Due to the disruptions of COVID-19 on sport and the awards we are recognising two solid years of sports achievement in the lead up to the Sportsperson of the Year Awards.

Here are the Central West Credit Union monthly junior sports achievers of 2020 and 2021, with thanks to the SOYA committee.

January 2020

Beau Wheeldon - Athletics

Beau competed at the Regional Little Athletics Carnival and qualified to compete in the NSW Track & Field Championships in four events. He won his 100m and 70m Sprints and came 2nd in Long Jump and 200m Sprint. Beau also managed to break a record in the 100m Sprint with a time of 14.64sec.

Beau competed at the NSW Little Athletics State Championships in 2021, winning gold in the 100m and silver in 70m. He placed fifth in NSW in the 200m.

Beau actually set a record for the 100m at the qualifiers, placing first in the 70m and 200m.

Beau was the Forbes Little Athletics U10 Boy Champion and the Outstanding Junior Boy performer.

February 2020

Tess Worland - Swimming

Tess broke three long-standing records at the Forbes Public School Annual Swimming Carnival.

These records had stood for 34 years and Tess took almost two seconds off the 50m freestyle and butterfly times, and one second off the 50m backstroke.

March 2020

Gracie-May Lander - Swimming

Gracie-May broke the record in the Junior Girls 50m Backstroke and Junior Girls Individual Medley at the 2020 St Laurence's School swimming carnival.

Her success continued at the Central Cluster Carnival where she broke the Junior Girls 50m Backstroke and Junior Girls 200m Individual Medley as well as being a member of the Junior Girls Relay team that also broke the standing record on the day.

Gracie-May has had success with her local swimming club, qualifying to swim in the Brophy Inter-District teams event in Canberra and the CSNSW Polding Swimming Championships which were cancelled due to COVID.

September 2020

Andie Hodder - Karate

Andie Hodder began karate aged six and achieved her black belt by the time she reached Year 8 at school.

She enjoys the training as well as competing and putting the fighting techniques she has learnt into practice.

Not only does she train for herself she helps and is a role model for younger students.

She is determined to continue to train and learn and work towards achieving her second black belt.

Andie is also an active participant in Forbes Pony Club and recently won the 45cm Show Jumping competition at the Forbes Gymkhana.

October 2020

Jackson Beaudin - All Rounder

Jackson participates in a variety of sports and has achieved some great results. Jackson competed in the Zone Little Athletics carnival and was a place getter in the 400m, Shot Put, 800m and Hurdles which qualified him for the Regional Carnival where he placed in the 400m, shot Put and 800m. His efforts at Regionals qualified him to compete at the State Championships which were unfortunately cancelled due to Covid.

Jackson competed at the State Multi Championships in Tamworth and finished 5th out of 47 competitors in the Boys 10 Years.

Jackson was named the Forbes Public School Junior Boy Athletics Champion and the 10 Years Boys Champion.

Along with Athletics Jackson participates regularly in Motorbike racing - Flat Track and Motor X, Swimming, Cricket, Squash, Tennis and Touch.

November 2020

Thompson Hurford - Rugby Union

Thompson Hurford showed that he has great potential in his first year of Rugby Union. Thompson was a member of the U/12 Team that claimed the first ever Premiership in the Central West Zone competition.

He was named Best Back for the U/12's and was also awarded the Junior footballer of the Year Award. This is a great achievement in his first year.

Thompson is also a very handy cricketer and swimmer.

December 2020

Reece Matheson - All rounder

Reece captained our Under 12 Rugby Union team to victory in the Central West Zone competition. The team were undefeated and their victory was history-making for the Forbes Junior Platypi.

Reece participated in numerous school based sports including Aussie Rules, Rugby Union, Rugby League, Netball, Cricket, Swimming and Athletics.

He was Age Champion for Athletics winning all of his individual events as well as breaking the 200m records.

Reece was a Lachlan Region representative for Cricket, Swimming and Athletics and was selected in the Western Region squads to compete at the State Championships for Swimming and Athletics.

