Celebration of Our People Award Nominations

Athletics NI wishes to celebrate the excellent and extensive volunteer work that takes place within our athletics Community.  Without this crucial & incredible volunteer workforce Athletics Northern Ireland would not be able to deliver our sport and our desired outcomes within our strategy.    This will be an opportunity to celebrate as a community but also recognise some standout achievements within our athletics Community across a number of different volunteer roles.

Accordingly, Athletics NI are seeking nominations for standout volunteers in the last two years who have delivered exceptionally against the organisations vision to inspire more athletes of all abilities and background to fulfil their potential, have a lifelong love for the Sport and ensure and inclusive sport where everyone belongs and can flourish.

Nominations should fully explain how nominated volunteers’ deliver against the criteria listed, our vision and how their practice exhibits the sports values (See Image for more details).

As part of our Celebration of our People Awards, the following final award winners will be determined by a Judging Panel and announced on the night of our Celebration of our People Events at the Hilton Hotel, Belfast on the 25^{th of} March 2024.

Please find below a full list of Award Categories:
Coaching:

• Performance Coach of the Year: (No nomination necessary as Panel will make decision based on performance statistics
• Pathway Coach of the Year:

Awarded to a coach delivering at the Foundation or Event Group stage of the pathway who has shown a commitment to Long Term Athlete Development via the multi event approach and/or Event Group development. The judging panel will consider evidence that shows:

• The coach understands the need for sound physical and technical preparation
• The coach demonstrates an athlete-centred approach
• The coach is progressing athletes on the pathway
• The coach shows a commitment to their own personal development
• The coach demonstrates the ability to learn from and share information with other coaches.

• Club Coach of the Year:

Awarded to a coach who shows commitment to delivering high quality club coaching session at an Athletics NI affiliated club for any age-group or discipline in athletics.

• The coach exhibits a collaborative approach to coaching which enhances club culture, membership, and success.
• The coach shows commitment to their own personal development and the personal development of other coaches within the club.
• The coach demonstrates the ability to learn from and share information with other coaches.

• Participation Coach of the Year:

Awarded to a coach who provides opportunities to members of the community or athletes of any abilities to regularly participate in structured training.

The judging panel will be looking for:

• Evidence of the impact the coach has had on widening access to Athletics through
  high quality delivery
• Evidence of working within a specific group (e.g. Women & Girls, Community Running, Fundamentals, U50’s etc.)
• Examples of best practice.

Officials:

• International Official of the Year: (No nomination necessary as Panel will make decision based on international selection and duties)
• Domestic Official of the Year:

This award goes to the licenced official who has made a significant contribution to officiating in the last two years. The winner of this award will likely have officiated at all levels of competition and will have demonstrated the ability to share knowledge and support the next generation of officials through informal mentoring.

Volunteers:

• Volunteer of the Year:

This award goes to an individual who has dedicated a significant amount of their time to furthering the development of our sport and raised the profile of Athletics in Northern Ireland during the past 24 months.
The judging panel will be looking for:
·   Evidence of the individual’s contribution towards a project, or programme that has enhanced Athletics in Northern Ireland
·   Evidence of innovative practice and sustained opportunities because of the
volunteer’s work.

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Teams:

• Senior Team of the Year:

This award recognises a NI based athletics team in a senior category that has achieved significant success within the last 24 months in their sport.

• Junior Team of the Year:

This award recognises a NI based athletics team in a junior category that has achieved significant success within the last 24 months in their sport. Junior team nominees should be competing up to and including Under 20 level. 

Services to Athletics:

Awarded to an individual who has served the sport of athletics over many years.

Supplementary Notes:

• An individual may be nominated in more than one category, but a separate nomination must be completed each time.
• Nominations should include evidence to support and illustrate the impact of the candidate in the category specified. The evidence should be supported with facts and figures where possible.
• The judging panel can only consider information supplied on the nomination form.
• The number of times an individual or club is nominated has no bearing on the outcome. Decisions are made purely on merit based on the quality of information presented during the nomination process.
• Athletics NI Staff are not eligible for awards.
• Your nominations will be used to select two nominees, that will be invited to attend the ANI Celebration of our People Awards evening on Monday 25^th of March.
• Awards will be presented at the Celebration of our People Awards on the evening of Monday 25^th of March.

Deadline for nominations, Monday 11^th March 2024 at midnight.

Celebration of Our People Awards: Nomination Form