2023 SANFL Community Volunteers Awards Night

By ZAC MILBANK

Dedicated administrators, coaches, umpires and ambassadors have been congratulated for their unwavering commitment at the 2023 SANFL Community Volunteers Awards night at Adelaide Oval.

The prestigious annual event was held in the Magarey Room at Adelaide Oval, with attendees entertained by special guest, Olympic Gold Medallist Kyle Chalmers, who was interviewed by MC Tim Ginever.

Great Flinders Football League’s Mark Habner won the coveted 2023 Community Football Administrator of the Year award, successfully completing three years as the League’s Secretary.

Instrumental in compiling the competition’s fixtures each year, Habner has also been particularly proactive in his promotion of the GFFL on various social media channels.

Working collaboratively with SANFL’s Eyre Peninsula Coordinator and neighbouring League officials, Habner has also built a string understanding of the PlayHQ registration platform.

Long-serving trio Malcolm Martin (Southern FL), Les Promnitz (Spencer Gulf FL) and Neil Webber (Mid South East FL) received richly-deserved Merit Awards while George Gregory and Kevin Tannebring were recognised with AFL Merit Awards.

Kathryn Lee (AFLW Community Ambassador of the Year) and Marni Farrugia (AFL Young Community Volunteer of the Year) were fittingly feted for their national recognition.

The City of Unley and Sturt Football Club secured the 2023 Community Football Facility of the Year Award for the outstanding upgrade of Unley Oval.

The spectacular redevelopment was undertaken across multiple stages, delivering state-of-the-art training facilities, an exceptional match day experience, versatile function room, and modern administration offices.

Both the City of Unley and Sturt Football Club also have also set their sights on future projects to further improve the historic oval precinct.

2023 Community Football Administrator of the Year

Mark Habner
Great Flinders Football League

2023 Community Football Administrator of the Year – Mark Habner with SA Community Football Chairman Peter Lindner. Picture – David Mariuz

2023 Community Football Merit Award Winners

Malcolm Martin
Southern Football League

Les Promnitz
Spencer Gulf Football League

Neil Webber
Mid South East Football League

AFL Merit Award Winners

George Gregory
Trinity College

Kevin Tannebring
SA Community Football

AFL National & State Young Community Volunteer of the Year

Marni Farrugia
Fitzroy Football Club

AFL & State Young Community Volunteer of the Year – Marni Farrugia with SANFL Participation Manager Jarrad Brennan. Picture – David Mariuz

AFLW National & State Community Ambassador of the Year

Kathryn Lee
Lockleys Football Club

SANFL Community Football Media Award

Shane Snell
River Murray Football League

2023 Community Football Media Award Winner – Shane Snell with SA Community Football Chairman Peter Lindner. Picture – David Mariuz

School Teacher of the Year Zone Awards - Male

Metropolitan
Jarrod Warnest – Central District
James McCarthy – Glenelg
James Johannsen – North Adelaide
David May – Norwood
Scott Trenorden – South Adelaide
Zac Mills – Sturt
James Daley – West Adelaide
Corey Selfe – Woodville-West Torrens

Country
Mark Leslie – Central District
Stephen Day – Glenelg
Murray Scholz – North Adelaide
Jono Koutsikas – South Adelaide
Adam Curran – Sturt
Kieran Jaensch – West Adelaide
Aaron Smith – Woodville-West Torrens

School Teacher of the Year - Male Winner

James Daley
West Adelaide

School Teacher of the Year Zone Awards - Female

Metropolitan
Jessica Edwards – Central District
Courtney Jones – Glenelg
Brianna Arthur – North Adelaide
Ange Gouvielos – Norwood
Sara Husi – South Adelaide
Sarah Anderson – Sturt
Astrid Mark – West Adelaide
Lezelle Williams – Woodville-West Torrens

 

Country
Donna Riggs – Central District
Amanda Bowman – North Adelaide
Alex Mason – Norwood
Katrina Munzberg – South Adelaide
Kimberly Rathjen – West Adelaide
Kristy Lewis – Woodville-West Torrens

 

School Teacher of the Year Award - Female Winner

Kristy Lewis
Woodville-West Torrens

2023 Female School Teacher of the Year Award – Kristy Lewis with SA Football Commissioner Bill Moody. Picture – David Mariuz

NAB AFL Auskick Coordinator of the Year Zone Awards

Metropolitan
Cam Murdoch – Central District
Toby Priest – Glenelg
Cam Griffiths – North Adelaide
Christian McCormack – Norwood
Matthew Browne – South Adelaide
Jamie Beccaris – Sturt
Leigh O’Malley – West Adelaide
Dalton Tucker – Woodville-West Torrens

