Waikato Sport and Active Recreation Award nominations open for 2023

Whitianga Skate School's Sean Reilly receives the 2022 award in the Community Connection category of the Waikato Sport and Active Recreation Awards held at the Claudelands Event Centre in Hamilton. Photo / Mike Walen, KeyImagery Photography

The hunt is on for people who go above and beyond in their community for the Waikato Sport and Active Recreation Awards.

Sport Waikato CEO Matthew Cooper said the awards are in their fourth year, with a record number of entries last year, including some “outstanding initiatives, coaches and volunteers” from around the region.

Nominations are sought from those in the community who do the extra yards to deliver initiatives that meet the needs of those taking part and create a more active region.

“We’re really amazed by all those creating initiatives that are aimed at participation,” Cooper said.

Last year they had community programmes supporting young people to be more active, stories of change from traditional sporting models, programmes aimed at diversity and inclusion and “wonderful stories” from schools doing things differently to keep tamariki active in a positive and fun way, Cooper said.

“And with that, the quality of community coaches who are providing a great experience and our wonderful volunteers who are the backbone of sport and active recreation in our region.”

A new category this year - the Outstanding By Youth For Youth Initiative - was for those young people leading or co-designing opportunities.

• Community Connection Award: Celebrating individuals or organisations that have created physical activity initiatives that respond to the needs of the community and its participants. The award is designed to recognise those who are working hard to understand their communities and tailor their offerings to help break down barriers to participation, putting participant experience at the heart of decision-making, and using physical activity to create connection in the community to bring people together.
• Sport & Active Recreation Partnership Award: Celebrating collaboration and the coming-together of key organisations to leverage outcomes for the betterment of play, active recreation and sport opportunities and experiences. This award is for councils, community, sport or recreation organisations, iwi, schools or any other organisations that have partnered with others to provide sport and active recreation opportunities to their communities.
• Outstanding Active Space Initiative: The innovative use of spaces such as community halls, parks, gullies, rivers, skateparks or wherever a space has been used to help people be active. This can be those who have developed the space, or those who run initiatives or programmes using the space.
• Commitment to Accessibility and Inclusion: Programmes or initiatives that are making physical activity opportunities accessible, welcoming and inclusive to meet the needs of marginalised groups, women/girls, ethnic minority groups, or cultural/religious groups to enable those people to be more active.
• Community Unsung Hero: For those people in the community who help make play, active recreation and sport happen - those who have given their time during the nomination period to provide opportunities, create change and support participation in a volunteer capacity. They might have been instrumental in increasing numbers at a club, provided their expertise at the governance table to support the organisation’s direction, have led initiatives, or provided their professional services at no cost to help something great happen.
• Community Coach: Nominate a community coach who demonstrates commitment to meeting the needs of the people they coach, for their ability to create positive team culture, provide participation and development opportunities for all players, and promote the spirit of the game - encouraging fair play and commitment to Balance is Better/Good Sports principles over winning.
• Commitment to Youth Engagement: Nominate an individual or initiative that supports youth participation in physical activity to grow the number of children and young people engaging in play, active recreation or sport, and to reverse participation drop-off. Initiatives may be in the areas of play, active recreation or sport and can be targeted at any age group from early childhood through to young adults (age range 0-24).
• Outstanding By Youth For Youth Initiative: Initiatives or programmes predominantly run by youth for the benefit of young people. These can be initiatives co-designed alongside adults but that are lead by young people 24 years and under.

Nominations are now open for the 2023 Waikato Sport and Active Recreation Awards and close at 5pm on Friday September 29. This year, all nominees will be judged and finalists invited to a special event in February 2024, where winners will be announced.

To nominate go to www.wsara.co.nz. View last year’s winners at https://www.sportwaikato.org.nz/awards.aspx.