From an inspirational dressage rider to a champion swimmer many of the Shoalhaven great sportspeople were acknowledged as part of the local Australia Day celebrations.
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A ceremony was held at the Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre on Thursday evening to celebrate the region’s many glorious sportspeople.
Many others were also rewarded by named in the Shoalhaven Hall of Sporting Fame.
Shoalhaven City Council’s Hall of Sporting Fame celebrates the outstanding achievements of the region’s home-grown elite athletes once every four years in three categories.
This year eight successful nominations were acknowledged, and their citations will be displayed in the foyer of Council’s Administration Building.
Mayor of Shoalhaven City, Amanda Findley, said she was incredibly proud of all residents who have been recognised at the celebrations.
“The Shoalhaven Australia Day Awards allows the community to nominate individuals in their community who have gone above and beyond to make a difference in the lives of others,” she said.
“With so many categories to choose from now, from our young sportsperson, our sportsperson and those that make a wonderful contribution to arts, the environment or help improve inclusive activities in the Shoalhaven.”
The winners were:
Sports Person Award
Victoria Davies
Victoria is an inspirational dressage rider who at 34 years old, has won every major Australian FEI Para Equestrian title.
Victoria was acknowledged for her dedication to her sport and representing the Shoalhaven at an elite level. Victoria is an inspiration to all those around her and in her sport.
Junior Sports Person Award
Jasmine Greenwood
Jasmine has shown outstanding dedication to her sport of swimming.
She is a determined leader who has worked hard to achieve her sporting goals.
As an active student at Shoalhaven High School she is also a school captain at the Bay and Basin Amateur Swim Club, promoting the club and inspiring other young people in the sport.
Jasmine was the youngest member of the Australian Dolphin Para Swim team to represent Australia at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
2019 Shoalhaven City Council Sporting Hall of Fame Inductees
Shoalhaven Elite Athlete Category
Alexander Halank
Alexander Halank boasts more than 14 national windsurfing titles across multiple disciplines including, wavesailing, freestyle, slalom, freerace, Bic Techno 293 Plus, raceboard and formula to his name.
The St Georges Basin resident was 15-years-of age, represented Australia in the sport of windsurfing and continues to grow as a highly skilled windsurfer.
In 2018 he represented Australia in the World Sailing Youth Championship in Texas, USA, his third year representing the Australian Sailing Youth Team.
Christopher Coulthart
Christopher Coulthart, like many people with physical limitations, has never let them stand in the way of him achieving his goals in his chosen sport.
As a rugby player he has represented at the highest levels, as both an able-bodied athlete and adaptive sportsperson, including representing Australia.
A proud Shoalhaven resident Christopher has played more than 330 senior games for Shoalhaven Rugby Football Club including 240 first grade games.
Christopher became one of the first team members of the Australian Deaf Rugby Team (ADR) that played against South Africa in 1994.
He went on to play further games for the ADR against New Zealand and Japan during 2001-2002 and was also part of the team that and contested the inaugural Deaf Rugby World Championships in New Zealand in 2002.
In 1992 Christopher was part of the NSW Country Rugby Union 1st XV team that played the touring Scottish national team and was also part of the squad when they took on the Italian national team in Nowra in 1994.
Christopher has represented Australia in his chosen sport and has continued to be involved in rugby in Shoalhaven.
While achieving personal success in the sport he is currently an active junior coach for the Shoalhaven Rugby Football Club and was named in two ‘teams of the decade’ at the Club’s 50th Anniversary Celebrations in 2018.
Jack Murchie
Canberra Raiders player Jack Murchie played junior rugby league for the Milton Ulladulla Bulldogs and is a player to watch.
The 21-year-old is now an National Rugby League (NRL) player and has forged a career through the Canberra Raiders junior system playing at the highest junior representative level.
In 2018 the talented forward made his first-grade debut with the Canberra Raiders against Cronulla Sharks in Round 19.
Jack, in 19 games last season in all grades, scored eight tries, made 217 runs for 2262 metres, had nine line-breaks, 52 tackle breaks, four try assists and made 435 tackles.
Kaitlyn Bryce
Born in the Shoalhaven Kaitlyn Bryce is a professional netballer with the Adelaide Thunderbirds who has competed in her chosen sport at the highest level.
Kaitlyn started her netball career when she was eight years old with the Rebels Netball Club Nowra and went on to represent the Shoalhaven in the under 12s, under 13s, under 14s, under 15s at club and NSW state titles.
As a teenager, she was selected to the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) for her netball talent and her versatility as a player.
Her career blossomed as she was named in several state, national and Australian under 17s and under 19’s teams and was the under 21’s Australian captain.
Kaitlyn was selected to play with the NSW Swifts in 2016.
During this time, she returned to the Shoalhaven to support the junior netball community holding training and coaching clinics.
At 23 years of age Kaitlyn has been identified as a rare talent mid-court netball player and in 2018 was contracted to the Adelaide Thunderbirds in the Suncorp Super Netball series.
Kalindi Commerford
Kalindi Commerford is an Australian field hockey player who started her junior sporting career in the Shoalhaven.
As a former Ulladulla Jets player, at the age of 11 Kalindi began playing for Wollongong University and Jamberoo Hockey Club.
Kalindi has represented the South Coast at the NSW Championships in both indoor and outdoor hockey and was selected for the Hockey Australia Development Squad.
In 2016 she made her international debut with the Australian Hockeyroos’ and scored a goal that enabled the team to beat New Zealand.
Victoria Davies
Victoria Davies -is an inspirational dressage rider and has won every major Australian FEI Para Equestrian title and has called the Shoalhaven her home for more than 25 years.
Diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at nine-years-of-age and undergoing multiple major joint replacements, Victoria was also later diagnosed in 2016 with serious neck condition of Basilar Invagniation and spinal cord compression.
Victoria has not let challenges stand in the way of a highly successful equestrian career.
Victoria’s achievements show her dedication and passion for her chosen sport and aims to compete at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
Shoalhaven Sporting Hero Category
Alan Clark
Alan Clark has made an outstanding contribution to Shoalhaven cricket and gone above and beyond to ensure the history of his favourite sport is accurately recorded for future generations.
Alan first became involved with the Shoalhaven District Cricket Association (SDCA) as an umpire and became the official district recorder for the Shoalhaven in 1976 a position he held until 2012.
As a sports reporter for the South Coast Register he maintained and recorded much of the Shoalhaven’s cricket history and achievements.
In 1980 he compiled a history for the Nowra Cricket Club and went on to publish another six books for the SDCA and its clubs, recording the centenary of the association and the jubilee of the junior grades.
His ‘Behind the Stump’ section chronicled the history and achievements of the region’s clubs and players. Alan’s integral role in sports media has been acknowledged on several occasions by Cricket NSW.
From 1981-82 Alan represented the Shoalhaven at the South Coast and Highlands Cricket Council and in 1985 became the registrar.
Alan continued in that role when the Cricket Council body became Southern Zone Cricket Incorporated until his retirement in 2012.
Shoalhaven Sporting Animal Category
Andaluka Elegido
Shoalhaven’s international award-winning dressage champion Andaluka Elegido has been described as one of the most prestigious performance PRE-Spanish stallions within Australasia.
Foaled 2005 and standing 16hh, the talented stallion is affectionately known as ‘Eddy’ taking his owner/trainer Victoria Davies, an FEI Para Equestrian rider to Elite level success.
The international champion first made history in 2013 by becoming the first PRE-Spanish horse to be selected for an Australian High-Performance Squad, holding this title for four years until his retirement in December 2017.
