Jenny Couch recognised for lifetime of service to gymnastics with Gymnastics WA life membership

A gymnast who has given a lifetime of service to the sport in the South West has been recognised with life membership of the sport’s governing body in Western Australia.

Jenny Couch — née Sunderland — enjoyed a long career representing Australia highlighted by competing at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich before founding Busselton Gymnastics Club and turning her hand to coaching and has been nominated for life membership of Gymnastics WA.

She will not be able to attend a gala dinner next month to accept the honour due to being diagnosed with motor neurone disease but was presented with an award commemorating her life membership by fellow gymnasts Kerry Bowden and Connie Birch last month.

After starting out as a gymnast at the Swan Girls Gymnastics Club as a nine-year-old in 1963, Couch’s star rose rapidly, competing at the Australian Gymnastics Championships aged just 12 years old.

She began to represent her country on the world stage in 1970, competing at the World Games in Yugoslavia and later appearing at Japan’s Chinichi Cup and competitions in the USA.

The crowning moment of her career came in Munich, where she was the only female athlete across any sport to represent Western Australia on world sport’s biggest stage.

After the Olympics, she was crowned Australian champion at the national titles in Melbourne in 1973 and competed at the Commonwealth Games in Christchurch in 1974, after which she retired from competitive gymnastics.

She then moved to the South West and founded Busselton Gymnastics Club, where she continued to coach for the next 34 years.

Her legacy is keenly felt in the region through the thousands of children she mentored over the time, including some who went on to win medals at State Championship events.

As well as her coaching legacy, Couch has also been a fundamental figure in the region’s wider gymnastics community, playing a key role in organising competitions and training judges.

Jenny’s husband David Couch said she was delighted to have been recognised with life membership.

“The amount of time and effort she’s put into the sport, 34 years teaching in Busselton, there’s a lot of people connected with her over many, many years,” he said.

“She certainly did a lot of organising for the whole sport for the South West area. There’s a lot of people that have been touched by Jenny with gymnastics.

“She’s devoted her whole life to it. It’s very good to be recognised. The whole family are quite chuffed that she’s finally been recognised.”

Gymnastics WA president Natasha Ogonowski said Couch’s legacy in the sport was worthy of the honour.

“We are honoured to award Jenny Life Membership of Gymnastics WA in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the gymnastics community over more than 50 years,” she said.

“As both an athlete and devoted coach, she has been a pillar of the community, positively influencing thousands of athletes, judges and families, particularly in the South West region.

“Her long-standing commitment to gymnastics reflects her passion, dedication, and commitment to the sport, leaving a lasting legacy that continues to inspire athletes, coaches and judges.”