Melton Times Sports Awards for 2018: Nominations are open!

As we launch the Melton Times Sports Awards for 2018 we are delighted to welcome Melton Vale Sixth Form College as headline sponsors of our long-running awards.

The awards night will take place on Thursday, February 28 and will once more will be staged at Melton Market’s banqueting suite.

Since 2005 we have honoured everyone from grassroots champions to international stars, highlighting the depth and breadth of talent in the borough.

Melton Times sports editor, Chris Harby, said: “They serve as a great reminder of what an amazing amount of talent we have in our community, and they’re a real high point of our year.

“But we need you to give us your ideas and nominations as to who should win.

“Every year the awards reveal new names and even more success stories.”

Nominations open today for 13 different categories which celebrate individual and team achievements, both juniors and seniors, from January 1, 2018 right through to New Year’s Eve.

To freshen things up, this year we have introduced two new awards – the Community Sport Award and School Sports Award.

We will also again toast our unsung heroes off-the-pitch; the coaches and volunteers who play a pivotal role in keeping grassroots sport alive and kicking.

You can nominate by filling in and returning the form printed weekly in the Melton Times, or online at this link www.meltontimes.co.uk/sportsawards/categories or by emailing the details to [email protected]

Nominations should include a overview of the achievements of the nominee and reasons why you think they deserve the award.

These will form the basis of our judges’ decision as to who deserves a place on their shortlist for the final three in each award.

The juges will also decide the winner of each category and then draw up a shortlist for our two special awards – the Sports Personality of the Year and Junior Sports Personality of the Year.

The winners of those two blue riband awards will once again be decided by your votes.

Judges will also decide the recipient of another special award, the Lifetime Achievement Award, designed to honour the contributions of well-known sports figures within our town and borough.

All of our winners will be announced on the night itself which will be sponsored by Melton Sports.

You have until midnight on Monday, January 28 to make your nominations by cutting out the coupon on our sports awards page, published each week in the Melton Times, or by emailing our sports editor at [email protected]

Award categories -

Sportsman of the Year – available for sponsorship

Sportswoman of the Year, sponsored by The Army

Junior Sportsman of the Year, sponsored by Brooksby Melton College

Junior Sportswoman of the Year – available for sponsorship

Cricketer of the Year, sponsored by Tom Flowers Cricket Coaching

Footballer of the Year, sponsored by Specsavers

Team of the Year, sponsored by B and H Midland Services

Junior Team of the Year, sponsored by ESF Events

Coach of the Year, sponsorsed by Melton Mowbray Town Estate

Unsung Hero of the Year, sponsored by Colin Moulds

Disabilty Sportsperson of the Year, sponsored by Harrison Security

Community Sport Award, sponsored by Melton Borough Council

School Sports Award, sponsored by Melton Vale Sixth Form College

Judges awards (not open to nominations)

Junior Sports Personality of the Year, sponsored by Samworth Brothers

Sports Personality of the Year, sponsored by Ragdale Hall

Special Recognition Award, sponsored by Stapleford Park

* For details of sponsorship opportunities, call events and exhibitions manager Linda Pritchard on 07837 308942.