FORMER Mount Gambier basketballer Bella Stratford has excelled further in her sporting career after she was awarded the prestigious 2017 Bert Bargeus Medal.
The young basketballer was recognised as the South Australian Country Basketball Program female-of-the-year and as a result received the silverware.
Stratford was not the only athlete to receive a medallion, with Eastern Hills’ Sebastian Bald claiming the male-of-the-year award.
The Bert Bargeus Medals were introduced in 2010 in recognition of his long and distinguished history in SA Country Basketball.
Bargeus began this involvement in 1996 as secretary of the Eastern Hills Basketball Association.
His roles and achievements include SA Country state manager, council executive, executive officer, president, and Basketball SA board member/commissioner and director of the Australian Country Junior Basketball Cup.
Both Stratford and Bald are worthy winners of the medallions, which are awarded to athletes who demonstrate the qualities of personal commitment to SA Country Basketball, hard work, high levels of achievement, the ability to work as a team and integrity.
Stratford has been an outstanding player for Basketball Mount Gambier and SA Country over her career.
She relentlessly strives to make the most of her undoubted natural athletic ability and to achieve her personal ideals of becoming the best basketballer she can.
These qualities are evident in Stratford’s involvement in both other sports and general life.
Mount Gambier Junior basketballers Matt Markiewicz was awarded the inaugural medal in 2010, Sam Stafford followed up in 2013 and Brad Rathjen received the coveted award in 2015.
Georgia Green – a former outstanding junior basketballer from Mount Gambier – was also awarded the medal in 2012.
Both medallion recipients are currently playing for SA Country in the 2018 Australian Under 18 National Basketball Championships in Geelong.
