Benoni Northerns Sports Club’s annual Sportsperson of the Year awards took place at the club, on Friday, October 31.
According to club president Ted Jarvis, the awards were started to reward the club’s sportsmen and women for their achievements of the previous year/season, with the objective of encouraging them to achieve excellence in their chosen sport.
An independent panel of judges was presented with the nominations and, based on these, an overall junior and senior Sportsperson of the Year was chosen.
The nominations for the Junior Sportsperson of the Year were Emma Bieseman (athletics), Keagan Snalam (cricket), Allessandro Carli (football), Teng Yang (hockey) and Danielle Quinn (hockey).
Quinn was the winner of the overall Junior Sportsperson of the Year Award.
The Woodlands International College pupil has represented Eastern Gauteng at u-12 (vice-captain), u-13 (captain) and u-14 (captain) levels.
She has also played for the Eastern Gauteng Quaggas Indoor u-12, u-13 and u-18 hockey teams.
Quinn was named Benoni Northerns Junior Hockey Club’s (BNJH) u-15 Player of the Year for 2014.
She was also BNJH’s Most Outstanding Player of 2013.
In the senior section, the nominees were Greg Bishop (athletics), Rowan Ebersohn (baseball), Ernest Kemm (cricket) and Michael Edwards (football).
The 2014 Senior Sportsperson of the Year Award was presented to Ebersohn.
The baseball player has taken his sport to the next level by becoming a professional within the sport.
He has excelled for Benoni Northerns Indians Baseball Club at all levels and has, as a junior, represented the club at provincial level throughout his playing career.
He represented South Africa in the series against Great Britain in 2013 and stood out as the Most Outstanding Player of the series, where he was noticed by scouts from the USA.
This year he put pen to paper on a five-year deal with the Minnesota Twins organisation.
The Clubman of the Year award went to football’s Rodney Farrell, who was absent on the night, while the athletics sub-section’s Jan Jordaan was presented with the club’s highest accolade: Life Membership of Benoni Northerns.
“His contribution and efforts have done Benoni Northerns proud,” said Jarvis.
“He is of impeccable integrity and has the highest loyalty towards the club.”
