Coach of the Year Finalists 2011

The coaches aiming to lift the prestigious national coach of the year titles for 2011 have now been revealed.

After sifting through a record number of entries, a panel of judges - which included representatives of governing bodies, young people, sports coach UK, disability sport and Sport Wales - have managed to whittle down the nominations and find their favourites.

This year's category finalists are:

Male Coach of the Year

Tony Borg                             Boxing                         Newport                                 

Andrew Humphreys                Golf                             Powys/Mid Wales

Rheinalt Williams                   Football                      Llanidloes

Female Coach of the Year

Jean Foster                             Netball                        Rhondda Cynon Taff             

Helen James                           Athletics                      Cardiff

Mair Phillips                             Karate                        Carmarthen    

Volunteer of the Year

Collette Richards                    Tennis                        Swansea        

Gerry Mann                            Rugby Union               Pontypool

Stuart Robson                         Football                     Caerphilly

Coach of the Year to Disabled Sportspeople

Anthony Hughes                     Disability Athletics       Vale of Glamorgan

Dan Grant                               Rowing                      Cardiff

Philip Selway                          Judo                           Pontypool

Alwyn Heath                           Karate                         Pontypridd

Young Coach/Leader of the Year

Jamie Turley                           Multi-Sports                 Flintshire

Ainsley Richards                     Multi-Sports                 Swansea

Steven Thomas                      Multi-Sports                 Flintshire

High Performance Coach of the Year

Malcolm Arnold                       Athletics

Melissa Hyndman                   Netball

Brendan Rodgers                    Football

Contribution to Coach Development of the Year

Ryan Jenkins                          Table Tennis              Pontypridd

Kerry-Ann Sheppard               Badminton                   Cardiff

Catherine Roberts                   Netball                        Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire

*More details on the finalists are available on request. Pictures and further details on the finalists will also be issued before the awards ceremony.

Chair of Sport Wales, Professor Laura McAllister said:

"We have an outstanding group of finalists and I'm looking forward to meeting them and hearing more about their inspirational work in Welsh sport."

The winners will be announced in a ceremony at the Sport Wales National Centre, Cardiff, on Wednesday 16^th November 2011.

The Sport Wales Coach of the Year accolade will be awarded to one of the category winners.

For more information visit: www.sportwales.org.uk/coachoftheyear.aspx .