Micky's Pembrokeshire
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Sports Awards adjudged a huge success
 If ever there was cause to be proud of what goes on in Pembrokeshire Sport then the 2011 Sports Awards organised by Sport Pembrokeshire – the sporting arm of Pembrokeshire County Council – certainly provided it in abundance again.This was the fifth annual awards’ evening at Folly Farm, a wonderful venue with its excellent theatre, other facilities and especially the use for an hour prior to the start of the awards, of the brilliant fairground! | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 As usual, the theatre was packed to capacity, with some great characters being recognised, which ranged from children just starting out in their chosen sports to pensioners who are still playing with gusto or also appearing as organisers or unsung heroes. Throw in a very special chairman’s award to Richard and Steve Young, and recognition of a lifetime achievement in sport to former Wales footballer Ian Walsh, and you have something of a picture of the evening. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Superb organisation The event was superbly organised by Ben Field, the manager of Pembrokeshire Sport, whose staff made sure that everything went with a smoothness that would have been the envy of many televised award evenings – so well done Ben Field and his merry band of helpers! The trophies were magnificent and it was heartening to see all those who had reached the final three in the judging received a cut-glass memento, suitable engraved with their name and event category. These were presented by representatives from sponsors Folly Farm, Valero, Sport Pembrokeshire, Western Telegraph and Radio Pembrokeshire – with regular presenter Bill Carne being joined by new recruit Cllr Huw George in announcing the winners and runners-up, after being introduced by Jayne James (Valero). | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 Young Ambassadors shineThere was also some illuminating information about the ‘Young Ambassadors’ scheme provided by Lucy Griffiths, Haydon Mathias, Stephanie Harris, Ben Sutton and Callum Morgan, (Molly Brick was unavailable), all of whom have been chosen as ambassadors after great work in their own schools and a strenuous interview procedure – what a great advertisement for the sporting young people of our county! Sport Pembroke manager Ben Field also spoke about the Active Marc for schools and presented certificates to teachers and pupils of Lamphey and Pembroke Dock Community Schools in recognition of their attaining the necessary standard. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 There was also entertainment with street dance provided by ‘Dance or Die’ from Greenhill School, who were the winners of the recent Pembrokeshire Inter-Secondary School Street Dance Competition. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 Something else that also makes these awards very special is the Chairman’s Award to mark something exceptional in sport and this year Cllr David Pugh, the chairman of Pembrokeshire County Council, presented it to the father and son duo of Steve and Richard Young for their charity work and doing so much to raise the profile of people with a disability in the sporting community, Richard swam from Tenby to Caldey Island and half-way back again for local good causes, with Steve alongside him all the way. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 Another tradition is the fact that everyone involved is photographed by top local photographer Martin Cavney, with a group photograph before everyone trooped off to be interviewed by Radio Pembrokeshire’s Ben Stone before enjoying a buffet and a cuppa!
Another small group that graced the evening was Chris Evans-Thomas and her ladies from ‘A Bucketful of Hope’, who benefitted from the raffle, which had ten splendid prizes organised by the industrious Mr Field and his workers! | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 Amazing awards And that leads rather nicely to the awards themselves, which as usual provided some illuminating, heart-warming and sometimes tear-jerking moments, alongside some amazing stories of success at local, national and international level. [Although the man himself was not keen for mention of a surprise award, made on the night, to be included in this article; one of the night’s joint MCs, journalist, broadcaster and the driving force behind PembrokeshireSport.co.uk, Mr Bill Carne, was taken aback when the published running order for the occasion was set aside when he was handed a special 'A Voice of Pembrokeshire Sport Award' presented by Radio Pembrokeshire presenter Ben Stone.] |
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Junior (U16) Disability Sport Award (Sponsored by Folly Farm) Jemma Bowie-Hallam won this award because she has since excelled in the sport beyond all expectations - and has been selected for the Special Olympics GB team.
