SPORTS AWARDS 2017 Bethan aiming for the heights
Sirens call for netball teen
SCOTTISH SPORTS PERSONALITY sportscotland
Sponsored by For the star doing most to put Scotland on the sporting map.
COACH/MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Which of Scotland’s inspirational coaches got the most from their team or protege in the last year?
Sponsored by QTS Who is the teen shining brightest? Nominees must be 18 or under.
The beating heart of Scottish sport. Which individual is making an invaluable impact on local sport? Sponsored by For an outstanding amateur sports club who have made a real contribution to everyday life in the community.
Who has triumphed over disability to excel in their chosen sport?
Sponsored by Glasgow 2018 European Championships For the school that does the most to develop the young sporting talent of Scotland.
Which team most impressed you during 2017? This could be your local side who won despite the odds or a professional team who always inspire.
Our judges choose a hero with a legacy of sporting greatness. Sponsored by EventScotland Any event from a football final to a shinty showcase. What event raised the bar in 2017?
Sponsored by University of the West of Scotland Who beat the odds this year to thrill and inspire?
Sponsored by QTS You can log on to the website at www.sundaymailsportsawards. co.uk or you can write to us at Scottish Sports Awards, Sunday Mail, One Central Quay, Glasgow, G3 8DA. Deadline is October 2.
If you’re nominating a local hero or your local club, tell us as much as you can about your nominee and why they deserve an award. To buy tickets for the ceremony on December 7 at Doubletree by Hilton, Glasgow, or to discuss sponsorship, call Keith Campbell on 0141 309 3061 or email keith. campbell@trinitymirror.com #ScottishSportsAwards
At 6ft tall in her teens, the rise and rise of Bethan Goodwin in the netball world might have looked a no-brainer.
But the balancing act on her journey from the playground to professional has been a triumph of Scottish sport working in synergy. The 18-year-old Strathclyde University student is one of dozens of nominations as the 11th annual Scottish Sports Awards revs up in association with sportscotland – the national agency for sport. She’s a contender in the Young Spor t s Personality category for her meteor ic journey to the Scotland team heading for the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coa s t and the country’s first pro team, the Sirens. But it’s not just the stars we want on stage – we want the unsung heroes from the local clubs and schools who helped put the likes of Bethan on the path to glory.
Bethan said: “I started playing netball in primary seven then when I got to high school at Holy Cross I became a sports ambassador, which improved my confidence.
“In sixth year I became a sport captain at the school.
“Now I’ve had the chance to play for the Sirens in the professional environment as well as the national team, which has been amazing. But I’ve had so much help.
“My performance lifestyle adviser from the Institute of Sport has helped me balance my academic life with my training and allowed me to continue my studies as well as play sport at an elite level.
“And I’ve worked with the active schools co-ordinator in Hamilton to visit local primary schools to motivate and inspire other pupils.”
That pathway through schools, clubs, high school, district squads and into the national team and pro ranks is the perfect template for the Scottish sporting model. And we want to hear about people from every step on that ladder – including the top rung – and see them get the recognition they deserve at a gala dinner on December 7. So get nominating – you have two weeks left to help us find the best of the best from right across Scottish sport in 2017.