Ron Alexander
Class of 1967
Class of 1967
Player, Coach, Sports Administrator
Ron Alexander's rich life has largely revolved around family, education and sport.
He showed an early aptitude for athletics and also Australian Rules Football, playing for his local club, Highgate, and later for his local WAFL club, East Perth. His initial rise prominence, however, centred around Australian Rules Football, in which he excelled in both WA and Victoria.
Ron's football life really blossomed in the WA Football League competition between 1971 and 1975. He won the Fairest and Best for East Perth in only his third season. He also earned selection in the State side that year, and won the Simpson Medal in the match against Victoria.
He was already developing a reputation as a formidable ruckman-forward and as a highly team oriented player. It was no surprise when he was recruited to the Victorian Football League in 1976. Ron played for Fitzroy until 1981, and was captain in 1979-80. In 1981 he was club champion, beating Bernie Quinlan who was that year's Brownlow Medal winner. Ron himself was equal 7th in the Brownlow in 1976 and equal 11th in 1978. Whilst in Melbourne and with a young family, Ron took the opportunity to go back to University and got a teaching degree, which gave him the chance to work at Clontarf and Christian Brothers College in Fremantle.
Ron made a successful return to the WAFL in 1982, as a playing coach between 1982-5 and non-playing coach in 1986 for East Fremantle. The team played in 3 grand finals during this period, including a premiership in 1985. In 1986 he was awarded Australian Coach of the Year.
With this illustrious record, he was an obvious choice as coach when WA's first Australian Football League club, the West Coast Eagles, entered the competition in 1987. In their inaugural season, the Eagles won 11 of their 22 games and finished in a creditable 8th position.
Following his playing and coaching career, Ron continued his involvement with sport, with a shift to administration. His employment with the Department of Sports and Recreation culminated in his asspointment as Director General. Ron is now the Department's longest serving Director General. Ron also Chairs the Committee building the new Perth Stadium at Burswood which will be one of, if not, the best stadium in Australia.
Ron cherishes above all else his family, has a finely tuned sense of right and wrong and a strong work ethic. In his playing days he was described as "an inspirational captain who always protected smaller team mates."
He acknowledges openly he has a short attention span, doesn't suffer fools and will set up a prank on unsuspecting family and colleagues whenever the opportunity arises."
In 2004, he was inducted into the Western Australian Football Hall of Fame.