BEVAN French, now in training with the Parramatta Eels Under 20 rugby league squad, capped a stellar sporting career for the North West School Sports Association by carrying off three of the four main awards in Tamworth yesterday.
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The 17-year-old student, who has just completed Year 12 at Inverell High School, received the NWSSA Sportsperson of the Year, the Most Outstanding Secondary Athlete as well as the Services to Sport Award at yesterday’s NWSSA 44th Sports Presentations in West Diggers.
It is a rare occurrence and French became the first student to win both the Sportsperson and Services to Sport awards in the same year since 1984.
“He is an extremely talented athlete,” NWSSA treasurer Greg Allen said.
“He has performed at an exceptional standard in several sports.”
French represented NSW CHS in touch earlier this year, scored the winning touchdown in the final to beat Queensland and was named the Most Valuable Player of the national
carnival.
He was also selected in the NSW CHS team that won the National CHS Rugby League Championship in May, setting up the winning try in a 26-22 final win over
Queensland.
He also toured New Zealand with a NSW CHS rugby union side in July and was selected in the Lloyd McDermott Indigenous Rugby Union team and scored the winning try for that team in its rugby final against Scots College.
He was also selected in the Australian Indigenous Sevens side to tour France.
His Services To Sport Award also threw up a long list of achievements.
“He has shown great longevity,” Allen said.
“He has represented the North West for the past eight years, starting with athletics in 2006 and won a silver medal in the long jump in 2007.”
His touch representation also started in 2006 as a Year 5 student at Inverell’s Ross Hill Public School.
“The many awards he has won along the way demonstrate the versatility and the high level of ability he has,” Allen said.
“All his coaches have been impressed by his sportsmanship and dedication.
“They have all said he’s a positive role model and mentor for many of the younger players.
“He has officiated at primary carnivals and refereed at various carnivals as well.”
o Turn to page 34 for more on French and his hopes of turning his outstanding scholastic sporting career into an NRL dream.
