January 26, 2015
The South Burnett Junior Sportsperson Of The Year Australia Day Award recognises a young person from the region who has made an outstanding effort in sport.
In 2015, the nominees were:
Junior all round sportsmen Simon Fairbairn and Lane Ferling
Sporting sisters Shakira and Kristiana Walters
South Burnett futsal star Pacey Clegg
Junior sportsmen and footballers Neil Collard and Floyd 'Cookie' Aubrey
All-round athlete Hayley Hunter
Jayde Novak
Overcome major spinal reconstruction then succeeding in making the Australian Schools Equestrian Team
Winner of many QLD Dressage competitions
Made the Queensland Team to compete in the Australian Titles in Melbourne
Excellent role model for young riders
Pacey Clegg
Represented Australian in the Under 14’s Australian Futsal Team on a tour of the United Kingdom
Travelled all over the South Burnett, Maryborough, Gympie, Toowoomba, Brisbane, Sydney and the United Kingdom to represent himself, his school and his community in promoting a variety of sports
Undertaken training sessions, coaching clinics and games in Futsal, AFL, Soccer and Speedway across multiple regions
Dedicated player, referee and fundraiser
Erin Stewart
Represented in the Queensland Junior Trap Team placing 1st at the 1014 Trap Nationals- 1st place in Juniors for Champion of champions shooting a 124/125 to claim the Australian title, also claiming 1st in open ladies for the event, claiming another Australian title
Award recipient for outstanding merit across all areas of college life
Jared Sippel
Represents the South Burnett in Cross Country and Athletics
Represented Wide Bay in U/12 Touch Football
Played representative cricket since he was 11 years old playing for Wide Bay and State cricket sides
Represented Australia in the Under 15 cricket side that toured Sri Lanka in 2014
Plays A grade Cricket for Murgon and will participate in the upcoming under 15 Stat trials for cricket
Haley Hunter
Excelled in Futsal, Soccer, Touch Football, Cross Country and Athletics playing as a Wide Bay school representative across all sports
Represented her school in a variety of sports including Equestrian, Volleyball, Touch, Soccer and Swimming
Recipient of a soccer scholarship to the United States to play in the college system at an elite level
Australian representative- offered to tour Brazil/UK
Queensland City Representative – Sydney 2014
Recipient of multiple sports achievement and community awards
Neil Collard
Played football for the Murgon under 16’s which won the 2014 Grand Final
Completed courses with the Murgon Football Club to become a Referee and Coach
Placed first in the 2014 KTM Pony Express series at Roma
Competes in Enduro Races in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia placing sixth in Australian and Second in Queensland
Floyd ‘Cookie’ Aubrey
Received a full scholarship to attend Ipswich Grammar
Represented his school and local clubs in a number of different activities including athletics and football
Winner of the inaugural Cherbourg Reconciliation Fun Run in 2014
Fantastic role model for his younger siblings and his community
Jarred Mathews
Multi trophy winner in State Titles and International Sport Karate Association Tournaments
Placed a 3rd in Continuous Sparring, 4th in Sword Combat and 4th in Point Sparring at the ISKA World Cup in Sydney last year
Member of multiple school sporting teams and carnivals including the Queensland Volleyball Schools Cup Open team, Human Powered Vehicle Team, RACQ Technology Challenge, Athletics, Cross Country and Swimming
Shakira ‘Shak’ Walters
Made the K4K Tournament Team as the first Serious female competitor
Assistant Instructor
Participated and successfully placed in multiple tournaments including ISKA would Cup, ISKA Victoria, ISKA Queensland, NSW Open and Sydney City Open
Rated No. 1 competitor for continuous sparring, Rated No. 2 for sword combat and rated No 6. for Traditional Form at the ISKA 2014 Queensland Comp
Kristiana Walters
Has already travelled to 5 interstate tournaments competing in mixed 6-8 yrs Competitions
Placed 2nd in Traditional Form Mixed at ISKA Victoria and 2nd in Sumo Mixed at the ISKA Queensland State Titles just to name a few
Rated No.6 competitor in Traditional Form, No. 7 in Sword Combat and No. 8 in Sumo Kids on completion of the ISKA 2004 QLD Competition
Simon Fairbairn
School Captain
Made four Wide Bay teams and attended four State Titles in the sports of Cricket, Rugby League, Athletics for Triple Jump and Cross Country
Winner of the Prestigious Bass Blue Sports Person of the Year Award at Kingaroy High School
Age Champion for Cross Country and Athletics
Coached Junior School Touch Football
Refereed Junior Rugby League games
Laura Gray
Attended three state titles for school in Cricket, Soccer and Athletics
Selected in Queensland merit team and invited to tour Japan, playing 5 full games against Japanese teams winning Three and drawing one
Represented school in touch, soccer, swimming and Athletics
Represented Wide Bay in Cricket, Soccer and Athletics
Katinka von Elsner-Wellsteed
Accepted into Sheldon College to be part of Triathlon Australia, Sheldon College Triathlon Academy of Excellence
Won and placed in countless Triathlon and Cross Country events across Queensland and New South Wales
Gracious and supportive role model
Courtney Sipple
Represented Qld in the National Primary School Cricket Championships
Selected in the Qld Under 15 Cricket Team
Co-caption of the Murgon Flames the regions first all-girls cricket team
Wonderful role model for both boys and girls, showing girls can succeed in a make dominated sport
Clare Adcock
Selected to tour England representing Australia in Futsal
School age champion for athletics and cross country
Represented the South Burnett in Athletics, Cross Country, Swimming and Soccer
Represented Wide Bay in Athletics and Cross Country
Assists in coaching Junior Futsal teams
Assists in running the Swimming Squad – Wondai Swimming
Lane Ferling
Appointed Captain for School, Wide Bay Cricket and Wide Bay League Teams as well as his club rep team the Toowoomba Clydesdales.
Leads school morning training for fitness
Represented Toowoomba Clydesdales U/18 Mal Meninga Cup side
Represented Wide Bay at State Titles
Refereed for Primary School Rugby League games
Winner: Jared Sippel
Jared Sippel has been in representative cricket since he was 11 years old, and at this age was first selected in South Burnett, Wide Bay and State under 12 cricket sides.
His commitment to training and his involvement in the local cricket competition has been outstanding.
Jared represented Wide Bay in Under 12 touch football, and has represented the South Burnett in Cross Country and Athletics.
Jared then went on to represent South Burnett, Wide Bay and Queensland in cricket in 2011 and 2012 and then represented Australia in the Under 15 cricket side that toured Sri Lanka in 2014.
Jarred currently plays A grade cricket for his club side Murgon, and will be participating in the upcoming under 15 State cricket trials.
Related articles:
Joan Is Our Citizen Of The Year
Local Achiever Awards
Senior Cultural Award
Junior Cultural Award
Community Organisation Of The Year
Junior Sportsperson Of The Year
Senior Sportsperson Of The Year
Sports Coach, Official Or Administrator
Volunteer Of The Year
Lifetime Achievement Award
Young Citizen Of The Year
Citizen Of The Year