Football NSW scores big at 2024 NSW Community Sport Awards
Football NSW had a hugely successful night at the 2024 NSW Community Sports Awards, picking up four awards in a state-wide sporting celebration held at CommBank Stadium.
The 2023 NAIDOC Cup event was named Inclusion Achievement of the Year, Canterbury Football’s Enfield Rovers picked up two community awards, while Armando Gardiman AM was recognised for his long-serving commitments to the game.
“It was a proud night for Football NSW to see players, coaches and administrators recognised for their achievements by our sporting peers,” said Football NSW Chair Gilbert Lorquet.
“Sport NSW’s acknowledgements are testament to the dedication and commitment we are fortunate to see across our entire football family on a weekly basis.
“Congratulations to the Enfield Rovers, Armando and to everyone involved in the 2023 NAIDOC Cup.”
Following the launch of the NAIDOC Cup initiative in 2022, Football NSW hosted an expanded version of the event in 2023, involving more than 150 First Nations participants across the state.
Football NSW Indigenous Advisory Group Co-chair Bianca Dufty, a proud Ngemba and Gamilaraary woman, spoke of the Cup’s significance upon accepting the Inclusion Achievement Award.
“To see the NAIDOC Cup come to fruition, to see the continued building of programs for Aboriginal (and Torres Strait Islander) boys and girls is really something that’s very important to me,” said Dufty.
“The beauty of NAIDOC Cup is that we get to combine our culture and our love of football in one place and to see that, particularly as a female footballer in a world cup year, was just unbelievable.”
It was a historic night for Enfield Rovers Football Club, claiming two Sport NSW Awards off the back of the incredible 2023 results achieved by their U16-1 Boys team.
Danny Silvestri was named Community Coach of the Year for his role in leading the team to multiple trophies, including the Football NSW State Cup and Champion of Champions tournaments.
“We’re a family pretty much; when you’re a family, it all comes together,” Silvestri said.
“They don’t know how to lose and that’s because they love training, they work together, we have pizza-pasta nights all the time; it’s a community.”
The 16-1s’ achievements were further recognised by taking out the Community Team of the Year Award.
Club President Victor Jeries paid further tribute to Enfield’s 2023 stars.
“Why they’re so successful is they put the enjoyment of the sport before winning and as a biproduct of that, they’re champions of the state.”
Adding to a big night of accolades for Canterbury Football, where Enfield ply their trade, was the acknowledgement of Armando Gardiman AM with a Distinguished Long Service Award. Armando has been a driving force in promoting equity and accessibility at Football Canterbury for decades. He continues to strive for safe female football playing environments and advocate for community football at all levels of government.
View more about the 2024 NSW Community Sports Awards on the Sport NSW website.
