THERE was a real changing of the guard at the first Sunshine Coast Sports Federation nominees’ breakfast at Maroochy RSL.
Six Noosa Shire athletes took centre stage as 12 senior and junior sporting stars were presented with their monthly financial rewards.
Cooroy’s star pitcher Jocelyn McCallum was first up after another magnificent Inter-State Series and selection in the Aussie team to play in the world titles in August.
Despite teaching in Mornington Island, the 29-year-old is about to unleash a new found pitch on the rest of the world.
She learnt all the tricks playing locally in the junior and senior competition.
Next up is another softballer in national under 17/19 player Luke Thomas.
Most observers felt his consistency and solidness behind the plate was his best weapon.
Not only is Luke good on the field, he has a level two umpires and level one coaching certificate. Luke will be around for quite a while.
Joining him is Belli Park’s Super star of Australian Cycling Shara Gillow.
The London Olympian and Greenedge rider claimed another Oceania time trial crown and just missed the treble of national time trial crowns.
If she had of won, she would have equaled the great Kathy Watt’s triple from the 80s.
Shara’s dad David represented Zimbabwe in cycling at the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
New to the Noosa aquatic centre is world under 18 400 metres swimming Champion Remy Fairweather.
The 17 year old was forced into the move north after her coach was left without a pool to train in. Remy is now in the very capable hands of Olympic coach John Rogers.
John is no stranger to long distance coaching, having guided Michelle Ford and Max Metzker to Olympic medals.
Remy could surprise everyone in Glasgow, and is a real star of the future.
May was a terrific month with athletic star Jordan Csabi and lifesaving’s Jordan Mercer taking the honors.
Csabi had already won the national under 18 200 metres but it was his selection in the national team to contest the Youth Olympics in China that got him over the line.
Already running 21.55 sec, he is zeroing in on the national time 20.90, a timing his coach is confident he’ll make.
Jordan is not only a whiz at athletics, he intends to study sport and exercise science next year at Sunshine Coast University.
Number six was Noosa Heads lifesaver Jordan Mercer, who not only captained the Australian team to compete at the World ISA Paddle-Board championships, but also duplicated her 2013 performance by claiming another marathon title.
The result adding to her growing list of titles, which include her Molokai to Oahu Ocean racing crowns. She will be attempting to add to that list in July in this year’s event. It was a star-studded breakfast with 12 athletes, 9 different sports, 5 women, 3 world champions, 8 Australian Team-members.
The oldest was Caloundra snooker player Steve Donohoe 34 and 15- year-old motorbike champion Troy Guenther from Beerwah the baby.
It really exposed a great sporting future for the entire Coast.
Until next time.
