Nominate your West Lancashire sporting hero in this year’s Advertiser Sports Awards

Jan 24 2013 by Rob Pattinson, Ormskirk Advertiser

TODAY we reveal the date for this year’s Advertiser Sports Awards – and we want your nominations.

It has been a fantastic 12 months for sport with the success of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

West Lancashire was well represented by stars such as swimmer Fran Halsall, who grew up in Banks, athlete Michael Rimmer and cycling superstar Sir Bradley Wiggins, who trains in the borough.

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 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 Fran Halsall and Ormskirk Cricket Club batsman John Armstrong.

Now we are asking readers’ to nominate their sporting heroes from West Lancashire in the past year to win one of our prestigious prizes.  See below for the online nomination form.

This year’s event will again be held at Edge Hill University and will take place on Friday, April 19.

The full list of categories is: Sports Personality of the Year; Junior Sports Personality of the Year; Team of the Year; 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: “We are delighted to be able to recognise the wonderful people involved in sport locally and particularly the unsung heroes who contribute so much day-in, day-out for little or no reward.

“This year could be one of the best ever with the feelgood factor from the Olympics and Paralympics still with us.”

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 fill in our online form.