Awards recognise 800,000 sport volunteers

Awards recognise 800,000 sport volunteers

Sport New Zealand (Sport NZ) and MORE FM are encouraging Kiwi’s to say thanks to the 800,000 volunteers who help make sport possible in this country.

Each year volunteers give 50 million hours of their time to helping others enjoy sport. But it will only take a minute to thank them with a nomination in the Sport Volunteer Awards.

You can thank and nominate any kind of sport volunteer – whether they’re a coach, referee, administrator, sausage sizzler or kit-washer – they all make a difference!

Visit sportnz.org.nz/volunteers for more information, to organise a thank you or nominate a volunteer for an Award. Each one will generate a thank you e-card to your volunteer including a personalised message.

Regional award winners will be decided by the 17 regional sports trusts (e.g. Sport Wellington) and will receive prizes at local events. Regional winners will also be in the running for the title of New Zealand Sports Volunteer of the Year. The winner will be flown to the annual New Zealand Sport & Recreation Awards where they will be presented with a trophy in front of leaders of the sport sector.

Denise Alexander from Taranaki was a winner in 2011. Denise had been playing badminton for 38 years but also coached junior players, helped coach representative players and was president of a badminton club. She was also the New Zealand representative for the Oceania women’s badminton group, which helps promote the game to women. Denise put in up to 12 hours a week as a volunteer, because she enjoyed giving something back to sport - just like others did when she was learning to play. She also liked seeing “the smiles on the kids’ faces” and the enjoyment they get out of learning new skills and making friends.

Sport NZ Chief Executive Peter Miskimmin says “the awards help recognise people who put their hearts and souls into helping out. Community sport in New Zealand can’t survive without volunteers. The awards are a way of saying thanks and letting them know their contribution has been noticed. I really encourage people to get those nominations in.”

Sport New Zealand is the crown entity responsible for promoting, encouraging and supporting sport and physical recreation
in New Zealand. For more details, visit www.sportnz.org.nz

Community sport wouldn’t happen without the army of volunteers doing their bit. Thank a sport volunteer in the Sport NZ Sport Volunteer Awards
Nominations close midnight 28 August 2012.

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