Annual Awards 2015
2015 Frank Smith Memorial Sportsperson of the Year
Samantha Maxwell – Rugby Union
Talented junior sportsperson Samantha Maxwell collected the top award for her outstanding year in women’s rugby.
At Club level Sammy played for Wagga City as there was no local team. She won the Best and Fairest and Players Player, top try scorer and top point scorer awards for the “Boiled Lollies”.
Selection in the Southern Inland representative team was the next step and Sammy captained the Southern Inland Rugby Union women’s 7’s team that played an exhibition match before 9000 people in Wagga.
Sammy was named captain of the Brumbies ACT Schoolgirls 7’s rugby team that contested the national titles, where the ACT team finished third overall – their highest ranking.
Her outstanding form at these titles saw Sammy named in the Australian Schoolgirls Sevens team to compete in the 2015 Youth Commonwealth Games held in Samoa.
The Australians won the gold medal with Sammy playing a key role in the team.
Sammy also excels in other sports including athletics and cross country.
Sammy has showed outstanding commitment, dedication, sportsmanship and leadership skills and with excellent support from her parents Chris and Patrece and the Cootamundra community, Sammy has progressed through the ranks to become an Australian representative.
Sammy Maxwell - an outstanding achievement from a talented young lady who has represented the Cootamundra district with distinction in 2015.
Junior Sportsperson of 2015
Joseph Trinder – Golf
Joseph continued his impressive performances in Golf in 2015.
He has previously won the Frank Smith Trophy for Sportsperson of the Year in 2013 and continues to impress everyone with his golfing ability whilst still at school.
Firstly at school level, Joseph represented Riverina both individually in match play and also in the team event at the state championships.
Joseph went on to win the NSW all schools match play championship, this is only the second time a Riverina boy has won this and he was named in the NSW merit team.
He received a Riverina Sporting Blue and was awarded the Cootamundra High School senior sportsman for the third year in a row.
Through NSW golf, Joseph was named in the NSW Junior Boys golf team to play at the Australian Junior Championships in Adelaide.
Joseph placed 25th in the individual event and in the team’s event, he played seven matches being defeated only once.
During the year, Joseph made the cut at two world ranking events. These were at Lake Macquarie and Avondale.
He finished 12th in the NSW Open Amateur Championships, 7th at the Concord Open Cup and 4th at the Victorian Junior Masters.
Locally, Joseph won both the South West Slopes Open and Junior Championships.
Joseph finished first in the Amateur Competition at the Cootamundra Legends Pro Am and was also a member of the Cootamundra Holden Scramble team that played in the National Final in December.
Encouragement Award
Alyssa Armstrong – Soccer
Talented junior soccer player Alyssa Armstrong had an outstanding year on the soccer field.
At club level Alyssa is a member of the Western NSW Mariners Football Club under 17’s team which finished as runners-up to Bankstown Football Club.
She captained the Riverina under 14’s team to a Country Championship title at Mudgee.
Alyssa was selected in the NSW Country under 15’s team which won the National Title at the FFA National Youth Championships held in Coffs Harbour, including a 2-1 win over NSW Metropolitan.
Alyssa also plays futsal and was a member of the NSW Country under 14’s team.
Her highlight in 2015 was to be invited to take part in Football NSW’s institute squad to play in Dallas, USA in early 2016. Alyssa really enjoyed the experience of competing against teams from all parts of the world.
A bright future awaits Alyssa Armstrong in the world of women’s football.
Team of the Year
Paul and Lachlan Deep – Golf
Golfing father and son duo Paul and Lachlan Deep won the Team of the Year award. From winning a unique competition at the local Cootamundra Golf Club they went on to win the Father and Son tournament in Fiji held over three days in both the scratch and nett events.
The tournament was held at the Denarau Golf and Racquet Club and at Natandola Bay, a world class 18 hole VJ Singh designed course.
Paul and Lachlan also teamed up with Lachlan’s twin brother Mitchell and Joseph Trinder in the national final of the Holden Scramble played at Twin waters in Queensland.
The Deep family has a strong background with golf in Cootamundra and Paul and Lachlan have continued on with that fine tradition.
Junior Team of the Year
Sacred Heart Year 3 & 4 Rugby Union team
The team competed in the Land Rover Cup which is administered by the ACT Brumbies.
The Land Rover Cup runs from March to May and around 115 primary school teams competed in eight district tournaments, with the winners then progressing to three regional finals and ultimately to the Land Rover Cup Grand Final which was played at GIO Stadium as a curtain-raiser to the Brumbies main game.
