This year’s crop as good as any as Geraldton Guardian honoured to be part of 50th award celebrations

The Geraldton Guardian is honoured to help celebrate 50 years of the Geraldton Guardian Mid West Sports Awards. The awards have grown from just one award at the first ceremony in 1972 to encompass 11 categories and recognise every facet of the sporting landscape. All those who have been nominated represent the very best of the Mid West. This year’s finalists have all achieved fantastic results on or off the court and just to be nominated is an outstanding achievement. One thing to notice in this year’s list is the number of multi-code athletes, with six junior and senior sports stars nominated for multiple sports. Only two previous winners — Ken Pepper in 1975 (cricket and golf) and Joshua Bowen in 2014 (hockey and tennis) — have won multiple sports but another could soon join them this year. The opposite has been true for off-field exploits, with it often being the case that the same volunteers put their hand up for multiple roles across the region. Four of the past six winners have been awarded for multiple roles. Nearly every major sport from athletics to water polo is represented in one category or another and is a testament to the strength across the region. Being in the top job is never easy and the candidates for coach of the year are a strong field. Dayle Joseph led the Buccs all the way until the NBL1 finals in a massive recovery job from a poor 2021, while Gary Clark continues to guide our elite athletes and is now molding future Olympians as part of the new identification program launched earlier this year. Nathan Johansen led Railways women’s to the finals while also coaching the Mid West talent squad in their inaugural year and led the country week women’s side to third place. Leanne Fiorenza has built an unbeatable team, with Aztecs netball going two years unbeaten, while player-coach Paul Valenti got his Rovers men’s to a hockey title along with guiding the Martians in softball. He isn’t the only coach who gets out on the field, as Chapman Athletic life member Darren Merchant continues to lead the historic club while still finding time to lace up the boots himself for reserves, while former Australian polocrosse captain Jane Marriott led the Mid West team to victory. Jake Peacock has two fighters in Eric Kyanga and Frauke Rawlings nominated for junior sports star of the year and he himself has been rewarded with a nomination. The talent of the region continues to impress and there couldn’t be a stronger list to commemorate 50 years of these awards. We look forward to a fantastic night of celebration. 2022 FINALISTS JUNIOR SPORTS STAR OF THE YEAR Abby Green (equestrian, cricket, football, hockey) Adam Badbury (cricket, football, basektball) Alyssa Piper (hockey) Caitlin Mundy (hockey) Charlotte Pilsneniks (cheer & dance) Christi Bestry (athletics) Eric Kyanga (boxing) Frauke Rawlings (boxing) Harry Evans (basketball) Isla Mulligan (water polo) Jasmine Johansen (football) Jy Thurston (softball, football) Kodi Giltrow (cricket, football) Lachy Toomath (water polo) Neveah Hill (athletics/AFL) Paige Carslake (soccer) Ricky Edwards (motocross) Sarah Pilsneniks (cheer & dance) Tayah Palmer (football) Tom Dobson (basketball) Zeke Forrester (soccer) SENIOR SPORTS STAR OF THE YEAR Callum Williamson (speedway/sprintcar) Eliza Hebiton (equestrian) Emma Smith (water polo) Johny Narkle (basketball) Kobi Toomath (water polo) Libby Shuttlewood (netball) Olivia Bidwell (cricket, soccer, AFL) Paul Christmass (croquet) Shayne Wass (hockey) ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR Alison Cooper (hockey) Denise Bell (softball) Emma Streich (soccer) Lauren Norris (touch football) Nerolie Gerreyn (basketball) Paula Steenson (clay target & soccer) Rod Owen (football) ATLAS INCLUSION AWARD Champion Bay Surf Lifesaving Club Geraldton Masters Swimming Club Geraldton Surf Lifesaving Club — Starfish Nippers CLUB OF THE YEAR Chapman Athletic Soccer Club Fenix Geraldton Buccaneers Morawa Netball Club Rovers Cardinals Hockey Club COACH OF THE YEAR Darren Merchant (soccer) Dayle Joseph (basketball) Gary Clark (athletics) Jake Peacock (boxing) Jane Marriott (polocrosse) Leannne Fiorenza (netball) Nathan Johansen (football) Paul Valenti (hockey, softball) OFFICIAL OF THE YEAR Aimee Hagan (water polo) Chris Collins (cricket) David Wann (touch football) Hailee Horsman (netball) Jarrod Purcher (basketball) Jaya Piper (hockey) Ronnie Toomath (water polo) SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR Annette Cooper (basketball) Carlo Licastro (soccer) Clint Yeates (cricket) James Gardiner (football) Rob Christoffersen (golf) TEAM OF THE YEAR Aztecs Senior 1 Netball Team Cardinals Women A-grade Hockey Team Chapman Valley Women’s Football Team Coorow Latham Football Club Fenix Geraldton Buccaneers GNFL Womens Country Championship Team Pumas Junior 1 Netball Team Rover Football Club Towns Cricket Club