Frank Ponta
Encyclopedia
Ponta coached several medal winning Paralympic athletes including Louise Sauvage
and Priya Cooper
. He was Sauvage's first coach, starting when Sauvage was a junior competitor. Sauvage described Ponta's coaching style as patient.
Ponta was influential in developing junior wheelchair sports in Western Australia and the rest of the country. Ponta pushed junior athletes to make something of themselves and put an emphasis on sportsmanship. He is described by the Western Australian government as having devoted his life to the Wheelchair Sport Association as a coach and role model.
One of Ponta's coaching skills was identifying which events that junior athletes would excel at. He did this with several athletes, including Sauvage. He transformed her from a sprinter to a middle and long distance competitor.
Ponta coached Madison de Rozario
, who won a medal at the 2008 Paralympic Games. de Rozario considers Frank Ponta one of her heroes. In 2003 and 2004, he coached athletics competitors Bruce Wallrodt
and Bryan Stitfall, who had won a Western Australian Institute of Sport
scholarship.
The Frank Ponta Trophy tournament was introduced by Basketball Australia
in 2010.
Ponta coached the Western Australian youth team. He would remove any players who did not show good sportsmanship.
In July 2008, Ponta had a stroke, which restricted his movement to his right arm and left him "virtually bedridden". Shortly after his stroke, Ponta tried to get admitted to the quadriplegic centre in the Royal Perth Hospital Shenton Park Campus. His request was denied, despite having been one of the first patients at the campus. Several high profile individuals tried to intercede on his behalf including Sue Ellery
, Louise Sauvage and Bill Mather-Brown. The hospital argued against admissions on the grounds that Ponta was not a quadriplegic and should have been admitted to an aged care centre instead.
He died on 1 June 2011 in Perth after a long illness, at the age of 75.
in 2007.
Louise Sauvage
Alix Louise Sauvage OAM is an Australian paralympic wheelchair racer.Sauvage is often regarded as the most renowned disabled sportswoman in Australia. She won two gold medals and a silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Paralympic games in front of a home crowd...
and Priya Cooper
Priya Cooper
Priya Cooper is a world champion disabled swimmer, winning nine Paralympic gold medals as well as world records and world championships. She competed in the Australian 1992, 1996 and 2000 Summer Paralympics swimming team with an S8 classification...
. He was Sauvage's first coach, starting when Sauvage was a junior competitor. Sauvage described Ponta's coaching style as patient.
Ponta was influential in developing junior wheelchair sports in Western Australia and the rest of the country. Ponta pushed junior athletes to make something of themselves and put an emphasis on sportsmanship. He is described by the Western Australian government as having devoted his life to the Wheelchair Sport Association as a coach and role model.
One of Ponta's coaching skills was identifying which events that junior athletes would excel at. He did this with several athletes, including Sauvage. He transformed her from a sprinter to a middle and long distance competitor.
Ponta coached Madison de Rozario
Madison de Rozario
Madison de Rozario is a Paralympian athlete from Australia competing mainly in category T53-54 4 x 100 metres relay events....
, who won a medal at the 2008 Paralympic Games. de Rozario considers Frank Ponta one of her heroes. In 2003 and 2004, he coached athletics competitors Bruce Wallrodt
Bruce Wallrodt
Bruce Wallrodt is a Paralympic athletics competitor from Western Australia, Australia. He won a silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Games in the men's shot put T54 event.-References:...
and Bryan Stitfall, who had won a Western Australian Institute of Sport
Western Australian Institute of Sport
The Western Australian Institute of Sport is an elite sports institute set up in 1983 by the Government of Western Australia to support athletes in Western Australia...
scholarship.
Wheelchair basketball
Ponta is credited with developing wheelchair basketball in Western Australia. He is described as a pioneer of the sport. Organisations such as Australian Athletes With A Disability credit Ponta with being a driving force for the development of the sport in Western Australia. He is considered by organisations such as Disability Services Australia as one of the greatest wheelchair basketball players ever.The Frank Ponta Trophy tournament was introduced by Basketball Australia
Basketball Australia
Basketball Australia is the governing and controlling body of basketball in Australia, responsible for the development and promotion of the sport at all levels.Formed in 1939 the organisation was constituted in 1946...
in 2010.
Ponta coached the Western Australian youth team. He would remove any players who did not show good sportsmanship.
Personal life
Frank Ponta married Margaret, a nurse, in 1962. They had four children: Mark, Andrew, Tanya, and Jamie.In July 2008, Ponta had a stroke, which restricted his movement to his right arm and left him "virtually bedridden". Shortly after his stroke, Ponta tried to get admitted to the quadriplegic centre in the Royal Perth Hospital Shenton Park Campus. His request was denied, despite having been one of the first patients at the campus. Several high profile individuals tried to intercede on his behalf including Sue Ellery
Sue Ellery
Sue Ellery is a current Australian Labor Party MP serving the role of Minister for Child Protection; Communities; Women's Interests; Seniors and Volunteering in the state of Western Australia. She is the current Member for the South Metropolitan....
, Louise Sauvage and Bill Mather-Brown. The hospital argued against admissions on the grounds that Ponta was not a quadriplegic and should have been admitted to an aged care centre instead.
He died on 1 June 2011 in Perth after a long illness, at the age of 75.
Recognition
Ponta received the Sir Ludwig Guttman Award in 1984, and the Lord's Taverners Award in 1989, by Wheelchair Sports Australia. In 2003, at the Wheelchair Sports WA Annual Awards, Ponta was named the Coach of the Year. He received the Western Australian Citizen of the Year AwardWestern Australian Citizen of the Year Award
The Western Australian Citizen of the Year Awards were first presented in 1973 by the Western Australia Week Council, later renamed Celebrate WA, to provide the community with an opportunity to honour the achievements and contribution of their fellow citizens....
in 2007.