2016 has certainly been a year to remember for rising star Nick Cotric, most recently receiving the Male Sport Star of the Year award for the Erindale College Talented Sports Program. In the same ceremony he also received the Rugby League Program Year 12 Commitment Award for best player/trainer from Coach, Matt Adams.
Nick has excelled in Rugby League right through his junior playing career and has represented ACT Schools Rugby League at both Primary and Secondary levels and been identified by the Canberra Raiders Organisation as a talent to nurture playing in both S.G Ball and Harold Matthews Cup Raiders teams. Despite all of his earlier achievements, Nick managed to raise the bar even higher in 2016.
Through liaison between Canberra Raiders Education & Welfare Officer Dean Souter, Canberra Raiders u20 Holden Cup Coach Brett White and TSP Rugby League Coach Mat Adams Nick was able to balance his sporting commitments with his College commitments and achieve not only his ACT Year 12 Senior Secondary Certificate but also VET Statements of Attainment in Certificates I, II & III in Business and Certificates II & III in Sport & Recreation.
Through the support of his close family, his school and his NRL club Nick has enjoyed a year that has been exceptional and sets a very high benchmark for others to try to also achieve. In 2016 Nick has represented his school, his club, his state and his country with distinction.
He was part of the Erindale College Rugby League squad that made the finals of the GIO Schoolboy Cup for the second year in a row as well as playing in the Canberra Raiders S.G. Ball Cup side, co-winning the Player’s Player Award with ex-Erindale Player and team captain Kalani Going. Nick then moved up to the Canberra Raiders Holden Cup squad where he made quite an impact guided by Coach, Brett White.
However, the real indication of Nick’s ability as both a determined young man and a Rugby League player is shown in his representative honours for 2016.
He was part of the NSW u18 State of Origin Team that beat Queensland at Suncorp Stadium 26 – 0; He was part of the ASSRL Australian Schoolboys side that defeated England Academy in both games of a two-test series, scoring two tries in the Second test and earning the Man of the Match Award; Nick was recognised for his ability (despite being only 17) when he was selected in The 2016 Holden Cup (u20 National Youth Competition) Team of the Year.
Nick Cotric recently re-signed with the Canberra Raiders for another two years and is sure to be a name we will be hearing a lot more of in the very near future.
