Sports Recognition Awards 2007

The Awards took place on Tuesday 5th February 2008 at the Civic Centre, Pershore.

Winners

(please click on each award category for photographs)

Senior_Male_Sports Personality of the Year Award

John Brookes - Pershore Cricket Club

John Brookes has been implementing his own style of individual leadership to Pershore Cricket Club for many years. Almost single handedly John has made sure that the club provides competition cricket at all ages.
John has been recognised for the “Sports Personality of the Year” award not only for the success of teams during 2007 but for the immense amount of hard work put in over a number of years but for the club.For these ongoing achievements since he started and the success achieved last year that was spearheaded by John, he was a deserving winner of Sports Personality of the Year.

Senior_Female Sports Personality of the Year Award

Sue Davies - Broadway Bowling Club

As well as being an extremely competent bowler at Broadway Bowling Club,Sue has been a model club member who involves herself an all aspects of the clubs activities.  She has served on the management committee for several years and in November 2007 she was elected club secretary. Using her knowledge from when she was the captain Sue has helped to support the current team captain and in turn contributes to the on-going development of the club. During 2007 Sue has represented England in the home international series in June after a successful trial in May.  Sue successfully defended her ladies county singles championship and defended her county pair’s championship with Joan Parfitt. She won the ladies county fours championship with three other ladies from Broadway bowling club.  She has played for Worcestershire County ladies on many occasions and was named Ladies champion of champions.

Junior_Male Sports Personality Award

Ben Law

Ben has been a very good role model to other children during 2007. Ben has developed his skills further during the Droitwich Spa Dragons 2006/7 season and subsequently in the Bromsgrove, Redditch and District Table Tennis Association League was awarded the Don Evans Cup for most improved player of the season, on the 11th June 2007.
Ben attends training every Wednesday evening at Evesham High School, with Mike Prior (term-time only).  Droitwich Spa High School, with Droitwich Table Tennis every Thursday all year round, with Don Evans

Junior Female Sports Personality of the Year Award

Katie Clasen

During 2007 Katie has given 100% to sport and has shown to be a talented sportsperson. She has shown a great deal of enthusiasm whilst playing many sports.  She has displayed good leadership skills, commitment and is an excellent role model. She took part in County Cricket for Worcestershire last year and was invited to represent Worcestershire U15’s at the Taunton Festival 2007.  She played Club cricket for Pershore for the U13’S and U14’s during 2007 and gained a Nomination for Player of the Year 2007.  She has represented her school in Netball, Hockey, Cricket, Football and Athletics and has carried on her involvement to County level.Katie has successfully captained the Pershore Town FC U13 girl’s 2006/2007-Mercian League winning all 18 games.

Coach_of_the_Year Award

Davis Hyde - Littleton Football Club

David Hyde has dedicated the last 17 years to coaching football to children and adults of all ages and abilities.  He has been involved in the coaching of young people, some of who he has coached for over 10 years.
Since founding Littleton Juniors football club in the early 90’s, David Hyde has continually taken boys and girls of all abilities and ages under his wing and helped them improve as football players.  No one has ever been turned away from Littleton Football Club and in turn the club has continued to grow, this is mainly credited to David Hyde’s attitude and belief that everyone deserves the chance to play.  He has shown a great deal of patience, encouragement and sense of humour alongside his excellent leadership skills. Dave has worked wonders with kids football, not only for Littleton but for community football as a whole, with the introduction of the AEFL Ambassador Evesham Football League.  Although previously Littleton’s junior sides had played in the Mercian Worcester leagues, this was an opportunity to play more locally and establish new teams in the vale of Evesham

Club_of_the_Year Award

Pershore Tennis Club

The club has achieved many things this year including gaining Mini-Tennis accreditation and becoming a satellite club. They have members from 3 years, up to the oldest member being 80 years old. Increased adult membership has risen from 123-176.
The Club recently successfully started up “Puddleducks” a group for 3-5 year olds where they could develop their ball skills.  This was followed by Start of up coaches doing ball skills in pre-schools.
The club has set up coaching sessions for adult beginners and coffee mornings.
An expansion of an adult coaching programme and junior programme has meant that the top juniors have had the opportunity to train up to 10 hours per week.
This increased training structure has led to four junior members now ranked in the top 300 in their age groups nationally.
Pershore tennis club has opened the club for free one hour coaching sessions to 12 local schools as well as being part of the school outreach programme sending coaching into eight schools.
All of the clubs achievements this past year would not have been possible without a large number of hours put in by a dedicated group of volunteers.  These volunteers have worked together to produce a first class facility, for our top-class coaches and our users and members.