In Luxemburg she gained gold medals with excellent performances against 110 other gymnasts from 17 countries.She competed at the Welsh National competition and again she had gold medals for A-bars, vault and beam, plus silver on floor. During all this time Jemma has been working hard on the Level One Special Olympics routines as she has been chosen as a member of the World Games GB team to go to Athens – and inspiring other young disabled gymnasts in the process!. Emma Cox is a gymnast in Haverfordwest Gymnastics Club after starting out as a three year old. She takes part in mainstream gymnastics and the GMPD, plus the Rotary Schools Competition. She has been selected for the British GMPD squad and trains at Lilleshall Gym Centre during the year. Emma takes part in the Gymnastic Championships at a very high level at only nine years old in England and has brought home individual medals & trophies. She took part in a competition in Poole, entering in the voluntary level, again achieving real success. Emma never lets her disability get in the way as she works on beam, bars, floor and vault and had to rush off after the awards to train with the GB squad in Lilleshall! Harry Thomas is 11 years old and is a member of Pembrokeshire Hurricanes’ Wheelchair Basketball Club and has been playing for two years. Harry has just returned from Stoke Manderville after representing Wales under 15 team for the second year running in the Junior British Wheelchair Basketball Championships. When he returns to the club sessions after he has been with the squad Harry shows his team mates new moves and encourages them to have a go. Harry is a very determined and committed young man who really has done well in basketball. |
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Girls (U16) Sporting Achievement of the Year (Sponsored by Radio Pembrokeshire) Amy Leahy won this award after a very successful athletics season and is at present Welsh Schools, Welsh Athletics and Welsh Regional Champion at 75m hurdles (U15). She is undefeated in Wales this year and is top of the Welsh rankings and fourth in the UK rankings. She also obtained a silver medal at Welsh Schools in 200m and captained Pembrokeshire Harriers and Dyfed at Welsh Schools. In the UK Championships she was only three hundredth of a second off a bronze medal. Carys Thomas impressed last season by setting out to qualify for every event at the ASA Nationals whereas just one event would have been an achievement! Carys became the first Pembrokeshire swimmer to qualify for the Open Water event and made four out of five finishes throughout the meet. Carys qualified for British trials in the 200metres IM and 400 metres IM events, a remarkable achievement considering she was up against swimmers regardless of age, and Carys is just 13! Gabrielle Ridge has been Whitewater slalom kayaking for 18 months and is currently the British Ladies Junior Cadet kayak slalom champion (under 14), as well as Welsh under 14 champion. Winning her last UK divisional race of the season at Llangollen gained her an invitation to compete in the British Open Championships in Nottingham. (one of only three under 14 ladies in the UK to qualify) |
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Boys (U16) Sporting Achievement of the Year (Sponsored by Valero) David Omoregie is a very talented all-round athlete and had some superb performances in 2011 to earn him the winner’s trophy in this category. With outstanding performances at GB level there is no surprise to see him ranked 1st in Wales for 100 metres hurdles, 2nd for long jump and high jump – and 2nd in the decathlon, all with a further year in the age group. Josh Davies is a natural athlete who joined Pembs Harriers in the summer of 2010, primarily as a sprinter and long jumper and his successes include: West Wales Champs indoors - gold in sprint and long jump. Welsh Champs indoors - silver in sprint and long jump. West Wales Champs - gold in 200m silver in 100m and long jump. Dyfed Schools Champs - gold in long jump and a new record 6.24m. As a junior golfer in 2011 Luke produced some excellent performances locally, nationally and internationally. Luke Harries attended the US Kids Golf European Championships in Gillane, Scotland and he finished third in his age group, and in the US Kids Golf World Championships at Pinehurst, North Carolina, USA he finished 41st out of 144 on the world stage – and at the Welsh Under 15s championship at St Mellons, Cardiff, this 12 year old finished 12th overall in the class category and actually won the nett prize. |
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Contribution to School Sport (Sponsored by Sport Wales) Paul Harries won this category having been PE co-ordinator at Narberth School for many years. Not only does he organise the PE provision within the school but he always ensures that all children have the opportunity to participate in a variety of sporting activities. By offering such a range it ensures that everyone enjoys some sport. He also encourages the youngsters to participate in competitions and the school has had a huge list of successes.Pembrokeshire Harriers have been key to the organisation of numerous school competitions under the guidance of Liz Rowland. One of the main events of the school calendar is the Oakwood Cross Country Event which attracts over 800 participants, more than any other primary school event. In 2011 Pembrokeshire held its 1st Primary Schools Trophy Match in 16 years. 11 Schools took part with over 200 athletes. Pembrokeshire Harriers were instrumental in promoting and organising the event. Year 10 GCSE pupils from Pembroke Secondary School trained for the Active Young People (AYP) award this year their tutors have been hugely impressed and proud of what they have achieved. Since the group have been qualified as AYP they have helped organise all the Pembroke Family of Schools’ primary school transition days at Pembroke School, Pembrokeshire primary school tennis and football competitions, PE department after-school clubs and 5x60 clubs and events. |
