Central West athletes achieve NSW honours

CENTRAL West will have a strong showing at the 2010 Special Olympics National Games after the NSW side was recently announced.

Fifteen athletes from the Central West have been selected in the state team along with four coaching staff.

Central West’s strength in basketball is obvious, with eight players selected for the sport.

Orange’s Mitch Mavrak and Christopher Walker, Bathurst’s Keelan Crawford and Junee’s Nathan Jocobson will all compete in the men’s A grade competition.

Sisters Bernadette and Eliza Barden will play in the women’s A grade competition, while James Hall and Matthew Craw will play in the mixed team.

Anzela Bonney, Max McCarthy, Toni-Maree Thomas and Hope Ryan have all been selected for the mixed football side.

Katrina Brennan and Jessica Kable will compete as part of the aquatics team and Luke Rout will be in the athletics squad.

Orange’s Phillip Dederer is the head coach for the mixed basketball, while Carmen Skidmore holds down the same position for the men’s A grade team.

Blayney’s Matt Jones is the head coach for the mixed football side and Leanne Kable is a coach for aquatics.

The NSW side will have a camp in October but before that many of the team members will come to Orange for a regional event on September 26-27.

All those in the NSW side for football, basketball, swimming and tenpin bowling are required to attend the Orange event.

The 2010 Special Olympics National Games will be held in Adelaide from April 19-24.

The Central West athletes in the NSW team are looking for sponsors to help with the costs.

Anyone who can help should contact Carmen Skidmore on 6369 1627.