THE inaugural recipients of a scholarship to honour three central Victorian sporting identities are gaining plenty of support toward achieving their goals.
The scholarship holders - Jacinta Morrissey, Blair Hinds and Tom Metherell - are involved in sports as diverse as soccer, cricket, football and horse riding.
Earlier this year the Bendigo Regional YMCA teamed up with the Bendigo Braves basketball club to launch the scholarship.
Funds raised from a match between the Braves’ greats and the present-day players were tipped into the scholarship, which honours the memory of Peter Krenz, Ron Wee Hee and John Kelly.
Basketball fans had a chance to see Braves’ greats such as David Flint, Steve Kelly, Ben Harvey and Sam Fotu take to the court against the 2008 season line-up that includes Richard Randall, Dustin Bremerman and Chris Novak.Coach of the Bendigo Telstra Braves, Wayne Larkins, said the match was all about a "wonderful cause" and recognising the impact that Krenz, Wee Hee and Kelly had on sport, particularly basketball.
"The Braves and the YMCA have had an association lasting more than 20 years.
"To have more than a thousand fans at the game was a fantastic response."
The health club team leader at the Bendigo Leisure Centre YMCA, Julie Mollison, said the aim of the scholarship was to help assist in sporting pursuits.
"The value of the scholarship is more than $1000 in services provided by the YMCA centres in the region."
Morrissey, Metherell and Hinds have been able to work on strength and fitness by training at the gym, in the pool, and various workouts.
They are also helped along in terms of travel, equipment and club fees.
A major sporting pursuit for Morrissey is soccer with Epsom’s under-16 team.
"The scholarship has helped a lot, especially being able to train at the gym and the pool," Morrissey said.
An all-rounder on the cricket field for Strathdale-Maristians, Metherell is also starring at Aussie Rules with Sandhurst Marist Dockers.
"I’ve been training at the Leisure Centre for a few months now and it’s really helped increase fitness and strength," said Metherell.
A highlight of this football season was representing the Bendigo Bank Bendigo Junior Football League in the Best Employment-backed Goldfields Trophy clash with Ballarat.
In summer, Metherell will take to the cricket field for the Suns.
Another youngster warming up for the cricket action is Kangaroo Flat’s Blair Hinds.
Last summer, Hinds played several matches for the Roos’ first XI and he aims to be a regular in this season’s attack.