Don Kilgour

Sports Hall of Fame Inductee

In 1968 radio station 3SR appointed former Katamatite resident Don Kilgour as sports editor. Don joined his twin brother Rod who was the breakfast announcer. Both announcers were keen sports followers and Don set out to ensure 3SR supported and promoted sport as much as possible. Don was soon hosting 5 sports programs per week: Thursday nights – team selections, Friday night – sports preview, Saturday broadcasting football and a results service Saturday night and Sunday morning plus a sports report 3 mornings per week on the breakfast session.

Sports preview programs gave local sports the opportunity to have representatives interviewed on the radio to promote their sports carnivals and events. 12 different sports received coverage on 3SR sport. Don also broadcast school athletics sports, cycle races and major sports events.

On leaving 3SR in 1973 Don and Rod became sports commentators on GMV6 Television. For the next 18 years they presented sports news two or three nights per week on TV.

With a great love of Australian football, Don took on the role of Public Relations officer for the GVFL for 14 years, publishing the football program and he became the voice of football finals and functions. Don and Rod were also commentators for the television coverage of GVFL Grand Finals.

Don became President of the Goulburn Valley Schoolboys Football Association, the body which took a schoolboys team to Melbourne each year for the Schoolboys state carnival. Don was proud of the state grand finals the boys won. He received Life Membership of the Schoolboys.

Don spent eleven years as the Member for Shepparton in the Victorian Parliament and on his retirement got back into being involved in sport. He spent 20 years as a member of the Deakin Reserve management committee, 14 of those years as Secretary and he is proud of the improvements to the Reserve over that time.

His interest in cycling saw him as track commentator at the Shepparton Velodrome on Wednesday evenings. He was also called upon to compare many sports meetings and events throughout the Goulburn Valley.

He was ride director for the Fruit Loop bike ride to raise money for Hospice Care.

In 2006 with his wife Cheryl, volunteered at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne

He has been a tribunal member for the GVFL, the Picola League and Shepparton Junior Football League.

With his brother Rod, Don wrote the history of the Shepparton East Football Club.

Don has spent most of his life raising awareness of the value sport plays in the community and has greatly enjoyed his participation.

He was an inaugural member of the Sports Hall of Fame committee and is now inducted into the Sports Roll of Honour.