David bounces to St Clair Recreation Centre

YMCA News St Clair

Experienced South Australian venue manager, David Couch, has stepped into the role of Manager at St Clair Recreation Centre and has set his sights on continuing to grow community engagement with the showcase facility.

David brings the benefit of an 18 year career in the South Australian sports industry to the three year-old, $26million City of Charles Sturt centre, and said joining the YMCA would provide an opportunity to adjust his focus to the community.

“I am loving working for an organisation that has the community at its heart,” he said. “We are very lucky to have the opportunity to manage this wonderful facility and I’m keen to ensure it operates at its full potential in its capacity as a hub for the wider western suburbs community”.

David, who has a financial background, started his industry involvement with the SANFL in Stadium Operations and moved to the Adelaide Crows, where he spent nine years in club administration. He moved to a senior venue management role with the newly refurbished Adelaide Oval in 2014, before a brief stint managing Cricket Australia through the COVID maze last year.

He returns to Adelaide’s west to take the Centre Manager position at St Clair and continue his long history of living and working in the area.

I know this area and the centre well – my (now adult) kids went to school in the western suburbs and the family used to come to the old St Clair Rec Centre to play sport. The new facility is amazing and a great community asset for the City of Charles Sturt and in fact, the whole of Adelaide.

David Couch — Manager, St Clair Recreation Centre

Among David’s initial aims are continuation of the successful SEDA Basketball Sports Development Program, together with development of the partnerships with the South Australian Aboriginal Secondary Training Academy (SAASTA) and Woodville Warriors Basketball Club.

Other objectives include increased activation of the centre’s function space through workshops, industry events, conferences and corporate functions, along with a focus on hosting big events with Brixpo – a worldwide Lego display – and the South Australia Metro Games among the coming highlights.

To learn more about the St Clair Recreation Centre. visit stclair.ymca.org.au.