2018 Monthly Award Recipients

January

The Junior Monthly Award Winner for January is Hugh Callaghan for Futsal.

Hugh, who plays outdoor football, with Southern Branch was encouraged by his coach to trial for a Southern NSW Futsal team to play at the Nationals in January. Not only was he successful in making the Southern team but, as a result of his performance at the championships, was selected by the Australian Futsal Association in the National Youth (16 – 19 years) Futsal team to tour Spain in late 2018. Hugh who attend Oxley College, is currently training three says week and working hard on his fitness.

The Senior Monthly Award Winner for January is Melissa Perrine for Downhill       Ski-ing.

Melissa Perrine won a further three medals in the Para Alpine World Cup in January which secured her place in the 2018 Winter Paralympics Downhill Ski Team. Melissa won a silver medal in the Giant Slalom at Kranjska Gora, Slovenia and then travelled to Veysonnaz, Switzerland where she won bronze medals in the Slalom and Giant Slalom.  For an insight into Melissa’s journey watch her inspirational story  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQnST9PdHG0

February

The Junior Monthly Award Winner for February is Bella Napthali for Vaulting.

Bella had an incredible 2017 in her chosen sport of vaulting. Among her many achievements last year was winning a gold medal at an international vaulting event in Krumke, Germany. Her many achievements were rewarded as she was announced as the Young Female Vaulting Athlete of the Year at the Equestrian NSW Awards.

The Senior Monthly Award Winner for February is Sam Tait for Downhill Ski-ing.

Sam Tait  secured a place on the 2018 Winter Paralympics Team competing in PyeongChang with a full schedule of downhill skiing events on his card – the Downhill, Super-G, Super Combine, Slalom and Giant Slalom. Sam has been training with the Australian Paralympic team for two years in Perisher, Europe and the USA with the aim of making the 2022 Paralympics in Beijing. Hard work and some incredible times at the Para Alpine World Cup saw that dream come true just a little earlier with his inclusion on the 2018 Winter Paralympics Team. Check out this incredible clip of Sam at his debut Paralympics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2xx0vMpwv4

March

The Junior Monthly Award Winner for March is Brielle Powell for Equestrian.

Brielle had an exceptional few days at the 2018 Sydney Royal Easter Show. Competing on her beloved horse Runaroo Tomcat, Brielle placed third in the Junior Rider Station Horse (rider under 18 years); second in the Junior Time Trial (rider under 18 years); first in the Working Hunter (over 14 hands) and was the winner of the R.M.Williams Trophy for the Most Versatile Australian Stock Horse (ridden by a youth under 18 years). Also in March, Brielle competed at the Show Horse Council of Australia’s Grand Nationals at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre. Competing against 29 riders, she was awarded Reserve Champion in the Child’s Large Show Hunter Galloway class.

Brielle competing at the 2018 Sydney Royal Easter Show.

The Senior Monthly Award Winner for March is Cameron Butcher for Cycling.

300- 400 kilometres a week on Southern Highland roads can be really exhausting, and that’s in a car, but Cameron Butcher, the Berrima District Sports Awards senior winner for March averages this many kilometres on a bike. This training set him up for some memorable races in March with some incredible results. Cameron placed first in the U/19 division of the 75km Willo Endurance Mountain Bike Race and then followed this up with a sixth place in the U/19 NSW Road Cycling Championships racing 100 kilometres. At the NSW All Schools Triathlon, also in March, he recorded the fastest bike leg in the Senior Boys division which helped his team cruise to a 9th place out of 163 teams. Over the summer, Cameron also fitted in cricket and water polo and his water polo team finished the season as undefeated B Grade premiers of the Southern Highlands competition. 2018 was always going to be huge for Cameron Butcher. He turns eighteen in July and sits his HSC at Chevalier College this year but I have a feeling that he will also remember 2018 as one of the most successful sporting years of his youth.

April

The Senior Monthly Award Winner for April is Elijah Morris for Mountain Running.

