James Bartlett, Scum Academy, Sophie Phillips: South coast up and coming sporting stars

The south coast’s young sporting champs have shared their secret to success. Meet the up-and-coming sportsmen and women giving it their all in 2022.

A new generation of sporting talent is making waves on the south coast.

From football champs to basketball super stars, the region’s young athletes have shared what drives them in their pursuit of sporting excellence in 2022.

Meet the young men and woman striving for greatness below.

James Bartlett – Basket Ball

Batemans Bay basketballer James Bartlett has battled everything from older players to the Covid pandemic to secure himself a place in the Under 18s NSW Country team for 2022.

Mr Bartlett was selected for the Under 16s Australian Junior Championships in 2020, but was unable to attend the competition because of Covid restrictions.

But, the young star said he didn’t let the setback get him down.

“I stepped up my training in preparation for the Under 18s State Trails,” he said.

“I received the news last Wednesday I was in the NSW State team and will be playing at the Australian Junior Championships in Ballarat in April.”

Bartlett became interested in sport at a young age and has had a meteoric rise in basketball.

In his first year in the sport, Mr Bartlett was selected for the Under 12s Basketball Jamboree and PSSA south coast team, and later represented the NSW Country State team at the Australian County Junior Cup.

Last year, he played in the CHS south coast Basketball team.

At just 14, Bartlett faced down players bigger and older than he was in the under 16s competition.

The young sports champ said it has taken hard work and dedication to push him to reach the next level, and to never give up.

“I give my all at every training session to improve my basketball skills,” he said.

“I am very thankful for my coaches they are a big reason I am the player I am today and I would like to thank them for all the time, guidance, and support over the years.

“I will continue to keep working hard, pushing myself outside my comfort zone & keep learning from everyone around me.”

Mr Bartlett will compete in the Australian Junior Championships in Ballarat from April 10-17.

south coast Mountain Bikers junior academy. Picture: Justin Walker

SCUM ACADEMY

With names like the Groms and the Shredders, Nowra-based south coast Mountain Bikers (SCUM) junior academy aren’t to be ignored.

The 19-strong team are already setting apart themselves as young champions in the adrenaline-filled sport, according to coach Lynne Vaughan.

The Groms, which comprise of the younger members of the two squads, are by no means beginners, Ms Vaughan said.

“These riders regularly compete in the local club races, honing their skills on the fast and flowy single-track trails in the area,” Ms Vaughan said.

south coast Mountain Bikers junior academy rider Hugh Vaughan. Picture: Justin Walker

“The squad is quickly gaining excellent mountain bike skills and increasing their fitness.”

The 10 members of Grom squad are Audrey Vaughan, Brooke Walters, Charlie Fay, Darcy Greenhalgh, Gareth Blackman, Jamie Luckman, Jillian Raftery, Kane Alberts and Zac Peters,

The Shredder squad is made up of Alix Luckman, Bryn Mills, Finn Lewis, Gillie Macken, Harry Ludman, Hugh Vaughan, Hunter Bathelson, Ned Grootenboer, Riley Spencer and Ryan Lewis.

Ms Vaughan said the Shredder squad are already exceeding expectations.

“Podium positions are regular within local SCUM events across their various age based categories, including when competing against local elite riders,” she said.

“Larger events are not immune to the advances of the Shredder squad, with regular placings and podiums at NSW state titles and national events.

south coast Mountain Bikers junior academy rider Alix Luckman. Picture: Justin Walker

“The skills and ability of these riders is only set to improve following the strength, endurance and upskilling program delivered on SCUM local trails.”

Ms Vaughan said the SCUM Academy squads are ready to kick off the 2022 mountain bike season.

“These are future champions are in the making,” she said.

“Remember these names and look out for them locally, in NSW based events and at future National mountain bike titles.”

Ms Vaughan said the squads are honing their skills through their weekly training sessions and regular club races to compete in events like the Cannonball Run held in Thredbo (February 2022), Rocky Trail Entertain Grand Prix events in Mogo (May 2022) and on home based SCUM trails in Nowra in July 2022.

The SCUM Academy squads will also attend the NSW State Titles also in Nowra in October 2022, followed by the Willo mountain bike marathon in the Southern Highlands.

Sophie Phillips

At just 20 years old, AFL star Sophie Phillips has already started training the next generation of football legends while making her own mark as a player to watch in the increasingly popular AFLW.

Sophie Phillips started her football career at 16 in the 2018 south coast Women's AFL competition with the Bomaderry Tigers, before going on to win the premiership that same year.

Both the Bomaderry Tigers and the league as a whole named Ms Phillips their “best and fairest” that year, before bestowing onto her the title again in 2019.

Ms Phillips didn’t stop there though, and made the south coast representative squad in 2019, which was named the team of the year.

Ms Phillips was then selected in the IAS women's squad and named athlete of the year.

All of her achievements up until that point helped propel her into the NSW/ACT Rams team who competed in the 2019 National Championships on the Gold Coast.

Like many athletes, Ms Phillips was hampered by Covid during the 2020/2021 season, playing only patches of football with the UNSW team.

Ms Phillips will play with the team again 2022, but will split her time with the Sydney Swans academy which selected her to compete in what their new summer series.

South coast AFL star Sophie Phillips, left, has been selected for the 2022 Sydney Swans academy

If she proves successful in that first phase, Ms Phillips with play against all other AFLW academies through the winter series.

