Megan Isbester
ST MARY’S Gunnedah sporting star Megan Isbester has been recognised as the most outstanding Catholic Secondary School Female athlete for 2012.
Isbester was awarded the prestigious Vince Villa Award as the Female Sportsperson of the Year at the New South Wales Combined Catholic Colleges Sports Association Blue Award Presentation held in Sydney earlier this week.
She was one of three Armidale Diocese athletes acknowledged for their sporting achievements, with schoolmate Jackson Ludlow and McCarthy’s Brittany Coe receiving NSWCCC Blues.
Isbester also picked up a Blue (Bar) for cross-country. The Bars are awarded to students who have previously won a Blue in the same sport.
She earned her Blue in 2011.
Last year Isbester won gold in the 16yrs at the NSWCCC Championships, was second at the NSW All Schools and finished sixth at the School Sport Australia Cross Country Championships in Adelaide, where she was also part of the winning NSW relay team.
That wasn’t the only sport she excelled in though.
She won medals at the NSW All Schools Championships in three different sports – cross-country, triathlon and athletics – and also represented NSW at the All Schools triathlon nationals. She is the current NSWCCC cross-country, triathlon and athletics (1500m and 800m) champion.
Her service to school sport and the way she is a role model for other students were also factors in her winning the Vince Villa Award.
Ludlow also medalled at state level in triathlon and earned his Blue for that.
He won the intermediate boys’ section at the NSWCCC triathlon before picking up the silver at the NSW All Schools and going on to the nationals at Busselton in Western Australia where he finished a creditable 13th.
It was his fourth time competing at the nationals.
Coe was awarded her Blue for touch.
She’s been selected in the NSWCCC team for the last five years, and played for the NSW All Schools U15s team in 2011 and 2010.
Last year she was a member of the NSWCCC Open Girls team that played at the Australian Championships at Port Macquarie.
Coe would love to make that team again this year.
It would be a great way to finish off her school touch career.
The process for that starts in about a month with the Diocesan trials. The state trials will then be held in term 2.
Coe will be looking to make the state team every year she’s been at high school.
She said it was a “nice surprise” when she got the letter saying she was a Blues recipient.
Only two athletes from each sport are nominated for the award.
“It’s a huge honour,” Coe said.
The other recipient played with her in the NSW team last year.
Coe is hoping the CCC side isn’t the only state team she makes this year.
“I wouldn’t mind trying to make the NSW U18s squad,” she said.
“But I’ll need to have good carnivals over the year.”
The first of those will be next weekend. She’ll be part of the Tamworth U18s side contesting the Junior State Cup at Port Macquarie.
“We should go well,” she said.
“Hopefully we can make the semis.”
“The semis are unpredictable – anyone can win.”
Coe will also be going away with the Northern Eagles opens side next month.