About the awards
Established in 2016, the Knox Sport and Leisure Awards aims to create sustainable sporting groups through the retention of volunteers and promotion of award-winning club initiatives to the wider Knox community.
2023 winners
The 2023 Knox Sport and Leisure Awards were held at the Knox Civic Centre on 21 June 2023.
The winners of each category are below.
Council congratulates all nominees and winners for their achievements and their contribution to sport in Knox.
For more information on the awards, please contact Leisure Services on leisure.services@knox.vic.gov.au or 9298 8000.
2023 Club of the Year: Templeton Cricket Club.
The Club of the Year Award is awarded to a Knox-based sport and leisure club who:
- has implemented good governance structures
- has attended Council’s Club Development Workshops
- are inclusive and supportive to volunteers.
2023 Best Club Initiated Program: Ferntree Gully Tennis Club.
The Best Club Initiated Program Award is awarded to a Knox-based club that supports an inclusive program aligned with the goals outlined within the Knox Community and Council Plan 2017-2022.
2023 Club Person of the Year (Adult): Joel Clarke, The Basin Cricket Club.
2023: Club Person of the Year (Junior) - Lily Vlahogiannis, The Basin Wildcats and Jade Ruighaver, Ferntree Gully Netball Club.
The Adult and Junior Club Person of the Year Awards are awarded to volunteers who have made a significant contribution to their club.
The Junior award is for volunteers who are 17 years of age and under (as at the annual date of the Awards event).
2023 Women in Sport Leadership Award: Eva Orlovski-Oliver.
The Women in Sport Leadership Award is awarded to female volunteers who have made a significant contribution to their club whilst holding a position(s) of leadership such as a President, Coach or Official.
Recognition for Years of Service is given to long-standing volunteers within local sport and leisure clubs. This recognition starts at 20 years of service and goes up in increments of 10 years (for example 20, 30).
All volunteers nominated under this category were recognised at the Awards evening.
2023 Years of Service recipients:
|
Mark Murphy |
20 years |
Bayswater Strikers Soccer Club |
|
Denise Van Egmond |
20 years |
Bayswater Strikers Soccer Club |
|
Sue Rigg |
30 years |
Knox and District Softball Association |
|
Maureen Portbury |
40 years |
Scoresby Tennis Centre Inc |
Previous Knox Sports and Leisure Award winners
Knox City Council would like to congratulate all winners and nominees for their outstanding efforts to the local sporting community, and say thank you to the Award sponsors.
Watch the awards ceremony on YouTube.
| Award Category | Award Winners |
|---|---|
|
Club of the Year Awarded to a Knox based sport and leisure club who has implemented good governance structures, attended Council’s Club Development Workshops and are inclusive and supportive to their volunteers. |
Wantirna Tennis Club |
|
Best Club Initiated Program Awarded to a Knox based sport and leisure club that has implemented an inclusive program that aligns with the goals outlined within the Knox Community and Council Plan 2017-2022. |
Knox City Football Club |
|
Club Person of the Year (Adult) Awarded to volunteers who are 18 years of age and over, who have made a significant contribution to their club. |
Mark Tyrrell Adrian Thomas |
|
Club Person of the Year (Junior) Awarded to volunteers who are 17 years of age and under, who have made a significant contribution to their club. |
Jackson Creek Sherbrooke Little Athletics Matthew Rose Myer |
|
Women in Sport Leadership Awarded to female volunteers who have made a significant contribution to their club whilst holding a position(s) of leadership such as a President, Coach or Official. |
Kristen Elder |
| Award Category | Award Winner/s |
|---|---|
|
Club of the Year Awarded to a Knox based sport and leisure club who has implemented good governance structures, attended Council’s Club Development Workshops and are inclusive and supportive to their volunteers. |
Bayswater Junior Football Club |
|
Best Club Initiated Program Awarded to a Knox based sport and leisure club that has implemented an inclusive program that aligns with the goals outlined within the Knox Community and Council Plan 2017-2022. |
Ferntree Gully Cricket Club Knox Boat Fishing Club |
|
Club Person of the Year (Adult) Awarded to volunteers who are 18 years of age and over, who have made a significant contribution to their club. |
Beccy Dawber - Bayswater Junior Football Club Kevin Van Grondelle - Wantirna South Junior Football Club |
|
Club Person of the Year (Junior) Awarded to volunteers who are 17 years of age and under, who have made a significant contribution to their club. |
Emma Smith - Eastern Raptors Rugby League Club and Touch Association |
|
Women in Sport Leadership Awarded to female volunteers who have made a significant contribution to their club whilst holding a position(s) of leadership such as a President, Coach or Official. |
Kate Potter - Scoresby Magpies Junior Football Club |
Years of Service Recognition
Awarded to long-standing volunteers within local sport and leisure clubs.
