Wests Group Macarthur was thrilled to present the Wests Sports Council 24th Annual Sports Awards at a presentation night earlier in the week, with each winner recognised for their outstanding contributions to grassroots sport, sporting accomplishments, and sporting spirit.
The Wests Sports Council supports 30 sporting clubs and associations within the Macarthur region and provides clubs a way to recognise individual and teams’ achievements, commitment, and contribution to local sport. The Council is an integral part of Wests Group Macarthur’s commitment to sport in the region and aims; “to create simple pathways for community access to affordable and well-administered sporting opportunities provided by a network of sporting clubs and associations”.
An independent voting panel judged the winners from hundreds of monthly nominations across various categories featuring stories of great skill, achievement, and sportsmanship. The Wests Sports Council was pleased to welcome the finalists at Monday night’s presentation, with both runner-up and winner celebrated and Wests Sports Council member guests invited to attend in person for the first time in three years.
WINNER Elite Sports Person of the Year –William Salzmann
Campbelltown Camden District Cricket Club
Pictured: William Salzmann, Winner of the Elite Sports Person of the year
William Salzmann, aged 18, has been named Elite Sports Person of the year, nominated by Campbelltown Camden District Cricket Club for his passion, drive and extraordinary talent. A local junior player originally playing for Burragorang and then Tahmoor, Salzmann joined the Ghosts Junior Development Academy as a young teenager and quickly progressed through the grades of the CCDCC to be an integral part of the Club’s 1st Grade Team in the NSW Premier Cricket competition.
William is talented bowler all-rounder who has had a tremendous year. Passionate about the game William had his debut for Australia at the Under 19’s Cricket World Cup in 2022 in the Caribbean whereby Australia finished 3rd in the tournament, and he was the leading wicket-taker for Australia and 7th highest wicket taker overall.
William has the most impressive list of achievements and in the last year has seen his cricketing career kick-off, recently awarded a NSW rookie contract and debuting in a recent one day match against Victoria where he took a wicket and scored 21 not out.
Not only is he the Campbelltown Camden District Cricket Association Poidevin-Gray Captain 2022/23, William is also a wonderful ambassador for the Association representing at junior award ceremonies and commending the Ghosts for the experience and pathways that allowed him to achieve success.
Campbelltown Camden District Cricket Club Secretary Michael Strong commented “William’s exceptional ability has been fostered by his inherent love for the game. He deserves much credit for what he has achieved so far and his recognition at such a young age by both CNSW and Australian selectors indicates he has an exciting future”.
William is a passionate young cricketer destined for an incredible career on the national and international stage and a worthy winner of the Elite Sports Person of the Year award.
Elite Sports Team of the Year – Metro League Team 2 from Camden & District Netball Association
Pictured: Manager Nicole Russell, Isabella Barna, Naomi Carle, Jenna Chiodo, Lara Chiodo, Brianna Clout (C), Chantel Wright (C), Janaia Donovan, Emilia Krstevski, Jade Trevithick, Madison Zielinski
This team, newly formed in 2022, has been playing in the Metro League competition at Netball Central at Homebush. The team members had committed to training and playing at the highest level for the year and came together as an amazing group of girls who really support each other.
This new playing group and first-time Metro coach played 15 rounds of highly skilled netball against other Associations and finished the season in 2nd place on 18 points– equal with first placing but second on goal average.
They went onto play amazingly in the preliminary final and then went on to win the grand final – the first team from Camden District Netball to win at this level since 2011. A huge congratulations from all of us at Wests.
WINNER Junior Sportsperson of the Year (U12) – Riley Lane – Macarthur BMX
Riley is just seven years old, and we are told is the fastest little sprocket at Macarthur BMX, and quite possibly the fastest sprocket in Australia! At the national series in Sydney, he came away with 7 wins in total amongst the best little BMXers in Australia! Riley can jump, pump and pedal and generally lives and breathes BMX. If he isn’t racing the National series, State series or one of our Macarthur BMX clubbies you will find him down the coast dropping in on a Southlake clubby or up in Sydney at one of their race meets.
