Tamworth Regional Council Sports Awards: Jack Davis takes out top gong

Davis was acknowledged for his achievements on multiple sporting platforms including BMX and Olympic weightlifting.

Davis also took out the Young Sports Star of the Year award.

Senior Coach of the Year was awarded to Geoff Sharpe for his commitment to the Kootingal Moonbi Rugby League Club ladies league tag team.

Sharpe’s hard work over the past three years has seen the side claim three consecutive premierships.

His passion and knowledge of the game encourages excellence and is second to none.

The Ken McKenzie Award for Services to Sport was presented to David Penna for his dedication to sport in Barraba which has spanned over 30 years.

Penna has worked in a voluntary position at the Barraba Sportsground, maintaining the field and helping with maintenance.

Penna has been president of the tennis club, held executive positions on the junior soccer and cricket committees and is heavily involved with the Rotary Campdraft.

In an award new to 2017, the Local Achiever Award was won by Kim McLean.

McLean is a hockey player who over the course of her sporting career has represented Tamworth in under 18s, NSW in under 21s, NSW Country and Australian Country Hockey.

She has been part of the leadership group for the Australian Country team for the past seven years.

The Tamworth Kangaroos were awarded the Sport Development Award for their work to develop women’s AFL.

The club doubled in numbers in 2017 after fielding their first ever women’s AFL team who went on to make it to the grand final.

The club was active in creating the new Tamworth Roosters combined juniors team after collaborating with other local clubs and gaining interest through a come and try day.

Tamworth Regional Council sport and recreation development officer Sam Eriksson said the event shows just how strong sport is in the local region.

“The nominations we received this year were outstanding and demonstrate the high level of ability we have in the region,” Eriksson said.

“We received over 70 nominations and the judges had a very tough time of selecting the winners. Sport in the Tamworth region is booming right now, which is fantastic to see the community getting active and having a great time.”

The special guest speaker Amna Karra-Hassan told the crowd of her challenges in developing a multicultural women’s AFL side – of which some participants had never even tried the sport.

She founded the Auburn Women’s AFL Club and has worked to ensure women were inspired to try the sport which has resulted in the club having over 100 women play for it since it’s first game in 2011. The awards were held on Thursday at West League Club and attended by over 160 guests.

Tamworth Regional Council Sports Person of the Year and Young Sports Star of the Year: Jack Davis

Senior Coach of the Year: Geoff Sharpe

Young Coach of the Year: Jake Mitchell

Cara Hickson Memorial Award for Special Achievement in Sport: Libby Magann

Ken McKenzie Award for Services to Sport: David Penna

Local Achiever Award: Kim McLean

Sport Development Award: Tamworth Kangaroos

Junior Sports Star of the Year (aged under 14) : Ben Chick

Senior Sports Star of the Year: Jessica Aldridge

Junior Sports Team of the Year (under 14s): Tamworth Public School Girls Hockey Team

Senior Sports Team of the Year (18+): Under 20s Girls Oztag

Young Sports Team of the Year: Under 18 Boys Thunderbolts

Tamworth Regional Sporting Hall of Fame inductee: Lauren Hogan

Hall of Fame inductee: John Porch

Olympic Honour Wall inductee: John Porch

Olympic Honour Wall inductee: Bill Chaffey