially. The Foundation offered Emma a scholarship to enable her to continue to support her mother while she is away with her water polo commitments and unable to work full time.

Alicia Janz – Netball
Alicia is an indigenous athlete from Derby currently in the WAIS Netball development squad who is considered capable of playing for Australia in the future. After completing year 12 Alicia gained entry to Curtin University however her mother lives in Derby and her father lives in Cairns making it difficult for her to manage her study, netball and general living expenses. The Foundation offered Alicia a scholarship to support her University boarding costs for one year, will providing time for Alicia to make the transition to University while developing routines to continue her sporting commitments.

Sonja Johnson – Equestrian
Sonja is a world class equestrian rider whose sporting ambition is to represent Australia at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. When not training to reach this goal Sonja runs a farm near Albany in Western Australia’s Great Southern Region, running sheep and horses with her parents. However to achieve her dream of selection for the Olympics Sonja had to move to the Eastern States to train under the national coach – leaving the running of the farm in limbo. The Foundation awarded a scholarship to Sonja to cover the cost of seeding the farm while she is away training and competing for Olympic selection.

Scholarship Information
Specific Objective of Foundation Scholarships
Elite and potential elite athlete and coaches in Western Australia can currently apply to a variety of different organisations for financial assistance to offset costs associated with training and or competition. These organisations include but are not limited to;

• Western Australian Institute of Sport
• Department of Sport and Recreation
• State and national sporting organisations
• Sporting clubs
• Sport (sometimes event) specific foundations
• Local community clubs (Rotary, Carbine Club)

A recent analysis by WAIS indicated that the average annual direct cost of training and competition for a junior national level athlete or an athlete transitioning from junior to senior representation is approximately $8,000/yr. This cost may be as high as $25,000/yr in some sports.

In general granting organisations tend to award "scholarships” on a event and performance basis – current and or projected. Individual personal circumstances are generally not considered (local community clubs being a notable exception) due to difficulties either related to cross sport comparison of costs or specific sport concern over perceptions of bias.

A Wally Foreman Foundation scholarship is focussed on providing financial support for specific events or training related costs on an individual needs basis would compliment and add value to current athlete and coach financial support provided by other groups.

Scholarship Criteria
Criteria for determining the merit of an application takes into account the following factors:

• Western Australian registered athlete or coach in an ASC recognised sport.
• Current performance level – (top down priority).
• Potential to reach elite level performance.
• Personal (or if under age parent/guardian) financial circumstances.
• The importance of the specific event or equipment to achieve the individuals sporting goals.
• Level of financial support required.
• Other funds received to support specific need.
• Reflection of community values in their personal actions.

Scholarship Amount
If the agreed objective of the scholarship is to meet a specific financial need then the amount of the scholarship is largely determined by the assessed requirement, within the limits of the finances available.

Number of Scholarships
The number will influenced by the available funds, the number of applications and the specific amounts requested.

Timing
Scholarship applications can be made at any time throughout the year and will be considered on a regular basis by a selection committee consisting of one Board member and two other experts sport administrators or coaches.

Applications:
Scholarship applications can be made by submitting a scholarship application form, please CLICK HERE to complete the form.

About Wally Foreman
Wally Foreman has worked in the sports media for more than 30 years. He commenced as a journalist with The West Australian newspaper in 1972 before joining the ABC Sporting Department in 1975.

He has covered a wide range of international events including four Olympic Games, five Commonwealth Games, Test cricket, Davis Cup tennis, the Australian Open Tennis Championships, World Cup athletics, world hockey tournaments and the Pacific Conference Games. He has also covered AFL football, NBL basketball and a variety of national championships.

In 1984 Wally was appointed the inaugural Director of the Western Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS), a position he held for more than 17 years. Under his direction WAIS earned a reputation as a world class provider for elite athletes and a national leader in its field.

He was involved in the development and implementation of the Olympic Athlete Program in the lead-up to the Sydney Olympic Games and was a consultant to the Queensland and Tasmania Governments in regard to the establishment of sports institutes in those states.

Wally retired from WAIS in September 2001 and resumed his career with the ABC Radio Sporting Department.

He was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2003 for his services to sport and in 2000 was named WA Citizen of the Year (Sport). He is also a recipient of the Australian Sports Medal. His wife, Lyn, was a national athletics champion and is now the Head Coach (Track) at the WA Institute of Sport.

Tragically Wally passed away from a sudden heart attack in November 2006. The outpouring of emotion and grief across Western Australia at the news of his passing showed just how loved Wally was as a great West Australian. His memorial service was attended by over 3000 people at Challenge Stadium and broadcast live around the State on ABC Radio.

The Wally Foreman Foundation was set up in is honour and to continue his work in championing the cause of Wester Australia’s elite sportspeople and coaches.