Suitably pressed and dressed and clearly enjoying the evening, athletes and their families turned out in droves to celebrate each others’ achievements and applaud the Academy’s best and fairest.
Representatives from sponsoring business as well as local and state government were also on hand to cheer on the region’s talented young high performers.
On the night local media personality Jared Constable reprised his role as emcee, along the way interviewing our spoecial guest, Wallaby open side flanker and past IAS member Tom Connor.
Connor shared his experience and encouraged the current academy athletes in their journey.
Athletes were presented with graduation certificates and Athletes of the Year were named for each sporting program as follows.
AFL Girls – Serena Cooper,
Athlete with a Disability – the Brett Stibners Award – Jarred Dyer
Basketball – Zoe Roulston
Cycling – The Ben Mikic Award – Zachary Marshall
Golf – Eddie Ward
Golf – The Vic Burrows Award – Ethan Harvey
Hockey – Ella Gibson
Lonestar – Kieran Woolley
Netball – Ruby Sargent-Wilson
Rugby 7s – Lilli O’Dea
Surfing – Lennix Smith
Triathlon – Brookly Henry
The culmination of the evening as always was the presentation of the Illawarra Mercury Tobin Family Award.
The winner is chosen from the pool of Athlete of the Year Award winners named throughout the evening.
This year the award, and prize money (a $5,000 scholarship towards the athlete’s sporting future) went to the talented skateboarder, and Tokyo 2020 hopeful, Keiran Woolley from Minnamurra.
