September 2, 2024
By SANFL Media
SANFL is pleased to announce the seven finalists shortlisted for the 2024 Hostplus SANFL Volunteer of the Year Award.
Selected from a record 223 nominations this year, the outstanding nominees, representing metropolitan and regional clubs across the state and recognised for their significant contribution to grassroots football, are:
Dominic Denton – Thevenard Football Club
Elle Griffiths – Broadview Football Club
Jamie Morgan – Plympton Football Club
Julie Clifton – Willunga Football Club
Leigh Thredgold – Kangarilla Football Club
Louise Trapp – Hahndorf Football Club
Shane Ploenges – Nangwarry Football Club
The seven are in the running to be named South Australia’s Hostplus SANFL Volunteer of the Year to be announced at the annual SANFL Community Volunteers awards night at Adelaide Oval on Friday October 11.
Now in its eighth year, the SANFL Hostplus Volunteer of the Year Award aims to highlight those individuals who have provided outstanding voluntary service to community football in South Australia.
SANFL Chief Executive Officer Darren Chandler congratulated the finalists for their commitment to football in SA.
“We acknowledge these finalists, and all the volunteers who were nominated for the Hostplus SANFL Volunteer of the Year Award this year, for their remarkable contribution to our game,” Mr Chandler said
“This year’s finalists represent not just their clubs but are ambassadors for the tens of thousands of volunteers across all levels of footy and in every corner of the State to whom we owe so much.
“Volunteers enrich our game through their selflessness, encouragement and devotion and many clubs would simply be unable to operate without their contribution.”
In addition to being awarded the David Shipway AM Medal and a perpetual trophy, the award winner will receive the following prizes:
Elle Griffiths is an outstanding contributor to Broadview Football Club and the wider football community. She has undertaken various roles throughout her years of volunteering, from Auskick coordinator to club coach co-ordinate, to girls coordinator. She supports her son, Campbell, running the Auskick on a Saturday morning in terms 2 and 3, with 50-plus boys and girls to organise and ensure they are all having a great time. Elle’s passion lies within all things football, but a huge passion for her is coaching, particularly female coaching. Elle completed her Level 2 coaching course two years ago and although she doesn’t coach a specific team herself, she was able to take many learnings from the course to provide quality feedback and help set up other coaches to succeed. Elle and the team at Broadview have taken advantage of SANFL initiatives to ensure the best support for coaches, volunteers and players at the club and provide a quality experience for all involved. Elle bleeds black and yellow and will do anything required to support the club’s young players, coaches and volunteers.
With 18 years of voluntary experience in football, Plympton Football Club’s Jamie Morgan is a deserving finalist of the Volunteer of the Year award. Currently holding both the President and Junior Football Director positions, Jamie dedicates his time to ensuring that the experience and environment for over 350 junior players and 18 teams, as well as three senior teams, is of the highest quality. Jamie’s efforts have been recognised recently, with Plympton Football Club winning the 2022 SANFL Juniors Club of the Year Award. Jamie’s love of growing the game has seen him volunteer any additional spare time to develop the game in the south-west region of Adelaide, from his presidency at the Metro South Junior Football League to his contribution today as a SANFL Juniors Football Committee member. In 2023, Jamie was appropriately recognised as the Sportsperson of the Year by the City of Marion at their annual awards ceremony.
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