Country
Abbey Underwood- Central District
Fiona Young – Glenelg
Daniel Sims – North Adelaide
Kieran Andrasic-Patterson – Norwood
Renee Gilbert – South Adelaide
Catherine Ausserlechner – Sturt
Adrian Gregory – West Adelaide
Hayden Schutz – Woodville-West Torrens

NAB AFL Auskick Coordinator of the Year

Catherine Ausserlechner
Sturt Country

NAB AFL Auskick Coordinator of the Year – Catherine Ausserlechner with SA Football Commissioner Bill Moody. Picture – David Mariuz

Disability and Inclusion Ambassador of the Year Finalists

Karen Underwood
Central District Country

Simone Anderson
Woodville-West Torrens Country

Amanda Millar
Central District Metro

Jessica Ireland
Glenelg Metro

Sam Phillips
North Adelaide Metro

Carolyn Allen
Norwood Metro

Chris Lyas
West Adelaide Metro

Matthew Ween
Woodville-West Torrens Metro

Disability and Inclusion Ambassador of the Year

Carolyn Allen
Norwood Metro

Diversity Ambassador of the Year Finalists

Chris Caruana
Central District Metro

Samantha Jeffery
Glenelg Metro

Katy Javor
North Adelaide Metro

Jenny Bonnett
Norwood Metro

Ele Fasan
Woodville-West Torrens Metro

 

Diversity Ambassador of the Year

Samantha Jeffery
Glenelg Metro

Community Umpire of the Year Finalists

Andrew Crosby
Adelaide Football League

Craig Bascombe
Port Lincoln Football League

Reece Barrett
South Eastern Football Umpires League

Nathan Rowe
Yorke Peninsula Football League

Kayla Tsorotiotis
Riverland Football League

Roger Head
River Murray Football League

Alex Ker
Combined Southern Football League Umpires

Community Umpire of the Year

Alex Ker
Combined Southern Football League Umpires

Community Umpire Service Award Nominees

Susan Larter
South Eastern Football Umpires League

Greg Lowe
Adelaide Plains Football League

Steven Clark
Spencer Gulf Football League

Michael Blewit
Port Lincoln Football League

Mark Pfitzner
Barossa Light and Gawler Football League

Community Football Umpire Service Award Winner

Susan Larter
South Eastern Football Umpires League

Community Football Coach of the Year Finalists - Female

Metropolitan
Wendy Russo – Central District
Tammy Scott- Glenelg
Leah Grantham – North Adelaide
Ash Bridge – West Adelaide

Country
Katelyn Rosenzweig – Central District
Fiona Young – Glenelg
Jodie Reid – North Adelaide
Helen Maidment – South Adelaide
Hannah Dreckow – Sturt
Megan Petersen – West Adelaide
Katie Liebelt – Woodville-West Torrens

Community Football Coach of the Year - Female

Jodie Reid
North Adelaide Country

2023 Community Football Coach of the Year – Jodie Reid with SANFL CEO Darren Chandler. Picture – David Mariuz

Community Football Coach of the Year Finalists - Male

Metropolitan
Luke Drewett – Central District
Craig Ryan – Glenelg
Gubby Glenn – North Adelaide
Phil Doyle – Norwood
Baden Guillou – Sturt
Geoff Ryles – West Adelaide
Mark Kretschmer – Woodville-West Torrens

Country
Bradley Toy – Central District
Clint Gallio – Glenelg
Matt Promnitz – North Adelaide
Reece Francis – Norwood
Robert Bollenhagen – South Adelaide
Dale Eichner – Sturt
Fraser Sampson – West Adelaide
Gregg Clarke – Woodville-West Torrens

Community Football Coach of the Year - Male

Robert Bollenhagen
South Adelaide Country

Club Coach Coordinator of the Year Finalists

Ashlea Freer
Central District Metro

Ben Haren
Glenelg Metro

Elle Griffiths
North Adelaide Metro

Matthew Gunston
Norwood Metro

Scott Willis
Sturt Country

Craig Rooney
West Adelaide Metro

Karen Moffatt
Woodville-West Torrens Metro

Club Coach Coordinator of the Year

Elle Griffiths
North Adelaide Metro

Volunteer Service to SANFL (Retirement) Award

Howard Branson
West Adelaide

Sign up to receive the latest SANFL news straight to your inbox.