Runner Up: Junior Sportsperson of the Year (U12) -Lewis Eddie– Wests Hockey Club
WINNER Youth Sportsperson of the Year (12 – 16yrs) -Cooper Robb Jackson – Mt Annan Swimming Club
Cooper is one of Mount Annan Swimming Clubs’ Multi Class swimmers having joined Mount Annan Swimming Club in 2018 at age 8 and regularly attending club nights. Following the long lockdown of 2021/2022 Cooper qualified for the NSW Junior Metro Championships for Under 13 Boys 50M freestyle. Cooper won the gold medal for his age group.
Cooper has qualified for multi-class swimming at State level for the past 3 years for Freestyle, backstroke, and breaststroke. He has always medalled at State Champs and at NSW All School’s Championships for the past four years.
His favourite stroke is breaststroke, and he is also hopeful of combining his love of swimming and Athletics into a successful triathlon at the All-Schools Nationals in 2022. Cooper is also the National record holder in athletics for u/15 T38 in the 100m, 200m and 800m. Congratulations Cooper!
Runner Up: Youth Sportsperson of the Year (12 – 16yrs) Ryan Carter – Macarthur Triathlon
WINNER Senior Sportsperson of the Year -Hayden Hooker –Western Suburbs District Rugby League Referees Association
Hayden Hooker is 18 years of age and has only been refereeing for six years. Hayden has an extensive list of achievements which includes receiving the Association’s ‘Best Performed Junior Referee’ Award for 2020, officiating in the NSWRLRA ‘Emerging Talent’ Squad in 2020, as well as being part of the NSWRLRA ‘Junior Rep’ Panel for 2021. Hayden has continued to impress the NSWRL Selectors and was selected to officiate in various games in the NSWRL Competitions and awarded the 2021 ‘Rookie of the Year for the NSWRL Referees Junior Reps Squad.
Hayden is considered to have the potential for a long and high-profile refereeing career, with enormous potential to become an NRL Referee in future years.
Runner Up: Senior Sportsperson of the Year – Megan Keller– Wests Hockey Club
WINNER Sports Club Team of the Year – Under 16’s Magpies Cricket Club
The Under 16’s Magpies Cricket team beat odds this year to field a team who became known as the CDCA Barbarians with a small core of the team having played together since Under 10’s and a bunch of new recruits from Tahmoor, Bradbury, and Westerners.
After refining fundamental training, some highs, and a few losses, they pulled some magic out of a hat and rolled the opposing team and secured a spot in the grand final. On grand final day, the odds were stacked against them, playing the third placed team featuring representative players and a slow damp wicket. After a challenging start the team came back to take five wickets for eight runs and bowl out the opposition for just over 100. The Magpies/Barbarians team chased down the runs with one over to spare and were declared the U16 premiers.
Runner Up: Sports Club Team of the Year – Senior 2nd Grade – Magpies Cricket Club
WINNER – Spirit of Sport – Rosina Anson – Tennis Macarthur
Rosina Anson joined the council of Tennis Macarthur management in 2004 and has been the Tennis Macarthur Honorary Competition Secretary since 2011. She also manages and personally plays in two separate daytime Ladies Doubles Competitions on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Rosina, in detailed monthly reports, keeps the Management Council well informed and assists across all competitions. But it does not end there. We are told Rosina does everything with heart, organising the Christmas BBQ lunch, Christmas food drive for homeless and disadvantaged people, and consistently shows a personal interest in the player’s health and wellbeing off the court including during difficult lockdowns. Tennis Macarthur said in their nomination “Tennis Macarthur is like a family and while tennis gets people on the courts, it is really Rosina who keeps us all together”
Runner Up: Spirit of Sport- Aaron Purdey – Softball Macarthur
Martin Bullock, Wests Group Macarthur Sports Director says, “It is so rewarding year after year to meet the exceptional sporting talent from our region and celebrate those individuals and teams as well as the clubs that foster them in our Wests Sports Council program.”
In addition to the awards program, Wests Group Macarthur also provides a substantial amount of funding each year towards the ongoing success of each member club and association.
For more on the Wests Sports Council and Wests Group commitment to being the Home of Sport visit www.westslc.com.au/Sport.
Contact:
Katie Petkovski
Marketing & Community Engagement Officer
P (02) 4628 4188 | D (02) 4634 5683| M 0405 486 495| E katiep@westslc.com.au
