Magical moment for Caplan family at AJAX awards
Awards nights are always special occasions, but for the Caplan family, last week’s 2022 AJAX Senior Footy Club presentation night at the Brighton Beach Hotel was extra special.
Until then, three out of the four Caplan siblings – Adam (2015), Brad (2016) and Annelise (2021) – had won the club’s Best & Fairest (B&F) award.
So there was enormous family pride when Julia was announced as this year’s AJAX women’s B&F award recipient.
“All six of us [the four siblings and their parents] shared a feeling of happiness … I went up to each [family member] and got a really meaningful hug, and my parents were so emotional,” Julia told The AJN.
“My brothers and sister are really close, we all grew up playing sport together, and I’ve been involved in this club since I was a boundary umpire when I was 12, then a trainer, and then a player.
“Our grandfather, Geoffrey Rose, passed away a couple of years ago, and he used to come to every one of our matches, so in every game this season, I decided to wear a black armband for him, and he became my driving factor.
“So, receiving this award means a lot.”
She added, laughing, that it also came as a relief to get the monkey off her back, as not winning the award had come up in conversation “for years around the Shabbat dinner table”.
Julia said a key factor in producing her best season of footy was focusing on her fitness, and a positional switch.
“I was more of a half-back until the start of this season, when I got really fit, and asked our coach (Joe Nankin) if I could play in the mid-field, and he agreed.
“So other than my family, I’d like to thank the amazing group of girls that make up the Jackettes team, and my coach.”
The siblings’ mum Mandy, who is AJAX women’s team manager, said the club “has been an integral part of our family life for many seasons, and I’m so proud and thrilled for my children, and their sporting accomplishments”.
“But my deepest sense of pride comes from who they are and how they got there; their work and efforts, their perseverance, and their friendship and loyalty to each other.”
Annelise was women’s B&F runner-up this year, and Adam was equal runner-up with Kane Nissenbaum in the senior men’s category, while also being acknowledged for reaching his 150th game milestone for the club.
Julia, and her teammate Justine Gabriel, were also last week named in the VAFA Division 2 Women’s Team of the Year.
Another highlight of this year’s awards night was when club president Ronnie Lewis, and one of the Jackas’ greatest ever players David Fayman – a six-time VAFA leading goalkicker – both received club life membership honours.
Their service and dedication to the club are immeasurable, and both were sincerely thanked for all the hard work, humour and support they have provided over many years.
B&F award winners were: (Senior Men’s) Jordan Cohen; (Women’s) Julia Caplan; (Men’s Development Team) Jonah Wise; (Men’s Sunday Thirds) Eitan Potash.
Barry Fink and Jeff Israel were awarded the Jeffrey Jankie President’s Trophy, while Brandon Joel won the Mark Feldy Best Club Person Award.
Jordan Cohen received the Richard Pratt and AJN Trophy for Supporters’ Best Player.
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