Finally, after many false starts due to Covid-19 restrictions, our Presentation night was finally held on Wednesday 2nd December. Congratulations to our 2020 Award Winners.
John Morris Junior Encouragement Award – awarded to a junior Club member 15 years of age or under competing in Cross country in the 2 or 3km distance. This is for a Club member who competes regularly, tries hard and shows improvement.
Nominations were Jett Goddard, Hamish McLaren, Emily McLaren, Cameron Baxter and Lachlan Rabey
Winner: Cameron Baxter
Cameron competed regularly in the 2km distance at cross country in 2019 season. He kicked off the season running an 8.35 at Hollyhill as a 9-year-old. His best on track for Hollyhill for the season was 8.34 but he managed to clock 7.59 at Timberhills in June 2019. He also clocked an 8.33 at the Berry course and 8.50 at Longreach, demonstrating consistency across the courses.
Most importantly though, Cameron always demonstrates great sportsmanship. He has a positive attitude and always gives his best effort. He cheers on other runners, whether he is standing on the sideline or competing. He offers words of encouragement to others and he is always polite, and courteous.
Well done Cameron!
Ian Henry Nowra Toyota Senior Encouragement Award – for senior members over 15 years of age competing in the medium or long-distance events at cross country. This is for a Club member who competes regularly, tries hard and shows improvement.
Nominations were Angela Bond, Gavin Dyball, Elisha Bell and Richard Bosdyk.
Winner: Gavin Dyball
Gavin covered a variety of distances in the 2019 cross country season, kicking off the trial run at Hollyhill with 3kms, then moving to medium course for the Timberhills round before settling into long course. Gavin consistently improved his times over the season; shaving nearly 2 minutes off his Timberhill time and over 3.5 minutes off his Longreach time. Gavin exhibits all qualities of sportsmanship – he is supportive of others, has a positive attitude, is respectful and demonstrates resilience and perseverance as an athlete. Congratulations Gavin.
Club Person of the Year – for a member who supports the club all year and goes ‘above and beyond’.
Winner: Tammy Osgood
Quite simply, without volunteers our club wouldn’t exist. Without volunteers our competitions could not operate so we appreciate every little bit of assistance. In the 2019-2020 Track and Field season Tammy willingly helped out with the field events. She did so with positivity, supporting and encouraging the young athletes.
The club would like to say thank you to Tammy for giving her time to support Nowra Athletics Club.
Neville Markham Distance Runner of the Year Award – presented in memory of Neville Markham who was an outstanding age group runner through the 1980’s and 1990’s for Nowra and very involved at a club level. This is for a club member who competes in a variety of distance events from long course distance (approx. 8kms) onwards through summer and winter and achieves a ‘notable’ result or results.
Nominations were Robin Vonk, Angela Bond, Perry Strand.
Winner: Perry Strand
Locally in the 2019 cross country season Perry competed in long course in 13 of the 18 rounds, performing consistently. He left the best to last, and ran across the line in first place in the final round, held at Berry. In the McCaffrey Challenge with Kembla Joggers Club in Dapto, Perry finished 15th in long course. In the 2019 NSW Cross Country Championships at Willandra in June Perry contested the 8kms event and took home the gold medal in the 55-59 years category after clocking 35.21 minutes. Perry was especially surprised when he was announced as the winner, having thought he was well behind the field. This epitomises Perry who is such a humble person. In addition, in August Perry won the male 50-59 years category at the inaugural Nowra Athletics Club Age Championships held in Berry.
Further afield Perry’s long-distance running pursuits brought much success in 2019. In the Australian Alpine Ascent Ultra in March 2019, Perry competed in the 25km Ultra. Perry placed 43rd from 385 competitors and was 1st in the 50-59 years group, completing the event in 2.42.41. Then in August, in the Husky Half Perry completed the 21kms in 1.32.08 for 2nd place in the 50-59 years.
Perry is a hardworking athlete who demonstrates resilience and a positive attitude. Congratulations Perry.
Club Performance of the Year Award – In 2018 the Committee introduced a new award for Club Performance. This is for performing well at a Club level with regular participation, personal improvement and support of the Club.
Nominations were Erin Smart, Peter Dooley, Eva Moller-Duhme and Kerrie Jones.
Joint Winners: Erin Smart and Peter Dooley
In 2019-2020 Track and Field season Peter Dooley set new records in four different distances. Peter set new records in 60-69 years:
600m on 16th October – 1.49.42
1000m on 30th Oct – 3.17.44
1500m on 6th Nov – 5.24.42
2000m on 13th Nov– 7.29.00 then re-broke the record on 4th Dec – 7.19.99
He performed consistently on the track, and in between competing and breaking records, he supported the running of Track and Field competition, assisting with marshalling and various other tasks. Peter is a determined athlete, always setting new goals and always willing to lend a hand wherever needed.
Erin Smart continued to push herself during the 2019-2020 season. Erin approaches every race with determination; always displaying grit and guts. Erin is another goal-setter and continues to improve her times, breaking records over and over.
Erin set new records in 30-39 years:
100m on 20th Nov – 13.22
400m on 20th Nov – 1.02.15 then re-broke the record on 5th Feb – 1.01.66
60m on 29th Jan – 8.40
1000m on 29th Jan – 3.11.78
Erin currently holds every record in the 30-39 years group from 60m through to the 1000m; an impressive feat, covering sprints to middle distance. Erin also is a huge supporter of the Club, volunteering at events and managing uniform sales.
Harry Scouller Award – introduced in 2016 in honour of one of Nowra’s finest young athletes. Harry Scouller first emerged in athletics in his early teens, running for Nowra Athletics Club; competing in the state cross country and events from 400m to 3000m. Harry wore the green and gold of Australia when in June 2012 he was selected to compete in the open 800m at the Oceania Championships in Cairns, which he won in 1:52.76. Harry passed away aged just 21-years-old, from an epileptic seizure. In honour of his amazing athletic career the Harry Scouller Award was introduced for talented/promising young track and field athletes.
