Sport NSW announces Community Sports winners and Long Service Award recipients

Sport NSW has announced 12 Community Sports Award category winners and honoured 23 men and women with a Distinguished Long Service Award at its 2023 Sports Foyer NSW Community Sports Awards.

Presented at Parramatta’s CommBank Stadium on Thursday evening, the presentation evening saw recipients from a wide cross-section of sports receive their Awards from NSW Minister for Sport Stephen Kamper.

The Community Sports Awards and the Distinguished Long Service Awards acknowledge outstanding achievements and contributions to community sport.

This year’s Awards also saw the introduction of two new Awards, the Inclusion Award and the Innovation Award.

The 12 Community Sports Award were shared among nine different sports with Royal Life Saving, cricket, surf life saving and gymnastics each collecting two awards.

Paying tribute to the Award recipients, Sport NSW Chairperson, Chris Hall stated “it is fitting these community sports recipients are recognised and honoured. It is because of their efforts that NSW remains the premier sports state in Australia.

“Sport in NSW relies on these selfless volunteers who have dedicated their time to community sport. Put simply, sport would not exist without them.

“Their enduring contributions showcases why community sport is the beating heart of community sport in NSW and we thank all staff and volunteers for their exceptional dedication."

The Community Sports Awards category winners are:

Community Club of The Year
Hills Hornets Touch Football Association 

Community Coach of The Year
Amber Cross (netball)

Community Event of The Year
Gymnastics NSW Country Championships

Community Official of The Year
Rozlynn Grey OAM (Royal Life Saving)

Community Sports Administrator of The Year
Andrew Bowden (Royal Life Saving)

Community Team of The Year (joint winners) 
North Cronulla Open Women’s Beach Relay Team (surf lifesaving) and Equestrian NSW State Interstate Team 

Inclusion Award (joint winners)
Gymnastics NSW and Pasifica Youth Cup hosted by Sydney Junior Rugby Union 

Innovation Award 
Live Heats (surf lifesaving)

Volunteer Director of The Year 
Amanda Fraser (cricket)

Young Coach of The Year 
Elysa Oliveri (cricket)

Young Official of The Year 
Fiorella Collins (Little Athletics)

Local Council of The Year 
Blacktown Council

Distinguished Long Service Award recipients are:
Angelo Santangelo - fencing
Anita Keelan - netball
Barbara and Kevin Weimer - tennis
Bernadette Spedding - gymnastics
Bill Anderson - cricket
Chris Baker - motorcycling
David Archbold - athletics
Dereck Fineberg - Little Athletics
Eli Demeny - Sailability
Gerry Knights - South-West Sydney Academy of Sport
Gwyn Mulholland - motorsport
Ian Matthew - touch football
Jillian Long - hockey
Larry Brown - Deaf Netball
Margaret and Allan Gregson - swimming
Margaret Beaumont - basketball
Maureen Worth - surf life saving
Mike Mackney - paddle
Steve Woodger - Northern NSW Football
Terry Bluett - orienteering
Terry Hellyer - archery