Sporting heroes recognised by county

This year's Nottinghamshire Sports Review of the Year for 2009 took place on Friday 5 February at the East Midlands Conference Centre on the campus of the University of Nottingham. Nottinghamshire County Council hosted around 450 guests to celebrate the achievements of our athletes and also to reward, administrators, coaches and officials in Nottinghamshire sport in what has been another remarkable year for the county.

BBC East Midlands Today presenter Colin Hazelden hosted the evening along with colleague Natalie Jackson and was joined by guests from professional sport including Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club's Mick Newell and Chris Read, players from the Nottingham Panthers, and Nottingham Rugby Club along with some of Nottinghamshire's Olympians and Paralympians including gold medallist, swimmer Rebecca Adlington.  The finalists and winners were announced from a long list of 5 nominees – all of which were invited to attend this glittering evening of celebration.

The winners are as follows:

East Midlands Airport Nottinghamshire Youth Games Fair Play Award
Rushcliffe

Coach of the Year – Performance
Glenn Smith (Swimming)
Working with Paralympic swimmers Sam Hynd and Charlotte Henshaw, Glenn coached both to gold at the European Championships and Paralympic World Cup.  He is a regular member of the Team GB disability coaching staff and has coached 13 Nova swimmers to the national age and youth championships.

Also shortlisted – Ian Kime (Gymnastics), Steve Millett (Rowing)

Coach of the Year - Community
Gary Lambert (Cricket)
Working with 70 juniors at his local club, Gary coaches both winter and summer sessions and has set up an academy offering specialised coaching to more talented members.  He also coaches the Nottinghamshire Ladies cricket team and has been invited to travel to South Africa this year with the England Ladies Under 17 team.

Also shortlisted – Stuart Bell (Rugby Union), Karen Cresswell (Netball)

Volunteer of the Year
Les Chambers (Athletics)
Les spent almost every weekend between April and September officiating at fixtures.  Officiating at all levels; he also mentors newly qualified officials while working with his NGB to put on further officials training courses.  As a coach, Len runs both junior and circuit training sessions.  He also sits on the club management committee.

Also shortlisted – Carol Halpin (Swimming), Cathy Rooney (Athletics)

Disabled Sportsperson of the Year
Sam Hynd (Swimming)
It was another amazing year for Paralympic Champion Sam as he took gold at the Paralympic World Cup in May and 3 golds and a silver at the European Championships in October.  These followed a new British and European Record in the 200 IM at the British Championships in March.

Also shortlisted – Charlotte Henshaw (Swimming), James Oldham (Kayaking)

Sportsperson of the Year
Carl Froch (Boxing)
Froch is the current WBC Super Middleweight Champion after defeating Jean Pascal in December 2008. In July, he agreed to take part in the Super Six World Boxing Classic tournament. He has successfully defended his title twice against Americans Jermain Taylor and Andre Dirrell.  His record stands at 26 wins to zero.

Also shortlisted - Rebecca Adlington (Swimming), Phil Beniston (Power lifting), Jenny Gunn (Cricket)

Team of the Year
GB Slalom Women's K1 Team (Kayaking)
The team, consisting of Lizzie Neave, Louise Donington, and Laura Blakeman, which trains at the National Watersports Centre, won gold at both the World Championships and European Championships in their first season competing together.  This is Great Britain's first ever gold medal at the World Championship team event.

Also shortlisted - Special Olympics Nottinghamshire (Multi-Sport),
West Bridgford Monarchs Hockey Club (Hockey), West Bridgford Tennis Club (Tennis)

Junior Sportsperson of the Year
Anuj Dal (Cricket)
In October, Anuj travelled with the England Under 16 indoor cricket team for the World Cup in Australia.  Only 13 years old, he was the top batsman.  He is the captain of Nottinghamshire's Under 14 side and trains with the school's first team at Under 18 level.  In July, he took 5 wickets for 19 in the county cup.

Also shortlisted - Oliver Holland (Squash), Ruby Straw (Gymnastics)

Junior Disabled Sportsperson of the Year
Richard Sargent (Wheelchair Basketball)
Regularly playing in the Great Britain Under 23 side this year, Richard won a silver medal at the European Cup and has played in successful winning tests against Australia and the Netherlands. Domestically, he is also captain of the Jaguars junior side that finished in the top 3 of the National League.

Also shortlisted - Andrew Zawadzki (Swimming), Matthew Baines (Kayaking)

Junior Volunteer of the Year
Bonnie Tinsley (Athletics)
Bonnie holds Newark's VISPA gold award and has completed her V50 award through V-Involved.  She volunteers at Newark Athletics Club, Newark MEND programme and Magnus School Boccia Club for more than 6 hours a week and has supported major events such as the Newark Race for Life and the European Canoe Slalom Championships.

Also nominated - Matthew Baines (Kayaking), Alice Pearson (Gymnastics)

 
Junior Team of the Year
Nottingham Rowing Club U14 Boys Quad (Rowing)
The boys have not lost a quad this season.  At the National Rowing Championships they won gold in the J14 category.  They won the single scull event too as well as silver in the double sculls.  There were also golds at the National Schools Regatta, the Junior Inter-Regional, and the National Junior Sculling Head.

Also nominated - Notts School of Gymnastics Under 14 Team (Gymnastics), Lowes Wong Junior School Kwik Cricket Team (Cricket)

Roll of Honour (4 names added)
Sue Chillingworth (Athletics) Sue is a Level 3 sprints coach and has coached athletes at Sutton Harriers at all levels for over 25 years.  She is also a grade 5 national official, officiating at events all over the county.  She is an active club committee member and also manages the Midlands track and field team where she is also the club secretary.

John Hill (Football) Involved with Balderton Old Boys for forty years, John became secretary of the Under 11 team in 1978 and took on the mens team in 1980.  He is there every week 2 hours before the game to prepare the pitch and organise kit and manages all the players.  At 72 he has even been known to put on a kit when the team is short!

David Pettifor (Horseball) Since 1991 David has developed the British Horseball team to compete internationally. Working alongside the British Equestrian Federation, he has developed a coaching awards and assessment structure.  He is the Clubmark representative for the British Horseball Association and has also set up initiatives for volunteering, welfare, and equity for equestrian sport.

Stuart Broad (Cricket) England's leading wicket taker in Ashes series, and man of the match in the gripping final test at the Oval, Broad claimed figures of 5 for 37 in the Australian first innings, including 4 for 8 in 21 balls.  He was also awarded the Man of the Series accolade for his one-day performances in May against the West Indies.

Graeme Swann (Cricket) The Nottinghamshire bowler claimed his fourth five-wicket haul in 2009 to become the first English spinner to pass 50 wickets in a calendar year, finishing third in the International Cricket Council's (ICC) bowling rankings. Swann's telling contributions with both bat and ball contributed strongly to England's winning Ashes series.