Some of the most talented athletes in the western suburbs will be vying for the prestigious 2023 Don Deeble Sports Star award next month.
The Deeble committee will reveal the name of this year’s champion athlete at an awards dinner on the last Wednesday in January.
The first nominee was rising volleyball star Luella Greer.
Greer, a year 12 student at the Maribyrnong Sports Academy, combined her burgeoning volleyball career and her final year of school, and had no plans to step back from either.
Greer took up a scholarship with MSA in year seven after playing soccer and netball in primary school.
After testing at MSA they suggested that Greer should consider rowing, athletics, or volleyball and the rest is history.
Basketballer Jack Innella was the second nominee for the year.
Innella wants to break the glass ceiling by becoming the first intellectually disabled basketballer to make it in mainstream basketball.
He became the first Boomerangs player to be invited to the AIS in Canberra for a camp of under-20 basketballers.
Another MSA student, Emily Mifsud, was nominated in April for her achievements in athletics.
Misfud results resulted in her representing Victoria at the 2022 Australian Cross Country Championships and competing at the 2022 Australian Track and Field Championships.
Mifsud was then selected to represent Australia at the annual Simplot Games held in Salt Lake City in February.
It’s been a big year for Bridget Mihulk on the tennis court.
She has a WTA singles ranking of about 900 and a junior ranking of 400, but she still classifies herself as pretty average, with always more to do.
The hard work continues to pay off for Jacob Cassar who is a boxing devotee.
Cassar has had 22 fights with a 22-0 record. He said his strength is in my ability to change my tactics mid fight.
The next nominee again is part of the next generation being inspired by the Matildas.
Alana Cortellino was part of the Junior Matildas that won the under-18 Asean Football Federation Championship last year.
She is playing with the FV Emerging team in the National Premier League Women’s competition, having captained Calder United’s successful under-19 team last year.
August nominee Amelie Guziak has a voracious appetite for competition and the need to test herself against the best in the world.
She reckons she was born on a squash court.
Being selected to represent Australia in the World Junior Squash Championships in July is the pinnacle of her career to date.
September nominee, Theodore Kaing, returned from Bosnia as any thirteen-year-old teenager would, excited about what he has seen, talking about the fun that he had and the experiences he had.
The difference between Kaing, who is also known as Teddy, and other tourists was that he had just represented Australia in the 2023 Cadet World Taekwondo Championships.
Shrey Dhand was the October nominee,
He represented Australia at the under-19 World Junior Badminton Tournament in September.
Among the many titles Dhand has won, one stands alone. In June this year he competed in and won the Protech Elite Series Open Men’s singles as a 15-year-old. This win stamped his credentials in the sport.
The final nominee of the year was Rosie Bilszta.
The 15-year-old competes in artistic swimming, which is formerly known as synchronised swimming, and recently returned from Greece after competing in the 2023 FINA Youth Artistic Swimming Championships where Australia finished 14th out of 36 teams.
February
Name- Luella Greer
School- Maribyrnong Sports Academy
Sport- Volleyball
Achievements- Victorian and Australian indoor volleyball team, Victorian beach volleyball team and was MVP in 2021, attended the 2022 AIS Volleyball camp, MVP at national title.
Quote- “We gelled together in an amazing way, much like we did in the Victorian team. It was certainly an eye opener. We didn’t win a game but we came home so much stronger and better for the
experience.”
March
Name- Jack Innella
Team- Australian Boomerangs
Sport- Basketball
Achievements- First Boomerangs player to be invited to the AIS, made the state men’s squad as a 14-year-old, a part of the Virtus Asian Games held in Brisbane,
Quote- “My parents made it simple for me, see ball get ball. So, I did.”
April
Name- Emily Mifsud
School- Maribyrnong Sports Academy
Sport- Running
Achievements- Victoria at the 2022 Australian Cross Country Championships and competing at the 2022 Australian Track and Field Championships, selected to represent Australia at the annual Simplot Games held in Salt Lake City, finishing 4th in the 3200 meter event.
Quote- “From a very early age I just loved to run around, run everywhere, whenever I got a chance to get outside, I ran,”
May
Name- Bridget Mihulk
School- Maribyrnong Sports Academy
Sport- Tennis
Achievements- Played Junior ITF tournaments in New Zealand, Singapore and Thailand, semi final in the ITF Canberra tournament, WTA singles ranking about 900 and a junior ranking of 400.
Quote- “It brings out the best in me. I’m very competitive and love the challenge of working out my opponent and how to win.”
June
Name- Jacob Cassar
Club- Lionsden Boxing Academy
Sport- Boxing
Achievements- Victorian captain, 28-0 record, 2 Australian titles, as a featherweight he is ranked number one in Australia and the Commonwealth in his age group and 16th in the world, best male boxer of the tournament in the under-19 Australian Championships, in the AIS.
Quote- “What I love about boxing is the dedication it demands of you if you are going to succeed. It’s not easy to get up every day and train three times.”
July
Name- Alana Cortellino
Club-school- Calder United and Maribyrnong Sports Academy
Sport- Soccer
Achievements- Junior Matildas, Football Victoria National Training Centre program, at Melbourne Victory, Calder United captain.
Quote- “I suppose I just loved to compete and was a very determined person.”
August
Name- Amelie Guziak
Club- RACV Club
Sport- Squash
Achievements- Scholarship to the Victorian Institute of Sport, represented Australia in the World Junior Squash Championships, ranked number one in Australia in the under 17’s and number two in the female junior rankings overall.
Quote- “I am just the most competitive person! My strengths are my fitness and work ethic. I am skilful and disciplined. My focus and mental strength are also critical for me.”
September
Name- Theodore Kaing
Club-School- Notorious Martial Arts and Maribyrnong Sports Academy
Sport- Taekwondo
Achievements- Represented Australia in the 2023 Cadet World Taekwondo Championships coming third, number one in Victoria, black belt with one dan.
Quote- “Right now, I love everything about my sport… I am very grateful for everyone who supports me. I won’t let them down.”
October
Name- Shrey Dhand
School- Maribyrnong Sports Academy
Sport- Badminton
Achievements- Represented Australia three times, won many Victorian and Australian junior titles, won the Protech Elite Series Open Men’s singles as a 15-year-old.
Quote- “I still have much to learn, I need to work on playing under pressure and my shuttle movement.”
November
Name- Rosie Bilszta
School- Maribyrnong Sports Academy
Sport- Artistic Swimming
Achievements- Represented Australia at the2023 FINA Youth Artistic Swimming Championships, her team has won state and national titles in the various forms of artistic swimming.
Quote- “It was an amazing experience, one that I will build on to fulfil my dream of representing Australia at the Olympics.”
