The 2020 Westpac Swimmer of the Year Awards, continued today Wednesday, 13 May as more major awards were announced. With many deserving recipients being acknowledged, it is a fantastic opportunity to look back at the year that was.
Age Swimmer of the Year Award
The Swimming WA Age Swimmer of the Year is awarded to the resident Western Australian swimmer, substantively aged between thirteen (13) years and eighteen (17) years (Female) and fourteen (14) years and eighteen (18) years (Male) who returns the most outstanding performance during the defined period (1 May to 30 April).
Joshua Edwards-Smith (UWA-West Coast, c: Michael Shaw) has once again been named the Age Swimmer of the Year for 2020. After a stellar season which saw him represent Australia at the 2019 FINA World Junior Swimming Championships, Edwards-Smith has well and truly put his name forward as one of Australia’s most exciting up and comers.
Although a very promising season was cut short for Edwards-Smith and swimmers around Australia, the UWA-West Coast youngster was still able to perform on an extremely high level including lowering his 200m Backstroke National Record at the 2019 Queensland State Championships in December.
Edwards-Smith joined Kalani Ireland (Perth City, c: Matt Magee), Josh Yong (UWA-West Coast, c: Michael Palfery, WAIS) and Alyssa Burgess (Arena, c: Simon Redmond) at the World Junior Championships showcasing a bright future for WA Swimming. Edwards-Smith stood up under the bright lights, swimming in the semi-final of the 100m Backstroke and the final on the 4x100m Freestyle Relay and 4x100m Medley Relay.
With the Tokyo 2021 Olympics looming, you can’t help but feel the excitement for Edwards-Smith as he aims to take the next step in his career and continue his fine form.
Ben Beale Memorial Award
The Ben Beale Memorial Award was established to celebrate and recognise ‘Champions’ within SWA Club environments. This perpetual award annually celebrates the ‘Best Club person’ (must be a current athlete) within a Swimming WA Club. The athlete must be aged fourteen (14) years or older on May 1st of the year of their nomination. To read more about the award, click here.
The 2020 Ben Beale Memorial Award winner is Adam Koprowski from Western Sprint.
Adam is a senior member of the Western Sprint Swimming Club and is an outstanding leader of the club. Adam leads by example, through his action in and out of the pool, providing a strong role model for his younger teammates.
Adam’s positive attitude and approachability have allowed Western Sprint to continue to develop, with Adam often going out of his way to ensure all members feel included.
In 2019, Adam represented Australia at the Master's World Swimming Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, where he swam 6-lifetime personal bests.
Adam’s ongoing pursuit of improvement, all-round positive demeanour and willingness to assist in all assets of the club are incredibly valuable for Western Sprint and Swimming WA. Adam’s morals and values make him a worthy recipient of the 2020 Ben Beale Memorial Award.
Metropolitan Club of the Year
This Award recognises those Clubs that have demonstrated:
- Strong governance practices;
- Membership Growth;
- Programme engagement;
- Opportunities for their Members to develop the sport.
Southside Penrhos Wesley (“SSPW”) has been awarded the 2020 Metropolitan Club of the Year, capping off a fantastic 2019/20 season. For years, SSPW has been one of the state’s leaders in club governance practices, often engaging and promoting the growth of Swimming in WA across all levels.
This past season, SSPW was instrumental in the success of the 2020 Westpac Summer League, as well as providing incredible support towards the Central Zone.
Under the careful guidance of Club President, Dale Collins and her committee, SSPW continues to remain a powerhouse of Western Australian swimming and will continue to succeed for years to come.
Regional Club of the Year
This Award recognises those Clubs that have demonstrated:
- Strong governance practices;
- Membership Growth;
- Programme engagement;
- Opportunities for their Members to develop the sport.
One of the biggest success stories of the 2019/20 season, the Dowerin Swimming Club has been awarded the 2020 Regional Club of the Year.
In a year that saw the club double in size, Dowerin’s success can be attributed to their eagerness to engage in the community and developing a strong comradery within the club. With 116 members, Dowerin runs regular club nights which has been a huge success in the development of the club and the community.
Congratulations to Dowerin on their development and success throughout the 2019/20.
ASCTA (WA) Development Coach of the Year
The ASCTA (WA) Development Coach of the Year is presented to a talented, emerging coach who has demonstrated an ability to coach at a high level across a range of abilities and ages, with a clear vision that reflects a journey towards excellence in all areas of coaching.
After a phenomenal 2019/20 season, Patrick Stellino (Peel Aquatic) has been awarded the 2020 ASCTA (WA) Development Coach of the Year. As the head coach of Peel Aquatic, Patrick has overseen club growth on all levels from development to National level performances including an impressive win at the 2020 Country Pennants.
Patrick’s outgoing nature and generous personality has not only been a valuable asset for Peel Aquatic but has assisted the growth of the South West region and is immensely important to the success of swimming in Western Australia.
Congratulations to Patrick on another stellar season, Swimming WA and ASCTA (WA) thank you for your ongoing service and support.
More awards to be announced Thursday, 14 May.
