Yorkshire and Humberside Athletics Awards 2013

The England Athletics awards recognise and reward those without whom we could not enjoy the great sport of Athletics.  The 2013 Yorkshire & Humber regional awards tool place on Wednesday 16th October at Brighouse Sports Club.  A big thank you to all who made a nomination this year.

The worthy award winners are listed below and are picture receiving their awards from Kevan Taylor (Head of Finance for England Athletics).  Video footage from various different colleagues / friends and fellow volunteers were played for each of the winners and will be available to view shortly.  Congratulations to all the winners of the Yorkshire & Humber awards!!

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Development Coach of the Year – Steve Nolan
Steve has been involved in coaching for many years but over the past few years has taken on responsibility for the induction groups at Kingston Upon Hull.  Steve runs several sessions per week for Under 11s covering all 365 principles and engaging all athletes through a variety of innovative challenges.  This includes a marathon challenge, and multi-event competitions. 
The way Steve engages with the children ensures they all feel welcome and part of the group.  Steve also instills a great work ethic and ensures those who work hard get rewarded.  Aside from this group Steve also coaches a High Jump group once a week.  As High Jump isn’t Steves first event he has gained support from coaches within the club and also a local NCDP mentee. 
Steve has also engaged with the Local Coach Development workshop programme over the past few years to ensre his skills are continually refreshed and up to date.   Away from Kingston, Steve is also a great supporter of FitMum and Friends in Cottingham and has supported many leaders to develop as well as acting as a leader himself.  Steve is always willing to support the development of other coaches both through being a support coach when they are working towards a qualification but also more generically.  Steve has worked hard to build up a dedicated team of coaches within Kingston Upon Hull - regularly mentoring them and supporting their development.  Steve is fully dedicated to ensuring coaching sessions have an athlete centred approach and that coaches and athletes are given the opportunity to reach their potential.

Services to Coaching – Ian Hill
Ian is a Level 4 high jump coach and has been coaching athletics for over 27 years. He is currently part of the National Coach Development Programme at England Athletics for High Jump and has played an active role in his commitment to, not only his own personal professional development but also in sharing his vast experiences and thoughts with his co-mentees and contributing to the continued development of them and the High Jump programme both nationally and regionally. 
Ian also holds a Level 3 performance coach license in the LJ, TJ and S&C confirming the depth of his knowledge and expertise.
He has coached junior and senior International athletes, including Steve Linsell to World & European Vets medals and was also the coach to Martin Bernard (GB senior International and European Indoor Bronze medallist). 
Ian has given a tremendous amount of commitment and support to the development of athletes and coaches in the Yorkshire & Humberside region and remains a key lead deliver in the majority of the coach education programmes that are currently being run by EA.

Young Volunteer of the Year – Dan Winmill
Dan was promoted from Junior Club Director to full Director responsible for strategic marketing and publication.  He planned and delivered Club Startrack Session involving 40 children and 6 junior coaches.
Dan has obtained advertising space around the Club stand from local companies and performs many different roles within the club.
He has extended profits of Club tuck shop by introducing ice cream sales, led the Club Saturday sessions for non members, bringing in high quality young athletes, designed Junior members notice-board and information, attends all Club Directors' meetings.
He has also arranged installation of a cycle rack on Club Premises for members training nights, designed a members' information leaflet, designed a Club "popup" banner and attends interviews with potential sponsors.

Athletics Network of the Year – South Yorkshire Athletics Network
The nomination for SYAN is based on their development into a strong and sustainable group creating local impact. It is important to recognize their achievements at a time when volunteers are stretched and over-committed to ensure that they know what they do is critical and without it there would be a massive void in athletics development in South Yorkshire.
Pictured: Janette Tomlins, Pete Moore

Development Club of the Year – Valley Striders
Striders have encouraged as many runners to become leaders in running fitness as possible, they have qualified two this year, on top of the 11 that were qualified last year.  They have linked in with Leeds Athletics Network to promote Partnership working and use funding for coaches to help leaders move onto higher coaching awards.
Twice a month there are over 60 people staying after sessions for a meal – this shows how the club is encouraging participation through promoting physical activity and social support.
They have developed a beginner group because, previously, parents without childcare options brought their children but there wasn’t appropriate provision for the youngsters.  The beginner section of the club has helped running evolve as a sport – away from the competitive focus and elitist reputation into a sport that you can shape to your needs. The change in reputation has provided a pathway for more people to have a go, which has meant more runners are doing more sessions and getting more involved in organised races around the city.
Pictured: Bob Jackson, Richard Irvine, Kevan Taylor & Holly Williams

