Traralgon Swimming Club Presentation Night 2018/19

What a great night at the Premier Function Room on Saturday May 11!
97 swimmers received club trophies acknowledging their efforts and successes from the past season. Every swimmers was acknowledged with comments from coaches and data from the season – what an amazing group of young people!!

No Surrender! The evening ended with a spirited Traralgon Club Chant!

Trophies were awarded for both participation and achievement with special acknowledgements along the way.

Each squad coach gave an award, appropriately named “Coach’s Awards”, to a member of their squad who displayed outstanding attributes as identified by their coach. Each coach spoke of their award winner so we might all applaud their determination, application, team work, enthusiasm and other commendable qualities. Coach’s Award winners are:

Development Squad ~ Coach Brian Ford ~ Joshua Elms
Gippy Squad ~ Coach Steve Nippers ~ Kody Said
Country Squad ~ Coach Brian Ford ~ Brody Cargill
State Squad ~ Coach Cam Juha ~ Mia Nippers
White Squad ~ Coach Brian Ford/Cam Juha ~ William Pendergast
Maroon Squad ~ Coach Dean Gooch ~ Bridget Cain
Strength and Conditioning ~ Coach Sam Fenton ~ Bridget Cain

We acknowledged the ‘most improved’ swimmers based on improved times throughout the season:
10 & Under Girls
Shae Nippers
Phoebe Balcombe
Ruby Paulet
10 & Under Boys
Max Auteri
Jesse Affleck
Joshua Elms
11 & Over Girls
 Abby Paulet
Ainsley Trotter
Mia Nippers
11 & Over Boys
Oscar Storm
Darcy Connell
Oliver Haberl

Special Awards were given throughout the night for particular achievements and encouragement:

O’Connor Transport First Year Swimmer with Potential: Maddie Buhagiar
Ikin Trophy for Most successful swimmer in the Gippsland Fixture:
Ainsley Trotter
AGL Encouragement Award: Ruby Paulet
LaTrobe Financial Swimmer with a Disability Swimmer of the Year: Ruby Storm
Brian Ford trophy for the Best Relay Performance of the Season: Rachael Sbaglia
Meyer Trophy for Highest FINA Points: Emily Beecroft
Kathleen Froud Memorial Trophy as Club Champion: Jordyn Cargill
Bruce Cain Outstanding Contribution to the Traralgon Swimming Club: Frank Bezzina

Club Service Awards were given to swimmers for 10 years of continuous service to the club. We congratulate: Fabienne Schoutens, Fin Peddle, Kieran Georgeson, Caitlin Mihaly, Kaylee Beecroft, Elliot Shaw and Michael Buckley.

Nine swimmers were inducted into the Traralgon Swimming Club Hall of Fame ~ our honour roll of swimmers who attended National Age or Open Championships:
Eliza Watts, Tom Dowler, Zoe Dowler, Molly Cargill, Ashleigh Mihaly, Abby Warner and Joel Baillie and Relay Swimmers Logan Archibald and Will Pendergast.

The night ended with the ‘unveiling’ of the 2019 Country DVD – always a highlight and always fabulous – produced by Nicole Moon. Wonderful memories of a great weekend!

Thanks to all who contributed to the Presentation: Jane Mitchell, Heather Haney, Michael and Robyn Mihaly, photographer Nic Bullen and all who helped Robyn prepare the platters of nibbles. To coaches – Brian, Dean, Sam, Steve and Cam for your words! To Captains for your speeches of thanks – wonderful! Great to have David Meyer with us and to have Melina deCort home from uni in the USA attending. Thank you to the Premier Function Centre for a wonderful buffet dinner.

Photo Gallery to come soon!