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Junior (U16) Team of the Year (Sponsored by Sport Pembrokeshire) Sir Thomas Picton School’s junior athletics teams were adjudged winners as they produced one of the finest sporting achievements in the school’s history in July when the Boys’ U14s and Girls’ U16s teams won their respective competitions at Pembrokeshire and Dyfed to take their place in the NASUWT Welsh Schools’ Athletics Cup Final in Brecon. They produced excellent performances and had the great honour of being crowned Welsh Champions in both age groups. To mark this unique achievement the STP squad was also awarded the ‘Charlie Hughes Memorial Trophy’ as the best performing school in the 2011 Welsh Schools’ competition. |
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 Greenhill School Under 16s football team were winners of the Welsh Schools Football Competition at their age group. As winners of the Pembrokeshire Area they went on to play other schools, culminating in the Finals held on the 3G Astroturf at Welsh Premier League side TSN. The match was 0-0 after full time and Greenhill won after their boys slotted home their penalties. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 The Pembrokeshire Junior Triathlon Club had eight members qualify for the Welsh Triathlon team which has 14 members, a superb effort which shows the hard work and dedication of the athletes and coaches involved. The athletes train all year, but during the triathlon season it involves road training on the bikes and at the Velodrome in Carmarthen. Swimming training is usually carried out at Haverfordwest Pool but more realistic training in open water takes place in the sea at Goodwick. |
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Team Achievement of the Year (Sponsored by Valero) Kathleen Blayney, Ceris Hewlings and Ann Lewis of Saundersfoot Bowling Club won this award after being the Welsh Ladies’ triples in September and will travel to Bangor, Northern Ireland, next June to represent Wales in the British Isles Championships.
All three, as well as being dedicated club members, also regularly represent the county in the National County Championships. To become national champions and represent Wales in the British Finals is a tremendous achievement and brought great honour to Pembrokeshire. |
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 The Senior Boys’ Rowing Team of Fishguard Sea Cadets won the National Rowing Trophy at the 2011 National Sea Cadet Regatta at the Excel Centre, London, in September 2011. The crew of six won through the district and other area competitions to make the finals, effectively competing against over 400 other Sea Cadet units from across the UK. The boys have practised hard in all weathers whilst taking GCSE and A Level exams, and attending their regular Sea Cadet parade nights. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 Sir Thomas Picton Schools Rugby 1st XV were undefeated during the last season. The team won several competitions, including the Welsh Schools Plate, Pembrokeshire Schools Cup and the Pembrokeshire schools 7s tournament. During the season they also had remarkable victories over such prestigious rugby schools as Llandovery College. This is a remarkable achievement which has brought credit to Pembrokeshire Rugby in general and STP School in particular! |
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Unsung Hero Award (Sponsored by the Western Telegraph) Helen & Willy Matthews were selected as winners after having been part of Pembroke Borough AFC for over 17 years and have seen many changes in that time, including good times where there was a successful Welsh League team, to the hard times where the club have struggled to find 11 players. They are both fully committed to the club and weekly jobs include cutting, mowing and marking the pitch, washing the kits, cleaning the changing rooms and organising the two teams, fixtures and referees. Pre-season they sort out the pitch to a high quality, paint the changing rooms and lots of other things like fund-raising. Without Jack Dudley, St Davids would not have a rugby team. It is as simple as that! He has been at the heart of the community for years, and he works tirelessly to bring a rugby team together every weekend, and when the team is short he will even pull on a Saints’ jersey himself. Jack leads training sessions, encourages young players and is always supportive of talent which wants to play at the next level. If one of his players gets hurt, he’s the first on the phone that evening to offer his help. He is truly an unsung hero! Dave Miller is 63 and one of the most active volunteers in hockey in Pembrokeshire. Dave was one of the founder members of South Pembs hockey club, now known as Carew and he is heavily involved at Tenby Ladies hockey club where he coaches both juniors and ladies, he now has over 30 juniors at his sessions. On the weekend he travels with the club and umpires their matches. Dave also umpires for both men’s clubs when they are short but always refuses payment and tells clubs to put it back into the club funds. |
