This year’s Australia Day sporting awards have been won by a footballer, a horse rider and a tennis club volunteer.
Brianna Watson was Cobar’s Sportsperson of the Year for 2024.
The award is presented to someone who gains a high level of sporting achievement and demonstrates a significant contribution to the promotion, development and standard of their sport.
Brianna was the Cobar Roosterettes Ladies League Tag Best and Fairest Player and leading try scorer in the 2023 season, the Castlereagh Ladies League Tag Player of the Year and was a representative in the Western Rams and NSWRL Blues League Tag squads.
She was also named Best & Fairest and Players’ Player of the Cobar Netball 2023 season and was part of the team that won the Indoor Netball grand final.
Zac Boland won the Kerrigundi Junior Sports Person Award.
This past year Zac has been busy representing the Cobar Pony Club, Zone 17 and Cobar High School at multiple equestrian events.
He has competed at State level, won Reserve Champion at the North West Equestrian Expo and has recently represented Pony Clubs Australia on a riding exchange program in China where Zac was part of the Australian team that achieved 2nd place in Dressage and 3rd in Showjumping.
Rob Smith collected the Service to Sport award as someone who encompasses longevity and service to a local sport.
As ‘Mr Tennis’, Rob demonstrates leadership and initiative to the Cobar Tennis Club.
He organizes competitions, teams, awards, the canteen, court hire, balls, maintenance and also volunteers his time to keep the clubhouse clean and tidy.
Rob ensures the facilities are there for anyone who wants to play tennis and provides a positive and welcoming environment for newcomers.
According to his nomination, without Rob’s ongoing dedication to the sport, tennis in Cobar would have folded years ago.
