Tamworth Swans shocked by surprise Regional Sports Award nomination

Former co-coach and player, Josh Jones, is a finalist in the Local Achiever category, for which he was nominated by the Swans. But the club itself is also a finalist in the Sports Development category, and neither president Josh McKenzie nor netball coordinator Hannah McKenzie knows where that nomination came from.

Not that they minded. As far as Hannah was concerned, it was a most welcome surprise.

"It's really nice that what we've tried to do in the Swans space is recognised," Hannah said.

"It's a really proud moment to see that what you've tried to do in terms of AFL and in terms of netball and inclusivity and all of those factors that people are appreciating it."

And while Josh is very pleased with the progress the Swans have made in the AFL sphere in recent years, he said the club's nomination is most likely down to its resounding success in the three years since it first fielded a netball team.

"The growth [in netball] has been phenomenal," Josh said.

"We've gone from three teams, to six teams, to 10 teams, and next year we'll have Tamworth Public School juniors playing under the Swans umbrella.

"In three short years, it shows the work that's been done the way that our club's been embraced by the netball community."

Each and every local sporting club relies on volunteers to continue functioning, whether they be running water, setting up the fields, or serving food.

The Swans are no different, and Josh said winning the award would serve as recognition for those parents, partners, and fans of sport who give their time to the club.

"It's important for sporting groups in Tamworth to be recognised like that, whether it's our club or other clubs," he said.

"Especially for the volunteers that do a lot of largely thankless hours providing a pretty important service to the community."

In contrast to the shock of the club's nomination in the Sports Development category, Jones' status as a finalist was far less surprising.

Having dominated AFL North West to be named the competition Best and Fairest, the Swans' Best and Fairest, and the highest goal-kicker in the club, Jones had a landmark year.

Though he has since moved to Albury and will not be able to attend the presentation night, Jones said being a finalist in the Local Achiever category was another in a long list of fond memories he made with the Swans.

"There's been a lot of far more impressive people than me in the last 12 months, so to be in the same calibre as them, it's quite humbling," he said.

"The Swannies will always have a massive space in my heart, and those friendships and I'd say family I made in my time in Tamworth will never be forgotten."

The Tamworth Regional Sports Awards winners will be announced at a presentation ceremony on November 25 from 6pm at the West Tamworth League Club.

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