2020 young writer ‘Basil Sellers’ awards each year get judged by 5 panellists for each group - but this year the manner in which this is taking place is different.
This year the young writer program is following the ARPA model – Australasian Religious Press Association – whereby each member religious publication enters the awards with one article only.
Therefore in 2020 the young writers themselves are selecting their Best article themselves – and that one article will be judges by the Panellists. In effect, the panellists will only mark one article from each young writers, not five articles (January to July).
Panellists
Australians 18-30 years - Gavin Lawrie, Vicki Nunn, Aira Chilcott, Kandima Awendila, Cheryl McGrath
Kiwi young writers - Brian Carrell, Liz Hay, Christina Tyson, Sarah Richards, Wayne Graham
Internationals 1-30 years - Vic Matthews, Darren Lawson, Travis Barnes, Tony di Kivitt, Alex Gillespie
Sport
Peter Nelson, Simon Farrer, Josh Robbie, John Skinner, Tim Wilson
Over 31s Australians - Ashley Saunders, Tim McDonald, John Skinner, Colin Miles, Margaret Pearce
Over 31 Internationals - Rex Dale, John Yates, Christina Tyson, Richard Attich, Graham McDonald
Massive team
This is a massive team of people and it is not small task in logistics to sort them all out.
This is how it is achieved -
Laura Veloso accepts from the Australian Panellists the Australian 18-30 ‘BEST’ articles from each young writer. Laura collates them and sends them onto statistician Bill Chilcott.
Aira Chilcott accepts from the International Panellists the International 18-30s ‘BEST’ articles from each young writer. Aira collates them and sends them onto statistician Bill Chilcott.
For the smaller numbers
Liz Hay accepts from the New Zealand Panellists the Kiwi young writer ‘BEST’ articles from each young writer. Liz collates them and sends the winner to Press Service International.
Jeremy Dover accepts from the Sport Panellists the Sport Writers ‘BEST’ articles from each sport writer. Jeremy collates them and sends them to Press Service International.
John Grocott accepts from the Over 31s Australian Panellists AND the Over 31s International Panellists the ‘BEST’ articles from each group. As these are smaller numbers, John the statistician deals with them directly.
2020 Basil Sellers Award winners therefore, following the more simplified ARPA model will be determined by the Panellists by only marking one article from each young writer.
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children. Dr Tronson writes a daily article for Christian Today Australia (since 2008) and in November 2016 established Christian Today New Zealand. Dr Mark Tronson’s Press Service International in 2019 was awarded the Australasian Religious Press Association’s premier award, The Gutenberg.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at
