Sydney University SFC’s Stephanie Augoustis won a Golden Boot in the 2022 National Premier Leagues NSW Awards on Friday, September 16.
Avgoustis received her award during a formal dinner at the Hyatt Regency in Sydney, which was attended by a number of players, coaches, officials and other high profile guests.
These special guests included former Socceroo legends Rale Rasic and Les Scheinflug, Football Australia Project Manager Community, Robbie Middleby, former Charles Valentine Medallists and Football NSW Life Members, along with the Football NSW Board.
The Club Championship awards were one of the first awards of the evening with Sydney University wrapping yet another one in the NPL NSW Women’s category, while for a record-breaking 16th time, Blacktown City were top of the trumps in the Men’s category.
Referees were honoured soon after with Hassan Jomaa taking out the NPL NSW Men’s category after a sterling season which also saw him earn a spot into the 2022/2023 A-League Men referees panel. Mikayla Ryan clinched top honours in the NPL NSW Women’s category and she too caught the attention of the W-League this time, pushing her cause as a fourth official which was an amazing honour.
The announcement of the Player of the Year and Golden Boot winners in the Under 20/Reserve grade competition were up next.
Augoustis took out the honours in the Women’s Reserve grade notching up 21 goals, while Mt Druitt Town Rangers’ Mabior Garang took out the 20 Men’s scoring 18 for the year.
The Player of the Year awards were up next, and Football NSW Institute’s Siena Arrarte grabbed all the plaudits for an outstanding year in the 20’s, while Sydney FC’s Luka Smyth stood out from the rest of the pack in a big season. No doubt these two players will be knocking on senior club doors in both the men and women NPL competitions and beyond.
Goalkeepers were next on the awards block, and it was Sydney University’s quality shotstopper Courtney Newborn who took out the NPL NSW Women’s category in what was an impressive year for the gun custodian. Manly United’s Jack Greenwood was next up and clinched his respective award after he assisted in the Northern Beaches fantastic run into the finals this year.
The Golden Boot award winners were announced soon after.
The ‘Debbie Tait’ Award for the NPL NSW Women’s Golden Boot was awarded to APIA Leichhardt FC’s Shea Connors who scored 15 goals for the year.
Finally, in the NPL Men’s category, it was a tight contest, but Sydney Olympic’s Irish and former A-League star Roy O’Donovan came through on the final day of round 22, scoring 21 goals, one more than his nearest rival in Rockdale Ilinden’s Alec Urosevski.
It was onto the NPL NSW Men’s ‘Goal of the Year’ award and after 22 rounds there was only one clear winner. In what was a stunning year for goals it came from Manly United’s Brazilian maestro Bruno Mendes that went viral against the Sutherland Sharks in round 14 of the competition.
The Coach of the Year category was next with Sydney University’s quality manager Emily Husband getting the nod from her fellow peers in the NPL NSW Women’s category. Manly United’s outgoing coach Adam Griffiths took out the Men’s category after a splendid season that saw the Northern Beaches narrowly miss out on both the Premiership and Championship.
The time had come for the Player of the Year awards in what was the crucial part of the evening as the suspense was at boiling point for all players involved.
Once again, the clubs voted in a 3-2-1 system after each team put forward their best two players for the 2019 season.
Things were tight in the NPL NSW Women’s category however, it was Sydney University’s US star Rola Badawiya who was quite simply outstanding and a shining light for her side grabbing the evening’s top honour. The ace striker notched up 13 goals and played an integral role in Sydney University’s Premiership victory.
Badawiya beat the likes of Macarthur Rams’ Mel Caceres, APIA’s Shea Connors and Northern Tigers’ Ashlee Brodigan for the top accolade.
The stage was set for the final award of the evening and that was the NPL NSW Men’s award for 2022, the Gold Medal.
After 22 rounds the award was presented to Sydney FC’s young gun Jaiden Kucharski, who collected his second award of the evening.
Source: Football NSW.
