Sponsored by
Calderdale Sports Awards 2009: Oh what a night
HUNDREDS of sporting stars young and old celebrated local sport at the Courier Sports Awards 2009.
The event - the first of its kind organised by the Courier - saw a host of talent pick up awards across 21 categories at a glittering ceremony at the Victoria Theatre in Halifax.
Managing Director of the Halifax Courier Helen Oldham said: "The first ever Courier Sports Awards were a tremendous success.
"Over 400 people attended the event which celebrated the success of local sports people and teams from across the district.
"The event was hosted by former England and Halifax Rugby League star John Bentley whose enthusiasm and controversial wit helped make the evening a truly memorable one."
She paid tribute to "the tremendous achievements of all the winners; young and old, able-bodied and disabled."
She thanked the sponsors of each award along with the main sponsors of the event - NHS Calderdale and Calderdale Council.
The categories included two awards whose winners were chosen by Courier readers via a text vote.
These were Professional Sportsman of the Year, sponsored by Swinton Insurance, which was won by Luke O'Brien from Bradford City FC.
And the other was Amateur Football Player of the Year, sponsored by the Courier, which was won by John Booth from Halifax Saturday League side Luddenden Foot.
There were other awards to recognise the broader range of contribution to sport by those who work behind the scenes.
Some of Calderdale's top sport stars were guest presenters, invited on stage to announce the winners and give them their prizes.
They included former Yorkshire cricketer Stuart Fletcher, who is currently cricket manager for Elland, and was presenting the Cricket Player of the Year award.
Presenting the Cricket Club of the Year was senior-vice president of the Halifax Cricket League Terry Wynne, while trophy-winning former Halifax Rugby Union coach Kevin McCallion was giving the Amateur Rugby Union Player of the Year and Amateur Rugby Union Club of the Year awards.
George Mulhall, who was manager of Halifax Town when they won the Conference championship in 1998, presented the Amateur Football Player of the Year and the Amateur Football Club of the Year awards.
And Wilf George – a former winger and a Halifax Rugby League legend, who scored a try at Wembley to help Fax win the Challenge Cup in 1987 – gave away the Amateur Rugby League Player of the Year and Amateur Rugby League Club of the Year awards. Other presenters included Halifax Rugby League legend Mick Scott, former Fax player and coach at Old Rishworthians Rugby Union Club Jamie Bloem, FC Halifax Town striker Neil Ross, former rugby league player and team manager Peter Emmett, former president of Halifax Harriers Athletics Club Philip Hellawell, and former Great Britain International Rugby League player and Bradford Bulls star Karl Fairbank.
Deputy Mayor David O'Neill presented the awards sponsored by Calderdale Council and NHS Calderdale – who were the main sponsors for the whole evening – Calderdale Sports Club of the Year and Sports Club-Disability Sports Award.
Email to a friend
Print this page- A58 crash UPDATE: road now re-open after man hit by car earlier this morning
- Crash on the A58 in Halifax this morning UPDATE: Man in hospital with several broken bones
- Taxi worker dies aged 35 after finishing his shift
- Man suffers serious injuries in accident on M62
- How the new Halifax Central Library will look
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Halifax
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -2 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 2 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North west
