Time to say ‘thanks’ coach!

Nominations are now open for the 2010 SPARC Volunteer Coach Awards to help recognise some of the 70,000 parents, grandparents, teachers, and community minded people acting as volunteer coaches throughout the country.

Winners in each region will win a supply of Wattie’s products and one overall region winner will win the chance to sharpen their skills with a coach development opportunity with SPARC.

Coaches can be nominated in either the student, general or lifetime category. The student category is open to school aged coaches, while the lifetime category is for those who have devoted 25 years or more to coaching. The general category is for all other community coaches.
You can make sure your coach is in the running by nominating them online at www.sparc.org.nz/volunteers, or picking up an entry form from any Sport Waikato office.

Sport Waikato Sport Development Adviser Mark McLaughlin said there are many people volunteering their time to help athletes and sports teams succeed.

“There’s a wide range of people doing some great things and making a difference to ensure our young people have the opportunities to be involved in sport,” said Mark.

“By making a nomination you’re saying thanks, you’re appreciated.”

Nominating your coach could also make you a winner! There is a $300 voucher for the school that makes the most nominations overall, and all nominator names will also go in the draw to win a $200 Smiths Sport Shoes voucher.

The SPARC Volunteer Coach Awards are open to all non-paid, volunteer coaches including club coaches, school coaches and anyone coaching at a non-representative level. Nominations close 8 September 2010.