Blackburn and District sports stars light up night (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Blackburn and District sports stars light up night

2:49pm Tuesday 1st March 2011 in Sport By Steve Tinniswood, Sports reporter

THE fact that 10 different sports were honoured at the Blackburn and District Sports Council awards underlines just how rich and diverse sport in the borough is.

From football to netball, angling to dance and boxing to gymnastics, the annual awards night has probably never had so many different sports take to the stage.

So it was somewhat fitting that on a night when quality and quanity stood out, it was Blackburn Community Sports Club – a club which provides a variety of sporting activities – that was the big winner.

The club won the community club of the year award while Debbie Riley won both the official of the year and the Lynn Hindle Award.

The club, formed back in 1997 as part of Lammack Juniors FC, has more than 220 youngsters and a team of 50 volunteers who provide a wide range of sports to able bodied and disabled children - including netball, Tri-Golf and archery.

Debbie Riley, treasurer of the club, has worked tirelessly to help fund a purpose built sports facility in partnership with QEGS.

It was for this dedication that she also won the Lynn Hindle Award - an award in memory of the former Transplant Games winner who lost her fight against cancer.

Boxer Shakeeb Ali won the sports personality of the year – much to the delight of guest of honour Yaqoob Hussain, MBE, who is his head coach at Blackburn and Darwen Boxing Academy.

“He is a smashing boxer who has the ability to go on and represent England and possibly fight in the Olympics,” said Hussain.

The team prize went to Mill Hill FC U13s, who have won every single game they have played over the last two seasons and next week play in the LFA Youth Cup final.

Our Lady and St John’s trampoline team won the school award after winning the team competition and producing two Lancashire champions.

Lee Orrell, lead squad coach at Blackburn Centurions Swimming Club, has made giant strides since his appointment in 2009.

He has build up a talented sprint squad, managed the Micro League team and helped produce a string of impressive results.

Darwen Rangers FC is one of the success stories of the borough and that is thanks largely to club founder Bill Stemp and others who have carried on his hard work – club colleague Mike Leighton won a merit in the coach of the year award.

Under Bill’s tenure, Rangers won the FA North West Charter Standard Club of the year in 2006 while Bill himself won the top coach award.

He is a previous Sports Council coach of the year winner and his enthusiasm, energy and dedication is richly rewarded in the Special Recognition Award.

June Steele and Sue Whittaker also fall in to the same category as Bill when it comes to dedication to sport – and for that they both achieved the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Sue has been involved with the development of badminton in the borough for many years.

She set up the Westholme Badminton Club to helped youngsters gain match experience, has helped organised tournaments in the borough while on the court Sue has played for Blackburn, Lancashire and England – and, in recent years, became a European Veterans Champion.

June is a founder member of the Sports Council and has been involved in wide variety of sports as a player and as a coach.

Like Sue she was heavily involved in badminton but it is in netball where her true devotion has stood out.

She helped set up the nine court floodlit netball at Witton Park and as served the sport at county, regional and national level.

The awards are also about celebrating the future and that was underlined in the young volunteer and rising star categories.

Danielle Marr’s work at Blackburn with Darwen Acrobatic Gymnastics Club earned her the young volunteer of the year award.

She became a volunteer trainee assistant coach and continues to provide training sessions for gymnasts leading up to competitions.

And Sophie Charnock’s dancing abilities saw her win the rising star award.

Dancing since the age of three, Sophie has achieved intermediate ballet (RAD) and intermiadiate tap (IDTA).

She attends the CAT centre at the Lowry Theatre and successfully auditioned out of hundreds of applicants to study contemporary dance.

Roll of honour

Team of the year: Mill Hill FC Under 13s

School team of the year: Our Lady and St John’sTrampoline team

Community club of the year: winner: Blackburn Community Sports Club

Merits: Jump Uk Trampoline Club Mill Hill Football Club Newrad Angling Club Official of the year
winner: Debbie Riley (community sports)
merit: Mike Leighton (football)

Coach of the year: Lee Orrell (swimming)

Lifetime achievement: June Steele (netball)

Sue Whittaker (badminton)

Rising Star: Sophie Charnock (dancing)

Special recognition: Bill Stemp (football)

Sports Personality: Shakeeb Ali (boxing)

Lynn Hindle Award: Debbie Riley

Bursary awards: Sophie Hitchon, Karl Billington, Paul Bradshaw.