Last chance to nominate your West Lancashire sporting hero in this year’s Advertiser Sports Awards

Feb 28 2013 by Rob Pattinson, Ormskirk Advertiser

TIME is running out to nominate your sporting heroes in our annual awards.

A glittering awards evening will be held at Edge Hill University on April 19 to celebrate those who go the extra mile in our sporting community in this year’s Advertiser Sports Awards.

We’ve been inundated with entries and there is now just one week left to have your say.

The closing date for nominations is Wednesday, March 6.

Previous winners and nominees have included stars on the international, national and regional sporting scene.

Ormskirk Cricket Club captain Ian Robinson received the Advertiser Sports Personality of the Year Award from Liverpool legend David Fairclough at the last awards in November 2011. Ian led the club to a league and cup double in the Liverpool Competition.

He took the title ahead of athlete Michael Rimmer; Ormskirk and Lancashire cricketer Simon Kerrigan; powerboat racer Matt Palfreyman; and the 2010 winner – racing driver Sean Huyton.

Inline and ice hockey player Jake Higham took the Junior Sports Personality of the Year Award.

Past winners of the Advertiser Sports Personality of the Year award include Olympic swimmer Fran Halsall and Ormskirk Cricket Club batsman John Armstrong.

Last week we revealed that the Coach of the Year Award has been renamed in memory of Tarleton football coach Michael Jones, who was murdered in New York in October. The 25-year-old Edge Hill graduate had been working in the USA as a youth coach for American soccer side New York Red Bulls. His family will present the Michael Jones Coach of The Year trophy to the winner.

The full list of categories is: Sports Personality of the Year; Junior Sports Personality of the Year; Team of the Year; Michael Jones Coach of the Year; Junior Team of the Year; Hall of Fame trophy; Sports Student of the Year (to be awarded by Edge Hill); disability inclusion; disability achievement and lifetime achievement.

There is a separate award – Unsung Hero – which praises the people who work tirelessly behind the scenes.

Each year we reward a sporting hero who has performed at the highest level in his or her sport by inducting them into our Hall of Fame.

Andrew Edwards, the Advertiser’s executive editor, said: “Everybody know’s someone who contributes to sport in their region. Get your nomination in now to reward them for what they do for our communities.”

The sports awards are organised by the Advertiser in association with Edge Hill University and the West Lancs Disability Sports Forum.

For more details – or to nominate someone for one of the awards – email rob. pattinson@trinitymirror.com or call Rob on 01704 398 253.

Alternatively, you can vote by visiting our website at www.osadvertiser.co.uk