January 2021

Marcus Hardy - Cricket

Marcus was a member of the Under 12 Representative Cricket team that won the Lachlan District Cricket competition.

Marcus was named Man of the Match. His bowling figures were 1/12 from five overs, he made 41 runs, took two catches and one run out.

In the local Forbes cricket competition Marcus was awarded the Best Batter for his team - Adept Plumbing.

Marcus was named Junior Player of the Year for the Forbes Squash competition; and was also selected in the 2021 Lachlan District Junior Rugby League U/12 Years team.

February 2021

Laura Chudleigh - Athletics

Laura has been named Forbes Public School's 11-year girls cross country champion and 11-year girls athletics champion, placing first in all track and field events and setting three new individual records in High Jump, 1500m and 200m as well as with the senior girls' relay team.

Laura competed in the Western PSSA Tennis Trials and was named as the reserve player for the State Team.

Through Forbes Little Athletics, Laura was named 7th overall in State Combined Event and qualified to compete at State Championships for two events (80m Hurdles and Long Jump).

Unfortunately she didn't get to compete at higher levels in these competitions due to COVID cancellations.

In 2020 Laura was Forbes Little Athletics' U11 Girls Champion; Senior Girl Champion; won the Girls Outstanding Achievement Award; achieved 23 Personal Best results and broke 19 Centre records.

In the 2020/ 2021 Little Athletics season Laura competed at a State level, earning a silver medal in the long jump and beating her personal best jump by 34cm. Laura also competed in High Jump (10th), Javelin (17th), 200m (21st).

At the State qualifier event Laura finished first in Long Jump and High Jump, second in Javelin and third in the 200m.

Laura was rewarded for her dedication and results during the season with the Forbes Little Athletics U12 Girl Champion, Senior Girl Champion and Outstanding Girl Performer Awards.

Laura also participates in swimming, cricket, soccer, touch, tennis and Pony Club. Laura was selected in the WSSA State Tennis team and was named best and fairest for the Western Team.

March 2021

Charlie Howe - Swimming

Charlie is one of the first two Forbes students to be selected to compete at the State Championships for 50m backstroke.

He broke the Junior Boys records at St Laurences and then broke the Parkes Cluster record for the same event.

Charlie finished 23rd overall at the State Carnival.

April 2021

Claire Little - Drag Racing

Claire has been drag racing for the last eight years, competing at State and National levels.

Claire, the only female participating in drag racing west of the Blue Mountains, is committed to her racing career and travels monthly to New South Wales track championships in Sydney, travelling more than 7000kms annually.

Claire competed in the 2021 Australian National Championship at Sydney finishing in the top seven.

The National Championship grand final will be contested on the June long weekend in Willowbank, QLD where Claire will be have four days of competitive racing to complete.

May 2021

Eli Gharib - Rugby League

Eli trialled and was selected in the Western Region Rugby League representative team. He was the only player selected from Forbes. Eli is a dedicated and enthusiastic player who attended the team training sessions which involved travelling to Orange, Dubbo and Bathurst. He featured strongly and consistently in the game against the Riverina in Young followed by the three day carnival held in Kiama.

June 2021

Annabelle Dwyer - All Rounder

Annabelle Dwyer is a dedicated and enthusiastic sportsperson who has produced consistent results in a variety of sports in representative school sports as well as in local competitions.

She has represented the Lachlan Public School Sports Association at Western trials in netball, touch and swimming, and also represented the Western PSSA team at State in the senior girls' relay. She achieved a personal best time and with her team shaved 7.51 seconds off their western carnival team.

Annabelle represented her school in cricket, soccer, netball, touch as well as dance, with her school dance team placing first at Forbes Eisteddfod.

She has been named Forbes Fins Under 10s runner up age champion and was awarded the Mary Messner inaugural trophy for most determined swimmer in the club.

She is a member of the Under 11's Red Bend League Tag team, plays touch football and is a member of the Kristen's School of Dance Under 12s troupe.

