“A night full of highlights.” That was the overwhelming response of the 250 people packed into Mittagong RSL Club last Friday night for the 22nd annual presentation of the Berrima District Sports Awards, a night that celebrated the district’s sporting milestones for the year 2000.
Big winners, little winners, team winners, the lot! Of course the major highlight of the night was the “Sportsperson of the Year” announcements but everyone present would admit that the highlights started with the first presentations and continued right to the end.
Lisa Paolini and Aaron Cooke are the big winners of the Berrima District Sports Awards for 2000. They have won the Senior and Junior “Sportsperson of the Year” awards at a spectacular evening which paid tribute to the outstanding sportspeople of our area. It was an evening when sportspeople from all over the Wingecarribee Shire were recognised for their excellence and achievement.
The highlights of the presentation night covered all aspects of sport and included, as well as Sportsperson of the Year, the other important awards of Team of the Year, the individual Sportsperson of the Month awards for 2000, Team Achievement Awards for local teams that won state championships, and Junior Achiever Awards as an encouragement for the youngest sportspeople.
The major winners for 2000 were:
Sportsperson of the Year - Senior - Lisa Paolini - Race Walking
Sportsperson of the Year - Junior - Aaron Cooke - Athletics
Team of the Year - Senior - Moss Vale Golf Club Ladies Bronze Shield
Team of the Year - Junior - Mittagong Hockey Club U/12 Cheetahs
One of the highlights of the evening was undoubtedly the inspirational and entertaining address given by Hamish McDonald. Hamish is a full time scholarship holder at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra and he was vice-captain of Australia’s Paralympic Team last year in Sydney. He also holds a world record and Paralympic gold medal in shot put, so he is eminently qualified to offer advice to others.
Hamish’s talk about “Bruce the Moose” had the audience in stitches. Just ask anyone there last Friday night and they’ll tell you that one of their lasting memories was the story of how a band of five or six of our Paralympians (helped in no small way by Hamish himself!) held the Canadian team, and the whole Olympic village, in suspense for so long.
Other highlights? An important feature of the evening was the presentation to each of the “Sportsperson of the Month” winners for 2000. Each month during the year, the Sports Awards committee votes for the most meritorious achievement, both senior and junior. This is the side of the Berrima District Sports Awards that most people hear about, as the Southern Highland News and Radio 2ST carry reports of each winner’s achievements.
At the presentation dinner last Friday night, 26 sportspeople were acknowledged as being the best in each month (on two occasions the committee was unable to distinguish between the outstanding achievements).
More highlights? The announcement of the senior “Team of the Year” left those people sitting close to the Moss Vale Golf Club’s Bronze Shield team almost deaf from their boisterous response after hearing their team read out. What a reaction from a group of ladies who thoroughly deserved their time in the limelight.
Junior Team of the Year was no different... another highlight and another loud reception when the name “Mittagong Hockey Club’s U/12 Cheetahs” was read out. They took out the coveted award for the best junior team in the district.
The night of highlights kicked off with the presentation of 12 Junior Achievement Awards, given to our district’s youngest sportspeople in recognition of performances which were just short of Sportsperson-of-the-Month status. Well done and good luck for the future is what these Junior Achievement Awards are all about.
Keith Williams addressed the gathering on behalf of the Sports Awards committee. He spoke of a dedicated group who give up much of their time just so the sportspeople of our area get the recognition they deserve. He also gave a special vote of thanks to two other groups, without whom the Berrima District Sports Awards could not take place.
“To the sponsors of the Awards, E.W. Goulder and Sons, Mittagong Computer Centre and Oxley Travel Centre, you give generously and ask for nothing in return; you leave the entire running of the Awards to the committee” said Mr Williams. “Thank you to these three local businesses for their support of local sport.”
“Secondl y, thank you to Mittagong RSL Club, for their considerable assistance with the Awards presentation evening. The club assists in many areas to cover the committee’s costs, as well as donating accommodation and meals” added Mr Williams. “They go to significant time and expense to make sure everything is just the way the Sports Awards committee requests.”
