Inspirational Mia honoured at awards do
AN INSPIRATION to women’s sport bowled the audience over when she won the 2023 Sefton Sportsperson Of The Year Award, sponsored by Westcoast Workwear & Embroidery.
Mia Smith has been hailed as a credit to her family and her friends and to women’s sport.
Mia was a prodigious swimmer when she was younger but in the past two years she has turned her talent to cricket.
Women’s sport is going through long overdue exposure across many sports at the national level but we need local heroes who will translate this revolution to our own local community and that simply is what Mia has done.
Not only has she progressed through Southport & Birkdale Women’s Junior and Senior Teams but last season the former Head Girl at Scarisbrick Hall School was selected for the Men’s Third Eleven several times where she excelled and played in games where she was the only girl.
That then led to promotion to the Second Team where she opened the bowling away at Sefton Park in a full Liverpool Competition match again where she was the only girl in the match.
Mia fully justified her selections by performing well and has now also received recognition for Sefton and representative cricket.
She has been praised is a role model and an “inspiration to everyone that they can achieve their goals”.
A spokesperson for Southport and Birkdale Sports Club added: “Congratulations Mia – we are all very proud of you – a quite amazing achievement!”
Alex Rigby was one of the two finalists.
He is a member of numerous sports clubs including Liverpool Running Club and Ainsdale Cricket Club.
Last summer, Alex helped contribute to Ainsdale’s second team, winning the league and cup double by taking 66 wickets and breaking into the first team.
Recently, Alex created a route for a postcode ultra marathon (55 miles) through every L postcode in the Liverpool and West Lancashire area, which he completed in 10 hours 30 minutes to help raise money for Ainsdale Cricket Club’s new training facility.
Also Highly Commended was the invincible Southport Senior Ladies Rugby Team, which has been undefeated in the league for two full seasons in a row.
They won the league and promotion last year and won the league again this year with another unbeaten run.
Two league titles in two consecutive seasons is a massive achievement.
The Pride Of Sefton Awards were organised by Mikhail Hotel and Leisure Group and by Stand Up For Southport, with support from In Demand Radio.
VIP guests included Mayor of Sefton Cllr Clare Carragher, while the night was hosted by In Demand Radio presenter Claire Simmo and TV presenter Fraser Dainton.
Entertainment was provided by Kelly Bond and Soul Jam.
Money was raised for the Steve Prescott Foundation and the ICU Steps charity, a cause close to Mikhail Hotel and Leisure Group Chairman Andrew Mikhail after his long battle in intensive care in hospital against Covid-19 during the pandemic.