People talk of their sporting heroes as stars such as Rob Howley, Ryan Giggs and Colin Jackson – admittedly with good reason.
But arguably those who are more worthy of being labelled heroes are the scores of coaches and other volunteers who enable grassroots sports to function and who are, because of their very nature, predictably ignored by all but the most local of media.
Without those who put in such an effort to coach, organise, cook for, and transport grassroots teams and clubs, the hundreds of thousands who take part in such activities would not be able to do so.
So it is events like the Sport Wales’ Coach of the Year Awards, held this afternoon at the Swalec Stadium at Cardiff’s Sophia Gardens, which provide deserved recognition to those who represent – without wishing to descend into hyperbole – the true lifeblood of Welsh sport.
Sport Wales is effectively the Welsh national sports body, overseeing all levels of sport and recreation in Wales. In its own words:
“We are the national organisation responsible for developing and promoting sport and physical activity in Wales.
We are the main adviser on sporting matters to the Welsh Government and are responsible for distributing National Lottery funds to both elite and grassroots sport in Wales.
We fully subscribe to the Welsh Government’s vision for a physically active and sporting nation, as outlined in their strategies Climbing Higher and Creating an Active Wales.
We aim to not only improve the level of sports participation at grassroots level but also provide our aspiring athletes with the support required to compete successfully on the world stage.”
The Coach of the Year Awards, which have been held since the 1970s, recognise achievement in a range of different aspects of sport.
Professor Laura McAllister, Chair of Sport Wales and former Welsh football captain, told guests the awards came at the end of an extremely good year for Welsh sport, pointing to the success of hurdler Dai Greene, the recent form of the football side as well as the Rugby World Cup exploits.
But Prof McAllister insisted that represented only the very tip of the Principality’s sporting iceberg, and she issued a rallying call to continue the work at grassroots level and to take advantage of this so-called golden decade of sport, with the UK hosting the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the 2014 Commonwealth Games, the 2015 Rugby World Cup and the 2017 World Athletics Championships among other events.
“There is more work to be done,” she said in opening the ceremony. “We all know that and we in this room know that more clearly than anyone.
“We have to continue to raise the bar even higher. We do not want to be left behind.”
It is those who do work like today’s nominees who are integral to the future sporting success of this country.
Each finalist had filmed a short clip explaining why they did what they did. Helen James, awarded the female community coach of the year gong for her work with the Cardiff Amateur Athletics Club, summed up the motivation of volunteers like her:
“I love athletics and I love Cardiff – and that is why I do it, really.”
That message was repeated over and over again. “I am eager to work with talented young athletes,” said long-serving athletics coach Malcolm Arnold, who has coached Greene and Jackson among hundreds of other athletes.
“It is not hard to come to work.”
Anthony Hughes, head coach and national programme manager for the Elite Disability Athletics Programme and who has helped turn Wales into one of the most successful disability sporting nations, pound-for-pound, picked up the coveted overall prize.
Huw Lewis AM, Sports Minister in the Welsh Assembly Government, presented Mr Hughes with his accolade, but paid tribute to all the finalists: “Those who inspire others are almost invariably very modest and unassuming – that is why it is very important for us as a community and as a country to recognise the work they do.”
Mr Hughes’ words reflected a theme running right through the ceremony – namely something resembling embarrassment that the service he and others provide should be deemed worthy of rewarding:
“I do this because I love what I do. The people who move me are the people who turn out week after week after week. I do it with a passion because I want people to achieve. I want to retire knowing I have achieved everything. I am very lucky because I get to do those things I love.”
The reluctance of Anthony Hughes and other prize-winners to acknowledge they are deserving of such tributes is perhaps a natural reaction to being recognised for work they do not think twice about carrying out.
But it is not people like Anthony who should be grateful – it is anyone and everyone who participates in sport at any level. Unsung heroes such as Anthony provide the platform for grassroots sport and also lay the foundations for elite success.
Gratitude and recognition is the least their efforts deserve.
Full list of winners:
Female Community Coach: Helen James, Cardiff Amateur Athletics Club
Male Community Coach: Tony Borg, St Joseph’s Amateur Boxing Club, Newport
Volunteer: Stuart Robson, Caerphilly Castle Ladies and Girls Football Club
Coach to Disabled People: Anthony Hughes, Elite Disability Athletics Programme
Contribution to Coach Development: Ryan Jenkins, Table Tennis Association of Wales
Young Coach/Volunteer: Steve Thomas, Olympic Young Ambassador, Flintshire
High Performance: Malcolm Arnold, UK Athletics
Special Achievement: Gwyndaf Hughes, Sailing, and Stuart Conner, Gymnastics
Coach of the Year: Anthony Hughes
An Early Bath 