Our History
The Organisation
The Australian Deaf Rugby team was founded in Sydney 2001 and is made up of players who have a hearing loss of at least 40 decibels in one ear or both.
Australian Deaf Rugby (ADR) has been run as a volunteer-led not-for-profit since its inception, but in 2023 formalised its structure and registered as an incorporated association in New South Wales under the Associations Incorporation Act 2009. ADR has applied to the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC) for charity registration, and to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) for Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) endorsement.
ADR is proud to have the Hon. John Howard OM AC SSI as its Patron since 2014, and Mr Laurie Fisher as ADRU Ambassador.
Our Vision
Any and all deaf and hard of hearing Australians have the opportunity to play rugby.Our Mission
The mission of Australian Deaf Rugby is to promote inclusivity, diversity, and excellence in rugby for the deaf and hard of hearing community across Australia. We will do this through fostering a supportive and empowering environment, providing opportunities for deaf and hard of hearing athletes to participate, compete, and excel in rugby at all levels. We are committed to raising awareness about deafness, breaking down barriers, and advocating for equal access and opportunities for individuals with hearing impairments. Our ultimate goal is to build a strong and vibrant deaf rugby community that celebrates the unique talents and contributions of its members while striving for success on and off the field.Our Goals
ADR has identified an ambitious organisational strategy and growth plan with the aim of establishing a sustainable future for the organisation.
Richard Coulthard
President
Wade Atherton
Vice President
Graham Leonard
Treasurer
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Johanna Plante
Secretary
Deb Coulthard
Merchandise & Marketing Manager
Doug Piper
Director
Sally Faehrman
Director
Nick Marior
Director
On Field Team
Kruger Roache
Coach Women's Australian Deaf Rugby Team
Kruger Graduated from the University of Canberra as an Exercise Physiologist with a Bachelor of Applied Science majoring in Sports Medicine and Human Physiology. He has close to two decades of coaching experience at the highest level. His vision of running a 7’s team was initiated by one of his friend’s Mr. Craig Morgan in 2018, who was then the General Manager for Two Blues Rugby Club (founder of Central Coast Seven’s).This inspired Kruger to set up the Western Sydney 7’s Academy with the Vision to up skill and expose Players that might be missed by the System.
As more players were interested and got involved from all other parts of Sydney, it then changed to Sydney 7’s Academy but is now called “Roache Global 7’s Academy”.
As more players were interested and got involved from all other parts of Sydney, it then changed to Sydney 7’s Academy but is now called “Roache Global 7’s Academy”.
David Kearsey
Coach Men's Australian Deaf Rugby Team
Dave (DK) Kearsey is the current coach of the Australian Men’s Deaf Rugby team. DK has been involved with ADR for more than 15 years, firstly as a player and now as a coach. Although he considers himself retired, he still has a knack for putting a gold jersey on and getting on the field if the team needs him. DK coaches with a lot of passion and accompanied by translators, managers and other volunteers, has seen his men’s team make 3 grand finals in the last 3 years, including a World Cup 7s final. He represents everything that ADR is about and we are grateful to have him on board.
Will Arnott
Doctor / Men's Team Manager
Will has been involved in ADR since 2016 in an effort to combine his work in healthcare with his passion for Auslan. With a passion for language and equal opportunity, he obtained his certificate 2 in Auslan in 2015. He now works in emergency medicine in the Kimberly Region of Western Australia, and has acted as team doctor for tours and tournaments.
Will is undertaking the role of men’s team manager, and is driven to delivering a professional culture centred on success and enjoyment
Our Partners
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