South coast GWS Giants Development head coach Dion Larkins hopes Ms Phillips will make the 2023 Sydney Swans team, the first that the club will run in the women’s division.

“Then we can say she made it,” he said.

Ms Phillips has coached alongside Mr Larkins in the GWS Giants development program on the south coast, where players aged 12-15 are trained in the hopes of being selected for the Giants’ senior academy.

Mr Larkin said Ms Phillips is a dedicated and inspiring coach.

“She is very passionate about the girls in this program and gives a massive amount of time to them,” he said.

“I’m positive her playing career will be long, however she will definitely get a role in coaching somewhere along the way.

Ms Phillips is also involved in coaching at the Auskick level with the Bomaderry juniors.

She currently lives at home with her family in Cambewarra and is studying for a bachelor of primary education at UOW.

If she wasn’t busy enough already, Ms Phillips also works part time as a teachers aid at Cambewarra public school.

south coast Cricket

Meet the 10 young cricket champs making their mark on the south coast.

Flynn Dunn – Batemans Bay Cricket Club

Batemans Bay Cricket Club champ Flynn Dunn started his batting career at just seven.

By age nine, the local sporting star was already competing in the Under 11s competition for the club, before beginning his run at representative cricket as an Under 11s player in the Under 12s Shoalhaven team.

Since then, Mr Dunn has set himself apart by captaining both the Under 12s and Under 13s Shoalhaven teams, and was vice-captain of the Marlins.

While still at the helm of the Marlins, Mr Dunn is also now serving as captain for the Under 14s Shoalhaven team.

Jackson Ingram – Berry Shoalhaven Heads

Young Jackson Ingram already has a number of accolades to his name after being Under 13‘s NSW Country player of the year last season, taking out the majority of the association awards.

This season, Mr Ingram was sixth in the run scoring for the Bradman Cup in the Under 16s.

In two weeks time, Mr Ingram will have another chance to shine when the Bradman cup winners (ACT) play against the Green Shield winners (St George) for the City versus Country shield.

Mr Ingram was also commended in the 2022 Australia Day Awards in the junior sports category.

Madison Malcolm – Batemans Bay Cricket Club

The Shoalhaven team have three young female stars playing in the GIZC Under 13s Dive Shield side this season.

All three players bring real talent to the sport, with complementary skills that give their team an edge.

Madison Malcolm, for instance, is an spinning all-rounder.

While she is still developing her craft, she can already bowl consistent line and length.

Georgia Lovergrove – Batemans Bay Cricket Club

Batting all-rounder Georgia Lovergrove has set herself apart with her strong left hand bat.

The young champ can hit a big ball with a middle order bat.

She is also a handy medium pace bowler who can really swing the ball.

Neve Smart – Batemans Bay Cricket Club

Young Neve Smart has the potential to develop into a “dangerous” opening bowler, organisers said.

The pace bowler is very quick and has a tall medium-fast bowler.

Ms Smart has qualified for Under 13 competition in 2022.

Tara Rudd – Ulladulla

Further north in Ulladulla, Tara Rudd has been a standout in girls pathway cricket for years.

Ms Rudd has played both the Mollie Dive and Margaret Peden competitions, and has represented GIZC at Under 16s and Under 19s Country Championships.

This year, Ms Rudd served as captain and participated in numerous NSW State Challenges.

Ms Rudd has also represented ACT/NSW Country and National Championships level in the Under 16s.

In addition to these champs, a number of other young cricket stars are making their mark on the south coast, including:

Matthew Higham – Shoalhaven Ex-Serviceman’s

Season – 2020/2021

Under 15s Greater Southern Marlins – NSW Youth Championships

Under 16s Shoalhaven

Season – 2019/2020

Under 14s Greater Southern Marlins – NSW Youth Championships

Under 14s Shoalhaven – Premiers

Season – 2018/2019

Under 13s Greater Illawarra – Gee Shield

Under 13s Shoalhaven – Western Carnival @ Orange

south coast PSSA – NSW State Championships

Season – 2017/2018

Under 13s Shoalhaven – Western Carnival @ Orange

Under 12s Shoalhaven – Premiers

Jesse Walters – Bay and Basin Cricket Club

• SDCA U12s Representative 20/21
• SDCA U12s Representative 20/21 – Age Champion
• south coast Marlins representative 21/22
• SDCA U12s Representative 21/22
• Best Batting 54 N.O
• Best Bowling 4 for 10
• Career to date –
• Batting – 1,085 runs at average of 31.91
• Bowling – 62 wickets at average of 10.42
• Runouts 21
• Catches – 14

Caleb McLennan – Bay and Basin Cricket Club

• SDCA U12s Representative 20/21 and 21/22
• Supported the SDCA U13s and U14s squads 21/22
• Best Batting 56
• Best Bowling 4 for 8

Ashton Morris – North Nowra/Cambewarra Cricket Club

• Stage 1 Under 10s Best All-rounder 18/19 North Nowra Cambewarra Cricket Club
• Stage 1 Under 10s Best All-rounder & leading wicket taker 19/20 Caringbah Sports Cricket Club
• Stage 1 Under 10s Best leading wicket taker 20/21 North Nowra Cambewarra Cricket Club
• SDCA U12s Representative 21/22
• Best Batting 35 N.O
• Best Bowling 4 for 7
• Career to date – Batting – 434 runs at average of 39.45
• Bowling – 38 wickets at average of 13.68
• Runouts – 19
• Catches – 5