Top of Border sport in line for awards
MORE often than not, sports teams, coaches and athletes are the ones who get recognition for their work.
But a lot of behind-thescenes work goes into the various successes of teams and players. This sometimes goes unnoticed.
But tonight will be a special one for many administrators and technical officials when they get the chance to be rewarded for all they do for sport in the Eastern Cape at the Eastern Cape Sport and Recreational Achievers Awards to be held at the Boardwalk in PE.
In the Administrator of the Year category, long-serving Border cricket administrator Luxolo Qoboshiyane will be in the running for the award.
Although the convenor of selectors for the Border and Warriors cricket teams, who was appointed as national selector for the Proteas cricket team last year, said he does not do what he does for recognition, he said it was good to be noticed.
“I have been around cricket in the Border for a long time, I have played the game and I am administrating it now and hoping for many more years,” said Qoboshiyane.
“I have been to these awards as a guest before but this is the first time as a nominee, so I am looking forward to it.
“It is going to be a marvellous night for all of the sportsmen and women who will be recognised for their exceptional sporting achievements over the past year.”
Qoboshiyane will face competition from Sibongile Fondini, who is deputy president of Basketball South Africa and Safa-Eastern Cape's Isaac Klaas, who are both also gunning for the award.
On the Technical Official of the Year front two local officials will be in the running. Respected cricket umpire Shaun George, who is no stranger to winning major awards, is in line to add an accolade to his ever growing CV.
In the past year, he umpired the ODI Cricket Series between South Africa and England as well as the ODI and T20 Cricket Series between the Proteas and Australia at various venues in South Africa.
Nigel Adams, the head of sport at Alphendale High School and a respected long-serving table tennis official is also in line for the award.
Adams umpired at the World Junior Table Tennis Championships in Cape Town last year. He also officiated as the deputy referee at the South African Para Table Tennis Championships in Pretoria and was the technical director for Table Tennis at the SA Schools’ Champs in Johannesburg.
“It is my first time up for the Eastern Cape awards so I am very happy to have been nominated,” said Adams.
“It is nice to know that people recognise your work because in sport you have to put in a lot of hours especially on the technical side.
“I am looking forward to the awards and to be rubbing shoulders with the top sports stars and technical officials in the province.”
The last official in the running is Mazizandile Vumazonke for Open Boxing, with him having officiated at the 2016 AUSC regional five U20 Youth Games in Angola, while also being appointed as the technical official at the Sanabo National Championships in Pretoria and officiating at the Nelson Mandela Cup-International in PE.