FROM a door boy at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics to one of the most influential administrators in Australia’s Commonwealth Games history, Sam Coffa’s devotion to Australian sport has been second-to-none.
And now the former weightlifter, coach, official and administrator has been inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame for his positive impact on the Commonwealth Games movement and weightlifting.
“I’m a little bit overwhelmed,” Salvatore ‘Sam’ Coffa said of his induction. “There’s great satisfaction not just for myself but for my family too.”
Over half a century Sam has held almost every leadership or administrative-level position within his chosen sport of weightlifting, and at Commonwealth Games Australia – including his role as president for more than 20 years.
Migrating from Italy to Melbourne as a 15-year-old, Sam started working as a bespoke surgical boot maker in Hawthorn in 1956, and began weightlifting to keep fit.
“My shop was only two minutes away by bike to where the training hall was for the Olympic weightlifting,” he said. Sam would head there every day to watch the greats.
“The bloke in charge told me I’m making a bloody nuisance, so he told me to stay by the door and open it as people come in. He told me that if I did a good job they’d have me as a doorman at the Olympic venue, the Royal Exhibition Building. I was thrilled.”
So that year, he became the doorkeeper at the Olympic Games.
Shortly after Sam started running a weightlifting club at Hawthorn Citizens’ Youth Club – formally the Hawthorn Boys Club – and successfully lobbied to allow girls in.
As the club grew, Sam proved himself an excellent competitor. In 1959, he won the first of his 11 consecutive Victorian titles in his weight division and went on to be the Australian champion six times.
His first taste of the Commonwealth Games came when he was selected to compete in Perth at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. And in 1964 he was selected to wear the green and gold at the Tokyo Olympics, which he describes as the “proudest moment” of his life.
The secret is an open mind. I say the mind is like a parachute – it works better when its open.
- Sam Coffa, Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductee
“I was marching behind the flag bearer in the opening ceremony and I had tears coming out of my eyes…just to compete at the Olympics was my dream. It gave me the greatest thrill of my life,” said Sam, who has also been the Mayor of Hawthorn.
Turning his attention to where he felt he could have the greatest impact, Sam explored coaching, officiating and administration duties, wanting to “give back to the sport” which had given him so much.
“I took part in the Games’ Opening Ceremony and I was incredibly proud and emotional at the time,” he said.
In weightlifting, Sam has served as president of the Australian Weightlifting Federation and the Commonwealth Weightlifting Federation and vice-president of the International Weightlifting Federation.
He said he was able to survive the turbulent world of sports administration through persistence and his ability to adapt.
“If you don’t persevere you don’t succeed,” Coffa said.
“I also think I’m very good at adapting to change. The secret is an open mind, I say the mind is like a parachute – it works better when its open.”
Sport Australia Hall of Fame chairman John Bertrand described Sam as the “doyen of Commonwealth Games in this country”.
Other inductees into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame – now in its 34th year – include basketballer and Opal great Robyn Maher, racing legend Allan Moffat, horse trainer Gai Waterhouse.
Four-time world surfing champion Wendy Botha, Socceroos star Harry Kewell, five-time world champion rower Drew Ginn and television commentator and former rugby league footballer Darren Lockyer were also inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Wheelchair racer Kurt Fearnley won The Don award – the first athlete with a disability to win the award.
In addition existing Hall of Fame member, legendary cricketer Richie Benaud was elevated to Legend status, becoming the 40th official Legend of Australian Sport.