The highlights just kept coming. Four teams had won state championships so they too were recognised for their achievements. Everyone knows how strong hockey is in the Highlands so it was no surprise to find out that the four state-winning teams were all hockey teams... no surprise but plenty of acknowledgment for doing such a marvellous job.
The final highlight came for two of the Sports Awards longest serving committee members, Lyle Schofield and Russell Watman. They were presented with plaques commemorating their 21 years of service to the Sports Awards committee and to sport in general Both men typify the commitment that has made sport such a wonderful part of our community.
WINNERS’ ACHIEVEMENTS
Senior Sportsperson of the Year - 2000
Lisa Paolini - Race Walking
It doesn’t get much better in sport than to represent your country in the Olympic Games. Lisa reached the pinacle of her sport in 2000. She was one in the team of three Australians to compete in the 20km road race around the Olympic village. Lisa is only the second person in the 22 year history of Berrima District Sports Awards to win back-to-back senior “Sportsperson of the Year” awards.
Lisa’s results for 2000 were:
* 1st, NSW State 5km Track Championship, February (21.45 PB)
* 3rd, 20km National and Olympic Trials, 20km road (1.34.35 PB)
* 1st, Mt Annan Challenge 12km road race, March (57.30)
* 1st, NSW Racing Walking Club, 20km road, April (93.30 PB)
* 1st, NSW Racing Walking Club, 15km road, May (68.00 PB)
* 1st, NSW State Championship, 5km road, May (22.20)
* 1st, National Federation 16km road, June (76.25 PB)
* 1st, National Federation 5km road, June (22.55)
* 1st, NSW State Championship 20km road, July (93.00 PB)
* 1st, Australian National Championship 10km road, August (47.30)
* 1st, NSW State Championship 10km road, August (45.50)
* 1st, Olympic Selection Trial 10km track, August (45.15 PB)
* 39th, Olympic 20km road, Homebush, Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
Congratulations on a truly remarkable year, Lisa.
Junior Sportsperson of the Year - 2000
Aaron Cooke - Athletics
Aaron’s amazing year ran from January to December. He won at local, zone, regional, state and Australian levels. No-one could better his achievements for 2000 and, if anything, his 2000 results were better than his 1998 “Sportsperson of the Year” winning achievements.
Aaron’s amazing 2000 results were:
January - Little Athletics Zone Ch’ps; 1st in 100m hurdles, shot put (record), discus and javelin (record)
February - Little Athletics Regional Ch’ps; 1st 100m hurdles, 1st shot put (record), 1st discus, 1st javelin (record)
March - Little A’s State Ch’ps; 1st 100m hurdles, 1st shot put, 2nd javelin
Little Athletics State Multi Event Championships... 100m, 100m hurdles, shot put, discus, long jump, high jump and 800m... 1st with a state record of 8096 points (previous record 7500 points)
April - Little Athletics Teams and Multi Event Ch’ps, Perth... long jump, 100m, 100m hurdles, discus, 800m... 1st with a national record 4979 points (previous record 4790 points)
May - Independent Schools Assoc... 1st 100m hurdles (record), 1st shot put (record), 1st discus (record), 1st javelin (record)
Pacific School Games... 4th 100m hurdles, 4th shot put, 2nd discus, 3rd javelin
November - NSW All Schools Ch’ps; 3rd 100m hurdles, 1st shot put (record), 1st discus, 1st javelin (record)
December - Australian All Schools Ch’ps, Adelaide; 5th 100m hurdles, 3rd shot put, 2nd discus, 2nd javelin.
Aaron’s other achievements are too numerous to list here. These are the major tournaments in which Aaron has excelled, simply outstanding for one person in one year. Congratulations, Aaron.
2000 Team of the Year - Senior
Moss Vale Golf Club Ladies Bronze Shield
13 is a lucky number for the ladies of the Moss Vale Golf Club Bronze Shield team. Back in 1987 the won the “Team of the Year” award and have repeated the honour in 2000. In fact, both times they won the same championship so it is little wonder that they have come up trumps in the voting again.
Winners of the Central Southern Golf Association Bronze Shield Pennants, the ladies from the Moss Vale Golf Club showed their worth in a competition that ran from April to June.