Eligh Morris, has once again qualified to represent Australia in the challenging sport of mountain running. In April, Eligh secured first place in the Junior Men’s division (under 20 years) at the Australian Mountain Running Championships held in Wellington, Tasmania.  He will head to Andorra, a tiny mountainous landlocked country in the Pyrenees mountain range between Spain and France, in September for the World Mountain Running Championships. Eligh trains each day and his fitness must truly be an asset in his employment as a first year landscaping apprentice. He is a member of Kembla Joggers and NSW Little Athletics and is currently training for the NSW Cross Country Championships in July.

The Junior Monthly Award Winner for April is Indeah Morris for Mountain Running.

up and down mountains at speed and placed second in the Junior Women’s division at the Australian Mountain Running Championships. As Indeah is only fifteen years old, this is an amazing achievement as the junior division caters for athletes up to twenty years of age.  Unfortunately she did not qualify for the World Championships due to her young age. The Bowral High School Year 10 student has been completing in athletics since she was six with Bowral Little Athletics and is now an Athletics NSW member.

May

The Junior Monthly Award Winner for May is Tessa Good for Hockey.

Tessa was named in not one but two representative teams in May. Tessa, who attends Chevalier College, was selected in the ISA (Independent Sports Association) Open Hockey team for the fifth consecutive year and then selected in the NSWCIS (Combined Independent Schools) team.  Tessa also has been selected in the NSW U18 Hockey Squad as a result of an excellent tournament representing Southern Highlands Hockey Association at the NSW U18 Hockey Championships.

The Junior Monthly Award Winner for May is Tom Parkes for Rugby Union.

, Tom  was selected in the NSWCIS Open Rugby League Squad. Tom attended a camp at Narrabeen in June for final selection into the NSWCIS team and has been selected as a shadow. The team will compete at the Australian Championships in July. Tom also plays Rugby League for Mittagong U18s and Rugby Union in the Chevalier 1^st XV. While not training and playing some sort of Rugby, Tom is studying for his HSC at Chevalier College

June

The Junior Monthly Award Winner for June is Hayden Honey for Ten Pin Bowling.

 Hayden Honey is a young man who is passionate about his sport, Ten Pin Bowling. In June, Hayden qualified for the Team NSW Under 21 boys team. This is a fantastic achievement but it is actually an extraordinary achievement as Hayden is just nine years old. He is now training to compete against the Queensland and Victorian bowlers at the East Coast Cup Challenge in late September and early October. Last year he medalled at this competition and, as an eight year old, travelled to Malaysia to represent Australia. Hopefully Hayden can once again represent Australia and provide another excuse for an overseas holiday for his very supportive family. He attends St Pauls Primary in Moss Vale and they are very proud of their international sportsman.

The Senior Monthly Award Winner for June is David Mackay for Sports Administration.

David Mackay, was awarded the Hockey NSW’s 2018 Administrator of the Year title. He was nominated by the Southern Highlands Hockey Association in recognition of his passion and commitment to the development of the Welby Hockey Centre. David campaigned for 15 years for the first synthetic turf pitch and continued to advocate for a second turf. He was also one of the six finalists for the Sport NSW Community Sports Awards Community Administrator award and received a Distinguished Long Service award

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July

The Junior Monthly Award Winner for July is Lachlan Mineeff for Motor Sports.

When you meet 15 year old Lachlan Mineeff for the first time, it is hard to reconcile the quietly spoken, polite Year 10 school boy with the driven, talented, mature man that is making a name for himself in the world of motor sports. Lachlan is the recipient of the junior Berrima District Sports Award for July.  He began racing Go-Carts at the age of ten and last year moved to compete in the NSW State Formula Ford Series where he won the last round of the series. The move was only a temporary one, as this year he began racing up to thirty-four other teams in the Australian National Formula Ford Series. It is an open division and most drivers are around 18 – 21 years old though he is by far the youngest driver. Lachlan was nominated for the BDSA award for his 8^th placing in Round 4 at the Sandown Raceway in Melbourne but is currently placed 6^th in the Championship.

The Senior Monthly Award Winner for July is Karen Evans for Mountain Bike Riding.

During July Karen competed in the UCI Mountain Biking Masters World Championship in Vallnord, Andorra , Spain. This was the second time that she had represented Australia and this year placed 6^th in the Masters 5 category. Karen is the current XCM Masters 5 Australian National Champion and is very generous with her time training many local children including her two daughters who are both National Champions. She is a member of the Fixed Wheel Bowral Race team and is as passionate about her dreams as she is of her teammates and the young people she trains.

