Sports stars recognised at annual awards

The Tamworth Regional Sports Awards recognise proud and strong sporting culture and achievements of individuals, teams and organisations across the Tamworth region.

Winners of the 2022 Tamworth Regional Sports Awards are:

Junior Sports Star of the Year

Brooke Wallis

• Brooke was selected in U16 Girls Far North NSW Team that competed at AFA Nationals Championships in Brisbane in January 2022;
• Selected to represent Australia in the U16 Girls Futsal Team at the US National Championships in San Jose in July 2022;
• In September 2022, was selected to play in the U19 Girls Far North NSW Team to play at the AFA National Schools Futsal Championship in Brisbane. Was named captain, and the side went undefeated over the 4 days;
• As a result, was selected in the All Stars U19 Girls team and selected to represent Australia again in the youth womens team to compete at the 2023 US Nationals Championships in Las Vegas in July 2023.

Senior Sports Star of the Year

Jack Davis

• Jack represented Australia in a number of international BMX events;
• Gold at U23 Oceania BMX Championships in Brisbane;
• 9th at U23 UCI BMX World Championships in France in July;
• Competed at 2 world cup open events in Scotland;
• Competed in the USA National series events.

Coach of the Year

Anthony Barbara

• Coaches a number Womens Pirates Rugby Club Teams including 14s, 16s, 18s and Opens;
• Coached U16 Central north team to the Country Championships in Hunters Hill, taking out the win. Seven of the players from this squad made NSW Country Squad and five were selected for the final NSW Country team;
• Coached U17 Northwest 7s side who competed at NSW State Championships placing 6^th out of 13 teams;
• Coached the open Womens team, only lost one game all season winning both the Central north minor and major premierships. A number of players from this team went onto to be selected in representative sides, including Central North, NSW Country and NSW Waratahs.

Special Achievement Award

Josh Johansen

• Josh plays a Paralympic sport called Goalball;
• Josh has had over 15 surgeries from the age of 5 due to re-occurrence of tumours;
• One tumor affecting his eye required surgery to remove his eye.
• Selected in State and National Games this year bringing medals home on each occasion.
• Josh hopes to one day play for Australia representing Blind Sports.

Ken McKenzie Award

Lyn O'Brien

Lynette O'Brien has a long history of volunteering for netball, both in Tamworth and our broader Northern Inland netball region.

• Achieving her National B badge as a Tamworth umpire;
• Holding many roles on the Tamworth Netball Executive Committee, including Umpire Coordinator and Secretary;
• Long-term, repeat membership of many sub-committees that help Tamworth Netball Executive run competitions;
• Umpire coach - talent identification and development of Cadet umpires in Tamworth, with gentle coaching and kind, approachable manner making her an ideal guide for our next generation of umpires;
• Regular badging panel member - responsible for assessing our up and coming umpires against the National badge competencies;
• Head of the Northern Inland Regional Allocations Team for Netball NSW, including being responsible for the coaching and development of regional umpires at our Regional League competition. Lyn has held this position for several years;
• Countless hours of umpiring over 36 years of service to Tamworth Netball.

Local Achiever Award

Fiona Sing

• Fiona has a disability which requires her to use a wheelchair for both social and sporting activities;
• Fiona plays Para badminton, playing three times a week utilising support workers along with an online coach;
• Fiona qualified for the Para World Championships in November 2022 which were held in Japan.

Junior Sports Team of the Year Award

Tamworth Junior Oztag 16 Girls Rep Team

• Played 3 major tournaments this year – 2x nationals and 1x state cup;
• First national's tournament in Coffs Harbour in February, finished 6^th;
• State Cup tournament was held in June, where the team finished 4^th overall;
• From this tournament we had 8 girls named in the Country Knights Side;
• Second national's tournament at the start of October saw the team finish 5^th;
• Next year will be the girls last year as Junior Reps with some of the girls already stepping up into the senior rep U20 women's side for this year.

Senior Sports Team of the Year Award

Oxley Vale Attunga FC Mens Premier League Team

• Oxley Vale Attunga FC Mens Premier League recently won the 2022 Major Premiership in both First and Reserve Grade.
• First Grade also won the Minor Premiership after an undefeated season which is a record that stretches back 3 years over 48 games.
• The teams also collected the Club Championship and won the Inaugural Northern Inland Cup. During the preseason the team also made numerous trips to Coffs Harbour winning their way through to the final round of the Northern NSW Northern Region of the Australia Cup which is the furthest a team from the Northern Inland has ever been.

Sport Development Award

Tamworth Gymnastics Club

• Tamworth Gymnastics Club has been operating in Tamworth for over 30 years. During this time the club has grown to be one of the most successful clubs in NSW and Australia;
• In 2022 Tamworth Gymnastics Club had two gymnasts selected to represent NSW at the Australian National Championships on the Gold Coast, with the Level Six Team winning the City v Country Competition;

• At the NSW Country Championships Tamworth gymnasts in Level 5-10 won 7 Individual Gold Medals, 7 Silver Medals and 4 Bronze Medals.

  The Level 3-4 gymnasts brought home 12 Gold Banded Medals, 4 Silver Banded Medals and 1 Bronze Banded Medal.

• At Junior State Championships Tamworth Gymnasts brought home Eight Gold Banded Medals and Three Silver Banded medals.
• In 2022 Tamworth Gymnastics Club hosted the Country Capital Cup competition at the TRECC. An event in its ninth year, it is currently the biggest individually run gymnastics competition in NSW.

Sports Star of the Year

Jack Davis

Tamworth Regional Council Sporting Hall of Fame

Fiona Sing

The Tamworth Regional Sports Awards are run by Tamworth Regional Council and supported by Intersport Tamworth.