The Shire of Collie has released the nominees for the shire’s annual Sportsperson of the Year awards to be held on Friday night at the Collie Italian Club.
Last year’s awards saw woodchopper Grant Campbell named the JL Mumme Medal winner as sportsperson of the year, while hockey player Emily Antonovich won the junior sportsperson of the year award.
Paul Reuben won the Robinson-Hannan Volunter of the Year award for his work with the Collie Junior Cricket Club and Annabelle Biffin won the Special Achievement award for her work as an underwater hockey umpire.
The 2018 sport award nominees are:
Sportsperson of the Year
Hayley Digney (underwater hockey)
Hayley was the highest goal scorer and won the senior fairest and best award at the Collie Underwater Hockey Club, the first time a female won the award in the club’s 50-year history. She also ran the club’s successful junior development program and was awarded the club person of the year award, on top of representing WA at the National Underwater Hockey Championships.
Gary Keep (bowls and darts)
Gary had a successful year in bowls which saw him take out the blue ribbon singles and the club pairs titles. He was made it to the last eight for the state singles championship and became the first country bowls player to win the state over 60s title. Gary also played the Champion of Champion singles in Perth, going down to the eventual winner. In darts, Gary was part of the Collie team that won the South West Championships in Busselton, while also winning the Collie Darts Association singles title, nominated pairs title and the Champion of Champion pairs.
Shaun Pianta (para-alpine skiing)
Shaun qualified for this year’s Paralympic games in Pyeongchang, South Korea after competing in several global competitions in 2017. After suffering a knee injury in January, he undertook intensive rehabilitation before competing with sighted guide Jeremy O’Sullivan at the 2018 Winter Paralympics, where he finished 14th in the slalom’s visually impaired division.
Junior Sportsperson of the Year
Jack Costa (soccer)
Jack was selected for the South West Phoenix Football Club as a goalkeeper. He won the Football Federation South West training centre goal keeper award last December and the under 14 golden glove award in March at the SWPFC pre-season NPL Tournament. Jack also represented WA at a tournament in Thailand in December and also took part in an international youth tournament in Singapore.
Alyssa Davidson (hockey)
Alyssa had a huge year of hockey playing for Rovers Hockey Club and Collie’s South West Hockey League team. She won the Collie Women’s Hockey Association and Rovers Hockey Club fairest and best for Intermediates and A-grade.
Shae Digney (underwater hockey)
Shae represented WA in the under 15 division of the National Underwater Hockey Championships where her team took home a bronze medal. Shae also won the junior fairest and best award for the Collie Underwater Hockey Club and at the Collie Cup, where she played alongside her peers from around the state.
Seth Hinsey (speedway)
Seth placed first in the junior racing drivers’ round in Collie and second in four other Collie events. Seth also travelled as far as Sharks Bay where he took first place in the Far Western Championship. Seth also took out multiple heat race wins and four more second places. Seth finished the speedway season finishing 14th in the state.
Katy O’Brien (swimming)
In the last year Katy has achieved multiple personal bests as she has competed in competitions throughout the South West. A keen breaststroke swimmer, she competed in the 2018 Hancock Prospecting Junior LC Championships for the first time and obtained a personal best. Katy won the under 12 female swimmer and the coaches’ award at the club championships.
An-ne Pelser (athletics)
During the 2017/18 season, An-ne broke club records in shot put, discus, javelin and high jump at the Collie River Valley Little Athletics Club. She went on to compete in four state events, including the Gosnells multi-event where she placed 3rd overall and the Dale multi-event where she placed 2nd. At the Bunbury Country Championships she placed first in five events and broke the discus championship record, before she later took out the state championship in discus.
Zac Smith (swimming)
Zac competed in three Swim WA sanctioned meets during the season and won two bronze medals. At the South West Swim carnival and 2018 Country Penants, Zac achieved 6 personal bests. He was also club champion for under 10 boys and the Year 5 Champion Boy for St Brigids.
Belle Ramshaw (hockey)
The Kobie McGurk Rising Star of 2018, CWHA Intermediates Fairest and Best joint winner and Rovers Intermediates F&B winner, Belle was also selected and played for the under 16 WA State Schools Girls team the South West Strikers and the Collie South West League team.
Tahlia Reichelt (polocrosse)
Tahlia made the change from Pony Club to Polocrosse in 2017, and she was selected for the under 12 WA team participating in the 2018 Swan Valley Australian Polocrosse Championships. Her efforts in the national competition have put her into the development squad in preparation for the next National Championships in Victoria in 2020.
Emilea Shepherd (hockey and swimming)
An active member of the Collie swimming and hockey clubs, Emilea competed widely in both state and local competitions. In the pool she came away ranked as the 2nd top performing female at the 2018 Country Penants. Emilea also had a successful year on the hockey field with her team, Rovers, winning the grand final. She was also part of the J7/8 Club Championship Team that competed in Perth and the Collie Hockey Association’s J7/8 Bunbury Carnival team.