August

The Junior Monthly Award Winner for August is Emily Amris for European Handball.

European Handball is not a sport many people are familiar with in the Southern Highlands but, for Emily Amris who moved to Australia from Denmark two years ago, it is a sport she has been passionate about since she was 11 years old. European Handball is an indoor team sport in which two teams of seven players each (six outfield players and a goalkeeper) pass a ball using their hands with the aim of throwing it into the goal of the other team. Emily is the Junior Berrima District Sports Award winner for August as she was selected in both the U18 and U21 Australian European Handball Teams. Emily, who is in Year 11 at Oxley College, trains and plays each week with the University of NSW team in the university competition in Sydney and travelled to the Gold Coast in July to play at the National Championships for New South Wales. She will tour New Caledonia and Japan with the teams in 2019.

The Senior Monthly Award Winner for August is Nicholas Smith for Cycl0cross.

Nicholas Smith had an extremely busy schedule in August competing in three major Cyclocross races. Cyclocross is a form of bicycle racing and consists of many laps of a short (2.5–3.5km) course featuring pavement, wooded trails, grass, steep hills and obstacles requiring the rider to quickly dismount, carry the bike while navigating the obstruction and remount. On August 10^th he raced in round seven of the national series and came 6^th in the elite event and, on August 11^th, he  raced in the U23 championships and came 2^nd. Nick finished August competing in two UCI races in Melbourne placing 2^nd in the U23 category and 10^th overall in both races. These races concluded the Australian National Cyclocross Series in which he finished 8^th overall in the elite category. It will come as no surprise that these incredible results saw Nick voted the Senior Berrima District Sports Award winner for August.

September

The Junior Monthly Award Winner for September is Christian Gallina for Rugby League and Athletics

To say that Christian Gallina is a sporting all-rounder is an understatement. He plays rugby league, water polo, basketball and is a versatile track and field athlete. Christian was awarded the September Junior Berrima District Sports Award for excellence in two of these sports. He was announced as the Group 6 Rugby League Player of the Year in the U13B division. Christian has been playing rugby league for eight years and for seven of those years with the Bowral Kookaburras. In September Christian also competed at the NSWCIS Athletics Championships in the hurdles, 100m, 200m, 400m, long Jump and triple jump. The Year 8 Oxley College student placed in the triple jump and hurdles which qualified him for the NSW All Schools Championships. Christian has now launched into the basketball and water polo seasons.

The Senior Monthly Award Winner for September is Lachlan Huntington  for Rugby Union

Based on this this year’s achievements, it is hard to believe that 2018 was only Lachlan Huntington’s second season playing in the 1^st grade team for Bowral Blacks. He played both fly half and fullback, was the team’s main goal kicker, won a premiership and was the second highest goal scorer in the IDRU (Illawarra District Rugby Union) competition. This is very impressive but Lachlan was voted the Senior September Berrima District Sports Award winner as he was also awarded the IDRU Player of the Year. It is hardly surprising that he 21 year old, who started playing Rugby Union with Chevalier College in Year 7, has been asked to commence training with the Illawarriors Representative team in November. In the meantime, he is enjoying the break from competition with some off season fitness training.

October

The Junior Monthly Award Winner for October is Summer Lewis for Netball

Summer Lewis, had an extremely successful year on the netball court culminating in her competing for the ISA (Independent Sports Association) at the Interstate Challenge on the Gold Coast from the 5^th – 7^th October. Summer was selected on the basis on her form at the NSWCIS (Combined Independent Schools) Championships where she captained the U15 ISA team. Her selection to play for the ISA Open team was very special as she is only 14 and played with and against 17 & 18 year olds. Summer, who attends Chevalier College, was also selected in October for the Illawarra Academy of Sport Netball Program.

The Senior Monthly Award Winner for October is Diann Benson for Archery

There isn’t a year that goes by that Diann Benson doesn’t do something extraordinary in the sporting arena and 2018 has not been any different. The Senior Berrima District Sports Award winner for October is again a World Archery Champion winning the veterans freestyle unlimited division by more than 60 points. Diann competed at the 2018 IFAA (International Field Archers Association) World Field Archery Championship in Potchefstroom which is about 120 km southwest of Johannesburg, South Africa. The competition, over three days, saw shooters complete three 7.5 – 11.5km courses taking up to 6 hours to finish.

