Blacktown Sports Awards

Published on 05 February 2020

Australia’s top freestyle indoor skydiver, Amy Watson, is Blacktown City’s 37th Sportsperson of the Year.

The 14-year-old was Australia’s only sole representative at the World Championships in France in 2019.

Blacktown City Mayor Tony Bleasdale OAM said: “Amy began at the tender age of nine and has since gone on to impress everyone around her.

“Amy has won multiple national and international titles and she is a very fitting recipient for Blacktown City’s Sportperson of the Year.

“Her persistence, hard work and dedication has seen her efforts paid off at such an early age.

“Amy is an inspiration not only for Blacktown’s sporting community but also for our entire community,” Mayor Bleasdale said.

International soccer representative Jessika Nash was named Junior Sports Person of the year.

“Jessica captained the junior Matilda’s in the Asian Cup in September last year.

“She was the youngest in the team and was rewarded with player of the match against China.

“The Junior Matildas came in 4th place equalling Australia’s best ever international results,” Mayor Bleasdale said.

Jessika is also an active and integral member of the Hills Sports High Girls Cricket team who have been State Champions two years in a row.

One of the most prestigious Awards for the evening was the Mayor’s Shield.

This award is selected by the Mayor of Blacktown City. The recipient is a resident who has made an outstanding contribution to a sport or sporting organisation for many years.

Mayor Bleasdale presented the 2020 Mayor’s Shield award to Steve Warwick who has built the Blacktown District Rugby League Spartans up from scratch.

“Steve is an exceptional talent who has dedicated his time to footy for over 20 years,” Mayor Bleasdale said.

“Steve started Africa United in 2012 and this year they won their first trophy at the Cabra 9a.

“He has been instrumental in introducing the sport to the youth from the African community, inspiring youngsters to turn the sport into a career, and inspiring parents to become more involved in rugby league.”

Blacktown Sports Awards winners:

Sports person of the Year: Amy Watson – Indoor Skydiving

Sports Coach of the Year: Justine Sangalang – Taekwondo

Junior Sportsperson of the Year: Jessika Nash – Soccer

Sports Volunteer of the Year: Robert Fitzgerald – Netball

Sports Official of the Year: Jim Staader – Target Pistol Shooting

Team of the Year: Ponds FC Premier League – Soccer

Club of the Year: Doonside Little Athletics – Athletics

Mayor’s Shield:           Steve Warwick – Rugby League

Mayor Bali congratulated every nominee in the 2020 Sports Awards.

“To have been nominated is a fantastic achievement in itself and you should all be very proud of yourselves and your sporting accomplishments,” he said.

“I wish you all the best of luck in your future sporting endeavours.”

Blacktown City Council has been presenting Sports Awards since 1983, recognising the City’s sports men, women, boys and girls.

The program involves people of all ages and levels of competition, and promotes sports and sporting clubs within the community.

Sue Sim – Administrator of the Year

Sue Sim is the administrator to all 24 BDSFA affiliated clubs; she mentors and supports all of the affiliated clubs to achieve required reporting and administration tasks in order to effectively ensure all players are able to play each weekend.

Sue delivers an exceptional standard of support to all of her affiliated clubs; she ensures that everything that needs to be done is done each week to allow for the smooth running of the large competition. Sue has held a position with the association for 20 years and her contribution to the sport is astounding.

Doonside Little Athletics – Club of the year

In the 2017-2018 season they had one team compete at the State Relay Championships. In the 2018-2019 season they had 15 teams compete at the State Relay Championships. This included athletes aged 7 to 17 in both track and field events. They also hosted our annual gala day in October with over 450 athletes attending.

In the 2018-2019 athletic seasons, they introduced an Athlete With a Disability program, including new Club and Best Ever Records and an Athlete With a Disability Athlete of the Year award at our end of season presentation.

This season they had two of their female athletes represent Australia at the Oceania Championships, both of them bringing home a medal in their events.

Justine Sangalang Robert – Coach of the year

She has trained athletes to perform their best and win at International, National, State and Local tournaments representing their club, state and country. As a former Australian National team member who represented Australia at the 2014World Junior Championships. She has shared her passion, love for the sport, knowledge to our developing young athletes who look up to her as their role model. She has continuously researched and kept abreast with changing competition sporting rules, styles, strategies and tactics to improve our developing young athlete’s games and taekwondo skills.

Robert Fitzgerald – Volunteer of the Year

Robert has been a part of Blacktown City Netball Association and Pioneers Netball Club since 1979. He is the current Vice President of Blacktown Netball Association, and a coach, volunteer, President and life member of Pioneers Netball club.

The Club would not be able to function without him. From coach to president to umpire, Robert does it all as well helping out in all aspects of the day-to-day running of the club, whether it is coaching coordinator or as the club’s rules expert his commitment is unsurpassed.

Jim Staader – Sports Official of the Year

Jim officiates at National, State and Local levels

Jim constantly mentors Range Officers and encourages them to attain ever higher standards. For himself, he keeps himself up to date with rule and procedure changes as occur within the sport from time to time (Practical Pistol is an International sport).

In 2019 he officiated at the IPSC National Championships hosted at Blacktown Pistol club. This event attracted some 340 competitors from across Australia and includes a handful of International entrants. Jim was Chief Range Officer for the event which was conducted over six days in March 2019. In that role he presided over about 40 subordinate Range Officers.

Ponds FC Premier League – Team of the Year

Their Premier League side achieved the best result in the FFA Cup than any other Blacktown Club before. Our FFA Cup run reaches its pinnacle after beating a rep team 3 tiers above them and moved onto the 5th Round against one of the largest club in Australian Football history, Marconi Stallions. Although the result didn’t go their way against a side that were 1st in the NPL1 competition (highest in NSW) we attracted a reach that needed to be seen to be believed.

Jessika Nash – Junior Sports Person of the Year

She captained the junior Matilda’s in the Asian Cup (September 2019). And was the youngest in the team. Jess was rewarded with player of the match against China

They played 5 games where they came in 4th place equalling Australia’s best results in history.

Jessika is also an active and integral member of the Hills Sports High Girls Cricket team who have been State Champions two years in a row.

Amy Watson – Sports Person of the Year

At just 14 years old, Amy is Australia’s top freestyle indoor skydiver. She is also World Champion for Junior Freestyle 2019 and Won the title of Junior Freestyle World Champion for Indoor Skydiving in Lille, France.

Amy started flying as a sport when she was 9 years old after her birthday party at iFLY Downunder in Sydney’s west. Since then she’s competed in a host of national and international events and now has a number of achievements and titles to her name.

Image: All the Blacktown City Sports Award winners join Councillor Brad Bunting, Shane Gould and Mayor Tony Bleasdale