The 2021 Netball Tasmania Awards night was held on Saturday October 2nd at Blundstone Arena's Ricky Ponting Room. The evening saw Tasmanian Netball Association Board members, Netball Tasmania life members, Hall of Fame inductees, proud sponsors, distinguished guests and representatives from all seven Tasmanian Netball League clubs come together for the first time since 2019 to celebrate Netball in and around the state.
Event host, Laura Elliott, got proceedings underway and commenced with due recognition and thanks from CEO Aaron Pidgeon and Board President Liz Banks to all within the community for their efforts to sustain netball participation amid the challenges presented throughout the past 18 months. The reputation of netball as a leader in the industry for health and safety compliance has gone from strength to strength. This is thanks to all athletes, coaches, team managers, officials, club personnel, and association leaders for so willingly abiding by regulations and implementing rules to maintain competitions, carnivals and events.
19&U Premiers and coach-voted awards were the first to be presented. Devon captain Macy Goninon and Head Coach Helen Payne reclaimed their freshly engraved trophy for taking out the 2021 title. Two new awards were added to the celebration roster this year, in Hot Shot Award and Best First Year Player. Olive Morris of F45 Cavaliers took out the inaugural highest volume goal shooter while also having an accuracy of greater than 75%. She scored a total of 460 goals at an average of 25.5 with a final accuracy of 79% after the 18 Home and Away games. Netball Tasmania compiled a list of eligible first year players who were listed to represent their club in 19&U for the first time while playing 10 or less matches in that division in previous years. The Cavaliers tables had plenty to cheer about with Esther Kidmas taking home the trophy by polling 18 votes, including votes from every Head Coach, despite having her season stalled part way through by an ACL injury. The maximum three votes was received from five clubs, which is a remarkable feat. The more familiar award of the 19&U All Star Team was announced, with seven debutants selected based on votes received by Head Coaches. Esther Kidmas (Cavaliers), Olive Morris (Cavaliers), Ash Turner (Cripps), Chanelle Byers (Cripps), Macy Goninon (Devon), Ellie Marshall (Cavaliers), Gemma Collyer (Devon), Alexia Smith (Cripps), Hannah Brereton (Kingston), and Hannah Vinen (Cripps) all made the top squad, with Ash, Macy and Hannah V earning their second consecutive nod each. The Coach of the Year goes to Helen Payne of Devon, in a tight voting contest, after her 19&U's were crowned premiers. Congratulations to all.
The coaching fraternity were on their A-game this year, and some significant achievements were recognised in the presence of their charges. Rosalie Navickas (Cripps), Karen Leonard (Karana), and Peter Brockman (Arrows) each attained their Advanced Coaching Accreditation, after undertaking much planning, researching, and developing alongside many hours on court. In addition to congratulating our three newest Advanced Coaches, Kellie Tahiri (Hawks) made a considerable move up the coaching ranks and successfully secured her Elite Coaching Accreditation. Such an achievement takes commitment, discipline, perseverance and drive - traits Kellie has in spades. She becomes just the sixth Elite Coach in the state, joining esteemed company at the tier, and we warmly congratulate Kellie.
Officials are essential to the game and are a key cog in our community. With the assistance of Umpire Development Coordinators, Marj Kerslake and John Fox, 2021 Emerging Umpire of the Year and Umpire of the year were presented at the Awards evening. Hannah Donoghue earned her place as an emerging talent, after a committed season saw her umpiring progress to a new level. Her coachability, consistency and ability to implement feedback demonstrates her potential to attain higher standards. It's not the first time that the Umpire of the Year has been awarded to Rachael Stebbings, which is a true testament to her ongoing elite performance. Her persistence and dedication paid off in 2021, with appointment to SSN matches in the Queensland hub, and Rachael received positive feedback from the National Umpiring Panel. An achievement to be proud of for both recipients.
