An Evening Of Celebration At The Sport Guildford Awards 2018

Published on: 15 Nov, 2018
Updated on: 15 Nov, 2018

Young athletes, their coaches, clubs and volunteers were celebrated at the annual Sport Guildford Awards at George Abbot School on Thursday, November 8.

The awards provide an opportunity to recognise and reward talent, achievement and commitment to sport in Guildford over the past 12 months.

Sport Guildford Award winners.

The Outstanding Service to Sport Award, sponsored by Specsavers, was won by Richard Dwyer, for the energy and passion he brings to coaching children, inspiring them to achieve their full potential in gymnastics.

Guildford Saints won the Sports Club of the Year Award for strengthening links within the community and delivering training sessions to local schools. This year it organised and hosted the Girls Schools Football Festival for a second year running.

Leanne Riley, who represented England and Harlequins in 2017/18, won a highly contested Sports Personality of the Year Award. Leanne has had an amazing year in rugby – starting four times for England in the 2018 Six Nations and scoring her first international try. Leanne has also played an important role locally for the Guildfordians RFC and led Guildford’s girls rugby team in the Specsavers Surrey Youth Games.

The Volunteer of the Year Award went to Howard Tripp, described as a dedicated and passionate coach with the Guildford Saints Football Club for the last seven years. The 2017/18 season saw Howard’s team become league champions. Howard was also a coach for Merrow Cricket Club, developing many individuals’ skills.

Mark Phillips won Young Sports Personality of the Year. In three years, Mark has won four International golds, two International silvers and nine national medals in the GB Paraclimbing Team. Mark is currently working on his climbing instructor qualification, so that he can share his passion of the sport with others.

The Guildfordians Under 13 Girls Rugby Team scrummaged their way to win the Young Sports Team of the Year Award. A very successful year saw the girls win the Surrey Waterfall Under 13 Girls Plate and the Surrey Cup, where they beat Cobham & Chobham, to become the Surrey Sevens Champions, unbeaten from January to May 2018.

Svend Carr, who has been a volunteer helping out in football training sessions every Saturday morning, working with different age groups, won Young Volunteer of the Year.

The Active Surrey Coach of the Year Award went to Creon Raftopoulos, who has done an outstanding job with the Surrey Scorchers team in the 2017/18 season, leading them to fifth place in the British Basketball League (BBL).