THE Horsham District league 2018 season’s Blue Ribbon Spirit of Football and Netball awards were announced at the grand final on Saturday.
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The award is given to an under 17s football player, coach and team, and 17 and under netballer, coach and team for displaying great sportsmanship throughout the season.
For every 17s match in a given week, football and netball umpires allocate players from each team a score out of 10 for both sportsmanship and skill. A weekly individual award is presented based on these votes, which are then tallied at the end of the season to decide an overall winner.
The team of the year is decided by the collective sum of votes from each teams’ players.
This team’s coach receives the coach of the year award.
Jeparit-Rainbow 17 and under netballer Olivia Revell was awarded the player of the year.
Meanwhile, Natimuk United took out the honour of being named team of the year and their coach Cheryl Sudholz was awarded coach of the year.
Sudholz said it was a privilege to coach the 17 and under netballers this year.
“They have been a great bunch of girls to coach. It is not an easy gig to coach both A Grade and the 17 and unders. We have had a lot of fun this year,” she said.
“I was more apprehensive to how I would go because I have only coached older girls in A Grade.
“Compared to that there is a lot to take into consideration. There’s a lot of pressure to be fair and there is a lot to consider, especially with juniors.”
Sudholz said she hoped she had inspired her team to strive to be great netballers.
“I hope in the end I have been able to be a positive role model to them and that they have enjoyed their year and have a love of netball that will continue into the future,” she said.
Swifts player Bourke Nicholls took out the Blue Ribbon Spirit of Football award for his stellar season.
The versatile player is in his second year with the club’s under 17s team, and played in every match this season, including a final.
Pimpinio took out the team of the year award, with coach Brett Thompson named coach of the year.
Thompson led his charges to the grand final on Saturday, where they were seeking to win their first under 17s premiership in more than 15 years.
They narrowly lost to Noradjuha-Quantong.
Thompson said after the match he was proud of the year his team had put on the field, and said they should hold their heads high.
He said his players had shown a lot of character during the finals series.