Congratulations to the award winners for the 2023-2024 season.
The John Morris Junior Encouragement Award is awarded for a junior Club member 15 years of age or under competing in Cross country in the 2 or 3km distance.
Nominees: Mikaela Monkerud, Macarthur Davis, Elizabeth Davis, Emerson Boatswain
Winner: Emerson Boatswain
Emerson Boatswain was the top point scorer in the 3km event however Emerson was selected as the winner of this award not for her finish place but for her consistency week after week. Emerson competed in 13 of 17 rounds demonstrating persistence, resilience and personal improvement. Emerson is a polite and respectful competitor and always competes with a positive attitude.
The Ian Henry Nowra Toyota Senior Encouragement Award is for senior members over 15 years of age competing in the medium or long distance events at cross country.
Nominees: Donna Johnson, Marty Bell, Sharyn Bryce
Winner: Marty Bell
Marty Bell demonstrated consistent effort over long course last season showing persistence and enthusiasm. Marty improved his times on each course with the biggest improvement shown on Longreach course where he shaved 2.99 minutes off his time. Marty is a tough competitor who always puts in 100% effort.
The Neville Markham Distance Runner of the year award. This award is 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.
Nominees: Erich Moeller-Duhme, Dean Bryce, Brad Sawyers
Winner: Dean Bryce
At the Husky Half Running Festival in November 2023, Dean Bryce took out the 10km event in the 50-59 years category and was 60th male overall from a total of 175 competitors. Dean then took the silver medal in the 10km event at the Husky Triathlon Festival in Feb 2024 with his 2nd place finish in the 50-59 years group with a PB of 42.37. In the Bay to Bridge Run in Feb 2024, Dean took another silver medal in the 10km 50-59 years group. Dean has demonstrated commitment to his running and his results have reflected the hard work.
The Frank McCaffrey Award was presented in commemoration of the founder of the Nowra Athletics Club. Frank was instrumental in starting NAC in 1960 and was a driving force in the first few years and a regular visitor and supporter after leaving the 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.
Nominees: Sam Keogh, Nic McGill, Amelia May, Kerrie Jones, Alisha Mustapic, Erin Smart, the women’s gold winning javelin team of Mel Mustapic, Tori Sayer, Anne Boatswain and Cathleen Chang
Winner: Sam Keogh
Sam Keogh entered her first Country Championships in January 2024, entering 14 events in the 40–49-year group. Sam eventually dropped the 800m and 1500m from her program, however her efforts, enthusiasm and results across 12 events was simply inspiring! Sam came away with 5 individual medals and the admiration of the entire Club! Sam took gold in the 400m hurdles and bronze in the 80m hurdles. In the field, Sam picked up a silver medal in long jump and a bronze in triple jump and high jump.
In the NSW Masters Combined Events Championships in late January, Sam took the overall gold medal for the women’s outdoor pentathlon.
Then in the NSW Masters Championships in March 2024, Sam Keogh competed in a massive program of 12 events where she collected 10 medals including 3 NSW State titles. Sam bagged gold in the 40-44 years triple jump and another gold in the long jump. Sam hurdled her way to gold in the 400m hurdles and took silver in the 80m hurdles. In high jump Sam took silver and in shot put, she took bronze. In the 40-44 years sprint events, Sam ran alongside Nowra team member Erin Smart where the 2 women both featured on the podium in each race. In the 60m, 100m and 200m Sam took silver whilst in the 400m, she took bronze.
It has been an outstanding season for Sam who has demonstrated enthusiasm for all things track and field.
High Achievement Award is for a club athlete who has achieved high results in state, national or international competition throughout the previous year.
Nominees: Will Dyball, Alisha Mustapic, Harrison Baxter, Amelia May, Nic McGill, Emily McLaren, Hamish McLaren, Harry Thomson, Airlie Stevens, Tom Brookes, Evie Binney, Erin Smart, Kerrie Jones, Hollie Braddick, Riley Sandstrom
Winner: Nic McGill
At the Australian All Schools Athletics Championships in December 2023 in Perth, Nic McGill contested the U16 2000m steeplechase and won in a 15 second PB and outstanding time of 5:55.38, just missing the 21-year-old meet record of 5:55.06.
