Penrith Valley Sportstars 2008/9

JUNIOR

*July :

August: Nathan Fazldad (touch)

September: Jack Ponton (AFL)

October: Blake Byrne (golf)

November: Tayla Seymour (cricket)

December: Jacob Lalor (cricket)

January: Isabella Hibble (skating)

February: Matthew Payne (AFL)

March: Kasey Pilgrim (swimming)

April: Shannon Jennings (athletics)

May: Atawhai Veitch (swimming)

June: Paige Hadley (netball)

Junior Sportstar: Paige Hadley (netball)

SENIOR

July : David Hampton (gridiron)  PCWW

August: Jacqui Lawrence (canoe)

September: Torsten Laxhmann (canoe/kayak)

October: Peter Leek (swimming)

*November:

*December

January: Sheridan Seymour (hockey)

February: Kimberly Wright (softball)

March: Steven Albee (softball) 

April: Tim Cummins (cricket)

May: Alison Smith (rowing)

June: Nicole Styles (netball)

Senior Sportstar: Jacqui Lawrence (canoe)

 

 

Sportstars of the Year

 

 

Panthers Senior Sportstar Jacqui Lawrence

 

St Marys Leagues Junior Page Hadley

 

Volunter of the Year Heike Forth (netball/soccer)

Umpire of the Year Shantelle Rennie (netball)

Administrator of the Year  Sue Howard (touch)

Coach of the Year Jackie Barck (swimming)

Team of the Year Penrith Cricket Club (all teams)

Multi-Disability Award Peter Leek (swimming)

Junior Sportstar Paige Hadley (netball)

Senior Sportstar Jacqui Lawrence (kayak.canoe)

Jim Anderson Memorial Award Raphael Collins

Rising Star Scholarship Steven Albee (softball)

 

 

Jacqui Lawrence at 2008 Olympics

 

 

2008/2009 VOLUNTEER AWARD

 

Heike Forth (Netball/Soccer)

 

Heike has been a volunteer with a number of sports and tonight she is being recognised essentially for her volunteer work with netball and soccer.  Heike has been involved with netball at Penrith since it began in 1973.  Some 38 years later she is still involved on a voluntary basis with the Cambridge Park Netball Club.  In that time Heike was a representative player in PenrithÕs first under age representative team and was selected in PenrithÕs first senior Inter-district team.

 

On a more traditional voluntary basis Heike was a representative coach of various State Age teams from 1988 until 1995.  For the Cambridge Park Netball Club Heike has undertaken the roles of Club Coaching Convenor, Treasurer, Coach of various teams for  the past twenty five years.

 

Ever the true volunteer Heike has also been involved with the Cranebrook Soccer Club for the past 20 years.  In that time she has held the positions of Treasurer and Secretary as well as managed the canteen, coached and controlled uniforms and equipment.  Heike is currently the President of the Cranebrook Soccer Club.

 

Her voluntary roles has seen Heike awarded the Life membership fo the Cranebrook Club and the Penrith Service Award for services to netball.

 

We congratulate Heike on her volunteer commitment and, it would appear given her passion for her sport will be volunteering for many years to come.

 

 

 

 

 

2008/2009 REFEREE/UMPIRE Of THE YEAR

 

 

Shantelle Rennie    -           Netball

 

Shantelle began umpiring at 13 years of age in the Penrith District Netball Association to assist in fulfilling her clubÕs commitment to umpire.  Shantelle displayed an exceptional talent for umpiring and quickly gained her National ÔCÕ badge under the Netball Australia umpiring scheme.  ShantelleÕs talent was recognised when at 15 she was awarded her National ÔBÕ umpires badge and in March of this year was invited to umpire at the 17 Years and Under National Netball Championships in Canberra.

 

It was at these championships that ShantelleÕs ability as an umpire was put on full display to all teams from Australia.  Under the watchful eye of the National Director of Umpiring ShantelleÕs performance over the course of the championships was such that she was selected to umpire the 17 Years and Under Grand Final between Victoria and South Australia.

 

Perhaps what was outstanding was that Shantelle umpired the Grand Final on her 16th birthday.  She is the youngest ever umpire from within Australia to have been selected to umpire at a National Championships.

 

In May 2009 Shantelle was awarded the National ÒAÓ Badge.  Placed in the National talent identification program Shantelle now umpires in the Waratah Cup competition, the highest level of competition in NSW and she is also currently umpiring in the Australian National League competition, an open age competition being played between all States, Territories and Singapore.

 

The award of a National ÒAÓ badge is prestigious within the overall National Umpire Scheme and there is only one higher award, the All Australia badge which enables you to umpire at the International level.  Based on her current performances, ability and commitment it would seem that this goal will be achieved in the near future.

 

We congratulate Shantelle on this outstanding achievement in umpiring to date and we wish her well for the future.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2008/2009 Administrator of the Year

 

Sue Howard (Touch Football)

 

Sue commenced with Penrith Touch operating the canteen in the late 1970Õs at Parker Street.  When Touch was relocated to Werrington Sue continued operating the canteen until 1987.  In 1987 Sue took over the position of Registrar.  Sue remained in this position until the Penrith Touch Association appointed Sue the Executive Director of the Association.  Sue now manages the Penrith Touch and OzTag competitions that operate four times a week and has as many as 500 teams to manage during the year.  Other duties include the continuous liaison with Penrith City Council for the management and safe operation of the Touch facility.

 

Sue is a Life Member of the Penrith Touch Association and as well as undertaking the important administrative role for the past 19 years Sue has also managed several Australian and NSW teams including overseas tours.  Sue has also served on Regional committees and is a current member of the World Masters Games Touch Committee for the games to be held at Penrith in October.

 

We congratulate Sue on her award.

