Colts stars mark major milestones

June 1: Brian Walsh resigns as coach of Heathcote District Football League club White Hills.Demons’ president Bob Sawyer confirms Walsh has stood down, saying he had lost the passion for football.June 2: Two of Colts United Soccer Club’s most decorated players will reach significant milestones.Jamie Brown will play his 400th senior game and Alf Longano his 300th senior game when Colts play Castlemaine in the Bendigo Amateur Soccer League.June 4: The Metricon Bendigo Bombers make a winning return to the Queen Elizabeth Oval by belting the in-form Coburg Tigers.In what is their first home game at the QEO for the year, the Bombers win their VFL clash 19.10 (124) to 10.12 (72).June 5: Two of Australia’s most promising female basketballers are expected to sign with the Jimmy Possum Bendigo Spirit.It’s understood Australian Sapphire stars Jenna O’Hea and Kathleen MacLeod will be unveiled as the Spirit’s two most important signings in the lead-up to the club’s debut in the Women’s National Basketball League in October.June 6: Bendigo hurdle prodigy Danielle Dillon is selected in the elite national under-17 athletics development squad.The 15-year-old will join some of Australia’s best junior athletes when the squad meets for the first time at the Australian Institute of Sport in August.June 7: Bendigo judo star Aaron Macumber sets his sights on the 2012 Olympics in London after being selected for an elite national development squad.The 18-year-old has been hand picked by former French national coach Pascal Giraud, along with 19 others from Australia, for a series of training camps and tournaments later in the month.June 8: Golden Square is preparing to unveil new recruit Leigh Davies in its All Seasons Bendigo Football League clash with South Bendigo.Davies, from SANFL club Sturt, will continue living in South Australia, but will fly back each week to play with the Bulldogs.June 11: The undefeated Newbridge sends a shiver through the Loddon Valley Football League, crushing top-five side Bears Lagoon-Serpentine by 192 points, 37.18 (240) to 7.6 (48).June 12: Geelong’s Chris Fry wins the Bendigo and District Cycling Club three-day tour.Fry wins by 26 seconds from Heathcote’s Shaun McCarthy.June 13: White Hills Cricket club announces the appointment of club legend Greg O’Brien as its coach for the 2007-08 Bendigo District Cricket Association season.As a player, O’Brien won three BDCA premierships with the Demons and 10 club champion awards in the ‘80s and ‘90s.June 14: Australian Opals point guard Kristi Harrower leads the Bendigo IGA Lady Braves to a 67-59 win over the Australian Gems under-19 team at the Schweppes Centre.Harrower shoots a game-high 22 points.June 16: Central Victoria is the premier regional women’s hockey team in the state.The team, coached by Shae George, goes through the Victorian Country Women’s Hockey Championships in Geelong undefeated, defeating Geelong 1-0 in the final.June 18: North City celebrates its historic first win in the BFL.After losing its first 24 matches since joining the BFL for the 2006 season, the Northies smash a disappointing Kangaroo Flat 21.10 (136) to 8.6 (54) at Dower Park.June 19: Glenn Ashby wins the A Class Catamaran European Championships in Spain.In the past 12 months the Bendigo yachtsman has won three world championships - A Class Catamaran, F18’s and the Olympic Tornado Class.June 20: Bendigo Telstra Braves guard Mick Hill wins his third South East Australian Basketball League south conference player of the week award.Hill is recognised for his outstanding game against Nunawading, where he had 45 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in a 122-111 win over the Spectres.June 21: Tony Pierce announces his resignation as general manager of the BFL.Pierce cites personal commitments as his main reasons for stepping down from the position he has held since December, 2004.June 22: Kerryn Harrington is named co-captain of the Victoria Country team to compete at the national under-16 basketball championships in Gosford.June 23: Fremantle’s Chris Tarrant, a former Bendigo Pioneer, is suspended for one game and will have a two-match ban hanging over his head following his nightclub escapades in Darwin.After nearly a week of inquiries by the Dockers and AFL, Tarrant is found culpable in an incident which left a prospective Darwin politican sporting a black eye.June 25: Golden Square coach Jeff Brennan delivers some stinging home truths to his struggling side after it’s belted by Gisborne in the BFL’s grand final rematch.Square loses by 41 points at Gardiner Reserve, with Brennan saying his side has ‘‘too many blokes worried about their own individual spot, and too many blokes doing individual things.’’ June 26: Essendon remains adamant a VFL presence in Bendigo will strengthen regional football into the future.Essendon is now into its fifth year of its alignment with the Bendigo Bombers and Dons managing director Peter Jackson says the club remains committed to its vision of growing football in the region.June 27: Bendigo Pioneers quartet Grant Ford, Josh Gaylor, Scott Selwood and Robbie Tarrant are selected for Victoria Country to play South Australia in the first round of the national under-18 football championships.June 29: Junortoun teenager Kevin Probert is preparing for the biggest challenge of his basketball career.Probert is packing his bags and flying off to Serbia to compete for Australia at next month’s FIBA under-19 world championships.June 30: The Bendigo Braves score their most important win of the SEABL season when they defeat the Geelong Supercats 85-83 in a clash of the south and east conference leaders.