Last night at the 2013 Momentum Energy AFL Coaches Associations Awards Night, Stephen Wells was formally recognized for his long-serving support of 29 years at the Geelong Football Club.
In front of a crowd of 600 people, Geelong Cats CEO Brian Cook presented the Bushnell Support Staff Leadership Award to Geelong’s recruiting guru, Stephen Wells.
Wells started working at the club in 1984 as the Cats' country zone development officer and 10 years later he was appointed as the club’s recruiting manager.
Nineteen years on, Wells is still managing Geelong’s recruiting department as well as he did when he first took on the role all those years ago.
Other significant awards from the night include:
Port Adelaide Coach, Ken Hinkley, who received the AFLCA’s Allan Jeans Travel Club Getaways Senior Coach of the Year Award.
Collingwood midfielder Scott Pendlebury, won the AFLCA “Wingman Player of the Year Award”.
Leigh Matthews was announced as the AFLCA’s fifth PwC ‘Coaching Legend’ following in the footsteps of John Kennedy Snr in 2009, Ron Barassi in 2010, Tom Hafey in 2011 and David Parkin in 2013.
The Crown Best Young Player in his first two years of AFL football was Greater Western Sydney’s Jeremy Cameron.
Achievement Award went to George Stone, whose contribution to football was outlined by Jason Dunstall.
The Monjon Assistant Coach of the Year Award was presented to Robert Harvey from the Collingwood Football Club, and was introduced by Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley.
The Sports Learning Australia Development Coach of the Year for 2013 was presented to Chris Maple from the Western Bulldogs, by Bulldogs Senior Coach Brendan McCartney.
The Infront Sports Consulting Media Award was presented to the Herald Sun’s Daryl Timms.
