Career
He also played one game for Marist, and played with University for one season. He is arguably the most decorated man in Rugby League, being the holder of nine Life Memberships, both the senior and schoolboys Boards of Canterbury and West Coast, his club Marist and New Zealand Marist Rugby League Association of which he was President for a record eight years, and Patron when it was disbanded by President/Secretary Ross Lipscombe in 2000. He was manager of the New Zealand Marist team to Aust in 1979.
Whitehead was Deputy Chairman of Canterbury Schoolboys Board in 1964, but was head hunted to join senior Board of Control in 1965 (till 1974) to prepare Rugby League Weekly, the official CRFL programme (was its Editor for over a decade), with renowned Historian John Coffey.
He, and CRFL Secretary Dave Gaynor were inducted as the first Rangitira of the Maori Advisory Board in 1971. He has been Local Manager or managed 300 teams, including every West Coast side from 1964 to 1989 during which time 25 Kiwis passed through his hands, and most Countries, NSW Country (3 times), Queensland Counhtry, and all provinces.
He and the late Lory Blanchard, a Rugby League Legend and former Kiwi coach, were proxy delegates for West Coast and Otago in 1968, before Whitehead became WC Deputy Delegate from 1969, then Resident Delegate from 1972 until Council wound up in 1991. He is currently Secretary-Manager of South Island Rugby League Kiwis Association.
Whitehead senior is a former player with Blackball and Inangahua before being a provincial referee in both Union and League.
He controlled Buller versus Inangahua (then a sub league of West Coast) in both Union and League, both games on Victoria Square in Westport. Coff is also doing the centenary book in 2013. His tenth Life Membership is of the Canterbury Licensed Trade Bowls club, he was its Tournament Convenor for many years when Blanchard was President.
He was Bar Manager (eight bars) for the Data Base Golden Oldies World Cricket Festival in 1992 and organised South Island, Canterbury Jockeys Rugby Union teams from 1958 to 1965 and Company-ordinatoror of Rugby League Night at Trots at Addington Raceway from its inception in 1982 till 2011.
