CD - Australian Fitness Network

SPECIAL FEATURE
2010
�A highlight of the FILEX convention’s opening and
closing addresses each year is the presentation of
Australian Fitness Network’s Industry Awards.
What makes our industry so vibrant and inspirational is the
passion, enthusiasm and generosity of those individuals who
continuously go above and beyond expectations to deliver
incredible fi tness and educational experiences.
EVENT CREW OF THE YEAR
AUTHOR OF THE YEAR
MARIA CALIPARI
Maria Calipari has been
volunteering at Network events
since 2004. Her involvement in
the fi tness industry began in 1994,
when she became certifi ed as a
gym instructor. Maria landed her
fi rst job managing a gym not long
after, and within three years she
found herself managing two gyms.
In 1997 Maria started competing in bodybuilding
competitions, which she found to be a fascinating learning
KAYLA DUKE
When Kayla Duke was fi rst invited
to write for Network magazine,
she said she felt fl attered, if a little
apprehensive.
Kayla had long enjoyed
teaching people to better their
lives through fi tness, but until
Spring 2007 when her fi rst article
was published, she had never considered expanding this
education via writing.
The Network team, along with Kayla’s mentor Marietta
Mehanni, and her own family believed in Kayla and
encouraged her to write more. This motivated Kayla
14 NETWORK WINTER 2010 www.fitnessnetwork.com.au
AUSTRALIAN FITNESS NETWORK’S
FITNESS INDUSTRY
AWARDS
These are the people who inspire, encourage and
connect with others to improve their lives through fi tness.
From lifelong exponents of aquatic exercise to selfl ess
event crew, Network takes enormous pleasure in publicly
acknowledging these leading lights of our industry. We said
it during the ceremonies at FILEX, and we say it again here –
congratulations to all our 2010 Industry Award winners.
experience in terms of both her own training and the
techniques she could use with her clients. In 2004 Maria
started her own mobile PT business, training clients in the
great outdoors, and she has not looked back since. Today,
Maria also works part time as a lifestyle coordinator in a
psycho-geriatric nursing home, which she thoroughly enjoys.
Maria says that during her 16-year fi tness career she has
been inspired by all the delegates who make the eff ort to
improve themselves professionally by attending conventions.
She believes her life is a daily reminder of how lucky she is to
be able to wake in the morning and truly love the work she
does and the people she does it all with.
to continue sharing her knowledge with fellow fi tness
professionals and develop her writing skills by pushing herself
to write on a range of topics, from aqua and Pilates, to step
and aerobics. The result of this undertaking has been an
increase in Kayla’s confi dence and profi le within the industry.
Putting her views onto paper has also helped Kayla to clarify
her own understanding of movement patterns and exercises,
encouraging her to analyse each class she conducts, and
ensure purpose in every movement. It has also helped her grow
as an instructor and as a convention presenter.
From Network’s perspective, Kayla’s enthusiasm to
contribute, combined with her effi ciency, attention to detail
and the empathy she displays with her fellow instructors in
her writing, makes her a pleasure to work with.