Rockingham Sports Star Awards finalists announced

Finalists for the City of Rockingham’s 26th annual Sports Star Awards have been announced, with winners to be recognised during an awards ceremony at the Gary Holland Community Centre on Wednesday, September 20.  

Twelve awards will be given out at the event, with trophies to be split across individual and club categories.

Five of the 12 awards are new and have been introduced to reflect the diverse range of athletes, volunteers and sporting clubs that operate in the City of Rockingham. 

Mayor Deb Hamblin said the Sports Star Awards provided the City with an opportunity to recognise residents who were excelling in their respective sporting codes. 

“Since 1996 the City’s Sports Star Awards have celebrated the outstanding achievements of local volunteers and athletes in our community,” Mayor Hamblin said. 

“The awards acknowledge local, state, national and international calibre champions from across the City who have gone on to achieve major success. Everyone who has been selected as a finalist can be proud of their achievements.”

Finalists for the 2023 Sports Star Awards include:
1.    Club Governance Award
•    Rockingham Basketball & Recreation Association
•    Rockingham Swimming Club
•    Waikiki Dragons Little Athletics Club
•    Warnbro Strikers 

2.    Club of the Year
•    Rockingham Swimming Club
•    Taekwondo Oh Do Kwan
•    Waikiki Dragons Little Athletics Club
•    White Knights Baldivis Cricket Club

3.    Inclusion Event or Program of the Year
•    Football for All iLeague (Baldivis Districts Football Club)
•    Integrated Cricket/Autism in Cricket Program 
•    No Limits - Netball
•    Walking Soccer - Port Kennedy Soccer Club

4.    Keren Kim Ugle (Senior) Indigenous Sports Star of the Year
•    Allan David Redpath (Martial Arts - Karate)
•    Kylah Hansen (Netball)

5.    John Brown Lifetime Achievement Memorial Award 
•    Alan Mills (Rockingham District Hockey Club)
•    Kevin Duggan (Warnbro Strikers Soccer Club)
•    Peter Ritchie (Shoalwater Bay Cricket Club)
•    Warren Boucaut (Rockingham Basketball & Recreation Association)

6.    Junior Sports Star of the Year
•    April Horton (Singleton Sharks Little Athletics Club)
•    Ava Dolan (Taekwondo Oh Do Kwan)
•    Jack Wicks (Rockingham Swimming Club)
•    Jamiee Traeger (Secret Harbour Surf Life Saving Club)
•    Romeo Zver (Rockingham Swimming Club)

7.    Junior Volunteer of the Year
•    Alex Popovic-Manu (Port Kennedy Soccer Club)
•    Megan Love (Baldivis Districts Football Club)
•    Tayla Flowers (Shoalwater Bay Cricket Club)
•    Tiarna Popovic-Manu (Port Kennedy Soccer Club)

8.    Masters Sports Star of the Year
•    Adrian McKenzie (Athletics)
•    Peter Traeger (Surf Life Saving)

9.    Senior Sports Star of the Year
•    Bryony Soden (Muaythai/Thai Kickboxing)
•    Fiona Cullinane (Swimming)
•    Luke Travers (Basketball)

10.    Sports Star of the Year with a Disability
•    Imogen Peterson (Netball)
•    Nathan Searle (Cricket)
•    Tamati Waaka (Softball)

11.    Team of the Year
•    Port Kennedy U14 Division1 Boys Team - Metro League
•    Rockingham Flames NBL1 Mens team
•    Secret Harbour Pool Rescue Team
•    U12 Secret Harbour Pirates State Representative Team

12.    Volunteer of the Year
•    Bryony Soden (Three Lions Gym Port Kennedy)
•    Leanne Andrews (Rockingham Swimming Club)
•    Radmila Popovic (Port Kennedy Soccer Club)
•    Tony Bryant (Warnbro Swans Cricket Club and Warnbro Football Club)