Mid West sports stars come out to win
It’s the time of year for the same three words — big, bigger, biggest.
It seems the only change with The Geraldton Guardian/Mid West Sports Federation annual awards are the names of the nominees.
This newspaper has served Geraldton for 113 years. Sport, in one form or another, has also been going for “donkey’s years” in and around the capital of the Mid west.
In the early 1970s the pair became partners — and tonight will be the 48th version of the two presenting the Mid West sports awards.
It’s a partnership which has no peer in rural or regional Australia.
So it is little wonder the awards are so sought after — and so well regarded by individuals, teams, companies and associations.
This time last year, Eneabba ironwoman Caroline Ashby “blew people away” at the Queens Park Theatre when describing her training and racing routine after being crowned the senior sports star of the year.
Three sports — cricket, sailing and hockey — each have two nominations for the top gong this year.
But Aaron McAuliffe and Janelle Phillips (cricket) Phil and Caitlyn Epps (sailing) and Emma Bowen and Kurt Crudeli (hockey) will face hot competition from Kingsley Smith (football), Jaeger Stone (windsurfing), Marissa Drummond (mountain biking), Melissa Kiddle (Taekwon-do), Marcus Alipate (basketball) and Dion Harrison (softball).
Basketball (Josh Hunt and Kayley King), football (Judd McVee, Jed Hagan), soccer (Olivia Bidwell, Matthew Greenlees), surf lifesaving (Emily MacPherson, Mitchell Keene) and Taekwon-do (Claire Luces, Kelsie Williams) each have two nominations for the junior sports star of the year.
The 10 will be up against Jy Thurston (softball), Jake Hagan (surfing), Joshua Carter (tennis) and Caitlin Mundy (hockey).
Two cricket teams — the under-16 Country Week team and the Sportsmans A-grade men’s team and two netball teams — Three Springs A-grade side and the Geraldton Waves under-18 side — will contest the Geraldton Greenough Financial Services team of the year with the Men’s Division 1 Country Week hockey team and the Geraldton Buccaneers SBL side.
Dayle Joseph, coach of the title-winning Buccs, is in line for the Sportfirst coach of the year — as are Sulwyn Mutter and Kelly Eastough (both netball), Warrick Sullivan (hockey), Jason Bradley (Twaewon-do) and Gerard Marquis (cricket).
Either Kevin Exten (lawn bowls), Bethwyn Wyatt (soccer), Rick Giles (water polo), Nic Rafanelli (cricket) or Rod Owen (football/surf lifesaving and MWAS) will go home with the plaque as the Young Motors administrator of the year.
Hockey’s Mikala Cooper, Bradley (Taekwondo), Tanya Burges (netball), Willow Williamson (surf lifesaving), Annette Cooper (hockey/basketball) and Marquis (cricket/football) are in line for the Ian Blayney MLA official of the year.
The Geraldton Yacht Club, the Abrolhos Football Club (soccer) and the Three Springs Netball Club will fight out the Bylund Club of the year.
Other awards to be presented include The Geraldton Guardian Local Achievers award and the Geraldton Toyota-MWAS Athlete of the year.
One person more excited than those nominated is Perth-based sports personality Tim Gossage who will MC the awards night.
“Cannot wait,” Gossage said.
“This will be the third year I have been the MC. I just love it — it’s a fun night where people love to share their stories.
“And there are plenty of good sports people and stories from Geraldton and the Mid West. I was gobsmacked when I first learnt of some of those who originated from the area.
“Whether it’s at an international, national or state level, there have been so many outstanding sportsmen and women come from your area. I have enormous admiration for them and what they have done.”
THE NOMINEES 2019 GERALDTON GUARDIAN MID WEST SPORTS AWARDS
CROTHERS CONSTRUCTION SENIOR SPORTS STAR OF THE YEAR
Phil Epps - Sailing
Marissa Drummond - Mountain Bike
Kingsley Smith - Football
Jaeger Stone - Windsurfing
Melissa Kiddle - Taekwon-Do
Janelle Phillips - Cricket
Marcus Alipate - Basketball
Emma Bowen - Hockey
Caitlyn Epps - Sailing
Dion Harrison - Softball
Kurt Crudeli - Hockey
Aaron McAuliffe - Cricket
KARARA MINING LTD JUNIOR SPORTS STAR OF THE YEAR
Josh Hunt - Basketball
Jy Thurstun - Softball
Kayley King - Basketball
Judd McVee - Football (AFL)
Claire Luces - Taekwon-Do
Jake Hagan - Surfing
Joshua Carter - Tennis
Mitchell Keene - Surf Life Saving / Football
Kelsie Williams - Taekwon-Do
Caitlin Mundy - Hockey
Jed Hagan - Football (AFL)
Olivia Bidwell - Soccer
Emily MacPherson - Surf Life Saving
Matthew Greenlees - Soccer
GERALDTON GREENOUGH FINANCIAL SERVICES TEAM OF THE YEAR
U16 Junior Country Week Cricket Team - Cricket
Men's Div 1 Country Week Hockey Team - Hockey
Three Springs A Grade Netball Team - Netball
Geraldton Buccaneers SBL Basketball Team -Basketball
Sportsmans Men's A Grade Cricket Team - Cricket
Geraldton Waves 18&U Div 2 Metro League Netball team - Netball
SPORTFIRST COACH OF THE YEAR
Dayle Joseph - Basketball
Sulwyn Mutter - Netball
Warrick Sullivan - Hockey
Jason Bradley - Taekwon-Do
Gerard Marquis - Cricket
Kelly Eastough - Netball
YOUNG MOTORS ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR
Kevin Exten - Lawn Bowls
Bethwyn Wyatt - Soccer
Rick Giles - Water Polo
Nic Rafanelli - Cricket
Rod Owen - Football / MWAS / Surf Life
IAN BLAYNEY MLA OFFICIAL OF THE YEAR
Mikala Cooper - Hockey
Jason Bradley - Taekwon-Do
Tanya Burges - Netball
BRIAN "PUTTER" SMITH SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Willow Williamson - Surf Life Saving
Annette Cooper - Hockey / Basketball
Gerard Marquis - Cricket / Football
BYLUND CLUB OF THE YEAR
Geraldton Yacht Club - Sailing
Abrolhos Football Club - Soccer
Three Springs Netball Club - Netball
IBIS STYLES GERALDTON - ATLAS INCLUSION AWARD
Netball WA - Midwest Gascoyne and Katherine Garraway - Netball
* OTHER AWARDS
GERALDTON GUARDIAN LOCAL ACHIEVER'S AWARD
GERALDTON TOYOTA - MWAS ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
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