Sporting Icons
George 'John' Ravlich - Lawn Bowls
George 'John' Ravlich is one avid lawn bowler, he continues to play today at the age of 84. John is a life member of the Cockburn Bowling Club and has played for the club since its inception. He is a three-time State Triples winner, Masters Triples and Fours winner and was part of the invincible 1987 Alley Shield-winning side, described as “a who’s who of the greats of WA bowls”.
George is also a four-time World Deaf Championship winner, six-time Australian Deaf representative and has been a member of the state Deaf bowls for more than five decades. He said his only big disappointment was losing the 1985 Australian Singles final to future Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Dennis Katunarich. He was the 37th inductee into the Bowls WA Hall of Fame in 2017.
Geoffrey Scott - Swimming & Water Polo
Geoffrey Scott is our most represented WA Deaflympian. He has participated in four Deaflympics in swimming & water polo and has competed in freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly events. Geoff's best result was 4th in the 100m butterfly at the 1977 in Bucharest and 4th in the 100m backstroke at 1985 in Los Angeles. At 47 years of age, he was selected for the Australian Water Polo team for the Melbourne Deaflympics in 2005. In 2014 he won an award from the Deaf International Short Course Swimming Championships. He was a flagbearer for two Deaflympics ('77 and '85), leading the Australian team out.
Football
NEVILLE AITKEN: Neville played football for Perth in league football before being selected to play for Ivanhoe amateur football club in Victoria. During his stint with Ivanhoe, he was also selected to represent VAFA (Victorian Amateur Football Association) in the 1948 Carnival championships against other states. Neville also excelled in cricket and lawn bowls, winning club bowls championships many times via Forrest Park & Riverton clubs.
GRAEME ROTHNIE: Graeme played 28 games for South Fremantle Football Club from 1963 to 1965. He also excelled in lawn bowls, cricket and dabbled in boxing.
GEOFF MALEY: Geoff was an all rounder sportsman, excelling in football, life saving and boxing. In 1941 and 1942 he was the Flyweight & Lightweight Boxing Champion of the Goldfields. He won the Cottesloe Surf Life Saving Club Open Swim competition in 1949. And Geoff played for the Western Suburbs Reserves (later known as Inner West Magpies in the Sydney football leagues) in the Australian National Football Council (ANFC) who won the premierships in 1952.
