Athlete Jenna Heath and local target shooter John Baxter were the big trophy winners at last Friday night’s Reg Cowden Sports star of the Year awards, held at the Lithgow Workmens Club.
The night was well supported by the local sporting fraternity, who also gathered to hear the guest address from former Australian Test wicketkeeper Brian Taber.
The awards are held annually and are a legacy to the late Reg Cowden, and his lengthy dedication to sport in the Lithgow region.
Reg Cowden came to Lithgow in the late 1930s when his family moved to the area.
While he himself didn’t play sport, he was heavily involved in the administration and coaching of basketball in the Lithgow area from its inception in 1946, including being the secretary of the Association for many years.
Cowden was also instrumental in organising the weekends of the McWilliams Wines Tournaments.
His other passion was all forms of racing, including greyhounds, horses and trots.
Reg called the Lithgow Greyhound Racing every Saturday, until ill health forced his retirement.
His wonderful sense of humour saw him take part in celebrity races at the trots, and he was involved in anything for sport, and any event that was held to benefit local charities.
Reg also wrote a sporting column for the Clarion for many years until the Clarion ceased printing, and also wrote for the Lithgow Mercury.
He was best known for the Saturday morning Sports Show on 2LT, which he performed for over 25 years, and was honored with an annual dinner for this achievement until his untimely death in 1987.
He was posthumously inducted into the Lithgow Sporting Hall of Fame in 2006 for his outstanding service to sport in the Lithgow district.
Cullen Bullen athlete Jenna Heath took home the LJ Hooker junior sports star award for her many achievements in athletics.
She was presented with her awards by LJ Hooker’s Jamie Giokaris.
Here many achievements for 2007 were listed as follows.
p First in the 100 metres, 200 metres and long jump a the NSW Country Championships
p First in the under 10s 100 metres, 200 metres, 400 metres and long jump at the Little Athletics Regional Carnival,
p Overall 12th at the state multi championships,
p Second in the Under 10s 100 metres, and a finalist in the 200 metres, 400 metres and long jump at the Little Athletics State Carnival,
p First at the Bathurst Small Schools Cross Country and the Bathurst District School Cross Country,
p First in the long jump, high jump, 100 metres, 200 metres, 800 metres and discus and was named junior girls champion at the Bathurst Small Schools Athletics Carnival,
p Eighth in the Western Schools Cross Country Trials,
p Named junior girl champion at the Bathurst District PSSA Athletics Carnival after coming first and equalling the record in high jump, first and breaking the 23 year record in the long jump, first in the 100 metres, 200 metres, 800 metres and second in the discus.
p At the PSSA Athletics Western Area trials in Dubbo, Jenna came first in the 100 metres, 200 metres, high jump and long jump, following up these results by coming first in the 200 metres at the PSSA State Athletics Carnival as well as third in the 100 metres and being a finalist in the long jump.
p At the PSSA National Carnival in Launceston, Jenna came first in the 100 metres and 200 metres and was a member of the NSW Relay team that came second.
p At the Little Athletics Zone Carnival, Jenna came first in the 100 metres, 200 metres, 400 metres and long jump.
p During 2007, Jenna also competed at Little Athletics Gala Days in Lake Illawarra (four first places), Woodberry (second overall in pointscore), Kotara (four first places), Narromine (five first places), Bathurst (three first places) and Mudgee (four first places).
Local shooter John Baxter was named as the LJ Hooker Reg Cowden memorial Senior sports star for 2007.
His award was accepted by his son Darren and his achievements for the 2007 year are listed below.
During 2007, John was the winner of the Blue Mountains District Rifle Association Open Championships, runner up in the North Shore District Rifle Association Open Championship, won the NSW Rifle Association Medal Shoot, won a bronze medal at the David Syme Aggregate in Bendigo, fifth in the Mudgee District Rifle Association Open Championships, ninth in the Lyndhurst Rifle Club open Championship, runner up in the Metropolitan Rifle Association Anzac Day Open Championship, winner of the grand aggregate a the Wingham Rifle Club Open Championship, and was the Lithgow Small Arms Rifle Club Champion for 2007.
John competed as a member of the NSW State team which toured the United Kingdom, beating the Scottish National Team the Great Britain National Team and the Canadian National team, where John top scored.
He came 13th out of 1,300 competitors in Day 1 of the Her Majesty the Queen’s Prize event.
More notably, John scored a perfect 50.10 during the 300 metre event at the Wingham Rifle Club Open Championships, and won the Grand Champion Cross at Her Majesty the Queen’s imperial meeting (one of only three won by Australians during 2007).
