Volunteer coaches celebrated at awards

Athletics guru rewarded

JILL McKEE/ID 129998

WELL DONE: Southland volunteer coach of the year award winners, from left, Matthew Taylor, Evan Jones and Sid Cumming yesterday soon after they received the honour at a breakfast function at Stadium Southland.

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Evan Jones admitted to going a little weak at the knees yesterday morning soon after digesting his breakfast.

The Southland athletics guru got a shock yesterday when he was announced the 2008 Southland Lifetime Watties Volunteer Coach of the Year at the breakfast function awards ceremony held at Stadium Southland.

However, Jones shouldn't have been shocked.

His service to athletics is impressive and the award was a nice touch in recognising it.

"I went a bit weak at the knees when they read my name out, I thought, me?," Jones said soon after the announcement was made yesterday.

Jones has been coaching athletics voluntarily for over 40 years.

His involvement has stretched from school and club level to provincial level.

During this time he has also helped nine athletes progress through to New Zealand representatives honours.

Jones' latest national success, Shaun Burgess, was on hand yesterday to see his dedicated coach accept the deserved award.

Other finalists in the lifetime volunteer coach category were Adrienne Pope, who has been coaching junior swimming for over 20 years, and Tom Jones who has been coaching football teams in Southland at junior men's and women's level for more than 30 years.

Sid Cumming was awarded the top honour for the general category at the Southland Volunteer Coach of the Year Awards.

He was recognised for his services with the Southland triathlon and multisport club.

Cumming was humbled when receiving the honour.

"I do it because it is what I do," Cumming said when accepting the award.

Other finalists in the general category were Bronwyn O'Callaghan, who is involved with a massive eight different sports and also at junior level, and Dean Whaanga.

Whaanga has been a tireless volunteer with the Bluff Rugby Club and has been instrumental in keeping schoolboy rugby alive there.

Gore High School year 13 pupil Matthew Taylor was awarded the student volunteer coach of the year award for his efforts with the Mataura Rugby Club's junior small blacks team.

Other finalists were Bella Forde, who has been heavily involved with coaching aerobics, and Southland Boys' High School head boy Michael Carroll, who coaches touch and basketball teams.

Yesterday morning's breakfast — organised by SPARC, Sport Southland and sponsors Watties — was a chance to highlight the outstanding work many volunteer coaches throughout the province provide every year.

- © Fairfax NZ News