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Male Sporting Achievement of the Year (Sponsored by Sport Pembrokeshire) Harry Owen was chosen as winner of this category after his brave move to train thirty hours a week at Loughborough University’s gymnastic research centre last year at age 16 has paid off during 2011. Harry became the first-ever Welsh gymnast to win a medal at the Youth Commonwealth Games in September, winning a bronze medal in the all round competition. At the British U18 championships held in Stoke a week later, Harry won an amazing 4 medals, becoming British Champion on Pommel Horse. He competed for the Wales Men’s team in Stockholm in the Northern European championships in November achieving a team Gold and finishing 6th out of 40 overall! Simon Oliver has inspired hundreds of people with his dedication to training and competition. Since first winning the long course weekend in 2009 Ollie has motivated hundreds of people to do something whether it is walk 5k, swim to Caldey, join a gym or train for an ironman! In the last year he has worked extremely hard on his fitness and completed two Ironman races and two Ironman 70.3 races. He is focused and determined to achieve the best and after completing the most recent Ironman Wales and finishing in 23rd position he has been the talk of the area. Simon Holliday opens the batting for Haverfordwest 1st team after moving to the town as a Doctor and had an amazing season. He marked his first full season with three league centuries, plus others in cup matches, with five 50s from 13 innings to finish with an amazing average of 134.28, surely the highest ever known in Pembrokeshire. The three centuries were impressive 173, 154 and 144 as Simon amassed 940 league runs and another 561 cup runs, including a sparkling 100 not out in the prestigious D R Morris final. 1501 runs is a record as far as any county representative can remember. |
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Female Sporting Achievement of the Year (Sponsored by the Western Telegraph) Becky Harries was chosen as winner of this section after was Welsh Ladies’ closed champion in 2011. Capped 45 times for Wales, including the Nations Cup - Spain, and Austria, the European individual in Holland, and Home Internationals at Liverpool, where she was voted the top player out of England, Ireland, and Scotland, as she played six matches and won them all. Her crowning achievement was winning the Welsh Ladies Amateur Championship, with the best gross score am and pm – and the best overall score. Becky has been selected to be part of the Curtis Cup Squad, playing against the USA team in Nairn, Scotland – June 2012. This is the highest accolade / honour for female amateur golfers Heather Lewis has had an outstanding year and is a real role model to the young athletes in the Pembrokeshire Harriers. Angharad James has become one of Welsh Women’s youngest senior international footballers, when she made her debut for her country in a 2-2 draw with Scotland in the European Championships qualifier in Edinburgh in October. Angharad, just 17, has progressed from the Wales U17s and Wales U19s to becoming a full senior international. She has played in all of the last nine Wales U19s games, and the Welsh team has won through to the European U19s Elite Finals which will be held in the New Year. She plays for the Arsenal Academy, the Arsenal Reserves, and in September she was included in Arsenal’s Champions’ League squad of 2011-12, before making her Arsenal first team debut in a 6-0 Champions League Heather Lewis won the Welsh Under 20’s women’s 3000m walk title in a new Welsh Senior Record, making her GB debut in the European Cup of Race Walking in Portugal; (where she was the first British athlete home.) Winning the silver medal in the UK Senior 5000m Walk Championships Winning the UK Junior Women’s 10Km Walk Title in a new PB on the 2012 Olympic Games Course. UK U20 – 10km. Welsh Under 20 – 3000m England Athletics under 20 – 10,000m track and 10km road. Ranked first in UK at 3K and 5K and in top three at senior level. She also became the first member of Harriers to represent GB, all at the tender age of 17. |
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The Disability Sport Award (Sponsored by Folly Farm) Jacob Thomas has had a remarkable year and was adjudged the winner of this category as a result. He was critically ill back in February, but with his pure grit and determination he was back playing Boccia and competing for Great Britain at the International Boccia Trophy, where he won gold. Jacob then progressed to the Boccia World Cup in Belfast in August, where he needed to establish a world ranking and finished 6th a hugely creditable sixth place against the very best in the world. Last weekend Jacob competed in the British boccia championships in where he won the gold for the second year in a row. All is looking good for Jacob’s 2012 dream of Paralympics selection, and Pembrokeshire would be thrilled to see him there! Ben Hopkin is a young man who is a valued member of Fishguard and Goodwick Bowls Club and despite being a wheelchair user he regularly plays in their league and cup teams. Ben plays alongside his able-bodied colleagues with no difference in the rules or playing conditions. Against a touring side he was part of a winning rink that scored a maximum 8 shots – a rare event that enabled Ben to join the Hot Shots Club sponsored by Bowls International. Ben is a guiding light to other disable bowlers and has already entered the 2012 PCBA Open and under 35 singles competitions, as further proof of his commitment to the game of bowls. James Tyler is a keen sportsman and regularly competes nationally in a variety of events, including 100 metres, 200 metres and other field events – and in the last three years James has won 11 gold medals, four silver and two bronze as a result of his fantastic ‘can-do’ attitude and positive, cheerful approach. James has always striven to do his best in whichever field he participates, seeking further independence and this desire to achieve is borne out on the athletics’ track as well. Despite his success he is always a great sport and encourages others to do their utmost to succeed. |
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Club Organiser of the Year (Sponsored by Radio Pembrokeshire) Ros Phillips was adjudged the winner in this section for being the backbone of Haverfordwest Cricket Club for the last decade as the club’s Cricket Secretary and in that time her name has become synonymous with the club as a great organiser.
