Mark Mellish was presented the honour by Councillor Stuart Freudenstein at yesterday’s Australia Day ceremony at Carrington Park.

The award comes as a result of Mark’s contribution to Young men’s soccer, not only as a coach most recently, but as a player, manager, seniors’ coordinator, referee, and committee member.

He has received many awards over the years including Best Men’s Coach in the Bathurst District Football group for 2010 and 2012, Young Lions Soccer Club Person of the Year in 2010, and was presented with a service to sport award by the Young Sports Advisory Committee.

But most recently, he was awarded the 2015 Pascoe Cup Coach of the Year by Football Wagga Wagga.

Mark expressed his appreciation for the nomination on accepting his award.

“I’d just like to thank the Australia Day committee for putting the awards on; to whoever nominated me - for making all my successes known to the public; to the soccer club - obviously it’s easy for me to stand up here and collect this award, but without the players, the committee, the other coaches and referees, our sport doesn’t exist, not just in soccer but any sport,” he said.

“And my family - they give up an awful lot for me to be involved in the sport and win, lose or draw, they’re there for me.”

Picking up the Junior Sportsperson of the Year Award yesterday was 14-year-old Jacob Lucas who was described by deputy mayor Ben Cooper as a “sporting machine”.

Jacob has represented his town, region and state in numerous sports, and has displayed enthusiasm in giving back to  Young’s sporting community whether it be by coaching, refereeing or helping people improve their skills.

“He’s always biting at the bit to be involved in anything to do with sport,” Cr Cooper said.

“He’s a gun cricketer, an amazing footballer, he’s been to the state championships for athletics, rugby league, cross country and touch football, and is the first ever Year 7 student I know to play in the Year 12 team - he really is a very talented athlete.”

With community contribution being the trend of the day, it comes as no surprise the Tubbul Campdraft Ladies Clinic took out the 2016 Community Service - Organisation - Award.

Young Shire Council general manager David Aber presented the award to clinic coordinator and Tubbul Campdraft treasurer, Pam Hart. 

The Tubbul Campdraft Ladies Clinic was established five years ago to raise funds for the local CanAssist branch, in which time it has donated $55,200 to the group.

Aber said the project has been a phenomenal success.

“What a fantastic example of a rural community taking a proactive approach and using initiative and hard work to raise funds to help their fellow citizens,” he said.

The Young Cherryatrics Masters Rugby League also earned recognition for developing into an outstanding annual carnival.

2015 saw the carnival attract a record 25 teams, comprising of 500 mature players and officials to Young over a weekend in October.

Kate said the event has a significant impact on the town, bringing an estimated $275,000 boost to the economy in 2015.

Club member Paul Smith accepted the Community Event Award presented by Young Cherry Queen, Kate Edwards.

“We love what we do - just imagine old blokes running around reliving their glory days, but more importantly for the town it brings in the economic benefits that it does, keeps old blokes fit, instead of talking about all the things we did as younger people we now talk about superannuation and when we’re going to retire, which is the good knee, what the bad one is playing up about, and how our hips are terrible - we have a great time,” Paul said.

“As is indicated we want to build this right up - it’s the biggest NRL Masters Carnival in NSW, only bettered by the one on the Gold Coast which as 90 teams, we have 24, we hope to build it and build it.” 

Related coverage on Australia Day 2016:

Australia Day 2016 | Photos

Unsung heroes honoured