|PIC1|Through his vision, backed up by his theological and practical intuition, Mark Tronson was able to build a sustainable structure for the Sports and Leisure Ministry. He had the ability to seek out those key people in Sports administrations who saw the benefit of chaplaincy while the chaplains appreciated Mark's wisdom and heart.
Delma Tronson commented, "Mark's monthly newsletter to the chaplains and our financial supporters was one hallmark of his 'relationship' skills. He was always on the phone, and away from his young children much more than we would have liked. Although people were generous with 'faith' monies given to us personally, we used only a portion of this, redirecting the rest to help the ministry and many chaplains' expenses.
"Mark was tireless in building good relationships with the Sports (coaches and administrators) and Heads of Churches released us to a less stressful ministry after eighteen years." [Since 2000 as chairman of Well-Being Australia his ministry centres on athlete respite].
He has decided to re-tell some of his experiences of those remarkably heady years of development, for a wider audience, although he notes they are recorded in his 1994 book 'No Orchestra, No Trumpet' (now out of print).
M V Tronson was invited to Hong Kong in 1982 for an international congress on sports mission where his vision to develop a ministry to Australia's professional sports gathered momentum. The trip was endorsed by both the Baptist Churches of New South Wales and the InterChurch Trade and Industry Mission (ITIM) for which he was a part-time industrial padre at Shell Australia in Sydney.
That initial period after Hong Kong was devoted to establishing a theological foundational for such a Mission to professional sport along with meeting with Heads of Churches in order to base such a ministry under their umbrella.
In 1984 Mark and Delma Tronson moved from parish based ministry into 'faith finance ministry' so as to develop the Sports and Leisure Ministry, a term coined by ITIM director the Reverend Kenneth L McDowell. That first year involved meeting with professional sport administrators with a theologically sound marketing strategy and then a US sports ministry study tour including the LA Olympics.
"As a result of an article written by Basil Worner in the November (1984) issue of 'The Sports Coach magazine', Tony Dunkerely read of my appointment as the Australian cricket team chaplain," M V Tronson explained. "In his capacity as the Australian Joey's Assistant Coach and the Victorian Soccer Under 21 Head Coach, Tony then contacted me."
It was this initial contact that set in train a broader ministry to Christian athletes from a position that was welcoming across the various theological boundaries that normally brings an unspoken spirit of antipathy.
"I travelled to Melbourne to meet Tony Dunkerley. His joy of the Lord and indulgent spirit of God's generosity overwhelmed me with delight that the Lord had bought to me one with whom there was no guile," M V Tronson recalled.
Having been throughly honoured and encouraged by Tony Dunkerley, M V Tronson sought the Lord to bring together a group of Christian athletes and coaches who could engender a spirit of optimistic hope and a specifically one who might disciple such people.
"Sydney's Rainer Ratinac filled this later role with great decorum and care. A former Australian Squash player and one who had been on the USA professional circuit and studying at Bible college, he initiated a discipling ministry." M V Tronson said.
He was subsequently interviewed by Dr Gordon Moyes On the Wesley Mission's nationally televised Easter morning Sunday 1987 service (Channel 7). On that show, Gordon also interviewed Jeanine Treharne, the champion yachtswoman whose husband Hugh was the tactician on Australia II that won the America's Cup in 1983.
"Christian athletes, some whom we knew, many whom we did not know, made themselves known to us and so this ministry developed and expanded into new areas such as outreach functions, for example, Nights of Champions," M V Tronson recalled.
In those early years M V Tronson established the 'Athletes' Chronicle' which was a monthly four-page magazine of Christian athletes' testimonies. "This one uncomplicated publication drew together athletes, chaplains and supporters; its reach was phenomenal. Its simplicity was its hallmark, as we kept it very user-friendly," mused Mark Tronson.
Some contributers were high profile athletes experienced in the art of the Christian media interview, and some of these were very competent in various areas of the media. These Christian athletes included, (in addition to Jeanine Treharne and Tony Dunkerley), Manly Rugby League star Ian Barkley, Olympic gold medallist yachtsman the late John Shaw, national rodeo judge John Skinner, weightlifter George Capsis, Olympic waterpolo captain Richard Pengelly, wrestler John Gray, swimmer Angela Harris, canoeist Jonathon Mayne and many others.
Richard Pengelly published the Christian athlete creed titled, "Ten Common Questions for Christian Athletes," which were also published in 'No Orchestra, No Trumpet'. His theological and practical approach to conducting oneself as an athlete who follows the Lord Jesus Christ is inspirational for all those involved in international sports ministry.