Dick Telford

Richard David Dick Telford AM (born 2 April 1945) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Collingwood and Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League (VFL) during the 1960s, although he mainly played reserves. He went on to become as a leading Australian sport scientist and distance running coach. He was the first sport scientist employed by the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS).

He was born 2 April 1945 in Melbourne, Victoria. Telford's primary school days were at College Rural, a small Melbourne Teacher's College practising school in the grounds of the University of Melbourne. His father (also named Dick) had returned from World War 2 and was studying for a B.Sc at the university, hence the connection with the university primary school. He attended Northcote High School. He is married to Sue and they have two children.

Telford never played a game of competitive football or cricket through primary school as the school was too small to field a team. This all changed when he went to Northcote High School where his football and cricket blossomed. He played his junior football with North Reservoir. He was invited to train with Fitzroy Cricket Club as a 16-year-old and at 17 he was invited to train with Collingwood Football Club. He won 3rd Best and Fairest for Collingwood Reserves team, playing on the wing, but due to the competitiveness of the team he made just one appearance in the seniors, a win over South Melbourne Football Club at Lake Oval, a debut he shared with Doug Searl. The following year, he transferred to Fitzroy Football Club and after playing well in the Reserves, he again won a place in the senior team, this time as a rover, but after two games was ruled out for the rest of the season with a badly damaged hand.