Cyclist Alyssa Polites and AFL footballer Jordan Roughead among the winners in Deakin’s 2021 Sport Awards
The 2021 Deakin Sport Awards celebrate the achievements of Deakin’s elite-athlete students and we’re announcing our 2021 winners online throughout this week (Monday 6–Friday 10 December).
Today, we shine the spotlight on the 2021 winners of the Rising Star, Community Spirit and Deakin Full Blue awards – congratulations to our very deserving recipients!
Cyclist Alyssa Polites is the winner of Deakin’s 2021 Rising Star Award
Congratulations to up-and-coming cyclist Alyssa Polites, our Rising Star Award recipient for 2021!
Alyssa, who this year commenced her Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science/Bachelor of Business (Sport Management) at Deakin, has firmly established herself as an exciting new athlete to watch.
Hailing from the Caulfield Carnegie Cycling Club in Melbourne’s south-east, Alyssa won the Junior National Time Trial and Junior National Road Race earlier this year. She was also selected to represent Australia in both road and track competitions at the World Championships but is yet to compete internationally due to COVID-19 delays.
Despite the disruptions to competitions due to ongoing lockdowns and border restrictions, Alyssa has managed to keep her training regime on track and her spirits high as she sets her sights on the upcoming 2022 Road Nationals Championships.
‘I adapted early on by having a “go-with-the-flow” mindset,’ Alyssa told AusCycling recently, adding that her ‘main focus is [Mt.] Buninyong in January’.
We can’t wait to see what Alyssa can do in 2022 and beyond once she gets the chance to get back on the road!
Th
e 2021 Community Spirit Award goes to footballer Jordan Roughead
Footballer Jordan Roughead is our 2021 recipient of the Community Spirit Award – congratulations, Jordan!
Originally from Ballarat, Jordan made his AFL debut in 2010 with his beloved Western Bulldogs and in 2016 was instrumental in the Bulldogs winning their first premiership since 1954.
Now a key defender for the Collingwood Football Club since 2019, Jordan was nominated as a finalist for the 2021 Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award which is given annually to an AFL or AFLW player for upholding the values of the late footy legend on the ground and in their community. Jordan was singled out for his work in championing LGBTIQA+ rights and tackling homophobia in sport, advocating for tangible action in addressing climate change, working to support young people facing disadvantage and homelessness, and promoting gender equality in sport.
Jordan’s ongoing advocacy and generosity towards disadvantaged youth led to him being appointed the Chair of the AFL Player Reference Group at Ladder, and he was also a key figure behind the establishment of the AFL Players For Climate Action group, an initiative supported by more than 260 AFL and AFLW players who continue to campaign for sustainability in their industry.
‘Climate change affects all of us and is only going to become a larger part of how we exist in the future,’ wrote Jordan in his recent article in The Guardian.
It is Jordan’s leadership and tireless advocacy for both his sport and wider societal concerns which has earned him this much-deserved Community Spirit Award. With his current Master of Business Administration studies under way at Deakin, we look forward to following Jordan’s future efforts both in his charitable pursuits and on the field!
Congratulations to our Deakin Full Blue Award winners
The Deakin Full Blue Awards recognise the professional excellence of our elite-athlete students, representing their country in their respective sports. Well done to our 2021 recipients!
Hana Basic: Athletics
Making her Olympic debut in Tokyo this year, current Bachelor of Health and Physical Education student Hana finished fifth in her 100m athletics heat and consequently did not progress to the semi-finals. However, Hana has been setting consistent new personal bests throughout 2021 and is now the fourth-fastest Aussie female sprinter of all time, with a personal best of 11.18 seconds. Congratulations on your first Olympics, Hana!
Emma Checker: Football
Emma, who is studying a Bachelor of Business at Deakin, is a star on the rise. 
Since joining the W-League as the tender age of 15, she is considered one of the strongest defenders in the sport at both the national and international level. In 2020, Emma travelled to Europe to represent the Matildas with much success but returned home early due to injury. Thankfully, it has not slowed her down. She was recently named captain of Melbourne City FC after just two years with the club and has since re-signed with City for an additional two years.
Kate Moloney: Netball
A Master of Business (Sport Management) student and co-captain of the Melbourne Vixens squad, Kate has now claimed two consecutive Sharelle McMahon Medals in 2020 and 2021, the club’s most prestigious individual honour. Since making her international debut in 2017, Kate has been an integral player in the Australian Diamonds’ Constellation Cup line-up, once again joining the squad this year to contest New Zealand rivals the Silver Ferns. Kate was awarded Deakin’s Sportsperson of the Year (Female) last year following the Vixens’ 2020 Super Netball Grand Final victory.
Nathan Pellissier: Table tennis – Paralympics
Currently studying his Master of Professional Accounting and Finance while he works part-time at a law chambers, Nathan claimed a silver medal earlier this year at his first Paralympics in Tokyo in the Men’s Team Class 9–10 Round of 16 events. Prior to the Games, Nathan claimed gold medals at three major international championships in 2017, including the Korean Para Open and the Taiwan Para Open. In 2018, Nathan won bronze medals at both the Spanish Para Open and US Para Open. Congratulations on your first Paralympic medal, Nathan!
Campbell Watts: Rowing
Talented rower Campbell, who is studying a Bachelor of Property and Real Estate/Bachelor of Commerce, was a travelling reserve for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games following an impressive series of World Rowing Championship wins in recent years. Claiming silver for the men’s quadruple scull in 2018, Campbell and team placed third in the quadruple scull semi-final at the 2019 event to qualify for the Olympics.
Jo Weston: Netball
Melbourne Vixens star Jo, who is studying a Master of Communication at Deakin, has built herself a reputation as a formidable defender on the court. Since joining the Vixens in 2014, Jo made her international debut with the Australian Diamonds squad in 2015 before going on to win a number of accolades including the Vixens’ Player of the Finals in 2017 and a silver medal in the 2019 World Cup. Jo consistently displayed her tenacity and leadership in helping secure the Vixens’ 2020 Super Netball Grand Final victory and through her fierce defence against the Silver Ferns in the 2021 Constellation Cup.
Are you an elite athlete studying at Deakin?
Elite athletes can face many demands in finding a balance between their studies and sporting commitments, and we understand the need to support student athletes to enable them to succeed in both areas.
You may also be experiencing changed and complex circumstances due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic that may potentially impact your studies. If you’ve got any questions about how the Elite Athlete Program (EAP) could help you, please visit the EAP website or contact the Elite Sports Coordinator, Jack Duke, at [email protected].
We’ll announce the final 2021 winners soon…
Stay tuned to the Deakin Life blog, Facebook and Instagram channels this week for more news about the 2021 Deakin Sport Awards.
On Friday, we’ll announce the much-anticipated winners of the Sportsperson of the Year awards in the Male, Female, Disability and Indigenous categories!
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