And if nominations for this year’s Cootamundra Sports Foundation’s Sportsperson of the Year are anything to go by, that tradition will continue long into the future.

The initial list for this year’s

presentation dinner, to be held on Saturday, May 8 have been released and while many of the usual suspects such as Graeme Cheshire, Tony Sheedy, Judy Finkle, Robbie Anderson and last year’s winner Michael Palmer are there, so to are the names of many of this town’s most outstanding young sports stars.

Stars such as swimmers Holly Meadows and Jade Campbell, netballer Jacqueline Lienesch, polocrosse players Emily and Tom Maurer and cyclist Joel Finucane.

Once again the football codes are well represented with rugby league players Jake Walsh, Matt Forsyth, Luke Berkrey, Simon Lienesch and Joe Bradley all being included, as are soccer young guns Dylan Berkrey, Sarah Godman, Jenna Collingridge, Tom Meehan and Charlee McPherson.

The resurgence of basketball in Cootamundra is reflected by the

presence of Ben Guthrie, Zac Oliver, Brianna Oliver, Chloe Jordan and Ellisha Large, while the popularity of motocross among the younger members of the community is highlighted by

junior riders Jack Officer, Brad and Pat Doidge also being included.

The list has been complied by

members of the committee, however it is by no means final as all athletes who

succeeded in 2009 have been urged to submit a formal nomination for

consideration for any of the major awards to be presented.

As well as the prestigious Sportsperson of the Year, a Junior Sportsperson of the Year, Team of the Year, Local Sportsperson of the Year and Administrator’s Award will be handed out to deserving recipients.

All athletes, including those on the accompanying list must submit a resume of their achievements from last year to PO Box 468 Cootamundra or drop them in to the Coota Vet Clinic in Murray Street by March 31.

While a guest speaker for the dinner is yet to be confirmed, former Cootamundra man and now respected sports commentator Jim Smith is

reportedly working hard to secure the services of a high profile athlete.