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Introducing the finalists in our The Clubbies 2015 ‘Best Player’ category. Have a read, cast your vote and you’re in the running to win some fantastic prizes.

TENNISWater Skiing and Wakeboarding

Best Player: Josh Wallent

Bedrock Waterski Club

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How many achievements can one bloke do in a year of skiing? After a stellar 2014/15 season, we’re pretty sure Josh Wallent has set a record. The young (18) three-event skier from Clare, South Australia has accomplished more in one year than many do in their entire career. From travelling to Peru with the Aussie Junior World’s team in January, to launching a new PB in jump on the Yarra River at Junior Moomba – we’re willing to wager that Josh is going to remember the summer of 2015 for a while. Josh started skiing not long after he learned how to walk. “My parents have owned a holiday house on the Murray River forever and we skied weekends as a family.” His older brother Daniel and sister Stacey were also keen skiers so the stage was set for him to burst onto the scene from a young age. Josh started 2015 off with a bang. He said it was a great honour representing Australia in Peru and was a goal he had been working towards for quite some time. “I came into the tournament with a goal just to make the finals. I never thought I would be sitting top seed after round one and come away with a medal in the end. Words really cannot explain how I felt: that was a moment and a trip that I will never forget.” He said his performance in jump at the Junior Worlds was the highlight of his season. The ball kept on rolling, with Junior Moomba running before the main event. To ski on the Yarra River in the middle of Melbourne is a dream for many, with only a select few making it on to the world’s biggest waterski stage. “Melbourne creates an atmosphere that you don’t see or feel at any other waterski tournament in the world and that’s why skiing at Moomba is so unique. Having the crowd behind you always makes you nervous but it also pushes you every step of the way.” Josh said that one of his main goals for the season was to perform well at Moomba – and didn’t he ever! He came away with a few PB’s in jump, soaring 56.8m in round two, which was well over 10 metres further than second place. Just to top it off, he also won overall Junior champion. Watch out for this kid on Moomba Monday in years to come! As usual, the Aussie Nationals were the last high-profile event of the season. Waterski competitors, families and enthusiasts from all around the country made the hike to Mulwala. “The Australian Nationals is always one of my favourite events of the year.” For the first time, Josh competed in the Open Men’s division against the best from around the country. “I skied well in the final coming away with my first Oscars in Jump, Trick and Overall. To be a part of tradition and hold an Oscar all night at the presentation dinner was a great honour.”

Nominated by Daniel Oliver (Coach/Friend)

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Hockey

Best Player: Shelley Watson

Capital League Division 1 Hockey ACT

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Shelley Watson has been the captain of the ANU women's hockey team for the past three years and has led her side and club with distinction. Shelley has also been the captain of the ANU women's indoor hockey team, represented Australia at the last two indoor hockey world cups, has played nearly 50 games of hockey for the ACT at the National Hockey League, of which this year Shelley is the co-captain of the side. Shelley is a dedicated and enthusiastic member of the club and is an inspirational leader both on and off the field. Shelley is involved in the development of junior players through her association with both the ANU women's club and Hockey ACT. Both a gifted athlete and role model for others in the Australian hockey community Shelley thoroughly deserves to be selected for this award.

Nominated by Brent Clark (coach)

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Baseball

Best Player: Brock Ridgewell

Cougars Baseball Club A Grade Tamworth

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Brock has been a passionate player of baseball since the age of 4 when he started playing T-Ball. He started representing for Tamworth and Central Coast at the age of 7 and has represented for Tamworth and Central Coast ever since. Brock has played for Country NSW at Nationals for the last four years which for 3 of those years the team has won 2 bronze medals and 1 gold. Brock is only 16 and has just finalised his level 2 certificate for coaching. Brock this year has been coaching one of our senior B grade teams for Cougars who will play off in the Grand Final in 2 weeks’ time. He has helped with the disability day where he dressed up as Sid from the Sydney BlueSox and also helped coach children at our junior competition this year. Brock is always one of the first to be at the fields on game day and gets the kits out for the teams as well as the bases. He coaches the club players on Wednesday afternoons as he is the only coach available. As well as playing A grade and coaching he travels down to Newcastle every Sunday to play in the Newcastle winter competition for Mayfield Boomerangs which is at least a 3 hour drive. During the summer season he joins the Central Coast Marlins and plays in the Sydney Competition which is between 4 and 6 hours drive. As well as travelling to Sydney for Country training whilst in the Country NSW side. Brock is very passionate about his baseball and very committed to training. I know I am his mother but for all that he does during our club season and off season I think he should be recognised.

Nominated by Joanne Ridgewell (Club Official, Mother)

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Baseball

Best Player: Jake Smith

Five Dock Falcons U10's

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Jake loves playing baseball and most of all for his team. For someone his age, he shows maturity well beyond his years. He keeps all the scores and is the go to person for all the statistics. He plays catcher and is a great batter also. He wears his club uniform with great pride and loves to help out when he can. With more game time and ongoing development I believe he has a big future in the sport of baseball.

Nominated by Nathan Smith (father)

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Baseball

Best Player: Matt Bennet

Baseball Baulkham Hills Seniors Hills

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After winning the Lionel Harris Medal (Baseball NSW most prestigious award) player of the year award for a record fourth time it is very hard not to commend Matthew Bennet’s accomplishments. A true first-class individual on the field but also amazing off it. His leadership for his club is second to none, always providing advice to the young players along with constant involvement with the juniors.