Grace Sheppard (hockey)
Grace was selected for the WA State schools girls team that travelled to the Gold Coast and a member of the Collie South West League team. For the CWHA she was Intermediate runner-up fairest and best as well as highest goal scorer for Intermediates, A-grade and Mustangs Hockey Club.
Robinson-Hannan Volunteer of the Year
Tenneale Ireland (gymnastics)
Tenneale has been coaching gymnastics at the Collie PCYC for two years and her choreography skills, gymnastic background and coaching qualifications have made her an invaluable part of the club. Tenneale uses her own, time and money to plan lessons, attend state and regional competitions as well as staff meetings, workshops and training to ensure she keeps up with the latest training techniques and rule changes within gymnastics.
Margaret Swan (gymnastics)
Marg has been coaching gymnastics for the past 14 years and still enjoys watching the gymnasts progress through their personal journeys. Marg spends her own time planning lessons, attending meetings and regional and state competitions. Marg’s gymnastics background, technical knowledge, and coaching qualifications have made her an invaluable member of the Collie PCYC club.
Susan Riley (BMX)
Susan has been on the Collie BMX Club committee since 2017 as treasurer. Susan continued to take the club forward and in 2018 she took on the role as president of the club. Susan was the driving force behind many projects at the club including the renovation of the club kitchen, resurfacing of the track, and designing new jerseys. Susan has pushed for fundraising, applied for grants, organised quotes, volunteers and donations to enable the club to gain better facilities.
Rodney Latham (swimming)
Rod has been part of the Collie Swimming Club for over 10 years, filling roles in the committee when needed and volunteering at the club level and at regional meetings. This season, Rod was awarded life membership for his dedicated service to the club. Over the last year as president, Rod has organised a new and innovative Dolphin timing system that the club will use during club nights, school carnivals and swim meets.
Cara Swan (speedway)
Cara has been a member of the Collie Racing Drivers’ Association for many years. She took on a volunteer role of pit gate attendee for several years before moving on to the job of pit marshall. Cara is currently going into her third season as a pit marshall, as well as taking on the position of canteen manager for the association.
Michael Roney (football)
Mick was the Collie Eagles’ club person of the year this year. In his second year on the committee, Mick took on the role of clubrooms director and he also worked many hours in the canteen during junior and senior games. Mick took on organising the projects for the year, including the installation of a new playground and solar panels, while also coaching the year 2 junior team.
Michael Cain (boxing)
Michael has been coaching boxing for 15 years, with much of that time spent at the Collie PCYC, where his passion for boxing and teaching has shone through. Collie PCYC’s boxing program is partly run as a diversionary program for at risk youth and Michael does an amazing job at running the program, resulting in great changes in many of the kids who attend his classes.
Jamie Moloney (cycling)
Jamie has had a lifetime association with the Collie Cycle Club, being a competitor throughout his childhood and youth and stepping up to become a committee member for the last 15 years. Jamie was heavily involved in organising and coordinating both the Tom Lowry Memorial Race and the Collie to Donnybrook Return Classic, where he took responsibility for everything from traffic management, fundraising and promotion.
Tom Edwards (bowls)
Tom has been heavily involved with the Collie Bowling Club for the last 35 years and was awarded life membership in 1999. Tom organised the replacement of the synthetic turf at the club, coordinated volunteers to remove the old turf, and in return saved the club $60,000 in manual labour. Tom was the man responsible for getting the paper recycling station at the bowls club up and running.
Shane Cole (soccer)
As the president, and sometimes coach, of the Collie Power Soccer Club Shane has seen both the men’s and women’s teams gain victory in cup finals. Shane has been working non-stop to secure permanent lighting at the grounds and was instrumental in getting the best female soccer player in the world, Sam Kerr, to Collie to boost the profile of women’s soccer in Collie.
Special Achievement
Collie Cricket Club 2017/2018 Year 8 team
The year 8 team were premiers in the Bunbury and Districts Cricket Association for the last season. Aaron Worlley coached the team made up of Adam Worlley, Zak Reuben, Josh Elliott, Brayden Coverley, Taj Jackson, Liam Wilson, Max Ireland, Judd Rinder, Jackson Broadbent, Robbie Chitty and Baxter Miller.
Wall of Champions
The Shire of Collie also received two nominations for entry onto the Wall of Champions.
Darren O’Brien (football)
Darren played 63 league games for West Perth where he won the Falcons’ fairest and best award in 1994 and played in the 1995 WAFL premiership. He was then drafted by Melbourne and played 24 AFL games between 1996 and 1997.
Brendon Retzlaff (football)
Brendon played 66 WAFL games for Swan Districts and Peel Thunder as well as 24 AFL games for the Brisbane Bears, West Coast and Fremantle, where he was one of the club’s foundation players. Brendon also claimed the Simpson Medal for best on ground in the 1991 state game against South Australia.