SPORTING BLUE AWARD WINNERS
Primary School
Liam Richardson
Lieng Tang
Newstead
Primary School
Westall
Primary School
Award: Athlete with a
Disability
Award: Athletics
Liam is an all-round athlete who excels in track and field,
basketball, tennis, cricket and equestrian dressage.
He represented Victoria at the 2012 School Sport Australia
track and field competition in Adelaide last November, and
won gold medals in the 200m and 800m, silver in the 100m,
along with silver in the 100m relay and gold in the medley.
Liam was one of five Australians and the youngest member
of the national dressage team that competed at the 2012
Hope Cup in Taiwan. He finished second in three of his
competitions, and Australia came second overall.
Lieng was a member of his district-winning softball and
division-winning football teams. He also won the Noble Park
District Cross Country tournament.
In track and field he competed in, and won, three events at
district level, won the 100m at Noble Park district
championships, and was successful in triple jump and 200m
in division, regional and state levels.
Lieng received medals in all three of his events at the School
Sport Australia Track and Field Championships, collecting
bronze in the 200m, silver in the 800m sprint medley and
gold in the long jump.
Lieng’s achievements are even more commendable, given
he has had no club or coaching opportunities and received
his first pair of running spikes just prior to the national
competition.
Mitchell Riordan
Jack Perry
Berwick
Primary School
Croydon Hills
Primary School
Award: Basketball
Award: Australian
Rules Football
Mitchell is a keen sportsperson who has a single-minded
dedication to achieving his full potential.
His football achievements in 2012 include captaining the
school football team and representing several districts on the
field.
He was selected to represent Victoria at the School Sport
Australia national football carnival and was elected team
captain. The team was undefeated and won the tournament.
Jack was part of the School Sport Victoria boys’ basketball
team that played in the 2012 national championships. He
scored a total of 111 points during the competition, averaging
13.9 points a game, and was the third leading scorer in the
tournament. He scored 27 points alone in the bronze-medal
winning game against Queensland.
Jack is the highest scoring member of his school basketball
team, which won the 2012 Victorian School Sport Victoria
championship. His dream is to play basketball in the USA.
Jack also showed his versatility in netball, with his school
team winning the 2012 School Sport Victoria boys/mixed
netball state championship.
Primary School
Lucy Cochrane
Beaumaris
Primary School
Award: Basketball
Mackenzie
Harvey
Murrumbeena
Primary School
Award: Cricket
Lucy achieved an enormous amount in her final year of
primary school, culminating in being selected for the
School Sport Victoria basketball team, which won the 2012
national championship.
In 2011 she led her local under-12 team, Sandringham
Sabres, to win the Basketball Victoria state championships
and was awarded Most Valuable Player for the season.
Lucy was selected by Basketball Victoria to represent Vic
Metro in the Southern Cross Challenge in January 2013.
Mackenzie is a talented batter, bowler and wicket
keeper and currently plays indoor and outdoor
cricket.
He was a member of Victoria’s 12-and-under indoor
cricket team, which came third at the 2012 Australian
championships in Brisbane, and was selected to
represent Australia at the 2012 World Junior Indoor
Cricket Series in South Africa. Australia won, and
Mackenzie was chosen to join the World All Stars team.
Mackenzie was also a member of the School Sport
Victoria’s state cricket team in 2012.
Sophie
Van de Heuvel
Sam
Ackland-Evans
Alfredton
Primary School
Clifton Hill
Primary School
Award: Cricket
Award: Cross Country
Sophie is highly skilled in all facets of cricket. At the
School Sport Australia championships in January 2012
she managed to compile 58 runs for the carnival, including
a 51 retired on the last day against the Australian Capital
Territory. Her bowling was equally impressive, taking eight
wickets in four games, with her best performance a fivewicket haul against New South Wales.
Sophie captained the School Sport Victoria 12-and-under
girls’ cricket team during the School Sport Australia
Championships in December 2012.
In his first year of cross country competition Sam had a
succession of impressive achievements. At school level
he placed first in three consecutive meets,
and second at the School Sport Victoria Northern
Metropolitan Regional Cross Country Carnival.
