Gloucestershire Sports Awards - Full round-up

​It was a night when the talented sports men and women of the county took centre stage.

The first Gloucestershire Media Sports Awards, held at Cheltenham Racecourse, was a star-studded affair where the grassroots of county sport were recognised and honoured.

Gloucester Rugby stars Olly Morgan, Nicky Robinson and Jake Boer were in the Gold Cup Suite with head coach Bryan Redpath and Gloucester legend Andy Deacon for the presentation dinner.

But for once, they took a back seat to the achievements of others.

There was recognition for clubs including Cheltenham Hockey Club and there were also honours for coaches, including Shona Corbett, 16.

The Sports Personality of the Year award, sponsored by NHS Gloucestershire, was presented to Cheltenham athlete James Brewer.

Athlete Jennie Batten and cricketer Matthew Yiend were runners-up.

NHS Gloucestershire spokesman Anthony Dallimore said: “Our involvement recognises the value we place on sport in terms of encouraging people of all ages and all abilities to take up more activities and healthier lifestyles.”

For more pictures, see our Weekend supplement tomorrow.

Meanwhile, check out the full roll-call of winners below...

Senior Club of the Year

THE Senior Club of the Year award was presented to Cheltenham Hockey Club by Ian Mean, the editor of The Citizen, the award’s sponsor.

The club has seen consistent performance and success since 2002 with at least one team gaining promotion each year.

In the 2008-09 season, two men’s teams gained promotion before the season had even finished.

President Daisy Noble said after the club received the award: “It means a huge amount to everybody at the club, not just the teams that get promoted every year, not just the first team, but to the people who put in all the time and the effort. We just want to get better now.

“We could not get everyone on stage, but I am sure we were the most vocal.”

Runners-up: Lansdown Hockey Club; Velo Club Montpellier

Senior Team of the Year

THE award for Senior Team of the Year that went to Velo Club Montpellier will help put cycling on the county’s sporting map.

Cyclist James Griffin, part of the club’s committee, said the award, presented by Gloucester Rugby legend Andy Deacon from Phil Vickery’s Raging Bull sportswear company, was a fantastic privilege.

Mr Griffin said: “It recognises cycling as a sport in the county and we’ve put in a lot of work over the past two years to be where we are.”

He said the club are looking forward to being in the national Tour Series in Tewkesbury next year.

Deacon, who played for Gloucester and now plays and coaches at Cinderford RFC, welcomed the success of the awards.

He said: “Seeing the people up there getting their awards is what it’s all about.

“Grassroots sport is so important. Phil Vickery and I came up through the grassroots.”

He paid tribute to the people who had inspired him along the way – including former Gloucester bosses Nigel Melville and Dean Ryan.

Runners-up: Dursley Donkeys, Hatherley and Reddings Cricket Club 1st XI.

Disability Sports Person of the Year

IT has been a whirlwind two weeks for para dressage medal winner Simon Laurens from Birdlip.

After receiving the Disability Sports Person of the Year award, sponsored by Hartpury Sport, he said: “It was quite a surprise actually because I did not actually know I had been nominated until two weeks ago. Although I wasn’t born in Gloucestershire, I call it home.

“To be recognised means a lot – sometimes equestrian goes under the radar so it’s nice.”

Malcolm Wharton, principal of Hartpury College, praised the success of the Sports Awards and the recognition it gave to sports people.

“It has been great, I think it has been very well organised, very professional and I am delighted to see so many people here supporting it.”

Mr Laurens, who has multiple sclerosis, was a member of the GB gold-medal winning team at the Hong Kong paralympics.

Runners-up: Emma Aldred-Tow; Terry Parker

Official of the Year

THE Sports Awards were a great occasion that brought lots of people together, Official of the Year Roy Taylor said.

Mr Taylor has spent 40 years with Cheltenham Hockey Club as player, coach, executive member and umpire – and regularly gives up weekends to umpire teams when needed.

He said he was delighted and pleased with the award: “It is one of those things which you do not expect, so it is nice. I appreciate being nominated and it’s a great evening because it brings everyone together.”

He was nominated by Daisy Noble, Cheltenham Hockey Club’s president, who was on stage herself to collect the senior club award.

She said: “Umpires are often forgotten and not recognised for their efforts, but without them we would not be able to play.

“I can’t think of anyone who has a bad word to say about Roy and his umpiring is consistent, fair and enables players of all levels to respect him and play their game.”

Runners-up: Karen Hilton; Tony Lancaster.

Junior Club of the Year

THE Junior Club of the Year award was received by Lynn Hammersley from the Forest of Dean Gymnastics Club.

