The Nebraska Sports Council presented the
2004 Cornhusker State Games Athlete of The Year Awards

John Elliott, Andi Paul and Herman Batelaan

The Nebraska Sports Council presented the 2004 Cornhusker State Games Athlete of The Year Awards Thursday to an armwrestler, an archer and a badminton expert. The awards were presented, along with several sport director recognition awards, as part of the Council’s annual meeting and awards reception, held at the new NSC offices at 4903 N. 57th Street, in Lincoln.

Andrea Paul, 18, of Papillion, returned Wednesday from the World Armwrestling Championships in Sao Paulo, Brazil, just in time to receive the Female Athlete of the Year Award. In Brazil, she took 3rd and 4th place in the 67 kilogram left-hand and right-hand events, respectively, capping a remarkable year of competing nationally and internationally in armwrestling, weightlifting and strong-man competitions. At the Games in July, she earned her 7th career gold medal, competing in the ladies open division as a 17-year old.

Omaha’s Herman Batelaan, 39, earned the CSG Male Athlete of Year Award on the badminton court, where he won gold in the men’s open singles division and bronze in the open mixed doubles division. Batelaan is widely regarded as the best badminton player in the state, having honed his game in his native Netherlands, where badminton is more widely played than in the U.S. His 2004 Games gold was his ninth career CSG title.

Keryn (Mom) and Andi.
The Paul Family has a long history with the state games.

John Elliott, of Lincoln, won gold in the senior bowhunter division of the Cornhusker State Games archery tournament, a feat which earned him the E. Lee Todd Senior Athlete of the Year award. It was the sixth time in 20 years of Games Competition that the 59 year-old has won his division. In all, Elliott holds more than 100 tournament titles, including 30 state championships. He was also cited for 20 years as a CSG sport director and his volunteer work with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s Youth/Mentor Hunting Program.

Muzzleloading director Norm Gesch was awarded the Russ White Memorial Sport Director of the Year award, which recognizes outstanding service—past and present—in conducting Cornhusker State Games competitions and is voted on by the 54 sport directors themselves.

The Council paid an emotional tribute to the late John Axe, who served on the Board of Directors for 12 years and directed BB gun and air rifle competitions for 18 years. The John Axe Memorial Board Service Award was unveiled and a replica presented to Axe’s widow Sherry.

Other honors went to John Boehm, Rich Jackson, Jolene Schlemmer and Eric Shanks for five years of service as Games sport directors. Doug Emery, Dave Eppert, Bob Ericson, Norm Gesch, Daryl Korinek and Matt Rye each received 15-year honors, and 20-year awards went to Bill Harder and John Elliott.

The Nebraska Sports Council, which conducts the Cornhusker State Games and N-Lighten Nebraska, is a non-profit organization that provides competition opportunities for Nebraskans of all ages and abilities and promotes healthy and active lifestyle choices. Learn more at www.cornhuskerstategames.com.

Tyler, Keryn, Sarah, Jackie, Andi and good friend Angela.