In each match, five individual games were played. The results for their Northern Area were: defeated Goulburn (3/2), defeated Crookwell (4/1), lost to Highlands (3/2), squared Bowral (2.5/2.5), defeated Bowral Country Club (3/2). Moss Vale defeated Yass (3/2) in the semi-final and played Crookwell in the final at Murrumbidgee Golf Club, Canberra. Moss Vale won the final 3/2.
Team Members: Sally Bailey, Julie Todd, Sally Gibb, Vicki Hartley, Shirley Perkins, Bev Scrace, Eileen Tickner, Margaret Vooght.
2000 Team of the Year - Junior
Mittagong Hockey Club U/12 Cheetahs
If ever there was a team to completely dominate a competition, it was the Mittagong Hockey Club’s U/12 Cheetah’s. They won the competition undefeated, winning all 14 games and in the process scored 64 goals and conceded just 5 goals.
Nine girls and four boys made up the team for the mixed competition. They showed both excellent skill and teamwork, with 11 of the team contributing to the goal tally throughout the season. The players rotated positions on a regular basis, with the unselfishness and sportsmanship contributing greatly to their success. Some high grade coaching from Mark Stafford and Phil Irving also undoubtedly helped to the success of the team during the year.
Team Members: Melissa Bernasconi, Anthony Charge, Ben Frith, Ben Garard, John Gardiner, Claire Irving, Courtney King, Tiffany Knights, Emma Moule, Sian Power, Chloe Stafford, Nicole Stevens, Natalie Thomson.
Special Team Awards - 2000
Local teams who win New South Wales Championships (or Australian) are recognised by the Berrima District Sports Awards for their achievement. Four teams in 2000 achieved this remarkable feat, all of them hockey. A “Certificate of Achievement in Sport” was presented to the each of the team members at the Awards Ceremony.
Congratulations to each of these teams for their fine achievement.
* Highlands U/16 Womens Indoor Hockey
* Highlands Open Mens Indoor Hockey
* Southern Highlands Open Womens Hockey
* Southern Highlands Open Mens Hockey
Junior Achievement Awards - 2000
“Junior Achievement Awards” are presented to the younger sportspeople in our district who are under high school age and have excelled in their chosen sports but were not monthly award winners. The Berrima District Sports Awards Committee hopes that this gesture will encourage these youngsters to continue enjoying their sports and strive to achieve.
Recipients of the Junior Achievement Awards for 2000 were:
Mathew Arnell - Cricket
Rachel Boshier-Westwood - Swimming
Billy Burnett - Soccer
Thomas Cowley - Swimming
Emily Griffen - Netball
Jodie Handley - Swimming and Hockey
Claire Howe - Swimming
Olivia Lenaduzzi - Athletics
Alicia Lidgard - Netball
Madeline Price - Various Sports
Daniel Rumsey - Disabled swimming
Nathan Wright - Hockey
2000 WINNERS
January: Senior Mike Tolley - Sailing, Junior Sophia Begg - Athletics
February: Senior: Lisa Paolini - Athletics, Junior: Claire Wieland - Cycling
March: Senior: John Acton - Touch Football, Junior: Aaron Cooke - Athletics
April: Senior: Nathan Glarvey - Athletics, Junior: Emmett Gazzard - Boxing
May: Senior: Heather Turland - Athletics, Junior Jye Bunt - Hockey
June: Senior: Therese French - Lawn Bowls, Junior: Jennifer Purcell - Judo
July: Senior: Donna Wood - Darts, Junior: Natalie Thompson - hockey, touch, athletics
August: Senior: Sue Hearn - Dressage, Junior: Ben Garard - Hockey
September: Senior: Barbara Alexander - Hockey Coaching, Junior: Rebecca Hesford - Cycling
October: Senior: Narelle Evans - Hockey, Sandy Linton - Taekwondo, Junior: Danny Rogers - Motor Bike Racing
November: Senior: Peter Tomlinson - Cycling Commissaire, Junior: Belinda Muldoon - Hockey
December: Senior: Kelly Douglass - Water Polo, Erin Douglass - Water Polo, Junior: Marcus Amor-Smith - various sports.
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