His third placing at the state championships enabled him
to compete at the National Cross Country
Championships, where he placed second in the
individual event for his age group – with an amazing time
of 7.07 minutes – and third in the team relay.
Primary School
Emma Madgwick
Joelynn Heng Do
Albert Park
Primary School
Ascot Vale West
Primary School
Award: Diving
Award: Golf
Having reached international levels in gymnastics, Emma
jumped into diving when invited to join the Victorian State
Talent Identification Program and quickly progressed from
age to elite level.
This talented 12-year-old won gold in platform and silver in
her springboard and synchronised dives at the 2012 School
Sport Australia national championships. She competed in the
2012 Victorian October Challenge and won gold medals in
the 1m and 3m springboard, qualifying her for the 2013
National Junior Elite Championships.
Emma’s highlight for 2012 was competing at the NSA Cup in
Sofia, Bulgaria, with the Melbourne Elite Diving Academy.
Macey
Joelynn has been competing in golf tournaments around
Victoria and interstate since the age of 9, often playing against
much older female and male opponents. She has numerous
state and national achievements under her belt, and is
currently ranked third under-12 player in the state.
In 2011 Joelynn was invited to join the prestigious
Huntingdale Golf Club and became the youngest-ever
player in the club’s junior team.
Joelynn currently trains with the Victorian State
Development Squad.
She represented Victoria in the School Sport Australia
Championships last November, and has been awarded a
sports scholarship at Maribyrnong Sports Academy.
Benjamin White
Sutherland
Kiewa Valley
Laburnum Primary School
Primary School
Award: Hockey
Award: Hockey
Macey ended 2012 on a high, completing her final year of
primary school and collecting some extra kudos for her
burgeoning hockey career.
Macey plays hockey at club level for the under-14
and under-16 teams and in the B-grade women’s
competitions.
State achievements for 2012 include selection to the
under-13 North East Knights, which placed third in the
junior state championships.
On a national level, Macey was again selected to play in
the 12-years-and-under Victorian team, which won a
silver medal at the Australian championships in Adelaide.
Ben was a privotal member of the School Sport Victoria boys’
12-and-under state hockey team, which won a silver medal at
the 2012 national championships. He also represented his
Hockey Victoria team, the Eastern Red Devils, in the under13 competition, helping them to win a gold medal at the state
championships.
Ben co-captained Laburnum Primary School’s Hockey 7’s
team, which won the School Sport Victoria state title for the
second consecutive year. This talented player has also
captained his domestic club’s under-11 A Grade team to a
premiership.
SPORTING Primary School
Elli Leydin
Ivor Cook
Williamstown
Primary School
Courtney Gardens
Primary School
Award: Netball
Award: Rugby League
Over the past two years, Elli has represented her school at
regional or state level in swimming, athletics, cross country
and netball.
A skilled and strategic netballer, Ellie was a key centre court
player in the gold-medal winning School Sport Victoria 12and-under national championships team, displaying strong
leadership and sportsmanship throughout the tournament.
Ivor has represented his school in AFL, basketball, cross
country and athletics – but his true passion is rugby
league. Although he has been unable to represent his
school in this field, he has represented the state as a
member of the School Sport Victoria primary rugby league
team, which placed third at the 2012 national
championships. Ivor played on the wing and scored
numerous tries and converted several goals.
His dream is to play for his favourite rugby league team,
Melbourne Storm.
Teresa
Morrissey
Caulfield South
Primary School
Stefan Ristic
Kew East Primary
School
Award: Soccer
Award: Soccer
Teresa was goalkeeper for Caulfield South Primary’s
inter-school soccer team for 2012. She qualified for the
primary school girls’ soccer team after performing well for
the Southern Metropolitan region with her impressive
saves and strong ball skills and passing.
Teresa represented Victoria at the national
championships in Darwin where she again performed with
impressive results.
Despite playing competitive soccer for only two-and-a-half
years, Stefan qualified for the 2012 Victorian School Sport
under-12 soccer team, after six gruelling trials.
