Watties Volunteer Coach of the Year

Watties Volunteer Coach of the Year 2008 - Nominations now open

Watties is on a nationwide search to discover New Zealand's volunteer coaches. All volunteer coaches deserve to be stars, so nominate yours today! Make a nomination and your coach could be rewarded with up o $3000 towards coaching development or equipment. Nominations close 10 July 2008! Nominate online at www.watties.co.nz.

New Categories in 2007

Last year, the Wattie’s Volunteer Coach of the Year Award is recognising even more volunteer coaches.  Four new categories have been introduced to acknowledge a wider range of coaches with different levels of experience.

The new categories are as follows:

Student - an intermediate or high school-aged coach 

This recognises young coaches (intermediate or high school age) who are volunteering their time to coach their peers or younger students at their schools or clubs. It would be valuable to promote this category to local intermediate and secondary schools, and even to the junior grade sections of local sports clubs (ie midget football, Small Blacks rugby etc).

Newcome - coaching for five years or less

This category is for anyone who is currently coaching a team, but has been involved in coaching for less than five years. They will generally be mums and dads, aunts and uncles, parents and teachers who give up their time week in, week out.  This is a good category to highlight to clubs, as well as to school teachers.

General - coaching for more than five years but not yet a lifetime

This category is for the coaches who give up their time week in, week out, and have been doing so for a while (ie longer than five years).  Most clubs will have a least one person like this in their ranks.

Lifetime - coaching for a long time

This is an award for people who have committed their time over a long period, and for whom this involvement in coaching has been a regular, significant contribution. It could be a club coach, or a long serving teacher, and will be someone highly-deserving of recognition for their great volunteer service over a long time.

From 25th June to 1st August 2007, sports teams and athletes will be asked to say ‘thanks’ and nominate their volunteer coach. To receive an awards information pack, including promotional posters and entry forms to display around your school or club, email coach@watties.co.nz with all your contact details.

Previous Regional Winners

Who qualifies ?

Anyone who coaches at a club or school level, in any sport (not at a representative level) can be nominated.  Wattie's Volunteer Coach of the Year recognises coaches for their volunteer, unpaid coaching.  This is an important factor in the judging process, so tell us all about what your volunteer coach does on a voluntary basis.  In particular, highlight the past year of coaching.