Glenn Tasker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Glenn Tasker
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| Born | 10 November 1951 Kogarah, New South Wales, Australia |
| Died | 15 August 2019 (aged 67) Caringbah, New South Wales, Australia |
Glenn Robert Tasker (born November 10, 1951 – died August 15, 2019) was a very important Australian sports leader. He worked especially in swimming, tennis, and for the Paralympic movement. He was the President of the Australian Paralympic Committee from 2013 to 2018. This committee helps Australian athletes with disabilities compete in the Paralympic Games.
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Glenn Tasker's Sports Career
Glenn Tasker had a long and successful career helping to manage different sports in Australia. He made many positive changes for athletes.
Early Work in Swimming
From 1990 to 1998, Tasker was the Executive Director for New South Wales Swimming. During this time, he did something very important. He helped add events for swimmers with disabilities to the NSW Age Swimming Championships. This was the first time any Australian state swimming championship included such events.
Working at the Olympics
From 1998 to 2000, Glenn Tasker was the Swimming Competition Manager. This meant he helped organize the swimming events for the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games. In 1999, he also managed the 1999 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships.
Leading Swimming Australia
After the Sydney Games, he worked for the NSW Amateur Soccer Association. In 2001, he became the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Swimming Australia. He stayed in this important role until June 2008.
During his time as CEO, Australian swimmers did incredibly well. At the 2004 Athens Olympics, Australia won seven gold medals in swimming. This was their best result since the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. They also won five gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Moving to Tennis and Dragon Boating
After leaving Swimming Australia, Tasker became the CEO of Tennis NSW. He worked there until July 2013. While at Tennis NSW, he helped grow community tennis programs. He also helped develop the GIO Wheelchair Tennis Centre of Excellence. This center helps athletes who play tennis in wheelchairs.
In 2014, Tasker came out of retirement to become the CEO of DragonBoats NSW Inc. He helped this sport grow and become better organized. He worked there part-time until he retired in 2017.
Leading the Paralympics Movement
In 2008, Glenn Tasker joined the board of the Australian Paralympic Committee. In December 2013, he was chosen as the President. He took over from Greg Hartung, who had been President for 16 years. Tasker also held a leadership role for swimming within the International Paralympic Committee. He retired as President of the Australian Paralympic Committee in September 2018.
Glenn Tasker passed away on August 15, 2019, at the age of 67. He died in a hospital in Caringbah, New South Wales.
Glenn Tasker's Education
Glenn Tasker studied at several universities. He earned a Diploma of Teaching from Mitchell College of Advanced Education. He also got a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New England. Later, he earned a Master of Education from the University of Sydney.
Awards and Recognition
Glenn Tasker received several awards for his important work in sports:
- Australian Sports Medal — 2000
- New South Wales Olympic Council Merit Award Recipient
- Australian Sports Commission's Service to Sport Award — 2017
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Glenn Tasker, a respected leader in Australian sports.