At the School Sport Australia national championships in
Darwin in September, Victoria came third and Stefan topscored for the team.
Stefan also qualified for the Victorian under-12 indoor soccer
(Futsal) team and represented the state at the nationals in
Canberra in January 2013.
Primary School
Jye Dennis
Ronan Keating
Mill Park Heights
Primary School
Livingstone
Primary School
Award: Softball
Award: Swimming
Jye represented Victoria at the School Sport Australia boys’
softball championships in 2011 and 2012. An impressive
pitcher, he was named Most Valuable Player at last year’s
championships in Canberra, and only gave away a total of
eight runs for the entire tournament.
Jye plays with City Raiders Softball Club, part of the Werribee
Softball Association. His team were premiers in 2009 and
2010 and runners up in 2011.
In 2012, Ronan competed in three state championship
events: the Victorian Long Course Championships, where he
was a finalist in the under-11 200m backstroke; the Victorian
All Junior State Championships, placing second in the under11 50m backstroke; and the Victorian State Short Course
Championships, where he placed third in the under-11 200m
freestyle, and was a finalist in the 100m and 200m
backstroke.
Ronan is ranked first in Victoria boys under-11 200m long
course backstroke and third in 200m short course freestyle.
Connor Di Marco
Jasmin Starr
Yarrambat Primary
School
Box Hill Secondary
College – Middle years
Sport Campus
Award: Tennis
Award: Tennis
Connor’s proudest achievements for 2012 include winning
the School Sport Victoria championships undefeated, and
being team captain of the Victorian team in the Bruce Cup,
the prestigious national schools tennis competition, where he
remained undefeated in all singles matches across the
seven-day tournament.
Other accolades for the year include securing seven state
level doubles titles, a top 10 finish in the under-12 at the
National Grasscourt Championships, and singles title wins at
the Spring OJT Championship in Bendigo and the Tasmanian
Junior Championships.
Last year proved to be an outstanding tennis season for
Jasmin, who won a string of Optus Junior titles in singles
and doubles and improved her overall women’s ranking
1348 places to place 581 in Australia.
She won the School Sport Victoria primary girls state tennis
competition, and did not lose a game in singles throughout
the tournament.
On a national level, Jasmin was a member of Victoria’s
Bruce Cup team and won five of her six singles matches.
She was also selected to play in the 12-under Margaret
Court Cup.
Secondary School
Timothy Disken
Morgan Mitchell
Glenallen School
Williamstown
High School
Award: Athlete with a
Disability
Award: Athletics
In 2011, Tim competed in the boys’ 11 to 14 age group at
the Australian Age Multi-Class Championships in Canberra
and won seven medals: two bronze in freestyle; silver in
individual medley; silver and gold in breaststroke; and two
gold medals in backstroke.
In 2012 he earned medals in all strokes over both short and
middle distance, and set Australian Age Records.
A keen sportsperson since primary school, Morgan has
achieved state level in basketball and national level in netball
and athletics.
In 2012, Morgan excelled on the track to become School Sport
Victoria state champion in the 100m, 200m and 400m, and
national 400m champion with a time of 54.66 seconds. Morgan
is aiming to represent Australia in track at the 2016 Olympic
Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Tim has been selected in the Paralympic Development
Squad for Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
Aidan Corr
Courtney Young
Viewbank College
Box Hill Senior
Secondary College
Award: Australian
Rules Football
Award: Australian
Rules Football
Aidan had a highly successful year in 2012. As well as
completing Year 12 and maintaining a part-time job, he
bounced back from an injury-interrupted pre-season in the
under-18 TAC Cup competition to showcase
his speed, agility and passion as a key defender with
Northern Knights, and as a member of national
champions Vic Metro.
Aidan is an Australian Institute of Sport scholarship holder
and travelled to England, France and Austria as part of the
AIS-AFL squad. He joined the Greater Western Sydney
Giants via pick 14 in the first round of the 2012 NAB AFL
Draft.
