About the Cootamundra Sports Foundation

The Cootamundra Sports Foundation was formed in February 1974 meaning the organisation celebrated its 50th birthday in 2024.

The inaugural committee was formed with President Jim McDonald, Secretary Max Rudd, Treasurer Adrian Bradley, Vice-Presidents Peter Rowe, Wal Ward and Frank Smith and Directors Roger Creagh, Eddie George, Jim Lenehan, Brian O’Malley, Ray Shurmer, Mick Sheil, Tommy Spain and Ross Sterland.

The aim of the Cootamundra Sports Foundation was to promote sport, bring sporting guests to town and most importantly to foster “Charity in Sport”.

It was a vision of the first Executive that the Foundation would raise funds to help sportspeople who were financially disadvantaged to follow their sporting goals.

Noted sportspeople were guests at a dinner, that would help raise funds for the organisation which were then given to community sporting groups and also provide an opportunity for locals to meet these people.

The first guest speaker was dual international footballer Rex Mossop and the second was Australian Cricket captain Ian Chappell. Other early guests were yachtsman Jim Hardy, tennis player Evonne Goolagong, rugby union international Trevor Allen and ABC sporting commentator Norman May.

In 1984 the first Sportsperson of the Year Presentation Dinner was held with Paul Field named as the inaugural Cootamundra Sportsman of the Year after he represented NSW in the State of Origin series in 1983.

The major award presented each year is the Frank Smith Memorial Trophy, named after a person who contributed much to the sporting community of Cootamundra.

The Junior Sportsperson of the Year was first named in 1985 and the Team of the Year first awarded in 1992.

There are also awards presented for Local Sportsperson, Rising Star, Junior Sporting Team and Sports Administrator.

In 2011, the current committee also decided to award the Max Rudd Memorial Trophy for “Service to Sport”.

Cootamundra Community Support

The Cootamundra business community continues to be very generous in their support of the Foundation and their donations have allowed the organisation to maintain its support to local young sportspeople, schools and sporting groups.

This support is greatly appreciated by the committee.

All money raised is used to provide financial support to young sportspeople in the Cootamundra district and maintain two honour boards, which are situated in the Town Hall foyer.

In recent years the level of donations has increased significantly, with funds directed toward junior sportspeople in a variety of individual and team sports.