A CELEBRATION OF SPORTING ACHIEVEMENT
Record numbers turn out to hail our top talent at awards night
Rutherglen Lawn Tennis Club and the Cambuslang Harriers picked up double gongs at this year’s sports council awards.
The Cambuslang and Rutherglen Sports Awards saw a record number of guests attend the evening at Rutherglen Town Hall last week.
More than 157 people showed their appreciation for the sportsmen, women and teams in the local area who collated a phenomenal list of achievements throughout 2016.
The event was hosted by Stonelaw pupils Lewis Gemmell and Alex Smith.
Rutherglen LTC’s Cedric Decuyper was rewarded with the title of coach of the year while the club’s president Gareth Ellor won the Brian Logue Award, a prize named in honour of former Reformer photographer Brian Logue who sadly passed away in 2013.
Cedric, 38, who is an enthusiastic coach originally from France, was eager to thank his colleagues for their hard work and their ambition to save the Burnside courts.
He said: “It’s really been about the team work to be honest. At the tennis club everybody is pulling in the same direction.
“We won coach of the year with Tennis Scotland and also club of the year. We all work so well together.”
Harrier Ian Reid was delighted to collect both the team and junior team of the year awards on behalf of the club on the evening.
The Cambuslang champions picked up countless gold medals during 2016 in various events including the UK Male Vets Half Marathon and the West District Woman’s Vet XC Relay.
They were also recently named best Scottish male cross country club for a sixth consecutive year.
“It’s a prize given to the best overall club from young kids right through to my age of 40 and above,” Ian said. “It just shows how good the club is.
“Winning the best team and junior team just adds to all our awards. It’s great to be recognised for all our achievements over the year.”
Other winners on the night included Cambuslang golfer Craig Ross, taekwondo mum Marie Anne Smith, gymnast Alex Morgan and netball champion Bethan Goodwin.
Chair woman of the Rutherglen and Cambuslang Sports Council and Asda Toryglen Champion Liz Arbuckle said: “It’s been an outstanding night. We’ve had the most amount of people at a sports awards evening to date and you have no idea how much work goes into this.
“It’s a fabulous night to really showcase the talent we have in the community and I think the Cambuslang and Rutherglen Sports Council do a fantastic job of doing that.
“I need to give a big thanks to Rutherglen Town Hall. They have done a phenomenal job.”
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