The winner of a major NSW rugby league award says watching the Albury Thunder is the highlight of his week.
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Enormously popular clubman Ethan Schultz claimed the NSWRL Inclusive Volunteer of the Year award after starting up the Thunder's All-Abilities League Tag team, nicknamed 'Lightning'.
The 28-year-old, who has a mild intellectual disability, was delighted.
"It's fantastic to be recognised for all my efforts," he said.
"I love having fun and meeting new friends, it's the highlight of my week."
Schultz quickly become a favourite around the tight-knit club after school-mates and players Josh Remington and Rex Sargeant invited him to training.
"He's just a really good person to have around the club, he's always got a smile on his face and is the first one there and last to leave," Sargeant praised of his long-time Murray High School mate.
Schultz has a number of roles, including controlling the electronic scoreboard and videoing the away games, which he adds to his Facebook page.
"It's a fitting reward for everything he has done," proud president Rick O'Connell offered of Schultz, who's also a Clubperson of the Year and Volunteer of the Year award winner.
"He was very shy to start with when he first came to the club and was watching from the sidelines one night at training and there was an uneven number, so he joined in and he loved it.
"He's at training four nights a week, he's also on the committee and thrown himself into the club."
Schultz is a Manly fan and lists superstar Tom 'Turbo' Trbojevic his favourite but, at the Thunder, prefers the grunt of hooker Joe Lumb.
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"He's funny and he's cool."
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