Sports Awards – last chance to nominate
This week is your last chance to have a say on which teams and individuals should be recognised in the Shetland Sports Awards 2015.
Nominations have been making their way to The Shetland Times through the post, by email and via social media, with plenty more arriving this week.
All the organisations involved in the awards welcome the input of readers, so if you think anyone deserves credit for their achievements in 2015 make sure your nomination reaches The Shetland Times before close of business on Friday 3rd October.
The Shetland Times editor, Adam Civico, said: “Dozens of nominations have already been submitted but to ensure that the judges have the broadest possible range of sports people to choose from it would be great to hear from as many sports fans in the isles as possible.
“There have been so many incredible sporting achievements throughout 2015 that it is bound to be a difficult task choosing the winners but, as in previous years, The Shetland Times is delighted to be involved with the event which helps celebrate sport in such a high-profile way.”
This year has seen lots of memorable sporting action across a broad range of disciplines.
Shetland sent its biggest ever travelling team to Jersey in the NatWest Island Games and came back with an impressive haul of medals – the most ever apart from the home games of 2005.
The medal haul included golds for Faye Cox, Tamar Moncrieff, Kristi Grant and Sophie Moar in the women’s 4x100m relay; Claire Wilson in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase and Andrea Strachan, who announced her retirement for competitive swimming last week, in the women’s 50m and 100m breaststroke.
The Shetland senior football team has enjoyed a successful season, including reaching the semi-finals of the island games competition. The team was also triumphant in the Jock Mackay Memorial Cup, one of the North of Scotland Caledonia League’s knockout competitions. The footballers also thrashed Orkney 6-0 at home in this year’s inter-county match.
Various athletes have had success at a national level – including over gruelling distances. Triathletes Peter Fenwick and Gee Zissler both had impressive performances in ironman competitions and qualified for the world championships in Hawaii. Meanwhile, Charlotte Black represented Scotland in long-distance running.
In athletics youngsters Leigh Nicolson and Lucy Holden won gold medals in the Scottish Athletics track and field age group competition.
And Edward Oldbury recently played with the national schools volleyball team.
That is just a small selection of some of the memorable sporting moments and the list could go on. It is now down to you to review the sporting year and make your nominations.
This year’s awards are again hosted with the support of The Shetland Times, Shetland Recreational Trust (SRT), SIC Sport and Leisure and the sports development agency sportscotland.
As ever they are about celebrating success in the sporting arena. All the partners involved also wish to congratulate those who work hard behind the scenes to make that success possible.
The event is as much about celebrating participation in sport as praising those who excel in their chosen field.
Hundreds of sports people and sports fans will be at the Shetland Sports Awards celebration on Friday 20th November and SRT general manager James Johnston is looking forward to the event.
He said: “This has been a fantastic and very memorable year for Shetland sport, with homegrown talent excelling at the highest level.
“We will be catering for up to 250 guests and we are looking forward to a great night celebrating sporting achievements of all kinds.”
This year nominations can be made in eight categories – Sportsperson of the Year, Young Sportsperson of the Year, Team of the Year, Young Team of the Year, Coach of the Year, Young Volunteer of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, and Technical Official of the Year.
You can nominate by filling in the form in this week’s newspaper or by emailing [email protected]. Nominations can also be made online by leaving a comment below this post. Please ensure you provide a name and address (which will not be published) and which category you are making the nomination in.
Readers can also tell us their choice via social media at either www.facebook.com/shetland.times or www.facebook.com/shetlandsportsawards. On Twitter use the hashtag #ShetlandSportsAwards and post to @ShetlandTimes.
The judges include representatives of all the supporting organisations who will review the nominations and select winners. They 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 special award which recognises an outstanding commitment to sport.
But we do need your help to give the judges as broad a selection of nominees as possible to consider. Please ensure your nominations reach The Shetland Times before 5pm on Friday, 2nd October.
Once the judging panel has reached a decision three nominees in each category, or representatives of clubs nominated, will be invited to attend the presentation evening where the winners will be announced. The event is hosted by SRT at the Clickimin Complex.
Tickets will also be sold for the ceremony which will include food, as well as a sporting demonstration. MSP Tavish Scott will again be compere for the evening.
• Keep an eye on The Shetland Times for more details about the tickets.
Karen Lobban
I would like to nominate Lucy Holden for young sportsperson of the year for her impressive performances throughout the year. I would also like to nominate Keith Lobban for volunteer of the year. He has put in a lot of hard work and dedication into the Shetland Junior Archery Club over the past 4 years. He organises and runs beginners session as well for all ages. Thanks to him, the junior club did really well in the nothern area championships back in March and he is taking the club to the Scottish championships October. Both him and myself are going to compete in the British Championships at the beginning of December later this year.
Anita Mayes
I would like to nominate the Shetland Under 12s football team for Young team of the year. They have gone the whole year undefeated and took the cup home from Stirling in August. They are the first ever team to win this at this age group.They beat Orkney both home and away this year in the best intercounty. They are a very hard working, committed bunch of boys who are already back into the winter training.
Paul Bentley
The time and effort the 12 and unders have put in should be recognised.
They have collectively put Shetland on the sporting map an example to all of us young and old.
Well done !!!!
Susan Morrison
I would like to nominate the Shetland Under 12s football team for Young Team of the Year. They have worked very hard this past year and done amazingly! Winning the tournament in Stirling and beating Orkney in the intercounty both home and away.
Louise Jamieson
I nominate the Junior Inter County athletics team for junior team of the year after their win against Orkney. They were a young team not expected to win but did so in magnificent style, breaking the girls county relay record in the deciding race. It was the first win of the Ian Williamson cup in 5 years.
Tom Jamieson
I would like to nominate the Junior Inter County Athletics Team for Young Team of the Year, Bobby Laurenson for Young Volunteer of the Year for his exemplary volunteering at the junior athletics sessions, Dhanni Moar for Sportsperson of the Year, Spurs B’s for Team of the Year, Louise Jamieson for Technical Official of the Year and Russell Gair for Coach of the Year after working with ZE Run tirelessly through the year.