Greater Shepparton City Council anoints seven locals to Hall of Fame Advisory Committee

By Liam Nash

Dec 3, 2024

Margo Koskelainen and Don Kilgour are two of a seven-strong panel on the newly-appointed Greater Shepparton City Council Hall of Fame advisory committee. Photo by Julie Mercer

The panel to hand down immortal status to Greater Shepparton’s sporting heroes has been decided.

At its recent meeting, Greater Shepparton City Council anointed seven locals — including six returning members — to its Hall of Fame advisory committee for a four-year period spanning until August 30, 2028.

Headed by former MP and radio and TV announcer Don Kilgour, the advisory committee also features Cricket Shepparton stalwart Peter Holland alongside speedway legend — and Hall of Fame member — Dennis Myers.

Softball doyenne Margo Koskelainen is another Hall of Famer appointed to the committee and she is joined by News editor Tyler Maher, Valley Sport representative Tom Van De Berg and new inclusion Tanya Phillips.

So what does the committee do?

Greater Shepparton has no dearth of excellence across the various sporting realms and, for those who ascend to national and international heights within their chosen codes, they are honoured with a spot in the Hall of Fame.

Set eligibility criteria divides the athletes into three categories — Hall of Fame, Honour Roll and Junior Honour Roll — with committee members recommending inductees to council to celebrate their achievements through an official induction ceremony.

Mayor Shane Sali congratulated the committee members on their appointment.

“These individuals bring a wealth of knowledge and passion for sport in our region and their contributions will play a vital role in celebrating and preserving our community’s rich sporting history,” he said.

“We look forward to their insights and efforts in recognising the outstanding achievements of our local athletes and sportspeople.”

Following on from Sali’s congratulations, deputy mayor and returning Sports Hall of Fame advisory committee chair Anthony Brophy also lauded the new committee while acknowledging the previous panels for their contributions.

“It is fantastic to see a new committee member in Tanya Phillips, together with the ongoing contribution of Valley Sports,” he said.

“We have been fortunate to have some very successful and knowledgeable sporting personalities on the committee in the past.

“Greater Shepparton is well known for having a strong sporting identity, be it locally, at a state, national or even at an international level, and this committee helps ensure these local achievements are recognised.”