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Will Hodgman: Congratulating the Jim Bacon Award Memorial Winner
The winner of this year’s Jim Bacon Memorial Award exemplifies the spirit and meaning of sportsmanship.
Launceston’s Connor Sheppard was today presented with the award at the Lord’s Taverners annual Ron Barassi Senior Memorial Debate.
While Connor’s autism pushes him to aspire to perfection in the sporting arena, it is his energy, sense of fun and spirit that have earned him this award.
Connor is an exceptional sportsman, playing basketball, tennis and cricket, and in 2012 he was the only Tasmanian to represent the state at the Special Olympics Junior National Games.
Currently, the 13-year-old is spending a lot of time in the cricket nets honing his bowling to impress the selectors ahead of the Special Olympics National Cricket Championships in Adelaide next year.
Funding attached to the Jim Bacon Memorial Award will go a long way to supporting Connor’s ambition.
I wish Connor all the best on his sporting endeavours.
Will Hodgman, Premier