Community Partner of the Year – University Academy Keighley
University Academy Keighley have made a firm commitment to increasing the number of athletes participating at the facility by working closely with Keighley & Craven AC and the Bradford Athletics Network in the provision of priority coaching on various nights.
UAK provide discounted rates for network use to enable more usage and engaged with the community in attracting disabled athletes, and BME groups.
UAK are the host of the Open tracK challenges and have inclusive facilities across the board. 
Pictured : Neil Thompson, Jack Bell & Kevan Taylor

Official of the Year – Pete Gifford
Peter Gifford has this season carried out a very heavy workload in starting. He is vastly experienced and in his time has started at a very high level including all levels of Championships and one Home International.  At many of these matches he has acted as mentor and teacher to other starters, notably to William Eldridge and Ian Fytche both of whom now  or about to be) looked at by David Brown and Peter Lord. Needless to say the teaching of Marking is part of the training he gives. We have a strong local team of starters in Humberside and we hope that we can find starters as needed and requested. Pete Gifford is a key part in this set-up.  His work on the Humber Athletics Network of which he is Chair also allows him to advance the cause of starting.

Services to Officiating – David Allen
David has been a staunch supporter of athletics in Yorkshire & Humberside for many years. He is not only a Level 3 Field judge who officiates at all levels from the highest internationals to the most modest grass roots competitions but he is also a firm supporter of disability athletics in the region.
He is, in particular, a most reliable mentor and reporter whose services in the development of new officials cannot be overstressed.

Services to Volunteering – Janette Tomlins
Janette has for many years devoted her life to Athletics, Wombwell Sporting AC and to the local community to which it serves.
Amongst her many achievements, in addition to being the secretary of the local athletics club, Janette is a level 3 coach, field official, team manager for the U15s inter counties, is a South Yorkshire Schools and South Yorkshire Coaching Committee representative. Janette also represents her club on the South Yorkshire Athletics Network, and is the driving force behind the South Yorkshire League. All of which is purely voluntary.

Services to Athletics – Mike Moss
Mike has given long term service and commitment to athletics by chairing the Y&H Regional council and representing the region at the Board of EA. 
Mike amongst other things is Chair of the Bradford Athletics Network and is successfully driving the network of volunteers and clubs.  This involves pulling together network plans and reporting along the way.
Mike is also an active member of Saltaire Striders and leads various running groups.
Mike also has various officiating roles within the sport, one of which being Race Director and officiating at the 2012 Olympics and Paralympic Games.

Run England Group of the Year:  Stride Out
The group was formed in 2009 by Gaye Fletcher & Andrea Barber.  It has : 160+ Runners, and the 4 Leaders organise a number of different weekly sessions.  Monthly Running Challenges are  set for all within the group to sustain interest and challenge people to do more.  There are quarterly Social Nights with ladies from the group and introduction to racing support with several ladies entering their first 5K, 10K and Half Marathon events. There are aspirations to develop a Mini Strideout! group for parents and children (Stannington Park). 
Pictured: Andrea Barber, Laura Hudson, Kevan Taylor & Gaye Fletcher

Run England Leader of the Year – Bev Bellaby
Bev set up a group for each group of friends she had – one in Rodley, two in Colton and one in Chapel Allerton.  The city has a diverse range of needs and Bev has tailored her sessions to meet the needs of very different runners.  Bev has been really communicative with the Run Leeds team and helped out with promotion events e.g. NHS ‘have a go at sports’ day.
She has been prompt with getting her runners registered on Run England and keeping her sessions updated on the system.  She has encouraged  her runners to enter into local parkruns and race for life events.  Her group mainly attracts women and she is keen to work with those not confident enough to go out running by themselves. She has the warmest smile which helps!  She is Lirf trained (17th March 2012)
Unfortunately Bev was unable to attend the evening, so Holly Williams collected the award on her behalf (pictured).

Run England Project of the Year – Fitmums & Friends
This project has built up from its beginnings of 3 mums who set up a run group from school.  The project has grown and flourished and now includes 4 distinct Fitmums clubs in the Hull & East Riding area run by volunteers.  A total of 8 run sessions delivered per week 3 sessions have childcare 2 walking sessions and 1 buggy burn session.  
There are more than 250 members across all the groups and close to 50 trained run leaders, 2 coaches, 6 assistant coaches, 4 walk leaders. The project also runs an innovative scheme to support women with post natal depression  delivered by trained support workers who give intensive support to women with PND to help them access Fitmums sessions )
The project also runs Fitmums juniors for young athletes who can engage in two types of running and skill sessions.  The project has gained Celebrity endorsement support for the work they do through Paula Radcliffe & Nell McAndrew.  All leaders are given a full induction following training and regular CPD days are held.  The club has innovative methods of ensuring all members are catered for and value, including an “is this your first time?” station, the “checklist chat” that each leader goes through at the start of their session and their shepherding system which has been taken on by many other groups.