ICC Europe Announces ECB Sky Sports Regional Award winners
The European winners of the ECB Sky Sports Coach Awards 2011 have been announced today with three outstanding talents being recognised in Europe.
Guernsey Cricket Board, Cricket Ireland and Cricket Scotland all have winners for this year's awards that recognise individuals who have made a significant contribution to the support and development of coaches and coaching in cricket.
Mike Kinder of Guernsey Cricket Association was honoured with the Outstanding Contribution and Services to Cricket Coaching Award for his dedication to the development of cricket. In his early years he set up the Sheffield Boys Cricket Scheme, where he was posted as Master in Charge of Cricket at Elizabeth College, a post which is still held 26 years later. He also held the post of ECB Cricket Development Officer for five years; before he set up the Guernsey Association of Cricket Coaches in 1984; which included the responsibility of organising the Guernsey Cricket Coaching Scheme, which he ran for over 20 years.
The Outstanding Coaching Award was awarded to Ireland's Andy McCrea. McCrea as a volunteer carefully balanced out his work-load with his full time profession. Andy has been at the forefront of many projects, namely overseeing huge growth in junior player participation levels through his tireless work as a coach and leader of the club's coaching team. As well as on club and school links; the club caters for boys and girls as young as five to 17.
The final award goes to Jamie Burton of Scotland for Young Coach of the Year Award. Burton was leading Coach of the Cricket Scotland ?Western Regional Academy' junior squad (U14) for two seasons and as an exciting young coach, he is dynamic and proactive and provides a great coaching environment. Jamie is a role model for other young coaches who wish to make an impact on the lives of young players and climb the coaching ranks.
ICC Regional Development Manager Europe, Richard Holdsworth who chaired selection of the winners said: "The ECB Sky Sports Coach Awards are fantastic for coaches in Europe as it reveals the great work that many are doing. The three winners thoroughly deserve their awards for their success in each different category.
"Mike Kinder, Andy McCrea and Jamie Burton have all shown great dedication and enthusiasm to the development of cricket; their outstanding work is a great contribution to our growing game" added Holdsworth.
Sky Sports sponsorship of ECB Coach Education once again allows the ECB Coaches Association an opportunity to identify nominations for the annual Sky Sports Coach Awards. Now entering their fifth year, the awards are a way of saying thank you to people who have made a significant contribution to the support and development of coaches and coaching in cricket. These regional awards will now be put forward for the national awards.