The Loughborough College Further Education Sport Awards 2017 saw rising stars honoured for their performance on the national and international stage as well as for their outstanding achievements in the College and the community.
With 30 prizes up for grabs, including overall Team of the Year and Sports Personality of the Year, a host of young sporting talent was amongst more than 200 special guests, students and staff who gathered for the ceremony at the Radmoor Centre.
Andy Reed OBE, chair of the board of the County Sports Partnership for Leicestershire, Birmingham City Ladies player Kerys Harrop and Loughborough College Head of Sport Helen Van Aardt were on hand to present the awards.
Hardev Singh Matharu was awarded Sports Personality of the Year for 2017 after being selected to represent the Great Britain Colleges hockey squad for both years he has been at Loughborough College – the first time a student has done this in any sport.
Graduating this year with the highest possible grades, a triple Distinction Star, in his BTEC Sport, he was described as not not only having a commendable approach to academic work but also having balanced this with his high-level hockey commitments in the senior leagues – “a model student …respected amongst his peers and a very humble individual. A great example of what hard work and a positive mind-set can achieve.”
Hardev commented afterwards that he had been “honoured” to be nominated and “couldn’t have done it without the amazing classmates in my group… as well as the tutors that have given up so much time and energy … to help me achieve my sporting and academic goals. It has been a wicked two years …”
Women’s Rugby scooped the 2017 Team of the Year accolade. In only their first year of competition, the team delivered numerous outstanding performances, including taking silver at the Association of Colleges Sport National Championships, firmly placing the programme at Loughborough College at the forefront of women’s rugby development in the UK.
In addition, there have been numerous individual achievements – including Leah Bartlett, who won her first cap for England U20’s and was selected as the female team captain for the East Midlands at the AoC Sport National Championships.
The Outstanding Contribution to leadership and volunteering went to Sam Waldron who has committed over 200 hours in volunteering for the college over the past year while maintaining a triple Distinction star profile in his studies, organising charity events, acting as a student ambassador and class representative and holding down a part-time job.
Sam was the driving force behind the Loughborough College’s successful 24hr Sportathon for Comic Relief which raised a Sport record amount of £1805 and he also completed a tough mudder event, raising over £300 for Help for Heroes.
Andy Reed said it had been a pleasure to attend the Sport Awards and praised the great job the College is doing in developing young athletes and sector leaders. “I was particularly impressed by the winners of the Coach choices. Some very impressive old and dedicated heads on some young shoulders. Some true humility, dedication to self improvement and leadership on display.”
Loughborough College Sport Development Manager Rob Jarram added: “Our Sports Awards were bigger and better than ever this year, a fitting testament to the huge developments in our Academy of Sport.
“It was such a pleasure to celebrate so many of the team and individual achievements coming out of these programmes, which support all round student athlete development - whether they are individual athletes such as Megan Morrison, who is on the British Swimming pathway, or Amy Relf, one of our women’s rugby players in the England U18’s National Talent Development group who has had England U20’s trials.
“As our team sports offer continues to grow along with our ability to provide a dual-career programme for various talented athletes, I’m very excited to see what the next year and 2018’s celebration event will bring!”
Loughborough College FE Sport Awards 2017 winners: Sports Personality of the Year – Hardev Matharu; Team of the Year –Women’s Rugby ; Outstanding contribution to volunteering and leadership – Sam Waldron ; Academy Club Person of the Year – Megan Winslow; Basketball Academy Player’s Player – Jide Chuku and Coach’s Player – Zane Goodwin; Women’s Football Academy Player’s Player – Laura Dexter and Manager’s Player – Laura Dexter ; Men’s Football 2nd XI Player’s Player –Joel Holzer and Manager’s Player – Matt Hampton; Men’s Football 1st XI Player’s Player –Regan Quinn and Manager’s Player – Jack Bewley ; Women’s RFU Player’s Player – Lucy Payne and Coach’s Player – Amelia Harper; Men’s RFU Player’s Player – Lewis Elliman and Coach’s Player – Hagan Greaves; Women’s Volleyball Academy Player’s Player –Sophie Pongpiriyaporn and Manager’s Player – Francesca Britten; RFL Player’s Player – Joe Doughty and Coach’s Player – Will Tully; Women’s Football Clubperson of the Year – Faith Pickering; Volleyball Clubperson of the Year – Hannah Driver; RFL Clubperson of the Year – Myles Kennelly; WRFU Clubperson of the Year – Elle Ramsbottom; Men’s Football 1st XI Clubperson of the Year – Joe Lindley; Men’s Football 2nd XI Clubperson of the Year – Adam Allaway; Men’s RFU Clubperson of the Year – Stephen Hunt; Netball Clubperson of the Year – Megan Winslow; Basketball Clubperson of the Year – Louis Chamberlain: Interform Competition Winners Level 1 and 2 - Munich; Level 3 Year 1 - Sydney; Level 3 Year 2 - London
Pictured: Nominees and winners at the Loughborough College FE Sport Awards 2017