The club runs four senior teams every Saturday and junior teams at all age levels, plus county matches at senior, youth and junior level, and it is clear that Ros does a superb job. Ros helps organise the coaching rota for Friday evenings’ junior coaching (with over 100 children in attendance), organises all the cricket meetings and is a key member of the management committee – and still finds team to score for the second team in all their league and cup matches! Brian Morris has been a stalwart of the Goodwick United Football Club for over 25 years. He has been player, coach, captain, committee member, and now chairman of the club. In addition he coached the junior U15s teams for many years. This involved travelling with the team (driving a minibus) on a Saturday morning and then going with the senior team in the afternoon - a massive commitment over many years. Brian is known throughout the county for his good sportsmanship – demonstrated by his impartiality as a linesman for the club on Saturdays, week in and week out. Ray Kane was a founder member of the Pembrokeshire Association of Cricket Coaches and has always played a prominent role in cricket coaching within Pembrokeshire since 1980. Officially, Ray co-ordinates the Coach Education Programme for Pembrokeshire, where he organises facilities, tutors and coaches to attend – but he still finds time to assist with the regional age groups. Ray is still the president of the PACC and remains a key individual in the county with his influence on coach education and vast knowledge of the game within Wales. |
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Coach of the Year Award (Sponsored by Sport Wales) Andy Grey was chosen as Coach of the Year for all his superb work with Milford Haven Gymnastics Club. He set the club up, initially running sessions in the Meads but in recent years he has founded the club in Thornton. He works tirelessly for the youth of Milford Haven and in schools like Broad Haven CP – and has allowed Disability Gymnastics to thrive by allowing PSNGC to use the facilities – and the Welsh Disability Squad when needed. He is passionate about giving vulnerable young people the chance to achieve their potential – and takes a gym session for very disabled adults in the day time. Angela Miles is one of the founder members of Fishguard and Goodwick Hockey Club, where she still plays for the veteran side, but she looks after the Junior side of the club, starting off the fun centre last year for children in years 3,4,5 and 6, where the club has over 50 members. She coaches the Under 15’s side that have been unbeaten in Pembrokeshire for the last two seasons and fields two under 13 teams and an under 18 boys’ team. She has had three girls in the under 16 squad for Wales, and last year had 2 girls in the Under 18s squad. I would like to nominate my hurdles coach Nigel Rowland because without him I wouldn’t have been able to achieve anything that I have done this season. He has coached a small squad that within Wales has won15 medals, the majority being gold. He gives up lots of his free time to make sure that his squad get the best training possible, even travelling across the border to support his athletes. Even when he is working, and unable to come, he’s always on the phone offering advice. He welcomes any new hurdlers and would treat them the same as he treats those who have already won gold medals! |
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Lifetime Achievement in Sport Award (Sponsored by Pembrokeshire County Council) Former Welsh international footballer Ian Walsh, who originally hailed from the Solva/St Davids area and is now a footballing pundit with BBC Wales Sport, arrived at Folly Farm thinking that he was a guest of Geoff Williams, the head of BBC Sport Wales and a Haverfordwest lad himself. Ian told Ben Stone of Radio Pembrokeshire he was delighted to be back in his home county to see the awards take place, only to have to go up on stage to collect the ‘Lifetime Achievement’ award and join the audience in watching a DVD, compiled by Cllr Rob Lewis, of some of his goal-scoring exploits! He was clearly dumb-struck but equally clearly moved by his award! |
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| It proved a smashing end to a smashing evening where Pembrokeshire Sport was certainly celebrated to the full! | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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