Annual Dinner 26 May 2023

Coogee Surf Life Saving Club held its Annual Dinner on Friday night. This event celebrates the end of another fantastic season & honours our member’s outstanding achievements.

We presented our Australian Champion jackets to:
2022 Women’s Reserve Short Course Boat team: Kelsey McGuinness, Lauren McLean, Samantha Murray, Caitlin Trimble & sweep, Paul Beale
James Azar - 2023 U13 Male Surf Board Riding
George Messiter - 2023 U14 Male Surf Board Riding
U13-U15 Mixed 5 Person R & R team: Emma Fernandez, Ruby Hawkes, Milla Hlywa, Erin O’Brien & Laura Peshevski
Rona Macniven - 2023 40-44 years Female 2km Beach Run
U19 Female Beach Relay team: Tamara Abagi, Kate Johnson, Eden Levit & Ruby Thomasyu
U19 Mixed Beach Relay team: Tamara Abagi, Luke Avanti, Ryan Harper & Eden Levit
U19 Mixed 5 Person R & R team: Chiara Hammond, Elouisa Hawkes, Patrick Kavanagh, Jasmine Miller & Michaels Penn
Open Female 5 Person R & R team: Millie Bloxsom, Tracey Bloxsom, Samantha Gately, Yasmin Stuetz & Bianca Wallace
Open Male 5 Person R & R team: J Carter, Chris Gately, Drew Hayes, Andrew McEncroe, Luke Ryan & Scott Ryan

Coogee Minnows Life Member
We celebrated Michael Kavanagh becoming a Life Member of Coogee Minnows, for his tireless work on their successful competition programme.

National Medal of Service
We acknowledged the latest recipients of the National Medal of Service; Paul Chilcott, Rob Gibellini, Craig Howie, Rob Illidge, David Jenkins, Tass Karozis, Paul Lardi & Ken Yardy.
The National Medal is Australia's most awarded civilian medal. It recognises long and diligent service by members of recognised government and voluntary organisations that risk their lives or safety to protect or assist the community in enforcement of the law or in times of emergency or natural disaster.

Emergency Service Medal
Earlier this year on January 26 in the Australia Day Honours, Life Member Gary Daly was awarded the prestigious Emergency Service Medal for his service to life saving over 43 years, across Coogee and Burning Palms, holding various management roles and notwithstanding the service provided at both Sydney Branch and NSW State level. His sustained and distinguished service across those four decades is acknowledged with the awarding of this medal.

Australian Mutual Bank Scholarship 2022/2023
Ruby Thomasyu won the 2022/2023 Australian Mutual Bank Scholarship. Ruby is in the first year of study at University, but started her surf life saving career back in the U6’s at Nippers in 2009. A current vice patrol captain, active and successful competitor. She is a mentor to others particularly the Youth in the Club and is now holding a senior position on the board of management. Her commitment to the club is well known and now moving into furthering her education.

Singer Yeo Rookie of the Year 2022/2023
Singer Yeo Rookie of the Year was won by Luke Gardiner. The winner of this award is determined by the Lifesaving and Management Committee and awarded to a Club member who has performed in an outstanding manner for the Club after obtaining their Bronze Medallion during the current season. This award is presented in memory of Tom Singer and Gerard Yeo, who were active members of our Club when they tragically lost their lives in the Bali Bombings 2002.
Luke joined our Club in September 2022 as part of the Spring Bronze Course led by Michael Barnes and Charlotte McHenry. He has since completed over 60 hours on patrol and have obtained First Aid certificate, IRB crew certificate and ART certificate. Luke volunteered at the Coogee Island Swim and Run Swim Coogee. He also assisted with water safety for all bronze courses since joining and has volunteered to join our Lifesaving Committee next season.
A lot of our members don’t achieve this in their entire time as part of our Club let alone in 6 months – a very impressive and valuable Club member!

Patrol Person of the Year 2022/2023
The winner of this award is determined based on performance in the Patrol Person of the Year competition which ran on 16 April 2023. The competition included a complex first aid scenario, a multiple choice exam capturing elements of our Club’s history, traditions and current operations, a run-swim-run and an interview with one of our Club’s governors.
The winner of this award completed over 50 hours on patrol this year. They hold their Surf Rescue certificate, Bronze medallion, ART and First Aid certificates. Our patrol person of the year is a vice patrol captain and brings expertise to engage with all patrolling members.
Also, they are an outstanding competitor. While traditionally competing in swim and surf events, our winner has expanded their strengths to include the Championship Lifesaver Event. They competed at the 2023 Branch, State and Aussie Championships, achieving fantastic results which stem from an exceptionally hard training load. All coaches have commended them for not only their tough training attitude but also their willingness to assist others for the benefit of the team and go out of their way to ensure everyone is learning and enjoying the training – epitomising their selfless nature. While their athletic skills are phenomenal, our patrol person of the year still finds time between training sessions to go above and beyond assisting in the Education and Youth areas of Coogee SLSC. In the Education space, our winner has excelled, taking on every opportunity made available to them on the Education Committee, training Bronze Medallion courses and is currently a Probationary TAF.
However, their volunteer efforts don’t stop there. Our winner is a key leader in our Youth development space, looking at ways to improve member retention and engagement in under 18 members through the Youth Committee.
It is the highest privilege to announce the 2022/23 Patrol Person of the Year is Joshua Fernandez.

Honour Blazer 2022/2023
The honour blazer is arguably our most distinguished annual award. It is given to a member that the majority of the Management Committee, believes has rendered outstanding service to the Club in that particular year. No Member can win the Blazer twice. The Blazer will have embroidered, in addition to the Official Badge, a five-pointed gold star and the date of the season for which it was awarded and the name of the member recorded on the Efficiency Tablet.
This year the management committee has determined that the outstanding service of Emily Miers this season merits the awarding of the blazer.
Emily has held the position of Club Captain for the last two seasons and has excelled in her role managing the lifesaving capabilities of our club as we have exited the pandemic into a normal cadence of operations. She has driven changes to club by-laws to better reflect operational activity and promote member retention.
She has supported members through her promotion of the Club Code of Conduct and supported club inclusivity through her work on the March sisters in surf patrol obtaining sponsorship of and designing the NATIONWIDE FIRST pink patrol uniform proudly worn by members this season.
She was also instrumental in managing lifesaving responses to security concerns earlier this year, liaising with Randwick Council and local police, and ensuring the safety of all members of our community.
Each month she attends Executive and Management Committees, and Chairs the Lifesaving Committee. She also attends all the other committees that we rarely hear about like Randwick District meetings and miscellaneous branch meetings, such as the Branch Carnival review meeting.
On top of all the typical HR issues one must deal with as Club Captain, she was also patrol captain of patrol 2 this season and demonstrating a commitment to continued learning, completed her IRBC this season.
She has a rich history as a competitor and as an ocean swimmer even going so far as to win the Bondi to Watsons Bay swim last weekend.
Congratulations Emily!
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With formalities over, the DJ ensured the Queen of Rock & Roll, Tina Turner got everyone up to showcase their dancing talents, with Nutbush City Limits.