Junior_Club_of_the_Year Award

Evesham Rowing Club Junior Boys

The commitment the boys (and their coaches) showed in 2007 towards achieving their goals of being the best crews in the country and representing their country have been an inspiration to younger juniors in the club who see that, with a lot of very hard work, these things can be attained.The team consists of 9 boys and 2 coaches.  The boys, Will Tew, Oli Staite, Danny Middleton, Rory Sullivan, James Crumpton, Josh Pendry, Jon Farrar and Jack Lazenby.  The coaches are Neil Staite and Arran Odell.

The boys formed two crews.  A coxless quad (Oli Staite, Will Tew, Danny Middletong, Rory Sullivan) and a coxed four, (James Crumpton, Josh Pendry, Jon Farrar, Ben Farrar, coxed by Jack Lazenby).It was a very tough year for the club with the worst floods in its history (20th July 2007).  This was the same weekend of the National Championships in Nottingham.  While all the boys managed to attend the event (they had travelled up to Nottingham before the floods occurred) unfortunately some of the parents missed seeing them win their gold medal because they were stranded in Evesham or some of the villages around.  But while Evesham was flooded it was good to see that these boys were able to continue to victory, despite the problems at home.

Volunteer_of_the_Year Award

Claire Elwell - Lenches Club

Claire volunteered to be secretary of the Lenches Cubs, a junior football club based in the Lenches, when it was formed in May 2007. She was instrumental in its formation and has since driving force behind many key advances at the club.  Claire has made sure chartermark status was reached whilst encouraging coaching courses to be taken to improve coaching levels.By Organising regular Sunday morning and Monday evening coaching sessions the formation of a squad of 13 players have been registered in the Ambassadors League and play regularly at this level without (so far) losing one game. Organising sponsorship and the future development of the team has been one of Claire’s major goals.

Outstanding_Contribution Award

Hazel Leach - South Worcestershire Lifesaving & Lifeguard Club

Hazel is a long-serving member of South Worcestershire Lifesaving & Lifeguard Club and achieved a “Long-Service Award” from the RLSS last year.
Hazel has 30 juniors members at the club and has help from five or six teachers, but Hazel is in charge of making sure that all the teachers know what they should be doing each week.
The junior session run every Sunday term-time only from 5-30 to 6-30 at Lowerwick pool in Worcester.  At the last gala, there were 15 teams competing from around the country, our third team came in 14th place, second team in 13th place and our first team finished in 4th place.
Hazel has trained people for over 30 years and a lot of her “juniors” are now in the seniors and taking part in events all over the country.

Sport England Community Sports Coach Award

Droitwich Rugby Club

Droitwich RFC is a true community club and believes in the development of players rather than only playing the best players.  It is for that reason, along with it’s community links that has seen its’ membership grow though its “Rugby for All” policy.
The club was the first in the Midlands to achieve the RFU Year 3 seal of approval and only the seventh in the country.
Droitwich RFC has gone from strength to strength this season with the first XV winning promotion to Midlands 3 and are currently top of 3 of their league.
Droitwich RFC mini and juniors through hard work and policy of “Rugby for All” have increased membership from 240 players ranging from under-6’s to under 17’s to an amazing 330 players and increasing.
This season has seen all three senior teams make former mini and junior players their captains and a large number of ex-mini and junior players break into the senior ranks, proving that development works in a community club like Droitwich.  
The club is heavily involved with schools, promoting other clubs as well as their own and have recently opened up their ground to Pershore FC, free of charge, due to their recent flood damage.

All finalists will be put forward for the County Awards to be held in March.

You can also see last years winners - Sports Awards 2006

For any information regarding the Sports Awards please contact: Mark Williams on 01386 565229 or email mark.williams@wychavon.gov.uk