Northerns honours sporting heroes
Benoni Northerns Sports Club held their annual Sportsperson of the Year awards, at the club, on Friday, October 25.
The occasion celebrated and recognised those Benoni Northerns sportsmen and sportswomen who have achieved at an exceptional level over the last year in their respective sporting disciplines.
“You follow in the footsteps of those who have flown the flag for Benoni Northerns Sports Club for the last 40 years,” said Craig Wittstock, chairman of Benoni Northerns Sports Club.
He added that the nominees for the 2013 Sportsperson of the Year are in distinguished company.
“It may be true to say that we don’t have the facilities and backing of some of the country’s bigger sports clubs and universities, but somehow we always seem to produce an amazing amount of talent that goes on to proudly represent our club at provincial and sometimes even international level – long may this trend continue.”
An independent panel of judges was presented with the nomination, and based on these, an overall junior and senior Sportsperson of the Year was chosen.
The nominations for the Junior Sportsperson of the Year were Rowan Ebersohn (baseball), Jamie van Wyk (hockey), Kirsten Vermeulen (football) and Vaughan Humphrey (cricket).
Ebersohn was the winner of the overall junior Sportsperson of the Year Award.
He was selected to represent the South African u-18 baseball team that played Great Britain earlier this year, and was dominant with the bat in a series that the hosts won 5-0.
In the senior section, the nominees were Bradleigh Peters (baseball), Andy Dudley (hockey), Kurt Francis (cricket), Patricia Shaw (athletics) and Wade Marshall (football).
The 2013 Senior Sportsperson of the Year award was shared between Francis and Shaw.
Francis averaged over 50 with the bat in the Eastern Premier League last season, and scored 129 not out against arch-rivals, Kempton Park, which proved decisive in the league race. As captain of the team, he led Northerns to their first ever Premier League title and captained them at the National Club Championships, in Pretoria.
Shaw had numerous achievements throughout the athletics season.
As a Master athlete for Benoni Northerns Athletics club she achieved third place in the Comrades and Two Oceans marathons.
She was also the first Masters woman in the Johnson Crane Marathon, Colgate 32km, Skukusa Half-marathon, Dolphin Coast and several other events.
A Merit Award was handed to Harry James Hawkins Junior, affectionately known as Fondse, for loyal service and dedication to the club.
Andy Dudley was the recipient of the Club Person Award.