Others to take out ‘big awards’ on the night were Eric Arnold (athletics) who won the Laurie Muir Official of the Year trophy; Terry Cambourn (swimming) who took out the Bunny Abbott Volunteer of the Year trophy; Amelia Leard who was the winner of the Mac Scott Memorial Trophy or All Rounder of the Year; Michael Cox (athletics) who won the Whitty Family Perpetual Trophy for the local achievement of the year; Encouragement Award winner Sam Williams and the International Sports Star of the Year Trophy recipient Dale Ryan.
A short profile of each award winner is as follows.
LAURIE MUIR OFFICIAL OF THE YEAR – ERIC ARNOLD:
Eric was nominated by the Lithgow Athletics Club, and during 2007 has officiated at Zone, Regional and State Championships for Little Athletics and various Athletics NSW events.
Eric officiated at Western Region and State Schools Athletics Carnivals for both primary and secondary schools, as well as being an official at the Trans Tasman Trials.
Eric coaches athletes every Wednesday afternoon, and assists Little Athletics on Friday nights.
He also assisted with the marking of running tracks and fields, as well as arranging cross country training during the Winter months as well as Little Athletics walking events.
Eric is also a long standing representative for the Lithgow Athletics Association on Council’s Sports Advisory Committee.
Prestigiously, Eric was the recipient of this same award in 2006 and was inducted into the Lithgow Sporting Hall of Fame for his Outstanding Service to Sport.
BUNNY ABBOTT VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR – TERRY CAMBOURN:
Terry was nominated by the Lithgow Swimming Club for his dedication over the past 18 ½ years to the Lithgow Swimming Club and the children of Lithgow.
Terry began coaching in 1989, and has spent two hours per day, five days a week of every swimming season since 1989 on the pool deck in the rain, snow and scorching heat volunteering his time to guiding the children of Lithgow in perfecting their swimming skills, equating to over 4,200 hours of volunteer coaching.
Terry has been a member of the coaching committee since 1994, and has previously held the positions of Team Manager and Chief Marshall up until 1997.
In 1997, Terry was appointed as the head coach, a position which he still holds to date.
As well as coaching, Terry has given up his time to attend coaching conferences, organised working bees, discos, fun days, as well as assisting with Saturday morning Learn to Swim programs, and attending every muster day to answer questions from parents and swimmers regarding training squad.
Terry has attended numerous out of town carnivals, and organised the NSW Swimming Sunrice Coaching Camp to be held a the Lithgow Pool, and officiates as a stroke judge at Club and local school swimming carnivals, often training two and sometimes three squads.
MAC SCOTT MEMORIAL TROPHY FOR ALLROUNDER OF THEYEAR – AMELIA LEARD:
Amelia has excelled at school athletics, little athletics, school basketball, district basketball, school hockey and district hockey.
Among her achievements during 2007, Amelia was the St Patrick’s under 11 Champion, breaking four records and coming first in seven events, was the Bathurst Regional under 11 Champion, coming first in five events, qualified for the Half State team after being the Orange Diocesan under 11 Champion and coming first in the High Jump and 200 metres, and second in the Long Jump and Shot Put.
At the Newcastle Catholic Half State Polding Championship, Amelia equalled the under 11 Girls High Jump record and came first in the Long Jump, and at the Homebush All Schools State Championships, Amelia came seventh in the Long Jump and sixth in the High Jump.
Amelia came first in High Jump and fourth in Long Jump at the Little Athletics Regional Carnival, ninth in High Jump at the State Championships, and first in the High Jump, Long Jump, 100 metres, and 200 metres at the Zone Championships.
In basketball, Amelia represented the Diocesan team at the Polding half State trials, as well as being a member of the Lithgow Lazers under 12 team which were runners up at the Western Conference, Amelia was named joint Most Valuable Player.
In hockey, Amelia was a member of the Diocesan team at the Polding State trials, the Polding team at the NSW PSSA State Championships, and a member of the NSW PSSA Girls team that finished as runners up at the National Titles.
Locally, Amelia represented the Lithgow District under 11s team competing in six carnivals, going through every carnival undefeated with the team scoring a total of 99 goals, and only allowing a total of three goals to be scored against them.
WHITTY PERPTUAL TROPHY FOR LOCAL ACHIEVMENT – MICHAEL COX:
As a talented athlete, Michael’s achievements during 2007 have culminated in him breaking two personal best records in high jump, and one personal best in the 100 metres event.
Michael was the NSW under 18 Decathlon Champion at the NSW Combined Events State Championship, the 17 years champion in High Jump and Pole Vault and runner up in the 100 metres, long jump and javelin at the NSW Country Track and Field Championships, the NSW Under 18 State Champion in High Jump.
At the Australian Under 18 Interstate Test Match, Michael was a member of the NSW Team that won the National Gold Medal, with Michael coming second in the High Jump, jumping a personal best of 2.01 metres.
Michael was invited into the NSW Institute of Sport Emerging Athlete Program, which aims to assist talented emerging athletes between 13 and 19 and their coaches achieve NSW institute of Sport scholarship standards to progress to achieve world class results.
