Slater & Gordon GIANTS Academy member, Alex Johnson was yesterday awarded the Carbine Club of NSW Sports Development Scholarship.
The Scholarship, valued at $2500 is awarded to outstanding young sportspeople to assist them with their participation and development in their chosen sports.
Members of The Carbine Club includes champions from many fields of sport, including horse racing, Olympic and Commonwealth Games, Test cricket, rugby and rugby league, surf lifesaving, golf and motor racing. Other members have established their reputation in sports administration, business, politics and the media.
The Club conducts a number of luncheons each year, and all funds raised are used to encourage youth in sport.
Alex hails from Bathurst in the Central West of NSW and played AFL as a junior before switching to Rugby Union for a number of seasons, with Alex returning again to AFL only this season.
Alex is a midfielder, who possesses a penetrating left foot and stands 184cm tall at just fifteen years of age.
Alex, with the support of his parents has been making the two and a half hour drive to Sydney on numerous occasions to play weekend competition games, due to the higher standard available.
Alex’s dedication has seen him selected in the U15 Combined High Schools (CHS) NSW State team that will travel to Adelaide in July to compete at the U15 National Schoolboys carnival. Alex is the only player from the Central West Region selected in the NSW CHS team.
Alex is a multi-talented young man, who is also Captain of the U14 NSW Cricket team.
Slater & Gordon GIANTS Academy manager, Lachlan Buszard said Alex was a terrific choice for the scholarship and the scholarship will assist him with the significant cost associated with the travel to and from the Central West region to participate in sport.
“Alex is showing a lot of potential and is a worthy recipient of this award. The Scholarship will help him access more programs and aid his development, as well as help accommodate his parents who travel frequently from Bathurst to various parts of the state to attend training, matches and commitments with the Slater & Gordon GIANTS Academy, said Buszard.
“Alex has shown a lot of ability having returned to the game this season after several years playing Rugby Union. His selection in the U15 NSW CHS team proves he could become a very good AFL player if he continues to develop and display the continued hard work and commitment he has been showing.”
The Central West region has never produced an AFL listed player, and Alex Johnston could well be the first member from the region to join the exclusive club.
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