Vale ACHPER Life Member, Peter Reichenbach OAM

ACHPER welcomes you to join us in farewelling Life Member Peter Reichenbach OAM with a Vale recognising his life and many remarkable achievements.

This Vale has been authored by Jeff Walkley, with contributions from Lachlan Tighe, Neil Barras and Ray Crawford (all friends and colleagues of PJR), and Craig Reichenbach (son of Peter).

We hope this provides you with wonderful memories of a life well lived.

Friends and colleagues would like to express our deep sadness at the passing of Peter J Reichenbach OAM, known colloquially as PJR.

Our deepest condolences go to his loving wife Helen, loving sons Brent, Craig and Mark, and to the family on the passing of a great husband, father, and grandfather, as well to his extended friendship and professional networks, and to colleagues and students who benefitted enormously from his leadership, guidance, and vision, and now his legacy.

PJR is universally respected and admired. His exemplary characteristics are many - a man of unwavering
dignity, integrity, humility, and generosity – who applied these attributes with a visionary and strategic mindset to great effect, and to the enormous benefit of two of his ‘loves’: physical education and sport.

During his early adult years, PJR taught physical education and sport in NSW, then undertook postgraduate study at the University of Oregon (MS 1962, PhD 1972). Study was interspersed by a stint on staff of the University of Calgary, where his love of Rugby had him coach ‘The Stags’, Calgary and Alberta in local, regional and national competitions. To this day, Peter is renowned as a ‘legend’ of ‘The Stags’, now known as ‘The Dinos’, an accolade that has deservedly followed him across years, borders and professions.

Peter was recruited back to Australia to lead a fledgling initiative at Preston Institute of Technology (now part of RMIT University) to create a degree level course in what would become known as human movement science. Initially this was ‘rebuffed’ by the Victorian Institute of Colleges that instead approved the course of study at ‘diploma’ level. Strategic and visionary thinking, combined with deft ‘political’ acumen and strong work and advocacy from colleagues, resulted within a few short months in approval of a Bachelor of Applied Science degree. Over the following years, degree programs in Human Movement Science, Physical Education, and Recreation were approved. Uniquely for the time, and through Peter’s vision, an Anatomy & Physiology department was established to service teach each degree. A stand-out innovative feature initiated and driven by Peter was the creation of a ‘wet’ anatomy laboratory, until then almost the sole preserve of the sandstone universities. To this day, learning through access to a ‘wet’ anatomy laboratory is a feature of multiple health-aligned degree programs at RMIT University, a learning experience that has benefitted tens of thousands of undergraduate and postgraduate students.

In 1988 Peter was awarded The Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours “For service to Physical Education and Sports Science and to the community”, and in 2001 a Centenary Medal as part of the Centenary of Federation.

Peter’s dedication to physical education has had some refer to him as a ‘rock star’ of the profession. This legendary status is justified, as Peter tirelessly dedicated himself to supporting ACHPER (The Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation) across several decades on numerous committees, boards, working groups and Ministerial delegations. His selfless contribution has been recognised by Fellow and Life Memberships with ACHPER; high but deserved recognition.

Peter was appointed by the Minister of Sport as chairman of the State Sports Council, the formal advisory body to the Minister and later again by ministerial appointment as a board member of the Olympic Park Trust. Combined with others, Peter’s work contributed to the creation of the Victorian Institute of Sport, and provided key impetus to what has grown to become the internationally renowned Melbourne & Olympic Park precinct of elite sport venues and facilities.

PJR has left an enormous legacy, and we are all indebted to him for everything he has been to physical education and sport. From the kernel of a thought in the early 1970’s became leading university degree programs, with students benefitting from cutting edge facilities and learning experiences. Through these degree programs, and staff who worked under Peter’s leadership, have emerged leaders of some of Australia’s most renowned sport and recreation organisations; Australian Coaching Council, Australian Football League, Australian Institute of Sport, Australian Sports Commission, Basketball Australia, Cricket Australia, Football Federation Australia, Netball Australia, World Bowls Association, Belgravia Leisure, YMCA, to name but a few.

Authored by Jeff Walkley, with contributions from Lachlan Tighe, Neil Barras and Ray Crawford (all friends and colleagues of PJR), and Craig Reichenbach (son of Peter).