It was a night when the achievements of local sport stars took centre stage.
But none shone more brightly at the annual awards and graduation dinner of South West Sydney Academy of Sport than Camden’s 14 year old athletics track and field sensation Nakeisha Brimble.
Nakeisha was named athlete of the year, which was some effort considering the top shelf fellow athletes bidding for the big award of the night.
The academy’s long serving executive director Gerry Knights said he was proud of the achievements of so many amazing academy athletes.
Knights said choosing the athlete of the year had been a very difficult decision, with so many athletes representing at the state, national and international level across 17 different sports over the past 12 months.
“And being a top athlete, is only part of being a holistic athlete as far as the academy award selection panel is concerned,’’ he said.
“The panel looks for those special athletes that possess the defining personal qualities of a positive attitude, total commitment to task, leadership, respect and responsibility, and a commitment to community.’’
The presentation was once a again a sell-out, with more than 500 guests, including some of Australia’s finest athletes, sports supremos, politicians and local government administrators packing the Cube at Campbelltown Caholic Club for the function on August 10.
The evening brought together all things good in Australian sport and was an inspirational experience, of past sporting glories and messages from a who’s-who of Australia’s finest national and international heroes.
Academy chairperson Peter Campbell spoke with passion about the importance and value of the academy to our region and congratulated its 300 plus athletes and over 50 volunteer coaching and support staff members, plus the hundreds of supportive parents.
Across the room local politicians representing the three tiers of Australian government also expounded the virtues of the region’s Academy and its amazing local athletes, while individually re-affirming their support for the academy’s future.
Mr Knights acknowledged the outstanding support it receives from its major partners, the NSW Government, Campbelltown Catholic Club and SOUTH32 Illawarra Coal, plus its local councils, senior sporting organisations and corporate business partners.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“The partnership with these fine organisations and the inclusion of additional quality businesses is paramount to the sustainability and growth of our academy,’’ he said.[/social_quote]
Netball NSW CEO Carolyn Campbell and Hockey CEO David Thompson expressed their pride in the achievements of the region’s finest young athletes and congratulated everyone associated with the academy.
Dr Phil Hamdorf, executive director of NSW Office of Sport, said the graduation dinner gave him a good appreciation of the significance and role of regional academies in the community and in the development of tomorrow’s sports stars.
