Amy McCann, Monday, 10 April 2006
Women's Awards
The awards for the women's teams were presented and, with the 1s and 2s winning the premiership and the 3s finishing 3rd after finishing the season as 'qualifying premiers', the awards were the most hotly contested in Doncaster Women's history.
Doncaster Women's 1s
In a season in which the Women's 1s only lost 1 regular season game and won the Premiership, the awards were tight to the last game. The 3 awards went (in photo Left to right): BATTING Amy McCann (.654), MVP Ailsa Davidson, COACHES Layla Busbridge.
MVP Ailsa Davidson
In season 05/06, 19 year old Ailsa Davidson took her game to a whole new level. As Doncaster Women's 1s starter, she finished the season with a league leading ERA of 1.11 and led the league in wins. She led her team to a Grand Final win, only allowing 5 hits to the opposition across 7 innings. She has truly become one of the games elite performers. and at her young age, she stands to become one of the greatest ever.
BATTING Amy McCann (.654)
In what was her best season to date with the bat, Amy has truly stepped into a new dimension. She won the DBC batting award with an amazing .654 average. She finished the Club leader in not only AVG, but RUNS, HR (3), SB, BB, OB, OBP%, SLUG%; second in HITS, TRIPLES, RBIs and third in DOUBLES. A truly outstanding season.
COACH'S Layla Busbridge
For anyone who saw the Grand Final and the collision at home plate between Layla and a Springvale player, understands what makes Layla tick. The backbone of the Doncaster Women's 1s for years, she has been around the game longer than most, and the dedication and professionalism she still shows to her own game and her team, is second to none. She was one of only two 1s players to play in every game in season 05/06 and is a most deserving recipient of this award.
Doncaster Women's 2s
A mirror image of the 1s, the 2s only lost 1 regular season game and also won the premiership. The 3 awards went (in photo Left to right): BATTING Tania Curwood, MVP Kat Haden, COACH'S Peta Collins.
MVP Kat Haden
Although not able to attend all training sessions due to work commitments, Kat Haden still manage to maximise her baseball talent and was a solid performer on the mound and at shortstop.
BATTING Tania Curwood
Many at Doncaster believe that Tania should still be playing in the 1s and her 2s Batting title award for season 05/06 only solidifies their beliefs. Her average of well over .60, and awe-inspiring power numbers, led the team from the front all season.
COACH'S Peta Collins
New to Doncaster in 05/06, Peta quickly cemented her spot in the 2s as both a shortstop and outfielder. Her 'softball' technique slowly fading, she is quickly adapting to the rigors of baseball and her potential is unlimited. She also displayed a high level of enthusiasm and that with her rapidly improving talent, earned her this award.
Doncaster Women's 3s
From 1 win last year to 12 and a qualifying premiership this year, t proved that all players in the 3s stepped it up a few notches and provided Coach John Cliff with a headache in choosing the awards. The 3 awards went (in photo Left to right): MVP Nancy Duncan, BATTING Dora Zertopolous and COACH'S Keren Wakefield/Chris Lindorff
MVP Nancy Duncan
With another standout performance on the season, Nancy Duncan picked up her second consecutive MVP title for the 3s. Nancy was the teams catcher and later tried her hand at some pitching with solid results. A veteran of the sport and the club, her assistant and
BATTING Dora Zertopolous
An off season trip to New York and a few New York Yankee games paid off for Dora as she moved from last year's coaches award to this years Batting title. In only her second season, with a spirit and energy to beat anyone, Dora is quickly fine tuning her skills and is looking ready to lead an assault on the New York Women's league when she sadly departs Australia soon.
COACH'S Keren Wakefield/Chris Lindorff
Two of the youth of Doncaster, Keren and Chris displayed the energy that makes most around them feel old. Whether it was at training or games, they were two of the hardest workers and their efforts have seen them become an integral part of a team that went from last to first place in one season. Keep it up girls - the premiership awaits you in season 06/07.
CLUB AWARDS
Doncaster BC awards many Club Perpetual trophies. The following women won perpetual awards for 05/06.
Gordon "Stumpy" Russell Award - Best Finals Series Player (SENIORS - MEN & WOMEN)
Alisa Tamburrino collected the Gordon "Stumpy" Russell Award and deservedly so. This award is given for the best player in a finals series across all Doncaster senior teams, both Men and Women. Alisa started at 1B in the first final and Grand Final, with a fantastic performance in the Grand Final.
However, it was in the semi final that she shone. In her first start on the mound in a final, she went the distance, only allowing a couple of runs across 7 innings, leading her team into the grand final in fine style.
At just 27, she truly is now finding the best form of her career and 'rumours' of her impending retirement following this months Nationals will certainly have many a person begging her to reconsider.
This is only the third time that a women's player has collected this award, with the first being Cat Row in 2000/01 and Ailsa Davidson winning last year. 'Stumpy' Russell in case no one is aware, was Ally Mitchell's grandfather.
Sonia Cook Memorial Award - Best Team Player (WOMEN'S)
The Sonia Cook Memorial Award, is awarded to the Best Team Player in the Women's program as voted by the women's players. It is named after Sonia Cook, a fantastic person and Doncaster player, who was suddenly and tragically taken from our lives during the season of 03/04.
The award is not based upon a players ability on the baseball field, but reflects and represents all of the attributes associated with a great team player and club person - someone that gives more of their time and effort for the benefit of other players, teams and the women's program as a whole. It is decided by a silent 3,2,1 vote by all women's players, across all teams, at the end of the season.
And for the first time in the award's history, there was a tie in the voting. Amy McCann and Samantha Hamilton received this years award as voted by their peers. Amy and Sam put in countless hours around the club both at games and trainings and they are usually the first to arrive at the club each training and game and the last to leave (John and Sandy Cliff excepted!).
Amy was overjoyed with the honour. "This means more to me than any other award or win. To be voted by my team mates in this way is just the best thing I could imagine."
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