Dubbo Cycle Club and Western Region Academy of Sport coach Vaughn Eather has been announced as a finalist for the NSW Community Coach of the Year Award.
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Presented by Sport NSW, the NSW Community Sports Awards recognise outstanding achievements and contributions to community sport in the state.
Under Eather's guidance, Dubbo won the Cycling Australia Club Premiership as the best club in the country based on results on rack and road.
During the award period from May 1, 2019 to April 30 of this year, Dubbo's athletes achieved outstanding results at national and state level.
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They include:
* Haylee Fuller (U19 road race, criterium, national champion)
* Dylan Eather (U17 individual time trial national champion)
* Daniel Barber (Oceania U19 Sprint and Kieran Champion. U17 criterium, road race national silver medallist; multiple state champion. NSW U17 Cyclist of the Year)
* Kurt Eather (NSW Elite points race champion, NSW U19 road race, criterium champion. NSW U19 Cyclist of the Year)
* Simone Grounds: 40-44 individual time trial, road race champion NSW Masters 3 Cyclist of the Year.
* Darrell Wheeler: 70-74 road race, criterium national champion; 70-74 Australian track champion of champions
Each of those riders has been crowned a state or national champion in recent times across various age groups and race styles, further highlighting the quality of Vaughn Eather and the coaching in Dubbo.
Eather was selected by Cycling NSW to be a coach of the NSW under-15 and under-17 track cycling team at the Junior Track National Championships, an event that was cancelled due to COVID-19. He also travelled as the NSW team coach to South Korea as he led the NSW under 19 Development Team to international competition.
According to Dubbo Cycle Club president Matthew Gilbert, Eather is a mentor who riders know and trust.
"He has a knack for keeping athletes and support staff in good spirits with his jovial disposition. His encouraging speeches always draw a smile, even during long training sessions," Gilbert said.
"He has taught his athletes to understand that hard work is essential to success. He oversees at least five multi-hour training sessions per week.
"His athletes often say, 'I didn't think it was going to be this tough', to which a hearty laugh and a 'you wanted to win, didn't you?' is Vaughn's cheeky reply."
The winner will be decided at a presentation evening later in the year.