November

The dual Junior Monthly Award Winners for November are Bryn Wiseman for Tennis and Heidi Bowie for Jui Jitsu.

During the recent Berrima District Sports Awards meeting, nominations were received from two very young athletes. They both had excellent sporting achievements during the month of November and happily, as the votes were even, they were named as dual junior winners. Bryn Wiseman had an extremely busy month as the lively Year 5 Oxley College student was selected for the second season of the Super Tens held in Canberra over two weekends. Players for Super Tens are invited to participate and are selected from the South East, South West and North West of NSW as well as ACT. Bryn and his fellow team members were runners up at this event. The event was a lead up to three International tournaments in New Zealand in December. Bryn competes at Bowral Tennis Club on Friday afternoons as well as attending squad training. Just to fit a little more sport into his life, he plays competition basketball and attends swim training. Bryn shares the award with 8 year old Heidi Bowie. Heidi’s cherubic smile lights up the room as she talks about the sport that she has recently embraced. After watching her brother Jack train and compete in the martial art of Brazilian Jui Jitsu she decided, that she would like to try it. Brazilian Jui Jitsu is a martial art and combat sport system that focuses on grappling and ground fighting. After just 6 months of training under coach, Tony Pycroft at Pure Jui Jitsu in Bowral, Heidi is moving up the belts and in November competed at three tournaments. She first competed at the Newcastle Open winning her age and weight class in the mixed Gi class. The East Coast Championships on the Gold Coast was next where she competed against competitors from across Australia and was the only girl in her divisions. She came away with a gold in the mixed no Gi and silver in the mixed Gi divisions. Finally she competed in the last major NSW competition, the Summer Cup, winning the final in the female Gi division. Heidi trains twice a week and also manages to fit in dancing, gymnastics, touch, hockey and soccer. She is in Year 3 at Berrima Public School and was nominated by her very proud brother Jack who also came away with two bronze medals at the east Coast Championships.

The Senior Monthly Award Winner for November is Ravi Wikramanayke for Cricket

Ravi captained the Southern Highlands representative cricket team in the Jeffrey Cup (U18) and lead the team to an undefeated win for the tournament. He top scored with 186 runs over the three matches and, in the second match against South Coast, Ravi made 81 runs off 48 balls. Following the tournament he was selected to represent Greater Illawarra, along with five teammates, at the Country Colts Tournament in Narrabri which is the Country NSW U18 championships. This year Ravi moved to Sydney Grade cricket, playing for Blacktown District Cricket club where he was quickly promoted from 3rd to 2nd grade where he opens the batting. Ravi has just commenced his final year at Oxley College.

December

The Junior Monthly Award Winner for December is Amalie Borthwick for Athletics.

To say that twelve year old Amalie Borthwick had success at her first ever South Coast/Highlands Zone Little Athletics Carnival is an understatement. She won the 800m, 1500m, and 3000m track events, and in field events, won the shot put, placed fourth in the javelin and sixth in the long jump. Of the six events entered, Amalie qualified for five events at the Regional Carnival which will be held in February. This achievement and being named as Wingecarribee District PSSA Champions Sports Girl for 2018 made her a worthy winner of the 2018 December Berrima District Sports Awards Junior Monthly Award. Amalie attended Bowral Public School for her primary years and heads off to Wollondilly Anglican for high school in 2019.

The Senior Monthly Award Winner for December is Lucy Backhouse for Wood Chopping.

Lucy  finished an incredible year in her chosen sport of wood chopping placing third at the 2018 Ladies Underhand World Championships in Launceston. The event, in its second year, and held just days after Christmas featured an all Australian line-up. In a uniquely ladies only event, Lucy competed against athletes from Tasmania, Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales. Twenty year old Lucy has been competing for nine years and spent the early years only competing against boys. Today, some shows have ladies events but Lucy is quite comfortable competing in open events against men. Her sights are set in 2019 to retain her title of Ladies Underhand Handicap Champion at the Royal Easter Show.