The night focused on AFL, athletics, basketball, golf, hockey and the Lone Star programs. A number of Inverell athletes were acknowledged.

However, it was triathlete Emma McInnes who received Communicator of the Year and the Scott Campbell Memorial Lonestar Athlete of the Year Award.

The Communicator of the Year is new award introduced to the academy in 2012. It recognizes excellent communication and engagement via the team app system with coaching staff and the academy over the program year.

This year's winner McInnes has been a part of the NIAS Lone Star program since 2017. She has consistently been a fast responder and heavily involved with the team app program.

"It can be a tough ask to coordinate so many athletes over such a vast region, so we're very appreciative of Emma for all her efforts."

While, the Scott Campbell Memorial Lonestar Athlete of the Year awarded to an athlete recognized as a top competitor in his/her given sport Scott worked at NIAS for five years and was actively involved in the management of the Lonestar Program, so it is fitting this award which was introduced in 2015 is named in his honour.

The athlete recognized will be a top competitor in his/her given sport. They display exemplary sportsmanship on and off the field.

McInnes has had a dominant 2018/19 triathlon season cementing herself as a serious contender amongst the elite junior ranks in the sport.

She managed 12 podium appearances including numerous age group wins and taking line honors in some key races against open female competitors as a 15-year-old.

Targeting the Western Downs Tri Series, Emma took on some professional triathletes where she finished the series with four event wins, a second place and a fourth from six races to secure a commanding overall win in the open female division.

A highlight for the season came for Emma when she competed in the Academy Games in April against some of the best junior talent in the state. After two days of intense competition she won a bronze in the 15/16 girls division.

Other local award winners included AFL athletes Kyla Hamilton and Riley Sandral who were both awarded most dedicated.

Young gun Lachlan Martin was named AFL's athlete of the year and Alan Martin was acknowledged for his fifth year of volunteer service with NIAS.

Rachel Kerrigan was a guest speaker on the night. She spent seven years serving in the Royal Australian Air Force as an electrical engineer and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2002.

She suffered from a stroke and was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as severe depressive disorder. The diagnoses meant Ms Kerrigan was medically discharged from the air force.

Left feeling crippled mentally and physically. Rachel found some light in sport and in 2014 competed in the Invictus Games in rowing and powerlifting.

Rachel shared her story with the athletes of overcoming adversity and the power of sport, leaving the athletes motivated and inspired.