Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Monday of last week I was very pleased to host a local sporting champions grants ceremony where we honoured six local young people in the electorate that have shown great proficiency and great dedication to the area of sport. I have attended a number of these events and this showed that young people are achieving in vastly different areas of sport.

I would particularly like to mention Jacalyn Pickering as she was one of the recipients of a grant. She plays volleyball and received the grant for being selected in South Australia for the Australian junior beach volleyball championships. She trains twice a week with SASI as well as training with the state team and playing in her school volleyball team. In the selection process she had to do a two-hour trial event in December in South Australia at Glenelg. She sees beach volleyball as the pathway to competing in the Olympics. She is very keen to get there, and I think she will get there as well.

Nick Hutchings participates in baseball. He also received a grant for the Australian under-18 baseball championships. He has a commitment to baseball that is a seven-day-a-week commitment. He plays in four teams and coaches another. He has aspirations and dreams to make it to the major-league baseball. I believe he will make it there.

Damon Kerr, who competes in cricket, received his grant for selection in the School Sport Australia 15-year-old boys team. He is very honoured and excited to be playing cricket for his country, which involves touring around the world to play against others in his age group.

Joshua Weston participates in bicycle motocross, or BMX. He received a grant for participating in the Australian Bicycle Motocross Championships. His selection was based on the state series result, where he came first for the series, and also the state titles result, where he came second. He has been racing BMX for five years and has proven to be extremely talented.

Brittany Miller, who plays indoor cricket, received the grant for her participation in the Australian Junior Indoor Cricket Championships. She hopes to play for Australia. She is dedicated to both indoor and outdoor cricket. She also plays netball both indoor and outdoor.

Finally, Gemma Plummer, who participates in athletics, particularly in the 800 meters and the 1500 metres events, has only recently taken up athletics but is already the fastest in the state for her age group and in her chosen events. She is dedicated to her sports, training every day after school, and to competing in the state athletics events.

These six local sporting champions are a fantastic example of dedication. They also give back to their sport, which I think is really important. I spoke to many of the young people who received these grants. They not only excel in their sport but coach younger teams. They give back to younger people and develop a really good example for our community. (Time expired)