AUSTRALIAN FITNESS NETWORK'S
2017 AWARD
WINNERS
The 2017 Fitness Industry Awards acknowledge
hard work and inspiring stories.
uring the Opening Ceremony of the recent FILEX fitness
industry convention, Australian Fitness Network
acknowledged the tireless efforts of those individuals who
go above and beyond to lead the way in their respective fields. In
front of a vast audience of industry peers, four awards were presented
to very modest, but very deserving, winners, by Network’s Executive
Director, Nigel Champion.
D
Lifetime Achievement Pam Wheatley Inspiration Carmen Holder
After taking part in her first aerobics
class in 1986, Pam was hooked on
exercise, and made the decision to
discover her inner teacher, leading
her first class at a small gym the very
next year.
In the mid 90’s, Pam commenced
personal training at the King Club in
Melbourne. After she and her team
at the King Club won the Fitness
Facility of the Year Award in 2007,
Pam became centre manager for a YMCA in Macleod, a role in which
she received numerous other accolades.
Pam is now working to expand the YMCA’s reach to support
people who are ageing and experiencing disability. Very much a quiet
achiever, Pam has played an instrumental role in numerous programs
that have enhanced the lives of countless Australians. Zumba ® Fitness Instructor Carmen
survived her own suicide attempt
and now, through her ‘Dare to Live’
initiative, offers her story to inspire
others who have lost their fire for life.
In 2014, Carmen experienced a
deep depression, which resulted
in a suicide attempt involving a
stab wound to her heart. Two heart
surgeries later, she’s the only person
in the world who has survived an
incident like this to live without an artificial heart and still participate in
physical activity. Carmen recalls giving herself two options: continue
being her own worst enemy, or make peace with herself and be her
own best friend.
Today, Carmen works as a photographer, Reiki healer, and masseur,
and is back teaching Zumba ® Fitness and enjoying every minute.
Presenter of the Year Andrew ‘Chaddy’ Chadwick Authors of the Year Professor Mike Climstein & Joe Walsh
Starting in the fitness industry in
2003, Chaddy landed his first role
in a corporate training environment.
From there he worked in gyms
and coached his AFL Queensland
club, in addition to handling their
strength and conditioning. In 2007
Chaddy took on his first presenting
role with Perform Better, delivering
continuing education courses for
BOSU and ViPR.
In 2012 Chaddy started working with TRX, to which he credits
much of his development as a presenter. Through this association
he became a part of PT Academy, Trigger Point Performance, PTA
Global, the Functional Training Institute and Hyperwear SandBells.
Chaddy's professionalism, dedication and sheer hard graft have
made him a firm favourite with FILEX delegates. Professor Mike Climstein has been
sharing his medical and fitness
expertise with Network Members
for more than two decades. Every
three months, he and his colleague,
Joe Walsh, sit down to chew the fat
on recent fitness-related studies
in order to produce their quarterly
Research Review for this magazine,
a feature that always generates a
series of inquisitive emails to the
guys, eager for any additional insights and advice they may have.
In an era of ‘alternative facts’, to which the fitness industry is
not immune, the importance of the type of work done by Mike and
Joe is greater than ever, and Network is tremendously pleased to
acknowledge this.
Read Mike and Joe’s latest Research Review on page 28
NETWORK WINTER 2017 | 21