By Tanya Faulkner
Dandenong Ranges’ sports superstars are trading in their trainers and activewear for suits and dresses in celebration of their achievements this year.
The 2023 Knox Sport and Leisure Awards were recently held at the Knox Civic Centre on 21 June 2023, showcasing the best of the best sports groups in the local community.
Since being established in 2016, the Knox Sport and Leisure Awards aim to create sustainable sporting groups through the retention of volunteers and promotion of award-winning club initiatives to the wider Knox community.
Several groups came out winners, with the overall Club of the Year award going to Templeton Cricket Club.
In a post on Facebook, the club said the award is a result of the significant contributions of many including all of their junior and senior players, the parents who coach and manage their junior teams, volunteers, senior coaching staff, supporters, sponsors, past players and committee.
Another great achievement was by the Ferntree Gully Tennis Club, who came away with the Best Club Initiated Program Award.
The winning program by Ferntree Gully Tennis Club offers a fun, active, inclusive program to encourage participants to learn to play tennis and also make new friends, and integrate into the tennis club.
Other significant award winners included Joel Clark of The Basin Cricket Club awarded Club Person of the Year (adult) with The Basin Basketball Club’s Lily Vlahogiannis and Jade Ruighaver of the Ferntree Gully Netball Club both being awarded Club Person of the Year (junior), and Eva Orlovski-Oliver recognised with the Women in Sport Leadership Award.
