One week left for Shetland Sports Awards nominations

Scores of nominations have been submitted to The Shetland Times for this year’s Shetland Sports Awards – but this week is your last chance to say who you think should be in the running.

It is the eighth consecutive year this newspaper has supported the awards and invited readers to put forward the athletes, coaches and volunteers who they think deserve recognition.

And given the success that Shetland sportspeople have enjoyed this year, some of them at the highest level, it should be no surprise that lots of names are being suggested.

The three athletes who competed at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow are among the nominees, but other nominations in the various categories cover a wide range of sports.

Our annual celebration of the achievements of sportspeople from the isles will be held at the Clickimin Leisure Complex on Friday 21st November. And with up to 250 guests it promises to be the biggest and best event yet.

The success which those sportspeople have enjoyed – at home, in the mainland and further afield – is testament to the commitment shown
by the individual competitors, their coaches, families, sporting associ­ations and the community at large.

That is what the Shetland Sport Awards is all about: celebrating success and recognising the dedication of those who help make it happen. We are not only looking for nominations for the performers who make the headlines. If you know a coach or young volunteer who dedicates their time and maybe goes that extra mile, there are awards for them too.

This year’s awards are again sponsored by The Shetland Times, Shetland Recreational Trust (SRT) and SIC Sport and Leisure.

There will be six categories in which Shetland Times readers are able to make nominations: Sportsperson of the Year; Young Sportsperson of the Year; Team of the Year; Young Team of the Year; Young Sports Volunteer of the Year (16 to 25 years old); and Coach of the Year.

The judges will also select a winner of the Lifetime Endeavour Award which is presented annually in honour of the late Rob Anderson. Nominations are not sought for this award, which recognises an outstanding commitment to sport.

There should be no shortage of nominees and we look forward to hearing from you which sportspeople you think deserve to be in the running for the awards.

Fill in the nomination form today: SSA 2014 Entry Form – Electronic-1

Three nominees in each category, or represen­tatives of the clubs nominated will be invited to attend and tickets will also be sold for the evening, which includes a three course dinner and a sporting demonstration.

The Shetland Sports Awards winners will be selected by a panel of judges, taking into account the public nominations. The panel’s decision will be final.

Three nominees in each category, or repres­entatives of clubs nominated, will be invited to attend and tickets will also be sold for the evening.

Shetland Times editor Adam Civico said: “It has been an outstanding year for Shetland sport and The Shetland Times is again delighted to be involved in the sports awards.

“It is a chance to celebrate the success of those involved and to pay tribute to the many volunteers who work so hard behind the scenes.”

SRT general manager James Johnston said: “This has been a fantastic and very memorable year for Shetland sport, with home-grown talent excelling at the highest level.

“As a result, the Shetland Sports Awards will be the biggest they have ever been this year. We’ll be catering for 250 guests and already we are looking forward to a great night celebrating sporting achievement of all kinds.”