Michael also came first in the under 18 100 metres, High Jump, Long Jump and Javelin at the Diocesan Track and Field Championships.
At the NSW Combined Catholic Colleges State Championships, Michael came second in the Open High Jump, fourth in the Open Long Jump, and sixth in the Open 100 metres with a personal best of 11.35 seconds.
At the NSW All Schools rack and Field Championships, Michael came third in the Under 18 High Jump and seventh in the under 18 100 metres.
At the Australian All Schools and Youth Track and Field Championships, Michael came fifth in the under 18 High Jump, jumping another personal best of 2.02 metres.
Michael has again been reinvited into the NSW Institute of Sport’s Emerging Athlete Program for 2008.
Michael was also captain of the Lithgow Lazers Under 18 Basketball team which finished as runners up in the Western Junior League Competition.
ENCOURAGEMENT AWARD – SAM WILLIAMS:
Sam came third in both the Open Hands and Weapons Kata (Adults category) and second in the Colts Bare Knuckle events at the Australian Martial Arts Championships, was the runner up in the High Impact Fight Night, which was a World Muay Thai Council Sanctioned full contact event.
In October, Sam travelled to Thailand with the Australian Team to train with the world leaders in Muay Thai for 10 days.
At the Kumiai Ryu Martial Arts System National Championships, Sam came second in the Open Weapons Kata, second in the Open Men’s Bare Knuckle, first in the Open Teams Kata, first in the Adults Open Kata, first in the Men’s under 80 kilogram Grappling, first in the Men’s under 75 kilogram Point Sparring and first in the Men’s Open Point Sparring, being named the Men’s Grand Champion, the Kata Grand Champion and the Overall Grand Champion.
INTERNATIONSAL SPORTS STAR TROPHY – DALE RYAN:
During 2007, Dale became the 375 millimetre Underhand World Champion, was the Australian 275 and 300 millimetre Underhand Champion, and broke the World Record in two board with a time of 40.2 seconds, competing in events in the USA and Germany, as well as winning all three chops in the first and second round of the Still Timber Sports Series, on top of being names the Underhand Champion at numerous shows around Australia, including Canberra, Bathurst, Cooma, Goulburn, Camden, Dubbo, Brisbane, Sydney, and Lithgow.
The Zig Zag Public School boys’ hockey side which finished second in the state last year was named as the Junior Team of the Year while the Lithgow under 40s vets hockey side as Senior Team of the Year.
ZIG ZAG PUBLIC SCHOOL BOYS’ HOCKEY SIDE:
This team won the Western PSSA Hockey Championship, and from this, four of the boys were selected in the Western Region PSSA Boys Hockey Team that competed at the State Titles in Grafton.
The team then competed at the PSSA State Hockey Titles, being runners up.
This is the first time that a small school with only 56 students has made it through to the finals, and were beaten by Tamworth a school boasting 800 students.
The team consisted of Nick Judge, Zach Sharp, Lachlan Sharp, Daniel Sheppeard, Tom Clough, Sam Forbes, Brodie Forbes, Tom Castillo, Lucas Castillo, Chris Oldman, Louie Long-Jaccoud, Yarren Roy, and was coached by Richard Sharp and Di Corney.
LITHGOW WOMEN’S OVER 40S VETERANS HOCKEY TEAM:
At the half state veterans tournament, this team won the Over 40’s Number 2 Division, defeating Dubbo 1-0.
In their preliminary games, they defeated Rye-Eastwood 2-0, Warringah 1-0, and were defeated by Campbelltown 3-0 and Eastern District No 2 side 1-0.
Lithgow finished first in their pool to play Dubbo in the final.
This team consisted of Laura Miller (assistant coach), Janine Griffiths (captain and manager), Debbie Williams, Christine Watkins, Katrina Miller, Jenny Dawson, Kylie Pearce, Helen Beynon, Annette Tolhurst, Malcolm Boyden (Coach), Judy Pettitt, Army Bryce, Denise Weekes, Debbie Cooper and Karen Nyitrai.
Major awards were presented by Lithgow Workmens Club general manager Michael Alexander, LJ Hooker’s Graham Dean and Jamie Giokaris, Mayor Neville Castle, Brian Conran, Danny and Robyn Whitty, Leigh Scott and guest speaker Brian Taber.
The annual awards night was organised by Lithgow City Council’s Leanne Kearney, who deserves hearty congratulations for her efforts.
Sponsors of awards for the night were LJ Hooker, Lithgow City Council, Lithgow and District Workmen’s Club, the Scott Family and the Whitty Family).
Thanks were also extended to the members of the Reg Cowden Memorial Trust Committee Mr Danny Whitty, Mrs Robyn Whitty and Mr Glen Ryan, and members of the Sports Advisory Committee and sporting organisations through out the Lithgow District who have participated in these awards during 2007.