LAST year was a good one for now-Duntryleague club champion James Conran and on Wednesday night, it was capped off perfectly when he was announced as Orange’s 2015 junior sportsperson of the year.
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Defying the fact 2015 was his first year seriously competing, the Kinross Wolaroi School student claimed wins in the Windsor Junior Classic, Western Sydney Junior Masters along with three Open wins in Orange.
Battling the likes of Robert Payne, Andy Campbell, Dave Chippendale, Craig Stojanovic and Mitch and Matt Williamson – among others – Conran claimed the City of Orange Championship, Duntryleague Open and Wentworth Open during 2015.
Conran beat out hockey stars Chloe Barrett, Bailey Ferguson, Eva Reith-Snare and Hayden Dillon, squash guns Jesse Keegan and Ryan Bushel-Keegan, triathletes Connor Whiteley and Lauren Kerwick, softballer Tom Zeylemaker, athletics up-and-comer Jackson Willis and tenpin bowling prodigy Nick Flannery.
The 17-year-old humbly answered Catherine McAuley Catholic Primary School principal and the ceremony’s host Michael Croke, after initially looking somewhat bewildered he’d claimed the trophy.
He labelled the Western Sydney Junior Masters title as a special moment, but also threw the three Orange Open victories right up there in terms of highlights.
“Last year was the first year I started playing competitively a bit more seriously, travelling around a bit more and that sort of thing,” Conran said.
“I need to thank my parents, they drive me around everywhere so I can play.”
While admitting he isn’t entirely sure where he’d like to end up long term in the sport, Conran explained he’s just linked with a club in Sydney in a bid to improve his play away from the three courses in Orange.
As in any aspiring golfer’s case, he said eventually earning a place on the professional circuit is a dream he harbours.
Orange Hockey Incorporate’s Marion Eslick was rewarded for her service to the sport with the 2015 sporting personality of the year award, although she was unable to be present to accept it.
A former Department of Sport and Recreation Volunteer award winner, Eslick’s unwavering commitment to OHI and all those within it was acknowledged with the award and she was labelled the perfect victor, by several people at Wednesday’s ceremony.
Eslick was made a life member of Orange Hockey Incorporate in 2015 as well.
Matt Findlay
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
