The 2014 Basil Sellers Australian Young Sports Writer Award was won by three - Brad Mills from Auckland, New Zealand, Annemarie de Villiers from Melbourne (last year's winner) and Wesley Tronson from the Gold Coast.
These three gained so similar points over 8 months by the seven Panellists who marked all the 'sport young writers' that all three were awarded winner medallions at the Press Service International awards night on the Gold Coast last weekend.
Brad Mills is a professional journalist with New Zealand's Rhema Media and in recent months moved sideways from their sport portfolio to mainstream news. Brad Mills last year was part of a video shoot in Cambodia and has recently returned from a European tour. Brad writes on New Zealand Sport.
Annemarie de Villiers is engaged in university studies in Melbourne in the area of sports science. Annemarie was born in South Africa and when 3 relocated to New Zealand with her family and for university came to Melbourne. Annemarie largely writes on women's sport.
Wesley Tronson spent seven years in Manchester, England in banking (winning many awards) and soccer. In 2006 he was part of the only England side to win any international tournament – Manchester Juniors – winning in Prague. Wesley returned to Australia in late 2010 to banking as NAB Southport Manager on the Gold Coast. He writes on EPL soccer (English Premier League).
Brad Mills was also presented with a Tronson du Coudray art work. Brad is stepping aside as a sport writer so as to concentrate on his Comment writing for Christian Today. He has been writing both a Comment and a Sport article each month.
The 2014 Sport Panellists
Tony Dunkerley - Melbourne
Peter Nelson – AIS Chaplain, Canberra
David Burr - Melbourne
Simon Farrer - Melbourne
Ruth Sellers – Hong Kong
John Skinner – Warwick, Qld
Tim Wilson - Canada
The Press Service International young writer program is a ministry of Well-Being Australia which has 'sport' and 'comment' young writers from around Australia, New Zealand, England, Canada, USA, Mozambique, Middle East, China, Korea, Thailand and the West Indies.
The sports young writers were presented the 2014 Basil Sellers Young Sport Writer Awards by Jeremy Dover from Melbourne who kind of keeps a caring pastoral eye on the sport young writers.
2014 Sport Panellist Best Article Awards
In addition to the top sport writer award the following young sport writers were awarded Best Sport Articles. These were presented by Well-Being Australia's Russell Modlin.
Brad Mills
Who's the team to beat in the rugby championship
Wesley Tronson
World Cup Wonderland
Annemarie de Villiers
Dante Exum – the next Australian All Star
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html
