How to nominate:
Nominations can be made by members of the public across six award categories for coaches, two award categories for officials, two award categories for volunteers and one category for SportMaker projects.
For further information / guidance or to submit nomination please use below links
Click here to nominate
SportMaker Awards 2020 Guidance and Support Document
The Awards will be promoted on our social media Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.
About the Awards:
The Sport Northern Ireland SportMaker 2020 Awards recognise the outstanding contribution of coaches, officials, volunteers and projects over the previous 12 months and the role they play in encouraging people to benefit from the power of sport.
Sport Northern Ireland acknowledges that whilst the majority of sports ceased structured activity in March 2020 due to COVID-19, many SportMakers continued to play a vital role in supporting and developing others and we are extremely keen to learn more about the innovative and creative methods which were used to do so through the nomination process.
There are six award categories for coaches, two award categories for officials, two award categories for volunteers and one category for SportMaker projects.
A High Performance Coach of the Year award may also be presented in 2020. Sport Northern Ireland will seek nominations directly from governing bodies of sport for this category.
| Awards For Coaches | Awards For Officials |
|
| Awards For Volunteers | Award For SportMaker Project |
| 1. Volunteer of the Year | 1. Project of the Year |
| 2. Young Volunteer of the Year | |
Award Categories:The SportMaker Awards 2020 Guidance and Support Document provides further information on each of the award categories, together with key evidence the judging panel will look for when making decisions.
Awards for Coaches
Children’s Coach of the Year. This award recognises the outstanding contribution of a children’s coach to the development of young people’s skills, understanding, enjoyment and lifestyle through sport.
Community Coach of the Year. This award recognises the outstanding contribution of a coach in getting more people enjoying, engaging and/or excelling in local sport, through high quality delivery.
Young Coach of the Year. This award recognises the important work carried out by an up and coming coach through his or her coaching achievements to date and the impact they have made on the people they coach.
Disability Coach of the Year. This award recognises the achievements of a coach working to develop people with a disability at any level within sport.
Performance Pathway Coach of the Year. This award recognises the achievements of a coach working with emerging and young performers on a Pathway to High Performance.
Club Performance Coach of the Year. This award recognises the achievements of a coach working with athletes at the highest level of domestic club sport.
Awards for Officials
Technical Official of the Year. This award recognises the hard work and dedication of referees, umpires and competition officials and the contribution which they make to their sport.
Young Technical Official of the Year. This award recognises the important work carried out by an up and coming referee, umpire and /or competition official and the contribution which they make to their sport.
Awards for Volunteers
Volunteer of the Year. This award will be made to a volunteer in a non-coaching or officiating role, who has made an outstanding contribution to the development of sport.
Young Volunteer of the Year. This award recognises the important work carried out by an up and coming volunteer, who has made an outstanding contribution to the development of sport.
Awards for SportMaker Projects
Project of the Year. This award is for a project/programme which uses high quality coaching, officiating and/or volunteering as a means of enabling more people to benefit from the power of sport.
SportMaker 2019 Winners
Here are the category winners from last year.
| Category | Winner | Sport |
| Children’s Coach of the Year | Jonathan Reid | Cycling |
| Community Coach of the Year | Joanne McElkerney | Netball |
| Disability Coach of the Year | Emma McCay | Athletics |
| Young Coach of the Year | Michael McShane | Football |
| Performance Pathway Coach of the Year | Becky Cullen | Equestrian |
| Club Performance Coach of the Year | Greg Thompson | Hockey |
| High Performance Coach of the Year | Nelson Lindsay | Swimming |
| Technical Official of the Year | David Marrs | Athletics |
| Young Technical Official of the Year | Erin Guinn | Hockey |
| Volunteer of the Year | Adekanmi Abayomi | Multi-sports |
| Young Volunteer of the Year | Lucy Wallace | Gymnastics |
| Project of the Year | The Red Belt Challenge | Judo |
Further Information:
For more information download the SportMaker Guidance and Support Document
Or contact a member of the coaching team on the details below:
Email: davidsmyth@sportni.net Tel: 028 9038 3214 / 077 9127 5181
Email: louisemcquade@sportni.net Tel: 0289038 3813 / 078 7048 4478
The SportMaker Awards 2020 is a project funded by Department for Communities.