'Be a Star!' was the rallying cry at the Hilton Brighton Metropole on 25 November 2011 when the sporting community of Sussex gathered to hand out its annual awards, organised by Active Sussex.
In between the speeches, gala dinner and entertainment, 15 gongs were awarded for outstanding sporting achievement.
With London 2012 approaching, the awards mark the beginning of an exciting period for sport in the UK – a chance for everyone to be a star, from volunteers to elite performers. Congratulations to all the worthy winners. To view Graham Franks' official pictures of the 2011 winners, visit the Sussex Sports Awards Facebook page.
University of Brighton Young Coach of the Year
Luke Sherwood
Luke, 21, of Summerfields Gymnastics Club in Hastings, has been coaching for just over three years. From having no previous involvement in gymnastics, Luke has become a favourite coach and role model at Summerfields, taking the lead at competitions and fundraising days. He has recently been appointed to the role of mentor for Summerfields' Young Leaders Academy.
University of Brighton Young Volunteer of the Year
Edward Bartram
Ed, 20, is the founder and chairman of Pink Flamingos Football Club, where he runs every aspect of the club – from fixtures to tournaments and tours. Over the past five years the club has developed from a single six-a-side team to running two full 11-a-side teams who turn out every Sunday.
Juice 107.2 Young Team of the Year
Worthing Thunder Juniors U18 Basketball Team
This award was presented specifically to the Under 18 team, who won the national league playoff final to become U18 National Basketball Champions for the 2010/11 season. Earlier in the year, the team were crowned U18 South of England Premier League Champions, having won 20 of their 22 league fixtures. Watch the incredible last minutes of the final against Cheshire Jets, with a finish that goes right to the wire…
University of Chichester Young Sports Personality of the Year
Alex Mills-Barton
Seaford sailor Alex, 20, has had a fantastic 12 months since gaining his place in the Team GBR Olympic Development Squad in September 2010. The past year has seen Alex win the Marlow Ropes Award, for the squad's most promising rookie, gold at the UK National Youth Championships and his first race win in an ISAF World Cup event at Hyeres, France. In July he added the European Youth Championship to his medal haul and took silver in the World Junior Championships at La Rochelle. In December 2011 Alex will travel to the ISAF Sailing World Championships in Perth as part of a GB four-man team.
Inspire Leisure Coach of the Year
Lee Tillyer
Lee, 29, from Littlehampton, is a multi-sports coach whose skill and dedication has seen his main coaching club, Selsey Football Club, achieve great success. In addition to being a Level 3 coach at Selsey FC, Lee is a Level 1 badminton coach and an athletics and tag rugby coach. In his day job as Community Development Coordinator for Inspire Leisure, Lee has brought his expertise to schools in Arun, changing attitudes to sport and mentoring his coaching colleagues to improve coaching across all schools in the district.
Hilton Hotel Active Sussex Professional
Donna Imrie-Browne
Donna, 30, runs Brighton based consultancy Active Solutions. Previously as Active & Healthy Workplace manager for Active Sussex, Donna designed, developed and managed health and wellbeing initiatives involving 1,500 employees across the county. She advises organisations of all shapes and sizes on health initiatives, planning and evaluation, as well as organising events and corporate tournaments such as the Sussex Sports Series.
Sussex County FA Volunteer of the Year
Janet Johnson
Janet, 53, of CD Phoenix Netball Club is an extraordinary volunteer. She is officially Club Treasurer and Membership Secretary, but her work does not end there. She coordinates all of the umpires and scorers for all of the matches and arranges three club tournaments each year for a club with a membership of over 200. Jan spends hours, week in week out, ensuring that everything runs smoothly. She is often the last to leave, packing the last items away. Without her CD Phoenix could simply not function – and she does all of this while working full time and running around after three children!
Virgin Holidays Team of the Year
Crawley Athletics Club, Senior Ladies Team
The Crawley Ladies Athletics team have had an amazing track season in 2011. After back to back promotions in 2009 and 2010, for the first time in their history they competed in the UK Women's League in 2011 – the only ladies club in Sussex to compete at this level. The ladies are an extremely hardworking bunch, who's team spirit is truly infectious. In July, the team also qualified for the National Super cup final and came out on top in their first year in competition. The ladies have proven they are more than just a successful Sussex team. They are friends and – perhaps most importantly – role models to the younger athletes in the club.
Active Sussex Active & Healthy Workplace
John Wiley & Sons
At its European headquarters in Chichester, global academic publishing firm Wiley has worked hard to create a healthy workplace through a range of innovative projects. Examples include the 'Wiley Table', where staff donate healthy foods to share with colleagues to help meet their five a day target. Showers have been installed to encourage cycling to work and lunchtime exercise. The Wiley Cycle Scheme can supply a loan to purchase a bike and funds a twice yearly Bike Doctor overhaul of employees' cycles. In addition each employee is given a £30 annual Recreation Day grant to participate in activities such as a day at Cobnor Activities Centre, Downs bike rides, rounders matches and horse riding.
