Dedication to sport acknowledged by Australia Day awards

Mayor Lilliane Brady and 2016 Australia Day ambassador Andrew Heslop (at far right) with sports awards winners Ben Griffiths (Kerrigundi Award) and Kaila Wharton (Sports Person of the Year) at the Cobar Memorial Swimming Pool yesterday.
Mayor Lilliane Brady and 2016 Australia Day ambassador Andrew Heslop (at far right) with sports awards winners Ben Griffiths (Kerrigundi Award) and Kaila Wharton (Sports Person of the Year) at the Cobar Memorial Swimming Pool yesterday.

Three sporting awards were presented as part of the Australia Day awards ceremony yesterday at the Cobar Memorial Swimming Pool with Ben Griffiths, Kaila Wharton and Scott Griffiths acknowledged for their contributions to their chosen sports.

Ben won the Kerrigundi Award, which goes to a person up to the age of 24 years who has excelled in sport at a level where they have represented the Cobar district or have been chosen to participate outside the Cobar district.

Over the past year Ben has had an outstanding year in football (soccer).

Ben played for the Western NSW Mariners, Western School Sports Association and the Far West Academy of Sport soccer teams.

He was also awarded the Cobar Public School Senior Boy Swimming Champion, Senior Boy Athletics Champion and was a member of the schools rugby league, touch football and soccer teams and collected the school’s Sportsperson of the Year award.

BMX rider Georgie Buckman, who last year was ranked 7th in the state, was also nominated for the Kerrigundi award.

Kaila was presented with the Sports Person of the Year award for her achievements in 2015 in horse riding.

Kalia is a member of the Cobar Pony Club and last year competed at club, zone, state and national levels.

Her greatest achievements for 2015 came at Pony Club Australia’s national Championships in South Australia.

Kalia was one of six individuals that made up Pony Club NSW’s Senior Eventing team.

Her team finished second, with Kalia ranked number one in NSW and 5th nationally.

Other sportspeople also nominated in this category were: Ben Griffiths (football), Jacob Ryan (golf), Hannah Kriz (athletics) and Andrew Rorke (athletics), Lisa Travis (netball and League Tag) and Nikki Davey (netball and League Tag).

The Services to Sport Award was awarded to Scott Griffiths for his contribution to Cobar Junior Soccer.

Mr Griffths’ nomination outlined his dedication to sport as president of both the Cobar Junior Soccer Club and Western Plains Amateur Soccer Association.

Over the past season Mr Griffths also coached two senior teams, set up and packed up the fields, and secured sponsorship for the club’s activities.

Also nominated for their services to sport were Zoë Harland (Cobar Triathlon & Athletics Squad) and Renee Matheson (Cobar Junior Netball).