And the award goes to…

“This is the time when we reward sporting excellence on the fields of Benoni Northerns and this has occurred in abundance again in the last year,” said club chairman Craig Wittstock, on the night.

“Benoni Northerns has a long and proud tradition of fostering exceptional talent.

“One only needs to look at the past winners and players from the club to see the outstanding sportspeople that Northerns has produced.”

An independent panel of judges was presented with the nominations from the various sporting codes and, based on these, an overall junior and senior Sportsperson of the Year were chosen.

The nominations for the Junior Sportsperson of the Year Award were Chané de Meyer (athletics), Tyler Croft (baseball), Harley Steyn (cricket), Jean-Leigh du Toit (hockey) and Dylan Nienaber (football).

Du Toit was announced as the club’s Junior Sportsperson of the Year for her excellent achievements with hockey stick in hand.

Provincially, she was the vice-captain of the Eastern Gauteng u-14A girls’ hockey team in 2014 and the captain of the Eastern Gauteng u-16A hockey team in 2015.

Her achievements for the club include being an integral part of the team which finished as runners-up in the Southern Gauteng U-15A League and finishing as the top goal-scorer in 2014.

In 2015, her team won the Southern Gauteng U-15A League.

Her exceptional ability was recognised this year, when she earned selection to the South Africa u-16 girls’ hockey squad.

In the senior section, the nominees were Stephen Msimango (athletics), Bradleigh Peeters (baseball), GC Pretorius (cricket), Andy Dudley (hockey) and Brogan Shrimpton (football).

Shrimpton was announced as the club’s Sportsperson of the Year for 2015.

He has been an integral part of the Benoni Northerns first team for a number of years and is rated as one of the best young talents in the ELFA Super League and in Gauteng, with many clubs after his services.

His absence from the side for period of four months when he was selected to play for Muskegon Risers in Michigan in the USA, a semi-professional team, during the season, was a testament to his importance to the club and the first team.

He joined the Risers in May and played in that club’s inaugural season, which went way beyond their expectations, as they won the league.

Shrimpton showed his worth by scoring 14 goals in helping the team in their success.

He has since been offered a full scholarship to Davenport University (2015 National Football Champions) for the 2016 year.

Even though he was absent for most of the season for Northerns, his tally of 15 goals in the ELFA Super League is an impressive return considering the number of matches he played.

The Clubman of the Year Award went to the hockey sub-section’s Ashley George, for his tireless work in the sport, while another special award was presented to former Benoni City Times editor Hilary Green for hers and the newspaper’s long association with the club.

Profiles  of each nominee:

Junior nominees:

Chané de Meyer (athletics):  

She placed in the top seven in all of the Central Gauteng Cross-country League races this year (eight races). There are over 100 girls participating at each race from areas including the East Rand, West Rand, North Rand, and South Rand.

She placed eight at the Central Gauteng Cross Country Championships and made the Central Gauteng Duathlon team (run-cycle-run event).

De Meyer ran in the South African Duathlon Championships in Bloemfontein earlier this year where she won a bronze medal for finishing in the top three in the country.

Her personal best time in 1 200m (track) is four minutes and 16 seconds, 2km (seven minutes and 30 seconds) and 5km (21 minutes and 27 seconds).

Tyler Croft (baseball):

He was awarded the 2015 Junior Sportsman of the Year Award for Benoni Northerns Ball Club including awards for Most Valuable Player, Best U-18 Batter and Most Valuable Player in the Major Bs.

Croft was selected for the Eastern Gauteng u-18 baseball team that competed in the National Baseball Championships and finished in third place. He was selected to participate in the u-18 to u-23 Major League Baseball (MLB) High Performance Centre and subsequent MLB Camp.

Harley Steyn (cricket):

He captained his side with distinction to a league victory in the Easterns Colts League and was the leading wicket taker in the league with 25 wickets.

Steyn scored 217 runs at an average of 24.

His outstanding performances have culminated in him being chosen to represent Easterns at both Winter Festival and Schools Week.

Dylan Nienaber (football): 

He joined Benoni Northerns at the age of five years old and his sporting ability was immediately noticed at the club.

He has represented Easterns Local Football Association on several occasions from the u-11 age level.

He is an all-round talented sportsman and has also represented Easterns schools in athletics, cricket and hockey.

Nienaber has just completed the Easterns u-16 tournament where he represented his club and province with distinction.

Senior nominees:

Stephen Msimango (athletics):

Stephen Msimango is a long standing member of Benon Northerns Athletics Clib (since 1999) and has become an active and valued member.

He is a silver Comrades medallist, but he has also excelled in race walking.

He has represented Central Gauteng Province at the South Afrrican Walking Championships for the last three years in the 20km distance, achieving third and fourth place with a personal best of 2.08.

In August he completed the 50km Blood Buddies Memel to Newcastle 50km Walk in 5.44., earning him first place overall.

Further notable walking achievements for the year include:

• City to City ultra-marathon
• SABS Jacaranda marathon: Completed in a time of 5.03 and second man in the Masters Category.
• The Vasbyt 25km: completed in a time of 2.57 and second man home.
• Run for Bibles 21km: completed in a time of 2.20 and second man in the Masters Category.
• Wanderers 10km: completed in 1.05 and first man in the Masters Category.

Msimango has not only excelled on the road but has also contributed to the development of BNAC.

He has been captain of the running division and was instrumental in contributing to the development team which is ongoing, and with which he is still involved.

Bradleigh Peeters:

He was selected for the Major A team at Benoni Northerns Indians Ball Club and was awarded the 2015 Senior Sportsman of the Year Award for the club.

Peeters was selected in the Eastern Gauteng Major A Baseball team that competed in the National Baseball Championships and earned selection to participate in the U-23 MLB High Performance Centre. He was awarded the Malcolm Serfontein Award for dedication to the club.

The youngster has also been selected to coach softball and baseball at WitsUniversity, AshtonInternationalCollege and TomNewbyPrimary School

He was also chosen to coach the 2015 MLB High Performance Centre athletes in the u15 to u-18 age group.

Andy Dudley (hockey):

He has been a long serving member of Benoni Northerns and has had numerous provincial honours over the years.

He has maintained his hockey playing with Northerns through the Hangovers team that he runs.

In the last year Dudley has continued to show his hockey prowess and was selected to play for the Easterns Masters side.

His skill was further recognised when he was selected to represent the South African Masters team in Australia next year.

GC Pretorius (cricket): 

Pretorius performed consistently throughout 2014/15 season with both bat and ball and is also a game changer.

His figures for the season are:

• Thirty wickets at an average of 8.9 and an economy rate of 3.4 runs per over with best bowling figures of five for 21 in the Premier League.
• He scored 157 runs in seven innings at an average of 31.4 with highest score being 65 not out.
• He picked up nine wickets at an average of 17.8 and an economy rate of 4.4 runs per over at the Momentum National Club Championships in Pretoria.
• He enjoyed best bowling figures of three for 18 at Club Champs.
• Pretorius also scored 59 runs in four innings at an average of 14.75 and highest score of 30 at Club Champs.

He has subsequently been offered a contract to play cricket in New Zealand.