Nominated by Mark Marino (Baseball NSW CEO)

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Baseball

Best Player: Troy Tucker

Baseball Avengers, Townsville Seniors Baseball Association of Townsville

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Not only is Troy an excellent player, he does all the logos for all of the Association teams, he's also on the committee, as well as holding a fulltime job in the police force. Troy started the Avengers baseball team and did all associated uniform and team logos.

Nominated by Pippa Machray-Jung (Umpire and close friend to his wife)

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Surf Lifesaving

Best Player: Elizabeth Pluimers

North Burleigh Surf Life Saving Club

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During the 2014/15 season, Elizabeth was the first person in surf life saving to achieve the Triple Crown by winning the Coolangatta Gold, Nutri Grain series and Australian Ironwoman Title during the one season. She also won Gold in the Open Board and Open Board Relay team at the Australian Championships that same year. She was a representative in both the Qld team and the Australian teams. During the season she has given back to surf life saving by attending Nipper clinics in Palm Cove, Cronulla, Bateman's Bay, New Zealand, North Cotesloe and North Burleigh where she was involved with our program for disabled children. Elizabeth is an inspiration to all young Nippers and Juniors and her additional involvement as an Athlete Ambassador at the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships is a testament to her dedication to the sport that she loves.

Nominated by Michelle Williams (employee of North Burleigh SLSC)

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Equestrian

Best Player: Ashleigh Urban

Redlands horse and pony club

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Ashleigh is 17 years old and a young rider with Redlands Pony Club who shows dedication and maturity beyond her years! The young riders at our club look up to Ashleigh and you will always find her helping someone out: plaiting up people's horses, riding other people’s horses and helping riders with problems. Ashleigh does this and never asks for anything in return. She will judge at local pony clubs, and even goes to friends’ parties if she has a competition the next day. In 2012 Ash had a fall at the state ODE championships and disclocated her shoulder and has had back problems ever since, but even with this pain her dedication never stops. Ashleigh was announced the top awards at our club over the past 2 years for her and her horse Swing Time Cazoo’s performances in the Dressage ring. Ashleigh has a very good reputation throughout south east Queensland.

Nominated by Tracey Urban (mother)

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Boxing

Best Player: Daniel Lewis

DropBombs Boxing 75kg

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This young man has achieved so much with hard work and dedication. He has won eight NSW titles, three National Golden Gloves Championships. He was the first to win Gold at the Commonwealth Youth Games in 2011. He has travelled around the world training and fighting. He has won five Australian titles, was a 2014 Commonwealth Games representative. He has won many fights overseas at international tournaments. At the moment he is in preparation for the Oceanians; if he wins this event he will compete at the worlds in Doha; if he medals there it's an automatic entry to the Olympics. This young man has had a few setbacks in his boxing career; after winning the 2011 Commonwealth Youth games he stepped up to the elites for the trials for the 2012 Olympics but his jaw was broken in his second fight at the State Titles; still he continued to finish the fight with this injury. Daniel had 11months off from boxing and he came back more determined to make it to the Olympics. Daniel represented Australia at the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Glasgow where he won two fights but was ruled out with a cut (his next fight was for a medal). He trains three times a day which means he can't have a full time job . I wish this youth man all the best – we are so very proud of him.

Nominated by Kerry Lewis (mother)

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Cricket

Best Player: NICHOLAS ARNOLD

SYDNEY UNIVERSITY CRICKET CLUB

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Whilst Sydney University Cricket Club hosts a plethora of outstanding players including Test and Domestic cricketing stars, we nominate a potential superstar of the future for The Clubbies – Best Player award. Nicholas Arnold (Nic) is a 16-year old batsman who dominated across all teams and formats he played in during 2014/15. Nic was a member of SUCC’s A.W. Green Shield (U16) team and quickly became the player that all of the young squad looked up to. He showed a temperament well beyond his years when he mixed patience to pull the team out of early trouble, with breathtaking power to dominate bowling attacks late in the innings. Nic plundered 443 runs for the Green Shield season, including back-to-back centuries to steer the side through to the grand-final for the first time in SUCC’s history. Nic also contributed a number of solid scores throughout the campaign to guide the team out of trouble. His total also set a record for aggregate runs in a Green Shield season for the Club and led to Nic being selected in the Green Shield Team of the Year for 2014/15. Nic also performed outstandingly when taking the field in the Grade competition, scoring his maiden century (125 runs) in fifth grade before earning his debut in the strong second grade competition. Nic continued to display maturity well above his age as he again led the team out of trouble by scoring a controlled 39 runs whilst his elder team-mates all crumbled around him. His innings was vital in ensuring the team remained undefeated for the season, and left many regarding him as a future superstar. Nic’s overall tally for the season came in at 827 runs, the 2nd highest aggregate for SUCC in 2014/15, ahead of Grade cricket stalwarts such as Greg Mail. Not only is Nic an outstanding cricketer, he is a wonderful young man. Quiet and unassuming, Nic is always polite and willing to offer his help to anyone around the Club. Nic is an outstanding young man, a brilliant cricketer with a promising future, and the type of person that we are proud to have involved with our Club. He would be a well-deserved winner of the Best Player award.

Nominated by Dale Bryant (club official)

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