Will 15-year-old Tanayah Harley and 14 year-old Oscar Kennett be the next Libby Trickett and James Magnussen when it comes to swimming and 14-year-old Payton Schweizer and 13-year-old Neve Schweizer be the next Ash Barty and Samantha Stosur when it comes to tennis?
Could 13-year-olds Amaria Roya, Kailei Royal, Eliza Herman, Skyla Pope and Chloe Gray, along with 14-year-olds Lyla Johnston, Amy-Lee O’Donnell and Ellie-May Thomas, and 15-year-olds Taya Cottee, Kali Yopp, Macy Butler and Jessica Farragher one day play for the Australian Diamonds Netball Team.
Will 16-year-old Wyley Drew and 14-year-old Oliver Rixon play for the Socceroos while 14-year-olds Freya Kirbach and Jade Parkin play for the Matildas?
Perhaps 17-year-old Olivia Osborne is the next Ellyse Perry in cricket, and 15-year-old Marlin Corbett might play in the AFL Grand Final while 16-year-old Lennox Rowe plays touch football for Australia and 13-year old Jake Connolly along with 12-year-old Alex Poole could play for Australia in Baseball?
Could Gold at the Olympics be in the futures of 13-year-olds Padraig Heffernan and Charlotte Gilliland, and 16-year-old Ember Evans in the Athletics arena and 17-year-old Rohan Allsopp in mountain biking and 11-year-old Dean Sneesby in Motorcross.
And could 16-year-old Julian Thompson and 13-year-old Chloe Bull make it on the Australian Basketball team, and 16-year-old Joshua Lee could win Olympic Gold in caneoing while 13-year-old Shailyn Gooley plays Hockey with the Hockeyroos.
Only time will tell, but Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan is making sure that 34 young Northern Rivers Sporting Champions are given every opportunity to follow their dreams.
At a Local Sporting Champions Award morning tea today, Mr Hogan presented the 34 local teenagers with a certificate in recognition of their achievements and confirmed their grants from the Local Sporting Champions program.
“Those who received the Awards have excelled themselves representing the Northern Rivers on the national and state stage,” he said.
The Local Sporting Champions program provides financial assistance to young people aged between 12 and 18 years to compete, coach or umpire in their chosen sport.
“The Northern Rivers has produced some outstanding sportspeople in the past, and it is important that we support the next crop of our local sporting talent,” Mr Hogan said.
“Unfortunately succeeding in sport doesn’t just take talent and determination – parents also often have to put their hands in their pockets to get their children to competitions. I’m very pleased to be able to help these families with financial support through these grants.
“Sport is important in the development of young people: it teaches them life-long skills like teamwork, keeps them fit and healthy, and allows them to excel in something they love and enjoy.
“I encourage any budding champions out there who have the opportunity of competing at a state, national or international event to apply for a grant by contacting my office or checking out the website ausport.gov.au.”
In no particular order, our latest Northern Rivers Sporting Champions are:
· Padraig Heffernan , 13yo, NSW All School Cross Country Championships
· Charlotte Gilliland, 13yo, 2019 NSW Junior Track & Field Championships
· Ember Evans, 16yo, 2019 NSWPSSA All Schools State Cross Country Championships
· Marlin Corbett, 15yo, All Schools 15 And Under National Championships
· Jake Connolly, 13yo, Little League State Titles
· Alex Poole, 12yo, 2019 Little League National Championships
· Julian Thompson, 16yo, NSWCHS Championships Boys Basketball
· Chloe Bull, 13yo, 2019 QLD U14 Girls State Championships
· Dean Sneesby, 11yo, Bad Boy National Championships BMX 2019
· Joshua Lee, 16yo, 2019 ICF Wildwater Canoeing Junior & U23 World Championships
· Olivia Osborne, 17yo, 2019 U17 Girls NSW Cricket State Challenge
· Freya Kirbach, 14yo, Football Queensland Community Cup
· Wyley Drew, 16yo, Community Cup
· Oliver Rixon, 14yo, 2019 National Youth Championships For Boys
· Jade Parkin, 14yo, FFA 2019 National Youth Championship For Girls
· Shailyn Gooley, 13yo, 2019 Hockey NSW U13 Girls State Field Hockey Championships
· Rohan Allsopp, 17yo, 2019 MTBA National Championships
· Taya Cottee, 15yo, Netball NSW Senior State Titles
· Ellie-May Thomas, 14yo, Junior State Titles
· Lyla Johnston, 14yo, State Age Championships – Netball NSW
· Amy-Lee O’Donnell, 14yo, Netball NSW State Age Championships
· Amaria Royal, 13yo, 2019 Junior State Titles
· Kailei Royal, 13yo, 2019 Junior State Titles
· Eliza Herman, 13yo, Netball NSW Junior State Titles
· Skyla Pope, 13yo, Junior State Titles
· Jessica Farragher, 15yo, State Age Netball
· Chloe Gray, 13yo, Junior State Titles
· Macy Butler, 15yo, State Championships
· Kali Yopp, 15yo, Netball NSW State Titles
· Tanayah Harley, 15yo, 2019 NSW Combined High Schools Sports Association Championships
· Oscar Kennett, 14yo, 2019 NSW Combined High Schools Sports Association Championships
· Payton Schweizer, 14yo, 2019 QLD State Age Tennis Championships
· Neve Schweizer, 13yo, 2019 QLD State Age Tennis Championships
· Lennox Rowe, 16yo, 2019 Regional Touch Football Championships
For more information about the program, go to www.ausport.gov.au
