The most highly regarded AFL Sunshine Coast Award of the year, 2012 Club of the Year, was hotly contested once more with all 11 Clubs striving for selection.
Club of the year was established in 2005 to recognise Clubs who have not only complied with AFL Sunshine Coast Junior administrative requirements but excelled in community participation, behaviour and club culture.
In its eighth year the award has been held in high esteem and shared around the best of the best Clubs on the Coast.
In previous years Kawana Park Junior AFC has claimed the title three times: once as Chancellor Park and consecutively winning the award in 2010 and 2011.
The award has also been held by Pomona AFC, Glasshouse Hinterland AFC (twice) and Caloundra in 2005, the inaugural year of award.
The 2012 AFL Sunshine Coast Club of the year was awarded to BRONZE Quality Club accredited, Caloundra Panthers Junior AFC.
The Panthers led by Club President, Jamie Glover, were over the moon to receive the award and the recognition that goes with it.
“It’s great, we have done a lot as a club over the last couple of years and we have been striving for not only this award but to maintain a quality community club that kids and their families want to be a part of,” Glover said.
“Our fundraising committee has worked exceptionally hard this year with the Women in Football Celebrations, Call to Arms Awareness Day, ANZAC Celebrations, our Renovation Celebration at the beginning of the year and the list goes on.
“It means a great deal to the Club to be recognised and we now hope to translate this success through our Juniors and onward and upward to the Seniors.”
Fundraising Coordinator, Leanne Hipwood, was ecstatic with the award and attributed the work load spread across the Panther volunteer base.
“We are so stoked with this award, we have been trying for so long and it is great to get a group of people at Caloundra who are all such hard workers,” Hipwood said.
“It is great to be able to take it (the award) back to the Club and have something to show for all of the hard work everyone has done over the year on and off the field.”
AFL Sunshine Coast Club Development Officer, Paul Tresise said that the award has provided significant incentive for clubs to achieve on and off the field.
“Club on the year is designed to recognise the achievement of clubs in a broader sense of more than just participation on the field,” Tresise said.
“We were very pleased to see in 2012, Caloundra again present Women in Footy, under take Call to Arms to support cancer awareness and initiate an anti discrimination program for all participants and members.
“Caloundra are a selfless Club who recently demonstrated their community spirit through recognition and significant financial donation to a local security guard who was attacked while guarding their club house.”
With season 2012 over the Panthers are looking towards bigger and better things in 2013 with significant infrastructure improvements and the club restructure which now see the Junior and Senior clubs merging as one entity.
Last Modified on 31/10/2012 15:23