The best teams from each of the ACT, Southern Inland, and South Coast/Monaro regions were represented in these Finals, all vying for the inaugural Land Rover Cup trophy.
The Sacred Heart team comprised year 3/4 students (including one girl) and for many of them this was their first experience of Rugby Union although many had played Rugby League previously.
Despite the lack of experience the team gelled together really well and executed a simple game plan which is the most basic one – retain the ball and score.
The journey for the team started in Young, then Wagga (regional final) and finally through to the Grand Final at GIO stadium in Canberra where they played 2 games and came away undefeated.
The team had a great time and this reflected in the fact that quite a few of the boys have joined the Cootamundra Bears Junior Rugby Club this year.
Junior Team Merit Certificates
Local Sportsperson of 2015
Rod Fergus – Cycling
When you first arrive in Cootamundra one thing that is known about the town is that cycling is a big sport and that the Crowe family form a vital part of the history of the sport in the town.
In May each year, the Cootamundra Cycle Club, which was first formed in 1895, holds the prestigious Hay Carters race.
One of the biggest handicap races for its distance staged in NSW, the Cootamundra Hay Carters event continues to attract a large field of riders each year.
It is a trophy every road racer wants to win and in 2015 local Rod Fergus won it for the second time.
The 70km handicap event is a hard race with bunches of 20 to 30 riders all trying to get into a good position to win, particularly in the last 10 kilometres.
The race is fast and unrelenting, with riders averaging close to 50 kilometres per hour over the duration of the race.
Rod Fergus topped a field of 263 cyclists to win the race for the second time in his career.
Rod also won the Haycarter’s event in his late 20s, over 20 years ago.
Max Rudd Trophy – Service to Sport
Eric Thorburn
If there was anyone who deserved to be awarded the Max Rudd Memorial Trophy for service to sport in Cootamundra it is to this year’s recipient ERIC THORBURN.
Eric has been a stalwart of sport in Cootamundra and to the wider community for well over 50 years.
In country towns, successful junior and senior sporting groups help make the community stronger, and Eric has been a major contributor in this area.
Eric has a love of sport.
His association and contribution to sport, particularly cricket, in Cootamundra has been exceptional and probably won’t be repeated.
He was a manager/coach of junior cricket and involved with junior soccer for many years.
He was also involved with the Coota Blues for many years and played with Max Rudd as well.
I know Eric had great admiration and respect for Max Rudd as a sportsman and I’m sure Greg Rudd will be thrilled that Eric has been awarded a trophy in honour of his father.
Eric’s lengthy association and contribution to the Sports Foundation as treasurer has been invaluable to this committee.
Eric was awarded an Order of Australia in 2011 for service to cricket and the Cootamundra community, a well-deserved honour.
He has been a player, administrator, umpire, turf wicket curator (something he is still doing!!) for Cootamundra cricket.
He was the treasurer of Riverina Zone Cricket for 14 years, Secretary/Treasurer of the Southern Tablelands Zone for 12 years and also treasurer of the Northern Riverina Cricket Council for some time.
He was Chairperson of the Bradman Centenary Committee which coordinated a fantastic celebration of Sir Donald Bradman and is still a volunteer at the Bradman Cottage.
Eric was also a Director and Chairperson of the Country Club (1994-2008) and a member of the Cootamundra Golf Club.
His community work with the Lions Club, since 1976 is immeasurable and he has done a host of other work for the community, including Meals on Wheels and the Life Education Van.
2015 Sports Administrator Award
Mark Loiterton – Cycling
Mark took up cycling in his 30’s as part of his rehabilitation from knee surgery, loved the sport and joined the Cootamundra Cycle Club in 1991.
Soon after, he joined the committee and became involved with the club under the guidance of the cycling legend Skeeter Crowe and Peter Redman.
Mark continued as a committee member and became president 14 years ago, taking over from another member of the Crowe family – Rodney. Mark is still President of the Club.
In 2011 he was made a life member being presented with this award at the 2012 Haycarters event.
Mark is also a level three commissaire (referee) and has a moto-comm accreditation which allows him to officiate at Australian title events.
He adjudicates at both local and other NSW State events in this role.
Mark has also contributed to other sports including being President and committeeman of the Country Club Golf Section and was Chairman of the Country Club Board for three years.
Mark has also contributed to the Cootamundra Australian Football Club – “The Coota Blues” as a committeeman.
Mark “Zeke” Loiterton another great contributor to Cootamundra sport.