Courtney has been playing football since the age of 5, and
has played for a range of school and club teams in various
positions. She was captain of the Box Hill Senior Secondary
College football team, who were School Sport Victoria
Eastern region champions for 2011–12.
Her recent major achievements include being selected in
the 2012 under-18 All Australian squad, and the 2012
national championship under-18 Victorian Youth Girls’
team.
Courtney enhanced her leadership skills further by
captaining the Yarra Junior Football League team East
Burwood Devils during 2011–12, and was named Player
of the Series.
Secondary School
Emma French
Dylan Baker
Buckley Park College
Rowville Secondary
College
Award: Baseball
Award: Basketball
Emma has been playing baseball since the age of 11. She
trains and plays three times a week during the season.
Last year she was selected in the Australian under-19
women’s baseball team that played in the Phoenix Cup in
Hong Kong in January 2013.
Emma has represented Victoria five times and was identified
as one of the top 30 players at the Australian Women’s
National Baseball Championships, the Australian Girls’
Friendship Series, and the Victorian under-17 baseball team.
Dylan has been a member of the Rowville Sports Academy
since 2008 and is a key member of the school’s basketball
team, which was crowned 2012 School Sport Victoria
Premier League champions and runners-up in the
McDonald’s Cup state finals.
Dylan played in Team Vic’s metropolitan boys’ basketball 18years-and-under squad, which won the School Sport Victoria
state championships. He was named Most Valuable Player
for Vic Metro.
Emily Simons
Liam Banthorpe
Box Hill Senior
Secondary College
St Helena Secondary
College
Award: Basketball
Award: Cricket
Last year was a big year for Emily at school, state and
national levels.
At the beginning of 2012, she was selected in the School
Sport Victoria girls’ state team, and as an emergency for the
Victorian under-20 women’s team.
Liam has captained his school cricket team on numerous
occasions and won several school sport awards. He
currently plays for the Fitzroy/Doncaster Cricket Club.
National achievements include selection to the Bulleen
Boomers in the Women’s National Basketball League, and
winning gold at the School Sport Australia Championships.
His national achievements include playing in the under-13
(vice-captain), under-15 and under-17 championships. In
the latter event, held in Tasmania in December 2012, he
averaged 65.75 with a highest score of 100 not out in the
final game against Queensland.
Emily co-captained the school’s senior girls’ basketball team,
which won a gold medal at the Victorian College
Championships, and was selected for the USA tour team.
Liam was opening batsman for the under-16 Australian
cricket team that toured Dubai in October 2012. He scored
228 runs with a top score of 67 off 56 balls.
Secondary School
Jack Davies
Ballarat High
School
Amelia
Mazza-Downie
Maribyrnong College
Award: Cross Country
Award: Cross Country
Jack is a talented middle and long distance runner, and
was Ballarat High School’s cross country champion from
Year 7 to 11, and was awarded the school’s Most
Outstanding Sportsperson in 2011.
Jack began 2012 with a career highlight, captaining the
Australian schools team at the ISF World Cross Country
Championships in Malta where he ran an exceptional race
finishing second overall in the 5.5km event in a time of 16
minutes, 29 seconds. He also claimed a gold medal as
part of the victorious Australian team.
Amelia trains up to seven nights a week and strives hard to be
the best athlete she can.
She came second in the 3km event at the Victorian All School
Cross Country Championships, and set two Victorian records at
the 2012 State Track and Field Championships with a time of
9.58 in the 3km, and a time of 4.44 in the 1500m.
On a national level, she came first in the 3km event at both the
Australian Cross Country Championships and the Australian
Youth Track and Field Championships.
Jack also represented Victoria at the 2012 Australian
Cross Country Championships, and won the Athletics
Victoria state cross country men’s under 18 champion
award. He has his sights set on this year’s World Under 20
Cross Country Championships.
James Bannan
Abbey Trinca
Peter Lalor Secondary
College
Maribyrnong College
Award: Golf
Award: Golf
James’ prowess on the golf course both here and
overseas has not gone unnoticed, and may be the
driver to fulfilling his dream of one day turning
professional.
