Vale: Frances Crampton

Australasian Leisure Management is saddened to learn of the death of Frances Crampton AM, a respected sporting leader, advocate and mentor, who championed the values of respect, equality and inclusion.

A Life Member of both Sport NSW (of which she was a founder), Gymnastics NSW and Gymnastics Australia, she passed away peacefully last week following a long illness.

In a tribute, Sport NSW wrote that her "immeasurable contribution shaped the landscape of sport in New South Wales and beyond, noting that "her legacy stretches across generations, codes and communities."

Sport NSW's tribute went on to state that "in the early 1990s, amid threats to the funding of state sporting organisations, Frances worked with fellow sport leaders to establish the NSW Sports Federation - now known as Sport NSW. She was elected Chair of its first council and served as both Chair and Chief Executive from 1991 to 2009. Under her leadership, she founded the Sport NSW Annual Sports Awards, a testament to her commitment to celebrating excellence at all levels of sport.

"Frances’ outstanding service to Australian sport earned her some of the nation’s highest honours. She was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 1995 for her service to gymnastics, and the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2004 for her wider contributions to sport."

In gymnastics, her influence spanned over four decades.

As an elite athlete, coach, judge, and administrator, she represented Australia at five Olympic Games and five Commonwealth Games in roles ranging from team manager to commentator and production manager. From 1986 to 2000, she served as Chief Executive of Gymnastics NSW, driving significant membership growth and program development.

In a further tribute, Gymnastics NSW wrote she was "a pioneering figure in Australian gymnastics", leaving "behind an extraordinary legacy". Her involvement in gymnastics spanned over four decades, with her influence ranging from grassroots participation to the world stage.

She was a Gymnastics Australia Board Director from 2012 to 2016 and held leadership positions in other sporting codes including Golf Australia and Softball NSW.

More recently, Frances was instrumental in the delivery of the Fitter for Life program across Australia. The Fitter for Life is a program designed to keep seniors active and engaged in their daily lives, improving mobility, strength, and coordination. Initially contracted to coordinate the program for Gymnastics NSW in 2019, Frances continued to support the program, volunteering on the Gymnastics for All Gymsport committee in 2023 and 2024, serving as a course presenter, and running her own local program in Foster.

In accordance with her wishes, there will be no funeral or flowers. Instead, those wishing to honour her memory are encouraged to make donations to Cancer Research through the following link ACRF - In memory of Frances.