Everybody likes to win awards but some people are slightly more shocked and surprised to receive them than others -- step forward Sara Thompson!

For the Ribble Valley Netball Club coach has just been honoured with a Special Recognition to Sport award in the recent Lancashire Sports awards.

Sara doesn't know whether to be flattered, embarrassed, shocked or thrilled -- but it's probably a mixture of all the emotions.

"Obviously, it is a great honour to receive the award but I would have to admit I was very shocked. I am involved in netball simply because I enjoy being involved in the sport. But to get this recognition is wonderful."

Had you mentioned a decade ago that she would win this award the reaction would probably have been stunned silence.

For back then, there was no Ribble Valley Netball Club and Sara's only involvement in the sport was as a teacher at Pendle County Primary School.

"I don't come from a netball background," admits Sara who was born and brought up in Birmingham. "I played a bit when I was in school but sailing was the sport I was involved in. You tend to do what the rest of your family does when you are a child and that was sailing."

You couldn't pick a sport further away from netball but it was a sport Sara was very good at.

Competing in the dinghy class, Sara was the Scottish National Champion and was also crowned female National Champion.

Sara moved to the Clitheroe area 16 years ago and started teaching at Pendle County Primary two years later where she was reintroduced to the sport of netball.

"I was teaching and I was asked if I wanted to start teaching netball. I thought I would give it a go and I have been involved every since."

Involved is certainly one way to describe Sara's association with netball -- dedicated and committed would be nearer the mark.

For seven years ago she helped set up Ribble Valley Netball Club which was eventually set to change the shape of the sport in the area.

"I was asked if I would be interested in forming the club," recalls Sara. "I thought why not give it a go."

Sara formed the club alongside Cath Lee with former England international Marion Lofthouse acting as coach.

"Back then, we had about 13 or 14 girls on our books. It was certainly a lot different than it is today. We struggled to keep on to our best players." Sara vowed that from the very start, the club would never turn away any players who wanted to play netball, a proud record the club boasts to this day.

"There are certain clubs who are only interested in attracting top players but we said from the start that we wouldn't turn away anyone who wanted to play netball, whatever standard they are. I am glad to say that is still the case today."

It would be fair to say that Sara is passionate about her sport.

"I have always said that sport is important in the development of a youngster. Of course it helps with fitness but it develops social skills, discipline and is a great way of making friends."

And there are a lot of friends at Ribble Valley Netball Club.

The club, which struggled to hold on to its players when it first started out, now has 200 girls playing for 15 teams. It boasts players who have been drafted in to county and national squads and later this month, its under 16s team will compete in the National Netball Championships in Manchester. The club has teams competing in leagues in Bolton, Manchester, Clitheroe and Blackburn. Holly Landless has just been drafted in to the England under 17s squad and she has been joined by Jenna Woodcock, Alice Waterhouse, Anna Rowlandson and Amy Forster in the England High Performance squad.

The five also represent Lancashire along with Candice and Jasmin Lightbown, Kate Cavanagh and Jyoti Abroti.

Gone are the days when Ribble Valley had to wave goodbye to their best players. The club's progress has largely been down to the hard work of Sara who took sole responsibility five years ago after Cath Lee left the club.

"That was quite daunting because I had always worked closely with Cath. But after she decided to give it up and decided to carry on with running the club."

With training or matches taking up five days of her week, it is good job that Sara has an understanding family. But it helps that her three daughters, Sophie, Chloe and Josephine, have all played for the club while her husband Peter is, as Sara says, very tolerate.

"Pete is very supportive and besides it allows him time to go off and play his golf! The girls have all been involved, or are still involved in the club, which for me is very pleasing. Chloe is a member of our squad that will compete in the national finals next month."

Despite being a Level Two coach and a qualified umpire, Sara leaves the coaching to the club's elite teams to Anna Newell, Ribble Valley's head coach.

"Anna has played at the highest level and is a very good coach. It is great to have her here working with the club."

Laura Blombly and Paula Lightbown make up the coaching staff at Ribble Valley where Sara tends to coach the social sides.

She said: "I really enjoy working with the younger players. It is great to see them enjoying themselves and girls just being girls. It gives me just as much pleasure working with them as it does seeing our older teams getting to national finals."

The club has big plans for the future and have already set about forming an under 19s team which Anna Newell is determined to get in to National Super League.

Closer to home, Sara craves the day when the club can have a permanent base.

"Sports facilities in Clitheroe are very scarce and we have had to move around over the years. We currently train at Ribblesdale High School and courts are being built at Clitheroe Rugby Club."

If it is down to hard work, then Sara will no doubt get her wish.