Nominations were Will Dyball, Jett Goddard, Cameron Musgrove, Ruby Marshall, Ethan Havadjia, Harrison Baxter, Lachlan Kaszonyi and Emily McLaren.
Winner: Ruby Marshall
In May 2019, despite being a track sprinter, Ruby agreed to join the cross-country team to compete in the XC Relays at Miranda. She joined The U14 girls’ team and they placed 7th.
In November 2019 Ruby then willingly stepped up to make up a team for the Under 14 male 4x100m relay team for The NSW Relay Championships. She joined Charlie Heidke, Riley Power and Toby Dyball to race against much more experienced teams. They earned themselves a place in the final after finishing 4th in their heat. Against a highly competitive field they then went on to place 6th in the final.
Ruby consistently participated in Nowra Athletics Track and Field nights over the 2019/2020 season where she demonstrated her strong form, especially impressing Club veteran and former esteemed sprinter Bernie Condon with her arm technique. Ruby’s best performances at T & F were 100m 13.47, 150m 20.45, 200m 29.01, 400m 69.19 and 60m 8.68.
At Country Champs in January 2020, despite coming back from injury Ruby competed in a huge program of events – 4 track events & 3 field events.
Ruby came away with 2 bronze medals for U15 hurdles & long jump.
200m 7th 29.27
100m 8th 14.05
90m hurdle 3rd 18.34
400m 8th 1.11.05
Javelin 6th 19.60m
Shot 5th 7.15m
Long jump 3rd 4.26m
Ruby is a talented athlete who digs deep when she competes and always steps up to help out her team mates without hesitation.
High Achievement Award – for a club athlete who has achieved high results in state, national or international competition throughout the previous year
Nominations are Kerrie Jones, Erin Smart, Cameron Musgrove, Gavin Dyball, and Peter Dooley.
Winner: Kerrie Jones
Kerrie Jones continued to achieve great results in the 2019-2020 Track and Field season. Kerrie competed at the Australian Masters Athletics Winter Throws held at Kerryn McCann Athletics Centre over the long weekend in October 2019 and finished with 4 second placings and 3 third placings.
Kerrie was 2nd in Shot Put with a distance of 6.26 metres, 2nd in Discus with a top throw of 15.54 metres, and 2nd in Javelin spearing 12.07 metres.
Kerrie earned herself second overall in the Heavy Weight Pentathlon with accumulated points of 2497. Kerrie also came 3rd in the Hammer throw with 20.68 metres, and 3rd in Weight throw with 8.79 metres. In the Weight Pentathlon Kerrie earned 2422 points for overall third place.
In the NSW Masters Championships in February 2020 which were conducted in horrendous conditions, before eventually being called off, Kerrie collected three silver medals. Kerrie threw 22.37m in hammer for second place in the 65-69 years event, 6.65m in shot and 15.67m in discus.
Kerrie’s golden moment came in the NSW Masters Throws Pentathlon Championships in Sydney on February 29th 2020. Kerrie Jones scored 2633 points to take home the gold medal in the 65-69 years event to win her first State Championships.
Kerrie then added yet another medal to her collection at the re-scheduled NSW Masters Championships in March with silver in the weight throw with a distance of 8.87m.
Kerrie is a hardworking athlete who consistently improves her skills and techniques to achieve great results. Kerrie is very humble yet proud of her achievements; she keeps a low self-focus, but appreciates the support of her fellow athletes and Club members. Congratulations Kerrie!
Frank McCaffrey Award – presented in commemoration of the founder of the Nowra Athletics Club. This award is for a great performance by an individual club member or club team during the previous 12 months of the athletic season and is awarded to someone whose achievements ‘stand out’ and to someone who is actively involved in supporting NAC.
This award is the highest award the Club presents and is considered the pinnacle of awards.
Nominations were Cameron Musgrove, Kerrie Jones, Erin Smart, Peter Dooley, Perry Strand
Winner: Cameron Musgrove
Cam has been an active member of Nowra Athletics Club since he was 9. Cam has always tried hard and had good results over the years however in the last 12 months Cam has matured as a runner and proven that consistent hard work and persistence pays off.
In the 2019-2020 Summer Track and Field season Cam contested numerous 800m events, earning PB’s in almost every race.
At the All Comers Illawong meet on Saturday 15th February, Cam ran home in 1.55.37 in Heat 1 of the men’s races, for a PB. On Saturday 29th February in Canberra at the AACT Summer Series meet Cam led the field in Heat 2 for 700m before being passed in the closing stages of the race but ran a PB of 1.54.25, just marginally short of a National Qualifier of 1.54.00.
Then on Friday 6th March Cam then competed in the NSW Open Championships in the 800m.
Cam ran in Heat 3 and finished 5th in 1.56.92. It wasn’t a qualifier but it was enough to scrape through to the semi-final in 18th place. In the semi-final in a highly competitive State field Cam was impressive, putting in a champion effort to finish 7th in heat 2, clocking a PB and a National Qualifier of 1.53.78. Cam ended up 10th overall, missing out on a place in the final by just 0.4. Unfortunately, Cam was denied the opportunity to represent Nowra and NSW at the 2020 Australian Open Championships due to covid-19 cancelling the event. However, Nowra Athletics Club is very proud of Cam’s achievement and wishes him all the best in his next National qualifier pursuit.
Cam is a great ambassador for Nowra Athletics Club with his quiet determination and athletic spirit. His passion for running has lasted throughout the years and provides inspiration to others that you can achieve those running goals if you keep working hard.
Congratulations Cam!