Open Awards equivalent to those presented in the 19&U Division took centre stage in the next segment of the evening. F45 captain Shelby Miller and Head Co-Coach Dan Roden took hold of the hefty silverware together (which is about the only way it can be lifted) and returned it to its home amongst the team. The inaugural Open Hot Shot was then presented to Hawk Ash Mawer after she sunk 1005 goals at an accuracy of 89% after 18 Home and Away games. Her teammate in Kendall Jones was judged to be the Best First Year Player after polling 13 votes, including votes from six of the seven Head Coaches. The maximum three votes were received from three clubs. Some familiar faces then graced the podium as the Open All Star Team was announced (cover photo). Unlike the 19&U team, a largely experience squad was assembled from Head Coach votes, with just the one All Star debutant. Ash Mawer (Hawks; fifth consecutive All Star Team), Hayley McDougall (Cavaliers; on debut), Danni Pickett (Hawks; sixth), Hayley Sansom (Arrows; seventh), Shelby Miller (Cavaliers; fifth), Jamie Symons (Hawks; second consecutive), Hannah Lenthall (Cavaliers; second consecutive), Bec Hyland (Cavaliers; third consecutive), Zoe Gough (Arrows; third), and Alex Vinen (Cripps, fourth) all caught the eye of their own and opposition coaches when it came time to commit to selections. Peer-voted Coach of the Year goes to Kellie Woolnough for the third year in a row, but her first as an individual after her Hawks completed the Home and Away season without loss.
Before moving to the MVP counts, Associations were acknowledged for the work they put in over the course of each year to make netball a healthy and positive sport for all. The Participation award was presented to Kingborough Netball Association, after being listed as the only association to record participation growth in both 2020 and 2021, far exceeding the percentage of growth shown by the next closest area. Northern Tasmanian Netball Association took home the High Performance award after having the highest percentage of State and Australian Netball Championship representative athletes by the slimmest of margins from STNA. Kingborough Netball Association were also worthy recipients of the Member Service award after reinvigorating the governance of netball and opportunities to participate as a player, coach or official. Finally, the Volunteer of the Year award goes to an individual contributing at an outstanding level, which was judged to be Karen Leonard of Southern Tasmanian Netball Association. Karen coached a myriad of teams and served on various committees as well as finding time to become an Advanced Coach.
The 19&U MVP Vote Count was an interesting affair, with a real front-runner in Ash Turner impacted by injury in the final block. The pool in the hunt for the crown narrowed, and became a race of four, each representing a different club that finished inside of the top 4 on the ladder. In the end, sixth place went to Gemma Collyer (Devon) on 15 votes, Ash Turner (Cripps) on 17 votes in fifth, fourth place was held by Olive Morris (Cavaliers) on 19 votes, and third went to Hannah Vinen (Cripps) on 20 votes. The Runner Up MVP on 22 votes was awarded to Kingston's Jo Thompson, after the Co-Captain led her side from a seventh place finish in 2020 to third after the finals series in 2021. An proud Jo accepted the award in front of three tables of enthusiastically supporting clubmates. The pinnacle of 19&U Awards in the Most Valuable Player in Season 2021 went to Macy Goninon of Motors Coastal Devon with a haul of 26 votes. She polled in 12 of the 18 matches at an average of 1.4 votes per game, taking her game and leadership skill to a new level throughout the course of the year.
From the start of the Open count in Round 15, 2020 Co-MVP Ash Mawer held a fairly commanding lead over rivals from Cavaliers and Cripps. The chasing pack put on a show in the count to keep the mathematical interest alive as the evening was reaching its peak. Eventually, seventh place was split between Jamie Easther (Devon) and Jamie Symons (Hawks) on 15 votes, sixth place was earned by consistency queen and dual League MVP Hayley Sansom (Arrows) on 17 votes, the 2020 runner up Alex Vinen secures another top finish in fifth on 18 votes, and equal third place was shared by All-Star debutant Hayley McDougall (Cavs) and Cripps Ash Probert Hill on 22. This seasons Runner Up MVP went to Shelby Miller (Cavaliers) on 26 votes, marking her highest finish in the count after landing in fourth in 2020. This is just reward for a brilliantly consistent season and sits nicely alongside the title of premiership captain. In a landslide victory, Ash Mawer from Knight Frank Northern Hawks took out the title of Tasmanian Netball League Most Valuable Player on 38 votes from a possible 54, polling in 15 of her 18 games. Ash scored at an average of 2.1 votes per game, which is well up on her winning average from 2020 of 1.4 votes per game. This is the third time Ash has been crowned League MVP after earning the top achievement in 2017 and 2020 as well, elevating her status to sit among the greats of our game.
Plenty of fun, festivity and frivolity followed, with the dancefloor packed until closing. A fitting end to a successful year of netball in Tasmania.
