After a half-century's involvement with City of Perth and a major influence on many other West Australian surf life saving clubs, Ric Roberts has been recognised with Life Membership of Surf Life Saving Australia.

Richard (Ric) Roberts joined the City of Perth SLSC in April 1957. His life long contribution to surf lifesaving has followed three main streams of activity: instruction, patrols, and competition.

Gaining his Bronze Medallion, and then the Instructors Certificate by 1958, Ric focussed on the instructional and beach patrolling areas of the club.

During the period up to 1974, including seven years as the Chief Instructor (one season with the northern neighbour Floreat), Ric was responsible for initiating the development of a highly improved training regime at both the City of Perth and Floreat clubs, resulting in the successful training and examination of 250 members achieving their Bronze medallion, with a further 52 persons qualifying as surf life saving instructors. A further 64 members were trained for the equivalent of today's Surf Rescue Certificate, the qualification leading into the Bronze Medallion.

Interspersed with this activity, Ric accepted responsibility as Captain of the club, serving for five years, and where with his direct responsibilities for beach patrols he updated procedures, making full and efficient use of the members graduating from his instructional courses.

With the introduction of advanced methods of resuscitation in the early 1970s, Ric was one of the first to qualify in the new techniques, following which he rapidly incorporated them into the training programs.

Ric was involved in many areas of club management for an unbroken period of 16 years. His expertise and experience within the construction industry was invaluable during the period leading up to and building of the new surf club building at City Beach in 1970.

In addition to instructional and patrolling activities, Ric participated in competition, firstly as a top club and state competitor in lifesaving events, then later as successful coach. State individual and team medals came from across the spectrum of events, but particularly concentrating on the pure life saving disciplines, including Champion Life Saver, R & R, and as the inaugural State Iron Man Champion in 1967. Teams coached by Ric gained national medals from both within club ranks, and through the WA State Team where he served, firstly as coach and then manager.

Ric joined the State Board of Examiners in 1964, and assisted in the areas of instruction, patrolling and competition. Key state activities included membership of the Instruction and (later) Education Panel for seventeen years, including seven as Chairman, during which time he was actively involved in the re-writing and upgrading of the national Training Manual (28th ed.). Other state activities included patrol support and education, equipment research, country club liaison both at committee and at beach levels, competition officiating through to holding Referee status; and election to the position of State Deputy Superintendent of the Board of Examiners.

During a one year period of a business transfer to Victoria, he was founding Chairman of their State Instructional Committee, and carried out patrol support and education.

Over many years Ric has been closely involved with the formation of the Denmark (1958), Yanchep (1975), Broome (1987), Esperance-Goldfields (1990), and Port Bouvard (2004) surf life saving clubs, either in a State leadership role, or as a "hands-on" instructor and club leader. Additionally in his state leadership role, Ric was vitally involved in the relocation of the Waikiki club (to Golden Bay, now Secret Harbour), and the administration of Yanchep in 2001. His practical knowledge and life long dedication was a major contribution to the success of the above formation and assistance.

At a national level, Ric's energies and initiatives were recognised by his selection in an Australian national instructional team that introduced Australian beach rescue and resuscitation methods to Hong Kong and Taiwan in 1971. This selection was followed by invited attendance at the South Pacific Training School held in New Zealand January 1972. He was a team delegate to the International Rescue Conference held on the Gold Coast in 1988.

Resulting from a life time of dedicated service to surf life saving, Ric Roberts has been recognised with both 25 and 50 years Service Awards; a World Life Saving Citation in 1990; WA Board of Examiners Long Service Award 1991; City of Perth club Life Membership in 1974; Life Membership of Surf Life Saving WA in 1991. In 2000, he was awarded an Australian Sports Medal.

Now in October 2008 Ric has been awarded Life membership of Surf Life Saving Australia.

Ric has also a long involvement in the sport of Rugby Union Football in Western Australia. Following his role as a player for the Cottesloe RUFC, he has held administration positions for 36 years including Captain, Secretary, Vice President and Chairman of Building Committee. He was awarded life membership in 1982, remaining actively involved until 2003.

Ric Roberts joined the WA Rugby Union Referees Association in 1979, officiated for many years, holding administrative positions within that association, and was awarded life membership of the Referees Association in 1995.

After more than fifty years service, principally in practical "hands on" situations, Richard (Ric) Roberts is still highly active with the Port Bouvard Surf Sports and Life Saving Club. Chairman of their Strategic Planning Committee since formation in 2003-4, Ric continues as President and Major Sponsorship and Marketing Officer.

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