In September 2012 James won the Aaron Baddeley
International Junior Championship (ABIJC) boy’s
Victorian title, and went on to win the ABIJC Australian
boy’s final a month later. This led to his selection to
Team Australia to compete in the ABIJC World Final in
China in November.
In January 2013, James participated in the Victorian leg
of the PGA Tour of Australasia.
Abbey competed in a range of golf competitions during 2012
and had some impressive wins, including the Lakeside Golf
Club Winter Cup, Medal of Medalist, and Club Championship.
Currently ranked 34, junior tournament wins for 2012 include
the Kooringal Golf Club, Northern Golf Club and Medway Golf
Club junior opens, as well a splacing seventh at the under-18
Victorian Junior Girls’ Championships.
Abbey competed in the Victorian Junior Masters at the Royal
Melbourne, winning it for the third consecutive year. She has
qualified for the 2013 Golf South Australia Junior Amateur
Championship, the 2013 Tasmanian Junior Masters, and the
2103 Victorian Junior Masters.
Secondary School
Darci
Kleinschmidt
Canterbury Girls’
Secondary College
Andrew Scanlon
Maribyrnong College
Award: Hockey
Award: Hockey
Darci has been an integral part of the successful hockey
teams produced at Canterbury Girls’ Secondary College
over the last five years. She has coached and captained
numerous teams, including the 2011 intermediate team,
which were state champions. Darci is school sports
captain for 2013.
She has represented Victoria many times and is regularly
involved with the Victorian Institute of Sport’s hockey
program.
Andrew is key player with the senior hockey team at Maribyrnong
College.
He was vice-captain of the 2012 Australian under-16 school boys’
team, and leading goal scorer for the under-17 Shield competition,
winning the Mike Craig Medal for Best and Fairest.
Anrew currently trains with the Victorian under-18 Men’s indoor
and outdoor hockey teams.
At club level, Darci plays in two competitions: women’s
open age, and the Rick Purser Shield, the premier under17 competition for boys in Victoria.
Libby Birch
Philip Petreski
Maribyrnong College
Lyndale secondary college
Award: Netball
In 2012, Libby set out to achieve specific goals. As a dual
state athlete in hockey and netball, she made a choice to
drop one of her sports, and decided to focus on netball,
which proved advantageous. She captained the under-15
School Sport Victoria netball team at the national titles in
August 2012, and has been selected as part of the
Australian team for 2013. Libby has led the Maribyrnong
College team to victory in every major domestic and
international championship over the last two years.
She was awarded a City West Falcons scholarship last
year, and will play with the under-19 team in this year’s
Victorian Athletic Championships.
Award: Soccer
Philip coaches the intermediate girls’ and Year 8 boys’ soccer
teams at Lyndale Secondary College.
His dedication and hard work has been crucial in assisting him
to lead various soccer teams to regional and state level
success, and in propelling him to achieve success outside of a
school setting.
Highlights for 2012 include his selection to the Melbourne Heart
Youth Team, and to the under-19 Australian soccer team, the
Olyroos, which played in the World Soccer Championships in
January.
Secondary School
Kariah White
Emily Clow
Kurnai College
John Monash Science
School
Award: Soccer
Award: Softball
Kariah’s abilities have been recognised by selectors early
on: at age 12 she co- captained her team at the Friendship
Games, and in 2008 she was named in the Select 11
Squad. Two years later she graduated to the National
Youth Championships where, unfazed by bigger
opponents or expectations, she claimed top goal scorer of
the tournament.
Kariah has competed in the Women’s Premier League for
club team Bundoora United, reaching both cup and
championship finals. She has represented Victoria on
many occasions as co-captain or vice-captain, and has
been selected to the Australian Shadow Squad for a
second year.
Emily has been a passionate softball player since primary
school, and has represented Victoria in both state teams
and School Sport Victoria softball teams.
In 2012 she captained John Monash Science School’s
senior softball team to win School Sport Victoria’s state
championships.
Emily was a member of the under-16 and under-17
Softball Victoria state teams, and is a member of the
2013 under-19 state team.
