CGAJ President

Name: Martin Hebden

Martin Hebden, President Born in Birmingham, Martin's family moved to Jersey when he was 11 years of age. He was educated at De La Salle College where he participated in many sports; but particularly athletics, competing in the All England Schools' Championships in 1959. At 18 years of age he began teacher-training at St. Mary's College, Twickenham, where he furthered his career in athletics as a middle distance runner, both on the track and cross country. He became captain of the Cross Country Team which won the European Universities' Championships on two occasions as well as becoming British P.E. Colleges' Champions.

After qualifying as a teacher, Martin returned to teach at De La Salle College after a short spell in France. He married his wife Janine in 1965. His running career continued until being curtailed by injury in 1969. During the “sixties” he was selected by Hampshire to compete in the Inter Counties' Championships. He ran for Walton A.C. in National Cross Country and Road Race Championships and for Bournemouth A.C. in International Cross Country races in Europe. This was a time when England still dominated the world in these events and Martin was able to make many useful friendships.

After retiring from athletics, Martin returned to one of his other life-long loves, football. Gaining F.A. Coaching qualifications he coached at all levels from Primary Schools' Representative Teams to Senior Football. He coached and managed for 12 years at the highest level of C.I. Football, firstly with Georgetown F.C. and then with St. Paul 's F.C. winning every competition within the Channel Islands on several occasions and becoming the only C.I. club to win a Senior English County Trophy, the Dorset K.O. Cup in 1982.

Never having lost his deep love of athletics, Martin was a founder member of Spartan A.C. and was Chairman of the Club during its early years. In the 1980s Martin was encouraged to participate in cycle racing where he competed with some distinction as a veteran. He was a founder member of Velo Sport Jersey and was the 1st President of this forward thinking club.

Throughout his teaching career Martin coached a number of sports and has always promoted the immense value of sport and physical education within the curriculum as well as promulgating the values of extra-curricular sporting activities. He has served in many areas of schools' sport including a spell as President of the Jersey Schools' Sports Association.

He accepted nomination for the post of President of the Commonwealth Games Association of Jersey early in 2003 and was elected in April of that year. He has presided over much innovative change within the Association, including the adoption of a new constitution and clearly defined selection procedures together with an inbuilt legal right of appeal. In 2004, under his Presidency, a team of young Jersey sportspeople participated for the first time in the Commonwealth Youth Games in Bendigo, Australia. They returned to Jersey with 1 gold medal, 1 silver medal and 2 bronze medals. As President and Chef de Mission Martin led Jersey's largest ever team in the Melbourne, Australia Games of 2006. These two events were funded within a budget raised since April 2003.

Martin and Janine enjoy travelling, particularly to visit their 4 children living in England, Spain and New Zealand. They have 6 grandchildren in N.Z. As well as sport and travel, Martin enjoys a love of literature, theatre and music.