Just as our Olympians returned home from Rio, the next generation of athletes from NSW were being feted at a reception in State Parliament this week.
More than 50 MPs swapped political debate to attend a function held to formally recognise the outstanding achievements of junior athletes from sports academies across NSW.
The Macarthur and Liverpool regions were well represented with three South West Sydney Academy of Sport athletes taking pride of place at the reception.
They were Australian tenpin bowling representative Daniel Webb, wheelchair basketball sensation and U25 World Championships silver medallist Jessica Cronje and rising softball star Jack Morel.
Jessica Cronje – the joint 2016 South West Sydney Academy athlete of the year – was a favourite with guests and received an outstanding round of applause for her remarkable recent achievements.
Cronje is now very close to winning selection to the next Paralympic Games.
And while the reception was hosted by the Speaker of the House, Shelly Hancock and attended by the Minister for Sport, Stuart Ayres, it all came together thanks to the executive director of this region’s academy, Gerry Knights.
Mr Knights, recognized as one of the most experienced sport administrators in NSW, organizes the annual reception on behalf of all regional academies in NSW.
The aim of the function is simple: to recognise the excellent work of NSW academies and their athlete successes.
In his speech, Mr Ayres commended all NSW academies on the quality of athletes being developed and also paid tribute to the invaluable support provided by their many volunteers.
Mr Knights acknowledged and formally thanked the academy’s principal local sponsors, South32 Illawarra Coal and the Campbelltown Catholic Club.
Fellow academy board member and Western Sydney University Dean of School of Science and Health, Professor Gregory Kolt, also commended the three local athletes.
Prof Kolt highlighted the wonderful quality of sports people and volunteers in Sydney’s south west.
For more information on academy programs contact Gerry Knights by phoning 4627 7622, emailing gerry.knights@swsas.org.au or visit the academy website here.