Matthew
Haanappel
Kahlia Marsh
Melba Secondary
College
Award: Swimming
Belmont High School
Award: Swimming
Matthew was born with cerebral palsy and began
competitive swimming at the age of 13. During the next
five years he broke 32 Australian age records and four
open records, numerous times over.
Matthew has represented Victoria at the last four
National School Swimming Championships, and was
captain of the Victorian men’s team for the 2012 School
Sport Australia Swimming Championships. He was
awarded the School Swimming Australia Sportsmanship
Award, and Disability Swimmer of the Meet.
Matthew competed in five individual events and two
relays at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London,
winning a gold medal in the men’s 4 x 100 freestyle
relay and bronze in the men’s 4 x 100 medley relay.
Kahlia has represented Team Vic swimming for nine
consecutive years – twice as captain and vice captain.
She was a member of the Australian Junior Flippers
Squad, and has competed at Olympic trials and Age
Nationals.
Kahlia has amassed more than 150 medals in all events
from 50m to 10km open water. She won a gold medal in
the 400m individual medley at the School Sport Victoria
national championships, and has twice been awarded the
Bruce Carter Memorial Trophy for Most Outstanding
Performer at the Victorian Country Championships.
Secondary School
Nathan Pellissier
Andrej Lukic
Maribyrnong College
Maribyrnong College
Award: Tennis
Award: Table Tennis
Nathan has cerebral palsy and has limited use of his upper
right arm and strength and muscle limitations in the lower
limb. In 2008, at age 12, he was invited to join the
Australian Paralympic Development Search Program. In
his first year of competition, he won gold medals in his
class at the Victorian Junior Athletes with a Disability
(AWD) Open and the Australian Junior AWD Open.
In 2012, he won four gold medals and two silver medals at
the Australian AWD Open Table Tennis Championships.
Andrej was captain and number one player of the 2012
Maribyrnong senior boys’ School Sport Victoria
championship team.
On a state level, he had 39 singles and 12 doubles wins.
Nationally, Andrej won five Australian Money
Tournaments, the semi-pro events designed to assist
with junior to senior transition, and made three semifinals of open events and a quarter final.
To further himself, Nathan competes in all possible ablebody competitions and was selected in the Victorian Able
Body under-18 Squad, which competed in the national
championships in Perth last September.
Georgiana
Ruhrig
Maribyrnong College
Luke Brisbane
Eltham High School
Award: Volleyball
Award: Tennis
Georgiana is a powerhouse on the court and her hard
work throughout 2012 has netted her some impressive
results and certainly put her in the spotlight as a player to
watch.
On gaining selection to represent Australia at the Asia
ITF Tour, she competed in Thailand, Malaysia and the
Philippines and as a result her Australian (Women’s)
Tennis Ranking elevated to 58, and her ITF Tennis
ranking elevated to 146, including a season high ITF
ranking of 119.
Luke is captain of Eltham High School’s men’s volleyball
team, which won the 2012 School Sport Victoria
volleyball championships.
National success last year included winning the under-19
Australian Junior Volleyball Championships in Melbourne,
replicating 2011 when he captained the under-17 state
team to a gold medal and was selected in the All Star 7
team.
In 2012, Luke also captained the Australian youth boys’
volleyball team, which won the Trans-Tasman series
against New Zealand, and competed in the Asian Youth
Volleyball Championships in Iran, where he was ranked
third-best setter of the competition.
Secondary School
Hannah Williams
Eltham High School Award: Volleyball
Hannah began her volleyball career at Eltham High School and has had great
success over her six years, captaining the open girl’s honours team to victory at the
2012 School Sport Victoria volleyball championships.
Hannah was selected to the Greater Melbourne Volleyball Academy and was named
Most Valuable Player of the Victorian Open Volleyball Championships, and was a
member of the Victorian under 19 squad that won a silver medal at the 2012
Australian Junior Volleyball Championships.
Hannah played state league competition with Melbourne Falcons Volleyball Club in
the open women’s honours division, and was selected to the Australian Youth squad
to play in the Trans-Tasman series against New Zealand