ASICS Sports Awards, Term One: Final Call for Nominations

For immediate release
26 March 2012


ASICS Sports Awards, Term One: Final Call for Nominations
of Talented Junior Sportspeople

There is less than two weeks left until term one nominations close for the 2012 ASICS Sports Awards, which give year 7 and 8 students the chance to win the ultimate prize - an annual elite athlete sponsorship package.

Under the awards programme, students who have achieved outstanding results or who have defied the odds to achieve sporting success can be nominated by their teachers, coaches, parents, local sports co-ordinator or sports club.

The awards are judged at the end of each school term across five regions throughout New Zealand, with the term one nominations closing on 5 April. Every term a winner from each region will be announced – all regional winners are then eligible for the supreme award which will be judged and announced at the end of the year.

Regional winners will receive ASICS gear both for themselves and their schools, while the Supreme 2012 ASICS Sports Award winner will be invited to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Ross Taylor, Casey Williams and Isaia Toeava as a sponsored elite ASICS athlete.

The awards, now in their third year, were started by ASICS to encourage young New Zealanders to strive to achieve their sporting goals, says ASICS’ Jenny Holdaway.

“There are a number of awards focused on rewarding students at secondary school level, but very few targeted especially to intermediate aged students. This is a crucial age where children are starting to get serious about their sporting pursuits, and setting the foundations for their sporting futures. These awards are all about encouraging and rewarding these students,” says Jenny.

This year North Shore student James Moors is embarking on a year of elite sports sponsorship after being named the supreme winner of the 2011 ASICS Sports Awards.

The 11 year old Takapuna Normal Intermediate student outshone talented young athletes from around the country to take the top honours. An avid sports fan from an early age, James is already following in the footsteps of his mother Dionne who was a 1990 Commonwealth Games high jumper. He started athletics at age five and has claimed numerous titles since, including the Auckland record for shot put and high jump.

James also holds the high jump record, which he has broken three times, for his athletics club Bay Cougars, as well as the club title of all round boys champion, the North Harbour inter-school high jump record and his school’s high jump record.

Internationally James has achieved success winning gold in high jump at the Trans-Tasman Challenge in Sydney – the first New Zealander to ever win this event - and coming close to breaking the world high jump record for his age group.

James’ mother Dionne Moors says James is ecstatic about his win. “This is going to go a long way in helping James in his long term goal to one day jointly represent New Zealand in athletics and basketball.”

Nominations for the 2012 awards can be made online at www.asicssportsaward.co.nz.

ends

© Scoop Media