On November 2nd, the volleyball community gathered to celebrate the remarkable achievements of athletes, coaches, referees, and volunteers at the Black and Gold 2024 Annual Awards Night. The evening was filled with joy, laughter, and dancing, expertly hosted by MC Abid Imam.
A heartfelt thank you goes to our sponsors, including The Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, Lotterywest, and Healthway with their Alcohol. Think Again message, Mahindra, Diamond High Performance, Star Physio, Fortix, Sports Centre, Indoor Beach Volleyball Federation, Western Australian Association for Mental Health, Metro Hotels, and Motive Travel. Volleyball WA deeply appreciates their contributions and unwavering support for the sport in Western Australia.
The event also provided an opportunity to acknowledge the collective efforts of all Clubs, Associations, Affiliates, coaches, referees, volunteers, committee and board members, staff, and athletes. Each individual’s dedication has significantly contributed to the growth of volleyball in WA, and their impact is truly commendable.
One of the night’s highlights was the presentation of the John Sewell Award, honouring 48 years of distinguished service to volleyball in WA. This prestigious recognition was awarded to three exceptional individuals—Stephen Page, Rod Taylor, and Joan Strikwerda-Brown—who have each dedicated over 20 years to Volleyball WA. Congratulations and heartfelt thanks to these awardees for their incredible influence on the sport.
Additionally, the Order of Merit awards recognized members who have made significant contributions to the objectives and efficiency of Volleyball WA. Chatthip (Goong) Buenaflor, Matt Hodges, and Carly Walters were celebrated for their outstanding commitment to the sport and the community.
As the night drew to a close, we presented the 2024 Club Awards. The John MacKay Regional Association Award was awarded to the Mandurah Volleyball Association, while the Indoor Beach Federation Centre Award went to Osborne Park for the third consecutive year. Reds Volleyball Club was honoured with the Champion Beach Club Award, and Chequers Volleyball won the 2024 Robyn Fittock Indoor Volleyball Club of the Year title. For the third year, Southern Cross Volleyball Club earned the Volleyball WA Club of the Year award. A special thank you to Southern Cross Volleyball Club for their unwavering commitment to the development and growth of the sport.
The Black and Gold 2024 Annual Awards Night was not just a celebration of achievements but also a reminder of the vibrant community that volleyball fosters in Western Australia. Here’s to another year of growth, excellence, and camaraderie in the world of volleyball!
2023/2024 Beach Volleyball and Alcohol. Think Again Awards
Female Youth Player of the Year:
Caitlin Northmore
Male Youth Player of the Year:
Sean Kennedy
Female Junior Player of the Year:
Elizabeth Alchin
Male Junior Player of the Year:
Joshua Howat
Alcohol. Think Again Female Regional Player of the Year:
Melissa Kennedy
Alcohol. Male Regional Player of the Year:
Kaleb Boyle
Alcohol. Think Again Male Beach Player:
Daniel Piggot
Alcohol. Think Again Beach Team of the Year:
Jasmine Serra and Tessa Browne
Alcohol. Think Again Male Beach Team of the Year:
Griffin Bateman and Jordan Fancote
Indoor Beach Volleyball Super League Most Valuable Player Awards
Most Valuable Player in Ladies Under 18:
Milly Urquhart
Most Valuable Player in Ladies 2:
Sabrina Morrow
Most Valuable Player in Ladies Over 35:
Megan Bingham
Most Valuable Player in Men’s Over 35:
Mike Locke
Most Valuable Player Mixed 1:
Tristan Raven
Most Valuable Player Mixed 2:
Ebony Muscat
State Team Recognition
Australian Youth Beach Volleyball Championships Gold in Under 17 Girls:
Caitlin Northmore and Lalita Lerno
Australian Junior Volleyball Championships:
Under 15 Boys – Silver
Under 16 Girls – Silver
Under 17 Boys – Gold
Under 18 Girls – Silver
2024 Indoor Most Valuable Player Awards
Female Youth Player of the Year:
Rosie Alchin
Male Youth Player of the Year:
Hayden Baker
Female Junior Player of the Year:
Caitlin Whincup and Ella Schabort
Male Junior Player of the Year:
Harrison Buhler
Male Most Valuable Player in Division 7:
Ulas Oren
Male Most Valuable Player in Division 6:
Joshua Kearney
Male Most Valuable Player in Division 5:
Steven Bilessuris
Indoor Male Most Valuable Player in Division 4:
Keanu Pitstock
Indoor Female Most Valuable Player in Division 4:
Maddison McWilliam and Bella Younghusband
Indoor Male Most Valuable Player in Division 3:
Tony Cheang and Jordan Kendall
Indoor Female Most Valuable Player in Division 3:
Zoe Taylor
Indoor Male Most Valuable Player in Division 2:
Casey Gonzales
Indoor Female Most Valuable Player in Division 2:
Sophia Chng and Rebecca Redmond
Indoor Male Most Valuable Player in Division 1 Reserve:
Simon Monson
Female Most Valuable Player in Division 1 Reserve:
Alexis Keech
Indoor Male Most Valuable Player in Division 1:
Tyren Nagtegaal
Indoor Female Most Valuable Player in Division 1:
Mahli McInnes
Indoor Male Most Valuable Player in State League Reserves:
Brett Lewington
Indoor Female Most Valuable Player in State League Reserves:
Holly Purcell
Geoff McIntyre State League Male Most Valuable Player:
Matthew Pallot
2024 State League Female Most Valuable Player:
Shelby Maher
Perth Steel Most Valuable Player Men:
Thomas Heptinstall
Perth Steel Most Valuable Player Women:
Tessa Brown
Distinguished Service Awards
2024 John Sewell Award:
Stephen Page
Rod Taylor
Joan Strikwerda- Brown
Order of Merit:
Chatthip (Goong) Buenaflor
Matthew Hodges
Carly Walters
Recognition Awards
Service to Coaching:
Jayson Fox
Rory Read
Carly Walters
2024 Junior Coach of the Year:
Parker Samuelson
2024 Community Coach of the Year:
Jess Grigio
2024 Coach of the Year:
Carly Walters
2024 Junior Referee of the Year:
Ava Tweedie
2024 Referee Recognition Award:
Shaun Barnett
Referee of the Year Award:
Will Dundas
Leadership/Ambassador Awards
2024 Young Leader Award:
Gabrielle Ho
2024 Discover Volleyball Ambassador Award:
Max Wason
2024 Trevor Williams OAM Administrator of the Year Award
Eugene Lee
Club Awards
Indoor Beach Federation Centre Award:
Osborne Park
2024 Champion Beach Club:
Reds Volleyball Club
2024 Robyn Fittock Indoor Volleyball Club of the Year:
Chequers Volleyball Club
2024 John MacKay Regional Association Award:
Mandurah Volleyball Association
Club of the Year:
Southern Cross Volleyball Club