At Country Championships in January, Nic continued his outstanding performances on the track, winning the Under 17 2000m steeplechase in a time of 6:14.67 – smashing the championship record by 20 seconds which was last set in 2013. Nic also took silver in the 3000m, 1500m and 800m.
At the NSW Junior Athletics Championships in March 2024 Nic won the Under 17 3000m with a 13 second PB. Nic then backed up to race the 2000m steeplechase and once again ran a superbly controlled race where he was crowned NSW champion with a finish time of 6.04.35, which was a 9 second PB.
Nic capped off his season at the Australian Athletics Championships in Adelaide in April with a silver medal in the Under 17 steeplechase in an 8 second PB of 5.56.41. He also ran a 2 second PB in the 3000m for 8th.
Nic has also just been selected for the Under 18 Australian team to compete at the Oceania Athletics Championships in Suva Fiji in June.
Nic is a humble athlete who works hard, putting in many dedicated hours of training to fine tune his race technique. Well done Nic! 
The Harry Scouller Award was 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 distance events from 800m to 3000m. He competed at a National level with great results. Harry passed away aged just 21-years-old, from an epileptic seizure. In honour of his amazing athletic career the Harry Scouller Award is for talented/promising young track and field athletes.
Nominees: Evie Binney, Hugh Thirwall, Alisha Mustapic, Tom Brookes, Hamish McLaren
Winner: Alisha Mustapic
At Country Championships in January Alisha took gold in the Under 18 400m hurdles and bronze in the 400m sprint.
At the NSW Junior Athletics Championships Alisha dug deep and drew strength from her training to push past her opponents in the final stages of the race to claim the title of NSW Champion in the Under 18 400m hurdles.
At Nationals in Adelaide, in the Under 18 400m hurdles Alisha ran a good race for 4th place in the heat, putting herself through to the final where she took 8th place and was 7th Australian.
Most recently Alisha has been selected for the Under 18 Australian team to compete at the Oceania Athletics Championships in Suva Fiji in June.
Alisha has shown great commitment to her training and racing and progressively improved her times and technique. She has demonstrated patience and resilience and is a worthy winner of the Harry Scouller Award which recognises her talent.
Club Performance Award – In 2018 the Committee introduced a new award for Club Performance. This is for performing well at a Club level (eg on a Track & Field night or at local xc rounds) with regular participation, personal improvement and support of the Club.
Nominees: Anne Boatswain, Kerrie Jones, Sam Keogh, Riley Sandstrom
Winner: Anne Boatswain
In her first season with Nowra Athletics Club, Anne Boatswain demonstrated enthusiasm and passion for the field events. Anne showed improvements in all throwing disciplines and over the course of the season set 9 new records in the 40-49 years age group across hammer, discus, shot, and javelin. It has been great to have Anne in the Club, supporting others and enjoying the competition and self-improvement.
Volunteer/Club Person of the Year is for a member who supports the club all year and goes ‘above and beyond’.
Winner: Steve Thomson
Steve is the man behind all the results being recorded and uploaded to the website. He is responsible for updating the records list and he collates the point scores to determine the winners of each season’s competition. Steve freely gives up his time to use the ipads for electronic timing of races during track season and can always be counted on to provide stats for attendances, improvements and records. Steve also allocates handicaps for cross country. We want to say thank you for all his hard work and commitment to the Club.
Good sports award
The good sports award was introduced this year to reflect Nowra Athletics Club values of respect, integrity and fair play. The award recognises a member who has a positive attitude and gives their best effort, and who supports and encourages others.
The inaugural good sports award goes to Hamish McLaren for always helping out in the throwing arena, for showing respect and mentoring other athletes in his quiet and unassuming manner.