On the evening of December 20, Northam's own STRYKA Fight Team held their inaugural awards night at the Northam PCYC with Northam Shire president Chris Antonio graciously in attendance to present awards to the deserving recipients.
In true STRYKA spirit, the event was open to everyone with plenty of free food, soft drinks and treats on hand and was well attended by the community at large who turned out in good numbers to support the team.
Although STRYKA Fight Team was formed at the beginning of 2018, this awards night marked the first time the team has managed to raise sufficient funds to conduct such an event and it is hoped that the up swell of community support that has resulted from STRYKA's incredible achievements in representing Northam and the Avon Region on both the state and national stages in combat sports over 2019, will translate to even greater levels of donations, sponsorship and community funding in 2020 moving forward.
Head coach Guy Mead opened proceedings with a welcome speech in which he surprised many in attendance as he described the mandatory requirement for all STRYKA Fight Team members to actively participate in community support programs such as cutting and delivering free firewood and providing unpaid yard services to aged and handicapped pensioners. This is in order to expose them to the gift of giving without expecting anything in return to develop and maintain a positive evolution in their growth as happy, healthy and productive members of the community.
Coach Guy then extended heartfelt thanks to everyone who had donated to and supported the team over the past two years and presented framed certificates of appreciation to sponsors G'Ma & G'Pa Bellaart, SVG Construction, Macca's Junior Sports Grants, Northam Workers Club, Avon Inner Wheel and the Shire of Northam in recognition of their contributions towards maintaining the STRYKA concept.
Northam Shire president Chris Antonio assisted by coach Fi Mead then presented awards to the following worthy recipients:
- Sponsor of the Year Award: Cor and Heather Bellaart.
- Fight Team Prospect Medals: Astal Woods, Ashton Nathan, Cody Lacy and Will Brewis.
- Fight Team Membership Medals: Tajlon Mead, Sarah McCall, Fi Mead, Mitchel Daley, Georga Stanley, Max Mead, Chris Evans and Elijah Jennison.
- Lifetime Membership Medal: John Yuill.
- Volunteer Assisting Coaches Excellence Awards: Janine Wallis and Mel Martin.
- Partnership Award: PCYC's Jane Atterby.
- President's Award: STRYKA team manager Lea McCall.
- Commitment Medal: Georga Stanley.
- Most Improved Medal: Sarah Jane McCall.
- Rookie of the Year Medal: Georga Stanley.
- Fighter of the Year Perpetual Trophy: Max Mead.
- Fight of the Year Perpetual Trophy: Mitchel Daley.
- Coaches MVF Perpetual Trophy: Max Mead.
The team then surprised head coach Guy Mead by presenting him with a handmade photographic scrap book recording the teams highlights over the past two years with a personal message from every team member inscribed on its pages as a keepsake to close out the evenings formalities. Coach Guy was particularly amused to note that the team had also faithfully detailed some of his more memorably colourful quotes, quips and antidotes in the final few pages of the scrapbook and has vowed to take his future efforts in this critical aspect of coaching to the next level in 2020.
STRYKA Fight Team is a not for profit mixed martial arts incorporated sporting association that has been established for the sole purpose of providing young local fighters from all backgrounds with the opportunity to compete in their chosen combat sport of either boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, Brazilian jujitsu or full MMA.
Anyone wishing to donate to STRYKA fight team can do so via their Facebook page which has a Go Fund Me link or can contact them via Messenger to discuss other sponsorship options.