The 2022 Daphne Pirie AO MBE Spirit of Sport Medal is awarded annually to local athletes, coaches, administrators or volunteers who best demonstrate the true meaning of sportsmanship.
It is presented in honour of the late Daphne Pirie’s lifetime of service to sports administration, athletics and hockey and as a tireless advocate for girls and women in sport.
The medal recipients will demonstrate the following attributes:
- Involvement over an extended period, ideally in a voluntary capacity.
- Made a real and measurable difference to their sport or to sport generally.
- Positively affected both their sport and that sport’s participants.
- Exhibited selflessness, courage, dedication and commitment to the advancement of their chosen sport or sport in general and to individual participants.
The 2022 Pirie Medal Nominees
Barry & Colleen Gilbert
Barry and Colleen Gilbert transformed the Broadbeach Bowls Club from a debt-ridden club on the verge of a takeover in 2008 into the renowned establishment it is today, attracting bowlers from around the world.
The couple had spent their lives running pubs in the NSW regions of Narromine, Thirroul and Glebe before they partnered with late friend and NRL immortal Arthur Beetson to run a pub in Brisbane.
Their vast experience in hospitality was to prove invaluable and the club is now a bucket list destination for bowlers from around the world who come to play on the greens that hosted the 2018 Commonwealth Games and have a beer beside the greens that will host the 2023 World Championships.
Michelle Schultz
Long-time Musgrave Hill F.C president Michelle Schultz is credited with the dramatic turning around of the soccer club that today leads in on and off-field diversity and inclusion.
After moving to the Gold Coast in 2007 as a single parent and passionate about her children playing sport, she joined Musgrave, but saw the club needed to work harder with the local community to build the assets and the membership base.
She soon got about establishing better partnerships with the council, state members and local businesses to establish inclusion programs for children and young adults with special needs, refugee children and a women’s football program which features three women’s teams and two junior girls teams.
Another great pride is the complete rebuild of the main clubhouse which includes a new kitchen, appliances, bar, storerooms and office, to make it the Coast’s most modern football clubhouse
