Geraldton sports of all sorts
D’Arcy Slater had just become a teenager when he drowned in the flooded Helena River when returning to Guildford Grammar after football training 27 years ago.
The gifted academic and sporting youngster, from Goomalling, loved nothing more than playing tennis.
So parents Bill and Christina Slater formed the D’Arcy Slater Foundation
The foundation has since given away hundreds of thousands of dollars in sports scholarships.
The foundation also benefits other programs which encourage young people to pursue their aspirations in education, music, theatre and the arts.
The Western Australian Institute of Sport oversees the sport side of the scholarships.
Up to seven individual scholarships, each worth $5000, and a team scholarship of $10,000, are presented annually.
In Geraldton, the blue-ribbon event for rural and regional youngsters with a love of tennis, is the D’Arcy Slater Cup.
It will be held at the Geraldton Tennis Club from this weekend.
The cup is a singles and teams event for boys and girls aged under 14.
Christina Slater will be in Geraldton and will address the players for the D’Arcy Slater Cup.
Barra puts out his barrow
The man they call Barra knows what it takes to reach the top of the tree in sport — on and off the field.
Canberra-born Adrian Barich is the only person to have played for the West Coast Eagles in the AFL and for the Western Reds in the National Rugby League.
These days, he’s better known as the face of sports news on Channel Seven.
Barich is soon turning his back on the telly — and heading to Geraldton for, as they say, “a one-night stand”.
Barich will be the master of ceremonies at the 2018 Geraldton Guardian Mid West Sports Awards, to be held at the Queens Park Theatre on Friday, November 16.
Nominations for the 12 categories — senior and junior, team, coach, administrator, official, club, athlete, sports personality of the year, inclusion and local achiever awards, and the Mid West Hall of Fame — close this coming Friday.
The judging period is from October last year until September 30 this year.
Nominations can be made at mwsf.org.au/2018-sports-awards-nominations.
More information is available at mwsf@sportshouse.net.au or by phoning the MWSF on 9956 2178 or 0447 829 735.
Kids dressed up to the nines
The kids love it — and when the kids love it, that’s all that matters.
Nine-a-side cricket was a big hit when introduced last year — and it started last weekend, when under-12 competition starts in the Geraldton Regional Junior Cricket Board.
The nine-a-side format, with modified playing conditions, was introduced to allow faster action, more runs — and more opportunities for all to get involved with run-outs, catches and bowling.
Again, there are places in the 12s, 14s and 17s competitions. Ring association president Kim Ingle on 0419 201 027 or WACA regional cricket manager Ryan Hosking on 0429 107 963 for all sides.
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