| Years of Service | Award Recipient/s |
|---|---|
|
50 Years |
Michael Stoffels - Knox City Football Club |
|
40 Years |
Cyril Heron - Bayswater Football Club David Wareham - Omega Trampoline Sports Club Keith Abblitt - Bayswater Cricket Club Marion Wareham - Omega Trampoline Sports Club Meryl Anderson - Omega Trampoline Sports Club |
|
30 Years |
Alison Rogers - Wantirna Tennis Club Justin Polwarth - Lysterfield Cricket Club Phil O'Shannassy - Knox Football Netball Club |
|
20 Years |
Clive Savory - Wantirna South Netball Club Collette Keyser - Knox Gymnastics Club David Wareham - Carrington Park Leisure Centre Management Committee Dean Palandri - St Johns Tecoma Cricket Club Eric Beeston - Knoxfield Tennis Club (posthumously awarded) Marion Wareham - Carrington Park Leisure Centre Management Committee Meryl Anderson - Carrington Park Leisure Centre Management Committee Pierre Schumann - Knox Football Netball Club |
| Award Category | Award Winner/s |
|---|---|
|
Club of the Year |
Wantirna South Junior Football Club An exemplary club within the Knox community, not only conducting programs for football participants on weekends, but also promoting football in local schools by conducting free Come 'N Try clinics. The Club adheres to good governance practices through transparency of reports and minutes, clear and concise job descriptions for everyone. They are also compliant with child safe standards and encourages the provision of opportunities for underrepresented groups to hold leadership positions within the Club. |
|
Best Club Initiated Program |
Scoresby Magpies Junior Football Club This club have partnered with Anchor Foster Care to support children living in all forms of ‘out of home care’ placements to play football for free (registration and uniform fees covered by sponsorship and fundraising programs through the club). The program, which is open to all boys and girls aged 5 – 17 of all abilities, aims to address the negative stereotypes and perceptions associated with being in foster care or being adopted. The programs’ goal is to support children and develop their self-esteem and self-worth by being involved in an inclusive environment. |
|
Club Person of the Year (Adult) |
Stephen Clark Stephen has been credited as one of the main reasons for Knox City FC's thriving junior program. Through his passion for coaching children (for over 20 years) and love for the game, Stephen has overseen the club's numbers grow from 10 – 200 players in five years. Currently serving as the Director of Coaching, Stephen is responsible for supporting all coaches to perform at a high level. |
|
Club Person of the Year (Junior) |
Ashleigh Bertram Ashleigh has taken up a leadership role with the younger age groups. During Cross Country season, Ashleigh volunteers her time every Saturday and loves helping around the club in any form she can. She attends many training sessions each week and provides younger and less experienced athletes with her expertise, tips, and knowledge for their improvement. Overall, Ashleigh has proven to be an excellent role model. |
|
Women in Sport Leadership |
Lisa Walshe Lisa is a player for the Knox Women’s Football Club and also the captain, team manager, secretary, in charge of the merchandise. She also attends committee meetings. Lisa started a youth girl’s side in 2010 and a second side in 2011. She has developed pathway programs at the club to ensure girls play Junior and Senior Women’s Football and provided an avenue for women with ambition to play football at a higher level. |
Years of Service Recognition
Awarded to long-standing volunteers within local sport and leisure clubs.
| Years of Service | Award Recipient/s |
|---|---|
|
50 Years |
Anthony Aulsebrook - Victorian Basketball Referees Association - Knox Branch Keith Boldiston - Bayswater Football Club Ken Miller - Ferntree Gully Bowling Club |
|
30 Years |
Colin Watkeys - Knox & District Softball Umpires Association Janice Clayton - Knox & District Softball Umpires Association Ken Evans - Knox & District Softball Umpires Association Merv Larter - Knox & District Softball Umpires Association |
|
25 Years |
Mike Kerr - Knox Little Athletics Centre |
|
20 Years |
Trish Maslen - Knox BMX Club |
| Award Category | Award Winner/s |
|---|---|
|
Club of the Year |
Knox Churches Soccer Club A large, growing community club which gives local ;members a fun, family-orientated place to play soccer. The Club has also implemented a range of educational programs for players, committee, coaches and members covering topics including drugs, violence and mental illness. With a diverse committee and programs that cater for players of all ages, abilities and ethnicities, the Knox Churches are truly an all-inclusive soccer club. |
|
Best Club Initiated Program |
Bayswater Park Cricket Club The Club hosts an annual charity T20 match to raise much-needed funds for a number of charities. This year, the club raised over $28,000 for the National Breast Cancer Foundation and Multiple Sclerosis Australia, in addition to more than $17,000 raised in 2016 for the same charities. |
|
Healthy and Wellbeing |
Knox Churches Soccer Club The Club do not sell alcohol or rely on revenue from alcohol sales. The Club has a range of healthy food choices within their canteen and a Wellbeing Committee has been established to support its members. The Club has also engaged Sport and Life Training to run programs for their players to address issues impacting the local community including drugs, alcohol, mental illness and racism. |
|
Club Person of the Year (Junior) |
Ben Reynolds - Upper Ferntree Gully Junior Football Club Harry Cormack - Knox BMX Club Ben Verde - Knox City Football Club Louise Kohlman - Boronia Netball Club |
|
Club Person of the Year (Adult) |
Daniel Tubb - Scoresby Cricket Club |
|
Women in Sport Leadership |
Sue Rigg - Knox and District Softball Association |
Years of Service Recognition
Awarded to long-standing volunteers within local sport and leisure clubs.
| Years of Service | Award Recipient |
|---|---|
|
50 Years |
Christine Marshall - Boronia Netball Club |
|
35 Years |
Joan Lightowler - Rowville Tennis Club Ruth and John McGregor - Knox Boat Fishing Club |
|
25 Years |
Mary Stephen Knox All Stars Basketball Club Mike Quinn - Firestorm Martial Arts Centre Trish Martin - Knox BMX Club |
|
20 Years |
Jon Gregory Franklin - 2nd/3rd Bayswater Scout Group |
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