Mansfield celebrated another great year for sport at the 2014 Sports Recognition Awards.

The annual ceremony was organised by Mansfield District Council in association with The Armchair Club and the Chad, and supported by the Schools Advisory Service.

Guest speaker was Bryan Steel, Olympic silver and bronze medal-winning cyclist.

The event at the John Fretwell Sporting Complex, Sookholme, attracted a record 57 nominations across 11 categories.
There were also two additional awards — the Mayor’s Special Achievement Award, which recognises the work of an individual in promoting sport, and the Ian Bagshaw Memorial Award in memory of Water Meadows manager Ian Bagshaw, who died leukaemia in May aged 57.
The winners were:

Coach of the Year —
Glenn Smith (swimming)
Glenn had another outstanding year in 2014, coaching Ollie Hynd to his first Commonwealth Games gold medal in the SM8 200m individual medley in Glasgow and helping him to retain his European title. Glenn also coached Charlotte Henshaw, who retained her number one world ranking for the women’s SB6 100m breaststroke. Glenn is a senior coach for British swimming and the UK Sport Para to Rio coaching hub.

Volunteer of the Year —
Bob Truswell (rugby)
Bob set up the tag academy at Mansfield Rugby Club, which educates coaches and parents and creates links with schools. He is a tireless club volunteer, who has been at the forefront of setting up a structured and skills-focused coaching environment, also encouraging more parents to get involved.
Junior Sportsperson of the Year u15 — Lisette Westwater (martial arts)
2014 has been a phenomenal year for Lisette. Selected for the Great Britain Martial Arts team, she was crowned world champion at the WUMA (World United Martial Arts Federation) World Championships in Geneva.

Junior Sportsperson of the Year 15 to 17 years — Beth Mortiboy (athletics)
Beth has had a great season, becoming the under-20 women’s Midlands triple jump champion with a jump of 11m 55cm. She also finished sixth in the English Schools competition.

Junior Disabled Sportsperson of the Year — Ben Foulston (swimming)
Ben has had a successful season being a multi-medallist in the junior DSE championships, qualifying for senior finals at the ASA Youth championships and taking bronze in the MC 100m freestyle event at the Sainsburys Schools Games in September. He has also been selected for the Para-World Class Podium Potential Programme.

The Mayor’s Special Achievement Award — Maureen Arnold
Maureen has represented her country at both swimming and athletics. In 1954, she came sixth in the final of the 110 yards backstroke at the British Empire Games (Commonwealth Games) in Canada. She went on to become a swimming teacher and coached numerous national and international swimmers, including all three Adlington girls. Maureen was also a formidable discus thrower and represented Great Britain in 1962. Now aged 80, she still teaches swimming and attends her local gym.

Junior Sportsleader of the Year — Matthew Hall (The Manor Academy)
Matthew has been engaged in sports leadership at a district level for two years. Through the Mansfield Leadership Academy, he has become a mentor and participant of the Football Specific programme. He has also been selected to represent the district as a member of the Youth Advisory Group with the Nottinghamshire FA.

Team of the Year —
Sherwood Colliery Swimming Club
The club achieved back-to-back Premier Division title wins in the Nottinghamshire Sports Centre League. They have also booked a place in the East Midlands Premier Division Regional B Final of the country’s most prestigious competition, the National Arena swimming league. The squad has won three senior champion titles.

Junior Team of the Year —
Samworth Church Academy Year 8 football team
Samworth Church Academy won the County Schools’ year eight championship and the Mansfield District Cup in the same season.

Club of the Year —Mansfield Rugby Union Football Club
A true amateur side competing in semi-professional leagues, the club has been a beacon for community sport. The club plays in Midlands One (East) , which places it in the top 150 out of almost 2,000 clubs in the country. It has successfully created a tag rugby academy for under-7s and under-8s, as well as a girls’ team for under-13s.

Disabled Sportsperson of the Year — Oliver Hynd (swimming)
Another outstanding year for Ollie, who is now the holder of all four major championship titles (Paralympic, World, European and Commonwealth) in the SM8 200m individual medley. He retained his IPC European title in Eindhoven, where he also took gold in the S8 400m freestyle, as well as relay silver in the 34 point men’s 4x100m medley team.

Sportsperson of the Year —
Stephen Lisgo (athletics)
Stephen competed for Scotland at the Commonwealth Games in the 3,000m steeplechase, finishing eighth. His achievements also include a win at a European Permit Invitational meeting in Belgium and selection as a travelling reserve for GB at the European Team competition in Germany. Unlike his peers, who benefit from sponsorship, Stephen has to work full-time.

Ian Bagshaw Memorial Award — Maureen Shaw
Maureen has worked tirelessly both for the Nova Centurion Club and the Mansfield Swimming Club, which she currently chairs. She is one of Mansfield’s unsung heroes.

Cllr Philip Shields, Portfolio Holder for the Environment at Mansfield District Council, said: “These awards demonstrate yet again the amazing sporting talent we have in the district. Our sportsmen and sportswomen are competing on a local, national and international level, putting Mansfield on the map. We should be extremely proud of our athletes, teams, coaches and volunteers, who have made 2014 such an incredible year.”