Nominate your sporting heroes

For clubs, coaches and community sports people alike, the Devon Sports Awards is a prestigious annual event which celebrates their hard work and achievement across a number of different categories.

This year marks a special landmark for the Devon Sports Awards which are 20 years old. To celebrate, there will be a glittering ceremony on June 30th 2017 with a sporting hero as guest speaker.. Nominations are now open and the organisers of the Devon Sports Awards, Active Devon, The Exeter Foundation and Exeter College are urging people to make sure that they use the opportunity to see their clubs, coaches, volunteers and sports stars celebrated and recognised.

“Over the last two decades the Devon Sports Awards have honoured over 600 sports people, clubs, coaches and volunteers. They have helped countless thousands of people in Devon, of all ages and from all backgrounds, to get into sport, stay active or reach fantastic sporting heights.” said Matt Evans, Chief Executive of Active Devon.

“Although it is only possible to formally honour the select few finalists in each category the Devon Sports Awards is much bigger than that, it really is a celebration of all the unsung heroes who go out in all weathers, week in week out to keep teams, clubs and activities running in Devon. You do a first rate job and we are truly grateful”.

This year’s awards ceremony will take place at Sandy Park on June 30th 2017 and if you’d like to see a coach, club or volunteer honoured at the event, nomination forms can be downloaded from www.activedevon.org/dsa2017. Anybody can nominate someone who inspires them and every nomination will be carefully considered by an expert judging panel who come from all backgrounds and bring vast experience to the judging process.

“Each year the Devon Sports Awards aim to recognise as many people as possible who contribute to all levels of sport throughout Devon” said Tony Rowe OBE, Chairman of the Exeter Foundation.

“The county has a proud sporting history and it is a privilege of the Exeter Foundation to be able to celebrate this and the bright future of sport in Devon.”
The 2017 categories are:

Devon Coach of the Year

Devon Young Coach of the Year

Devon Volunteer of the Year

Devon Young Volunteer of the Year

Contribution to Inclusive Sport

Devon Club of the Year

Business Contribution to Sport in the Community

Business Contribution to Sporting Activity in the Workplace

Performances in Community Sport

Sport has the power to change people lives and 2016 was a bumper year for landmark sporting events, so the Devon Sports Awards will have lots to celebrate. We took Olympic and Paralympic athletes to our hearts and felt their pleasure and pain during the Rio 2016 Games and locally there was a genuine sporting buzz and a flurry of participation across different sports.

The 2017 Awards see the introduction of some new award categories that recognise the increasing role and impact of businesses in helping their local community and their staff to get fit and active.

“Many top businesses recognise that taking care of the physical and mental health of your staff and contributing positively to the local community make sound business sense and are really practical ways of attracting the best employees. The new categories we are introducing this year are looking to find businesses that are leading the way and showing innovation” said Matt Evans, from Active Devon.

This year’s nominations are open throughout January, February and March and nomination information is available at www.activedevon.org/dsa2017