July 2021

Dayne Hamilton - Rugby League and Touch

Dayne is a 16-year-old Red Bend Catholic College student who was an active participant in rugby league, touch and other sports until he suffered a spinal injury in December 2020, breaking his neck in three places.

Although he can no longer play, he supports local sporting clubs coaching, mentoring younger players and officiating games.

Dayne is the U/8's Red Bend Junior Rugby League team coach. When he is not coaching the team he performs the duties of referee and linesman, travelling to away games and filling roles for opposition clubs when they are short.

Dayne has been successful in obtaining his rugby league referee qualifications.

Dayne is also an accredited Touch referee and volunteered to referee numerous games every week as well as playing Mixed and Mens in the 2020 season until he was injured.

Dayne is the future of local sports, young people taking on official duties such as these ensures that they will be sustained and continued for the enjoyment of the community.

August 2021

Cayden Metzeling - AFL and Cricket

Cayden has been selected in the Giants GWS Academy Pathways Program, travelling weekly to Orange for training.

Cayden also plays in the Orange/Central West Under 13s development squad and the Orange Tigers Under 12s AFL squad. As well as regular academy training and competition games, Cayden has also had the opportunity to compete in tournaments with other GWS development squads.

Cayden is also a keen cricketer playing in local and representative competitions. He was a member of the Lachlan Under 12s team that won back to back competitions. Cayden was the leading wicket taker in the competition, a batting average of 34 and had the third highest runs scored in the competition with 170 runs.

Cayden represented his school, St Laurence's, and the Wilcannia/Forbes Diocesan at Polding trials for AFL, Cricket and Soccer.

September 2021

Annika Dukes - Hockey

Annika has made the notable achievement of being a member of the Forbes Hockey Inc. Junior A Grade winners team and the Senior A grade winners team in the same year. In the same season she was the highest female goal scorer in both junior and senior competitions and received the Robert Cutler Memorial Award for her efforts.

She was recognised with a NSW Young Volunteer of the Year Award for the Central West Region from The Centre for Volunteering for her work which includes set up, pack up and scoring.

Annika completed a First Aid and CPR course, and is learning how to referee hockey. She mentors and helps new and younger players.

She's now joined Forbes Basketball Association and was awarded a President's Award for volunteering her time each week. She also received the Defensive Women's Player of the Year Award.

She's played basketball with Forbes High and completed a community referee course so she can volunteer in that way too.

October 2021

Leroy McNamara - All Rounder

Leroy is a talented all-rounder who is being recognised for his achievements in a variety of sports this year.

Leroy qualified to compete at the State Cross Country Carnival at Eastern Creek.

Leroy was a representative in the Under 12 Central West Rugby team that competed at the Country and State Championships. He was also a member of the Forbes Platypi Under 12s team who were undefeated and won the 2021 Championship.

Leroy represented his school in the PSSA competitions for Touch and Rugby and was a member of the Schools Rugby League team that competed in the Central West competition.

November 2021

Maddox Bruem - All Rounder

Maddox Bruem performs consistently in a variety of sports within the school sports association as well as in local competitions.

He has represented his school and PSSA in AFL, rugby union, cricket, rugby league, soccer,

Maddox was also a member of his senior freestyle swim relay team and represented the school in discus at Lachlan PSSA.

He's a member of the victorious Forbes Junior Cricket Under 12s and Junior Platypi Under 12s teams, and received the 2019 / 2020 junior excellence recognition award for the Forbes Fins swimming club.

December 2021

Campbell Rubie - Rugby League

Campbell Rubie has been a dedicated and consistent player for the Forbes Magpies Under 18's this year.

His energy and ability in the second row has enabled the club to secure some well-deserved wins in the Group 11 competition.

He was named the Under 18's Best and Fairest player at the Magpies end of season presentation dinner.

His efforts throughout the season caught the eye of the Western Rams selector and earned him a spot in the Under 18's squad for 2022 which has already commenced competition in the Laurie Daley Cup.