Snow Australia Community Sport Awards finalists announced

Snow Australia is pleased to announce the finalists in the Snowsports Coach of the Year and Spirit of Interschools award category for the 2021 Snow Australia Community Sport Awards.

This year’s Community Sport Awards includes nine categories in total, with awards also presented for School Coordinator Recognition, Official of the Year, Pathway Initiative of the Year, Emerging Talent Athletes, Young Achiever of the Year, Club of the Year and Service to Snowsports. All Community Sport Award winners will be announced online through the Snow Australia website and social media channels during the Virtual Awards Week (November 8-12).

Snow Australia CEO Michael Kennedy said he’s very excited to bring the Community Sport Awards back for 2021, as Snow Australia acknowledges the outstanding contribution to the snowsports community of volunteers, clubs, schools, coaches, athletes and programs at the development and pathway level.

“These awards give us an opportunity to say thank you and recognise the people in our community who have worked so hard to keep our sport going, and the athletes who kept chasing their sporting dreams despite the challenging circumstances of the last two domestic winters. All our finalists and nominees are people who have represented the best of what our community has to offer.”

Kennedy added that Snow Australia is committed to making this a regular event after the success of the first Community Sport Awards night in 2019. 

“For 2021 we have resolved to adopt an online format and present the awards through our digital channels, but we’re looking forward to the opportunity of getting the community together again in 2022,” he said.

2021 Snow Australia Community Sport Award finalists

Snowsports Club Coach of the Year:

• Craig Branch - Program Director, Thredbo Ski Racing Club 
• Richard Haslau - Program Director and Head Alpine Coach, Mt Buller Racing Club
• Alexei Sotskov - Head Coach, NSWACT XC

Spirit of Interschools Awards:

• Noah Bradford, Kings School
• Andy Deans, Geelong College
• Charlotte Halley, Ascham School
• Claudine Talbot, MLC Sydney
• Kyra Wheatley, Pymble Ladies College

Snowsports Club Coach of the Year:

• Craig Branch - Program Director, Thredbo Ski Racing Club (TSRC). Branch’s role expanded in 2021 after serving as head coach of the club for the last three seasons. Branch has been able to engage club’s skiers and build a positive club culture based on setting a positive example and mentoring younger athletes. The 3-time Olympian is a great communicator, a passionate skier and a meticulous coach, who believes planning and hard work are key to success.
• Richard Haslau - Program Director and Head Alpine Coach, Mt Buller Racing Club. Haslau is an inspiring race club coach and leader who specifically focuses on optimising athlete’s development, always pushing his skiers to reach their full potential. He has been able to create a supportive and inclusive training environment both on-snow and off-snow, also ensuring injured athletes can feel safe, comfortable, and confident in their return to the sport.
• Alexei Sotskov - Head Coach, NSWACT XC.  Sotskov was hired in 2020 to provide year-round coaching leadership for the newly amalgamated NSW and ACT XC programs. The former Cross-country skiing Head Coach for the Russian Olympic Development Regional Team now coaches and mentors over 60 junior athletes, ensuring activities are aligned with National expectations. 

Spirit of Interschools Awards

• Noah Bradford of The Kings School has competed in Interschools since Year 4, consistently qualifying for State and Nationals in most of his events. In 2021 he was selected as the school’s Snowsports Vice Captain in recognition of his leadership and commitment to building and encouraging participation in the sport.
• Andy Deans of The Geelong College has been a multiple medal winner at both the Victorian and National Interschools, across a range of snowboard and ski disciplines. Snowsports Vice-Captain in 2021, he is an outstanding role model and leader, and plans to go on competing, instructing, and making a career on snow as a paramedic and ski patroller.
• Charlotte Halley has represented Ascham School at the Interschools Snowsport Championships across 5 events, winning individual and team podiums and showing exceptional sportsmanship. As Schools' Snowsports Captain in 2020 she committed to strengthening her school’s participation and had plans to organise a range of team building activities, introduce a dryland training program and increase the depth of the team. 
• Claudine Talbot has been actively involved in leading, promoting and recruiting skiers and boarders at MLC Sydney for the past 6 years across all disciplines, with a personal focus on Cross-country skiing. Talbot was the School's Snowsports Captain in 2021, and whilst she was on student exchange in the USA she embraced innovative ways to captain her team remotely.
• Kyra Wheatley has represented Pymble Ladies College at the Interschools Championships since Kindergarten, becoming one of the school's most successful skiers with podiums at Nationals in Ski Cross, Alpine and Moguls. A 2020 Youth Olympian, she stands out as a supportive member to her teammates, to whom she regularly offers advice and mentoring as team captain and experienced racer.