Sussex CCC and Albion in the Community Power of Sport Award
Lisa Nobbs and Paul McCullum
Lisa, 47, and Paul, 34, are joint winners of this prestigious new award to recognise their work with Spiral Jets, a Brighton basketball club for players with learning disabilities. The players have many conditions ranging from severe epilepsy, tourettes and learning difficulties to challenges with physical coordination. Lisa and Paul provide coaching and games for the team, have arranged to share paid court time at the Brighton Cougars basketball club and training sessions twice a week at Whitehawk and University of Sussex. Spiral Jets have achieved an independent team status through the pair's dedication and hard work over a number of years.
Rix & Kay Solicitors LLP Club of the Year
Rin Kyu Judo Club
Kin Ryu Judo Club was established in 1976 by its founder Mike Leigh in Crawley. The club, which is now based in K2, has since grown to be one of the largest judo clubs in the country with a strong junior section. It has a long history of producing successful judo competitors. These include Neil Seymour, British No.5 U21 +100Kgs; Virginia Ford, British Champion and James Pike, British Champion. The club has also produced many British Kata Champions, Southern Area Champions and countless Sussex County Champions. Kin Ryu encourages international links, hosting and visiting clubs from Sweden, Greece, Germany, France and beyond.
Councillor Niki Oakes Memorial Award for Disabled Sports Personality of the Year
Lauren Jones
Worthing teenager Lauren, 16, broke her back in the summer of 2009 after falling from a tree, which left her paralysed from the waist down. While receiving treatment in Stoke Mandeville hospital she started to play wheelchair tennis and was singled out as having a particular talent. In little more than a year, she progressed through the ranks and is now GB junior No.1 and No.7 in the world junior rankings. The Worthing Sixth Form College student won her first senior title in October 2011 at the Esporta Cardiff Wheelchair Tennis Tournament, where she won the ladies doubles with partner Louise Hunt. Lauren almost doubled her tournament tally in the main draw singles, only losing out in the final. Lauren is now training for the Paralympics and is competing throughout the UK and Europe to secure enough ranking points to qualify.
Freedom Leisure Sports Personality of the Year
Carl Boswell
Carl, 45, is a success story for Sussex, practicing the relatively new sport of British target shooting, Air Rifle and Rimfire rifle Benchrest. He is currently the European Air Rifle Benchrest Champion and the European Rimfire Heavy Varmint Class Champion. The Worthing shooter also holds the World Cup in both disciplines, gaining these titles in 2010. At the 2011 World Championship, Carl was the only non American to gain an individual world champion gold medal during the Championship and his gold medal winning score set a new world record. Carl holds three European records and is currently ranked within the 'top five' in a number of benchrest disciplines. Carl has contributed to the sport in a number of ways. Holding the position of Secretary in both the European and World Federations, he has been at the forefront of its development at international level since 2006, as well as writing extensively about target sports for magazines.
Sport England Lifetime Achievement Award
Sadie Mason
Sadie, 47, has a lifetime of sporting experience that includes Sport England Main Board Member and Finance Committee, Chief Executive at Active Sussex and Director at Basketball Scotland. Loyal to the county, her passion to succeed and deliver is second to none. Sadie is a true professional, hugely respected by her peers. She sits on a number of local, regional and national working groups. Morning, noon and night she's never off the Blackberry, provides excellent management skills and has single handedly made the biggest difference to sports development in the county.
BBC Sussex Unsung Hero Award
Peter Seymour
A volunteer at Kin Ryu Judo Club in Crawley, 64-year-old Peter's involvement with judo started over 30 years ago as a parent of a new judo player at the club, when his son started the sport. It wasn't long before he was helping out at club events by moving and laying mats. As Peter's son improved and moved from club to county judo, Peter's involvement also increased when he qualified as a county competition official and started volunteering at county championships.
After 10 years working at club and county level, Peter and five other parents at the club agreed to take to the mat and start judo together. On the first night of practice, Peter was thrown and broke two ribs! Undeterred, he continued and is still practicing to this day.
Peter has since qualified as a NGB Level 2 coach, teaching judo players from 5 to 15 years old twice a week. He has progressed from a county to a national Competition Official, gained his National Referee qualification and is waiting to hear on selection to work at the 2012 Olympics. Peter is also on the County Judo Committee as Assistant Competition Coordinator - supporting the planning and running of all Sussex Competitions; and County and Area Referee Coordinator, ensuring there are enough referees at each event. At club level, Peter has played a major part in the club gaining Sport England Clubmark Accreditation.
Peter is currently working on gaining his 3rd stage black belt, but in the meantime will continue mat moving and laying for the county next month.
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