“I’m 30 this year, and I’ve probably spent about 29-and-a-half of those years in the sport I reckon.”
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Melissa Bestwick has been announced as the recipient of the coveted Kelvin Cooke Memorial Award for Continuous Service to the Bathurst Hockey Association.
Bestwick was announced as the winner of the gong as the Bathurst Women’s Hockey Association handed out its end of season awards following the conclusion of competition last the weekend.
Having involved herself in virtually every single facet of the sport in Bathurst, it was a fitting way to recognise her contribution – one that is still continuing.
“There is a pretty massive criteria you need to meet to be eligible for the award, you have to be nominated by your peers so there is quite a bit to it,” Bestwick said.
“I had no idea about it until I was given the award, so it was a massive surprise. It was quite an honour.”
Bestwick has done virtually everything there is to do in the sport at the local level.
A player with Souths at Premier League level, her on field commitments came to a close in 2009 after sustaining a severe knee injury but she continued to officiate at the highest level as an umpire.
She is the vice-president of the Souths club as well as vice-president of the Bathurst Women’s Hockey Association, and spent “eight or nine years” coaching prior to becoming a mum in more recent times.
Coaching is something that she is keen to get back into.
“I have looked into the option of coaching once more next year so that is the next thing on the agenda,” she said.
“I turned 30 this year and I’ve probably spent 29-and-a-half years of those in the sport I reckon, so it is something that has been born and bred into me and I have no doubt that I will stay involved for some time to come.”
As well as her nomination for the award, the Cooke family had to approve Bestwick as a deserving winner before the honour was bestowed upon her.
Among the other winners of the various end of season awards were BWHA player of the year Mardi Watts, veteran of the year Margie Miller, and goalkeeper of the year Tara Picker.
“Tara is a very consistent performer and deserves the recognition, she performs at representative level and is also committed enough to travel in order to play,” Bestwick explained.
“Damien Carter was named umpire of the year – he umpired the women’s Premier League final with me and for someone not so heavily involved at a playing level anymore it is a fitting way to recognise his efforts.”
The best and fairest awards throughout the various grades were all decided on a weekly three-two-one basis, with a strong spread of clubs among the winners.
In A grade Kelso young gun Esther Hotham took top honours, while the A reserves award went to Michelle Jewell from United.
In B grade, Larks’ Racquel Klower was judged best and fairest, with the C grade award going to Oberon’s Sharon Foley and Sue Theobald of Kelso clinching the D grade title.
“It is nice to see the awards go to deserving recipients that you know are actually the best and fairest players in those grades, people who turn up each week and give 100 per cent,” Bestwick concluded.
“It is also great to see some of the smaller clubs represented, it shows that the depth of the sport is very strong.”