 

 

Jackie Barck           -           Swimming

 

 

Jackie Barck is the coach of Paralympian Peter Leek and was an Assistant Coach at the Beijing Paralympic Games.

 

A member of the Australian Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association JackieÕs appointment as Assistant Coach for the Paralympic also elevated her to the ÒBig-5Ó honour list.  This is prestigious in that on appointment to one of the ÒBig-5Ó international competitions the coach is awarded a commemorative ring.  Jackie is the 79th appointment to the Australian list across the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, Pan Pacific Championships, FINA LC World Championships and the Paralympic Games.

 

We all join in congratulating Jackie on her outstanding achievement.

 

 

 

2008/2009 MULTI-DISABILITY AWARD

 

 

Peter Leek               -                       Swimming

 

Peter Leek has always been a determined young man.  Diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth, he actually began swimming at the age of 1 year as a form of physiotherapy.  At age 4, he joined the Ripples Club and remained a member of that club for 14 years.  Peter transferred to the Wizards Club in 2007.

 

Peter launched his international swimming career at the IPC Swimming World Championships winning two gold, two silver and a bronze medal.  He has travelled with teams internationally since 2006.

 

However, it was at the 2008 Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, that Peter built a reputation as a formidable swimmer in multi-disability events.  At the games Peter won 8 medals, three gold, four silver and a bronze.

 

His three gold medals in the 100m butterfly S8, 200m individual medley SM8 and 4 x 100 medley relay were all won in world record time.

 

Peter is unable to be with us tonight and his mother Helen will accept the award on his behalf.

 

 

 

 

2008/2009 JIM ANDERSON MEMORIAL AWARD

 

Raphael Collins      -           All Sports

 

This award is made to a person who has made a significant contribution either at an outstanding level across a sport or across a range of sports.  TonightÕs winner epitomises one personÕs contribution to all sports in the Penrith Valley over a period of in excess of 25 years.

 

Raphael Collins was the Penrith Council Parks and Reserves Manager for more years than he probably cares to remember.  In his time at Council he was charged with providing suitable grounds for all sports for their annual competitions, the provision of new sporting grounds as new release areas came on line and the refurbishment and maintenance of existing grounds.

 

The following excerpt from the districtÕs baseball association records shows just how Raphael has been involved in developing new sites for various sports.

 

ÒThe Penrith Council after an extended period of investigation proposed the present location at Samuel Marsden Road Orchard Hills.  The initial meeting and viewing of the field was held on a damp morning with Raphael Collins of Parks and Gardens and executive members from the club, the grass in the field stood approximately a metre high however there were no structures with the exception of a house to the left rear boundary where diamond 2 now exists. Raphael arranged mowers to cut the high grass, almost losing one due to subsidence around the perimeter of the existing structure. There was no vehicular access to the field, the truck delivering the amenities buildings lifted them over the creek and placed them near the water tank.  The Council grant for $30,000 was utilised to build the access bridge and to provide earth works to raise the temporary amenities buildings above the 100 year flood level.Ó

However it was not only the provision of sporting fields where Raphael made his mark.  Not many would be aware that he competed in the Australian Corporate Games in 2002 and together with Ray Potter and Bob Spilling raced to victory in the Triathlon Triad event, beating their nearest rival, Optus, by two minutes.  The corporate Games are designed to encourage team spirit and healthier lifestyles and are open to teams from corporations, government agencies and business.  It is a fundraiser for the Australian Paralympic team

In 2002 the Penrith City Council team competed against 11 others in the Triathlon relay, with Raphael swimming 400 metres, Ray Potter completing the 18km cycle run and Bob Spilling running 4km (some would say that Raphael got the better end of the disciplines!!).

 

Raphael was passionate in his quest for achieving sustainable sporting fields and was instrumental in what became known as the Ôdrought proofingÕ projects of our sporting fields.  He championed the concepts of recycling long before it became fashionable; had a passion for planting and retaining trees around sporting fields and was a leading achiever in obtaining government grants using recycled organics for sustainable development by continually looked at ways of sustaining high use areas, particularly soccer field goal mouths.  He oversaw the river irrigation and recycling scheme of many of PenrithÕs sporting fields.

 

Raphael was the person athletes loved to hate when sporting fields were closed due to severe inclement weather for it was easy for the respective sport to simply say that the Council had closed the grounds!  In recent years he also had the hard decisions in relation to the continuing viability and the impact of injury caused by sustained drought.

 

Raphael was always willing to champion any worthwhile cause in reports to Council and often put his neck on the line in developing the necessary Council budgets for Council approval.

 

Raphael retired from Council in 2008.  He was involved as a parent with soccer and since his retirement Raphael has gained his learn to swim qualifications and is now an accredited teacher of young children learning to swim.

 

Raphael was CouncilÕs Executive Member on the Foundation from inception until his retirement last year.

 

Raphael is an outstanding winner and continues the illustrious line of worthy award winners since this award was introduced in 2003.

 

 

2008/2009 RISING STAR

Steven Albee              -                 Softball

 

 

Steven has played softball with the Penrith City Softball Association with his local club Cambridge Gardens.

 

Since the age of 15 Steven has been selected in NSW MenÕs Softball teams and in January 2008 captained the NSW team in the Under 19 National Championships.  At this tournament Steven won the batting award for the best average of all players in that age group.

 

After a successful National campaign Steven was selected in the Australian Under 19 Youth team that competed in the World Championships in Canada in June 2008.  The Australian team won through to the Grand Final and with Steven playing at 3rd base the Australian team went on to become World Champions by defeating Canada 2-1.

 

While we note that Steven has also tried his hand at Australian Rules with the Penrith Rams we confidently predict that Steven has a stellar career ahead of him in softball.  We congratulate him on his award and look forward to hearing of his future representative honours.

 

Index