A Wollongong surf lifesaver has taken home the top gong at the annual Surf Life Saving Australia National Awards of Excellence.
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Just moments after Shannon Fox was awarded the prestigious Surf Lifesaver of the Year award, the 28-year-old said now was the time to really explore "inclusion, representation and diversity in surf lifesaving because it is definitely the future for us".
Fox took home the top gong on Saturday night because she was considered not only an exceptional surf lifesaver but a trainer, mentor, surf sports competitor and leader across all levels of Surf Life Saving.
She is currently developing a universal design headset for people of all hearing abilities/disabilities which will serve as waterproof communications in aquatic settings.
Fox started nippers in Wollongong when she was just eight years old, and since then, she's spent 15 years as a patrolling lifesaver and become Wollongong City's first female captain in its 100-year history.
She took great pride in this but after winning the award, vowed to do even more to inspire aspiring lifesavers to get involved in their community and serve others.
"I have had the privilege of working with a lot of youth in NSW and getting a lot of life saving programs or development programs up at a youth level whether that is at club, branch or state level," Fox said. "But there's always more we can do to encourage more representation.
"Surf lifesaving naturally probably has a stereotype of being male dominated.......and the bronze Aussie male that gets to go in the big surf and be the hero but there are pockets of groups of people across the country, including young people facing and overcoming personal challenges, that belong as a lifesaver as well.
"There's no chance that I would have thought at 13 getting my SRC and making rescues and facing different personal fears that I'd be standing here as Australian Lifesaver of the Year.
"I think this is a really exciting opportunity for really exploring inclusion, representation and diversity in surf lifesaving because it is definitely the future for us."
SLSA also inducted 13 new members to the Hall of Fame on the night, including Wollongong City SLSC surfboarding stalwart Robert (Bob) Little OAM and former Thirroul ironman Dean Mercer.
Meantime former Kiama ironman Ali Day (Surfers Paradise, QLD) took out the 2022 Surf Sports Athlete of the Year. This followed another spectacular season, that saw Day take out the triple crown, winning the 2021 Coolangatta Gold, 2022 Nutri-Grain IronMan Series and 2022 Australian Ironman title.
It was the first time since 2019 that members came together on the Gold Coast for SLSA's night of nights to recognise recipients of awards across the lifesaving, sport and education categories for their outstanding service to their communities.
Surf Life Saving Australia CEO Adam Weir congratulated all award winners as well as the finalists from across the country.
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