Mrs Hammersley was also presented with Senior Coach of the Year during a successful evening for gymnastics.

She said: “I am really happy on behalf of the club. It is great recognition and we thank Gloucestershire Media for this whole evening.”

The club has been selected as a pre-Olympic training camp venue ahead of the London 2012 Olympics and has strong links with 12 primary and secondary schools.

It regularly hosts county and regional championships and at Easter, 12 gymnasts and three coaches went to Onesti, Romania, to train with the Romanian national squads.

The award for Junior Club of the Year was presented by Kevan Blackadder, the editor of the award’s sponsors, the Gloucestershire Echo.

Runners up: Berry Hill Rugby junior section; Gloucester City Swimming Club.

Senior Coach of the Year / Junior Club of the Year

THERE were two appearances for Lynn Hammersley from the Forest of Dean Gymnastics Club.

She was presented with Senior Coach of the Year by the editor of the Forester, Viv Hargreaves, as well as for the Junior Club award.

Mrs Hammersley said: “Our club trains about 340 gymnasts a week and about 30 to 40 of those train every day.

“Coaches put a lot of hard work in and I think this is a recognition of the hard work that everyone puts in.”

Mrs Hammersley is founder and director of the club and her involvement goes back to 1973.

In 1996 she was awarded £1.1 million by the National Lottery for Sport to build and run a high-performance centre in the south west.

She also runs local schools’ competitions which are now over-subscribed.

Runners-up: Andrew Beadle, Graham Brookhouse.

Junior Team of the Year

THE award for Junior Team of the Year went to Gloucester City Winget Cricket Club Under 17s.

Their youth chairman Alan Daughtrey accepted the award, presented by Steve Elway, Aspire’s chief executive.

Mr Daughtrey said: “It’s a great honour, it’s great for the club and all the people who work in the voluntary section – from the committee to the coaches and myself as youth chairman. So it’s really good for us.

“It’s fantastic. There’s a big future for the club with these guys and some of them will go on to bigger and greater things within cricket.

“It’s a great team and great atmosphere at the club.”

Mr Elway said: “We entered the sports awards because we wanted to show the aspirations of community sport and that’s why we chose the junior team award.”

Runners-up: Gloucester City Swimming Club; St Peter’s High School rugby team.

Teacher of the Year

A STUNNED Julian Ralph collected the Teacher of the Year Award for his work at the National Star College in Ullenwood, Cheltenham.

Students and fellow staff from the college were at his table to cheer him on when he was presented with his trophy.

He said: “I’m shocked to be honest, but it’s recognition of the work we do at the college. It is thanks to my team and the students I work with.”

Mr Ralph was nominated for his ability to make lessons fun and promoting disability sports at the college which works with learners who have physical disabilities and associated learning difficulties.

The award was sponsored by Gloucestershire County Council and Coun Antonia Noble presented the award.

She said: “I think it has been a splendid evening. It has recognised disability sports and all round sporting achievements in Gloucestershire and the things people have put into it.

“There has been a massive amount of effort and it is fantastic and a privilege to be involved.”

Runners-up: Steven Fisher, Dave Pointon.

Outstanding Services to Sport

RECEIVING the award for Outstanding Services to Sport came as a shock to athletics coach Carolyn Franks from Up Hatherley, Cheltenham.

She said: “I’m still bowled over by being presented with it. “It’s great to see the youngsters gain confidence through hard work and achieving more than they thought.”

Highlights of her coaching career, which started in 1969, included working with James Campbell who won this year’s UK Under-23 Championships and Neil Crossley who gained his GB vest for decathlon and also specialises in the javelin.

The award was presented by Natalie Dyke, from Brickhampton Court Golf Complex.

“It has been very enjoyable meeting all the people involved and the fact that everyone has been so enthusiastic when the winners and the nominations had been announced has been great,” she said.

Runners-up: Derek Ayland, Ken Blackburn.

Young Coach of the Year

NETBALL ace Shona Corbett was presented with the Young Coach of the Year Award.

Shona, who helps with a series of district netball tournaments and was appointed Young Ambassador for the Stroud School Sport Partnership, said: “I’m quite shocked. It’s nice to have the recognition. Hopefully it will get more people to help out because I think that is what sport is all about – helping other people.”

John Stevens, chief executive from the award’s sponsor Active Gloucestershire, said: “Congratulations to all the people taking the awards home.”

The Sports Awards were run in association with Active Gloucestershire and Mr Stevens said the success sets a benchmark for the future.

Runners-up: Corrie Farrell; Helen Gregory