This Richard Pengelley interview by anchorman Mark Tronson can be viewed on the Australian Missioanry News IPTV at either
http://tv.bushorchestra.com/Professionals/videopages/richard_pengelley.html
OR www.safeworlds.net
Richard Pengelley said he came to Australia as a 'ten pound pom' in 1966 as a five year old as his father was in the oil industry in Brehran where the kids swam all the time. They relocated to Perth in 1972 where his swimming took him to state representation. He went to the University of Western Australia and trained as a physical education teacher in state schools.
In his high school years, as such a strong swimmer, he won selection in the Australian Under 16 team and toured Europe, at 8 he was in the Australian senior team (the Sharks) but failed to win selection in the 1980 Olympic team. He fought back to be part of the 1984 Los Angeles and 1988 Seoul Olympic teams and two World Championships. He was elected to be the Sharks vice captain and then captain.
In those competitive years Richard Pengelley grew in stature as a player amongst his peers but that is only half the story, as Richard Pengelley is a committed Christian and found himself involved with other Christians in Sports and it wasn't long before Richard was taking a leading role in discipleship of other Christian athletes.
He took up a PE teacher position at Hale School where he could continue his international water polo career and they appointed him chaplain and in 1988 he stepped aside from international water-polo to respond to a Call to Christian ministry (Anglican) that had been there tugging away for some time.
During these years he wrote a paper for a Western Australian Christians in Sport seminar in 1990 which has become the 'holy grail' for Christian athletes wanting to get some serious answers for some very serious questions.
This paper, "10 Common Questions for Christian Athletes" has been published over and over again including this writer's 1994 book "No Orchestra, No Trumpet" which detailed the history of the pioneering years of the Sports and Leisure Ministry.
Some of the 10 questions -
How do I relate to non-Christians on my team?
What role does/should prayer play in my preparations?
What can / should I do about dirty play?
Should I play on Sunday?
How do I fit both physical and spiritual training in?
What are effective ways to witness to:
· team mates, coaches, opponents, umpires, spectators
How do I cope with winning or losing? (do I pray to win)
What priority should sport have in my life?
Plus other questions …..
Since that paper was presented and published, Richard Pengelley has mentored many Christian elite athletes.
Should a reader wish a 'free copy' of the .pdf file of that paper titled "10 Common Questions for Christian Athletes" please send your name and address in an Email to Well-Being Australia info@markt.id.au
After his stint at Hale School Richard Peneglley became rector at Duncraig Parish for five years. The University of Western Australia offered him two roles which he accepted. The first was as Chaplain of the Anglican residential St George's College and as lecturer in "Sport, Science, Exercise and Health".
He's created the first academic unit on 'Sport and Spirituality" as a 6 point elective unit exploring the interface between Sport and Religion.
Richard Pengelley is undertaking further post graduate studies in 'Educational Mentoring' and he's working with state school physical education teachers and an elite Australian Rules Football team, where he's establishing 'mentoring programs'.
One of the special things about Richard Pengelley is that he is very thankful to the Lord for all that has come his way, with his wife Joe and three adult daughters. Moreover he's very appreciative of the University of Western Australia who have adopted him in a very secular situation which brings with it a wide variety of ministry.
This Richard Pengelley interview by anchorman Mark Tronson can be viewed on the Australian Missioanry News IPTV at either
http://tv.bushorchestra.com/Professionals/videopages/richard_pengelley.html
OR www.safeworlds.net