At last week’s (virtual) AGM, Orienteering Australia President Blair Trewin announced the recipients of the 2019 OA Service Awards.
Each year Orienteering Australia recognises the contribution and service by its volunteers through the presentation of perpetual awards, special awards and certificates of appreciation.
The 2019 winner’s are:
Silva Award for Services to Orienteering : Greg Bacon (Newcastle Orienteering Club, NSW)
Greg has been a stalwart – and driver – of the MTBO scene in Newcastle and NSW for many years. Greg also started the DuO concept about 7 years ago which has returned to the calendar after a short break.
A tireless worker dedicated to getting people onto bikes for a different take on orienteering, Greg has seen the Newcastle BOSS series grow in recent years through his promotional activities. The BOSS series of events has grown remarkably in the last year. Greg has not only done lots of work but led with new innovation, has has focused on creating beginner friendly events with lots of support at event registration and special courses, and reached new people though social media campaigns and constant promotion. He’s always looking for new ways to get people into the sport and has started offering a free ride for kids who go with their parents as part of the BOSS.
Greg will also organise the 2020 Australian MTBO champs in Newcastle, and has lately taken to e-bikes (another avenue for growth). He has previously organised Australian MTBO champs and NSW MTBO champs as well as training and coaching.
Orienteering Australia congratulates Greg on receiving this award.
Silva Award for Services to Coaching : Paula Shingler (Big Foot Orienteers, NSW)
For the past 6 years Paula has run a weekly, informal interval session mainly aimed at juniors, although seniors (including parents) do come along. Attendance is usually between 10 and 20.Currently Paula coaches 12 orienteers, 8 of which are juniors and co-ordinates with expert technical coaches to deliver learnings appropriate to the level of student.As a fully qualified physio, Paula provides all her ‘coachees’ with a tailor made, monthly schedule, specially geared towards their age, ability and goals.The success of these individual programs can be seen in the low number of injuries suffered.
In her coaching capacity Paula also acts as a listening board for a whole range of problems her team might be experiencing She regularly arranges other training sessions (both bush and sprint) and is invariably available at events for that last minute taping and treatment .
Some of Paula’s recent successes include : Alastair George (JWOC 2018 & 2019), Michele Dawson (WUOC 2018), Aidan Dawson (WUOC 2018), Toby Wilson (JWOC 2017), Emily Sorensen ((SA) JWOC 2019 (Irish team)) and Georgia Jones (JWOC reserve 2017).
Orienteering Australia congratulates Paula on receiving this award.
David Hogg Award for Services to Event Management : Andrew Lumsden (Big Foot Orienteers, NSW)
Andrew started in orienteering in the early 1970s in Victoria. Since then he has worked countless hours on orienteering including controlling major carnivals, course setting and mapping, negotiating landowner access and creating the technical framework that ensures the quality of NSW events.
Andrew was National Controller for the Australian Championships Carnival at Bathurst in September 2017, however his services to Orienteering go far beyond that. As ONSW Technical Director he is also the backbone of NSW technical standards and accreditation, constantly working on a range of fronts. He is also innovative and challenges the status quo. Andrew, pictured here with the 2018 ONSW President’s Award, has given decades of outstanding service to orienteering in Australia.
As ONSW Technical Director he is also the backbone of NSW technical standards and accreditation, constantly working on a range of fronts. He shoulders much of the detailed technical work for ONSW.
Orienteering Australia congratulates Andrew on receiving this award.
More information on Orienteering Australia’s annual service awards can be found here.