In a glittering ceremony held in March 2023 at the BENN Hall, the Rugby Sports Awards with the GLL Sports Foundation awarded 73 Rugby athletes, ranging from £100 and free gym membership for the year, up to £7,000 financial support, access to physiotherapy and all GLL leisure sites.

The winners of the main category awards were as follows.

The Unsung Hero 'Volunteer' Award - sponsored by Warwickshire CAVA

This award is for an individual’s dedication and commitment to volunteering in sport during 2022, whose involvement is instrumental to the running of their sports club or organisation.

Jamie Lambert – Rugby Lions RFC Minis & Juniors

Jamie is a key figure in attracting young players to the sport of Rugby locally, creating a positive and fun learning environment for all the children, he spends long days recruiting new volunteer coaches, ensuring watching parents have access to a hot drink while watching on a cold Sunday morning! Organising events such as the end of season presentation and party and arranging fixtures with opposing teams. Jamie is the central point for all the minis queries, making everyone feel welcome

The Mark Gallagher Memorial Award for Coach of the Year

This award is given to a sports coach based in Rugby whose dedication and commitment has led to success for an individual, team or sports club during 2022

James Wright – Rugby and Northampton Athletics Club

James specialises in coaching athletes to sprint, hurdle and jump. With guidance and support from James, last year some of his athletes achievements included, breaking the Under 20 European Record for 400 metres Indoors, another athlete selected to represent Great Britain at the Under 20 World Athletics Championships, as well as a number of athletes breaking club records and qualifying for England Championships finals.

The Simon Warwood Memorial Award for Young Team of the Year

This is awarded to a junior sports team for their achievement and successes within their sport. We look at the team’s commitment, team spirit and sense of fair play as well as any awards and trophies they may have won during 2022.

Rugby and Northampton Athletics Club Lower Age Group YDL Team

This team had a great 2022. Winning all of the rounds of the Youth Development League and regional stages.

Lining up against the top seven clubs in the National UK Youth Development Final, they fell just three points shy of a win, finishing in second place in a thrilling finale!

The Lion Geoff Thompson - Young Volunteer of the Year - Sponsored by Rugby Rokeby Lions

This award is for anyone aged under 18 who lives or volunteers in a sports club or organisation in Rugby. It is awarded for their involvement and commitment to volunteering, being a positive role model, inspiring and engaging with the local community

Finley Hughes – Rugby Trampolining Club

Finley has been coaching with the Trampolining Club for the last 18 months. His calming manner, positivity and smile really spreads through the club.

Leading the warm-up and conditioning for sessions, Finley’s calm influence helps younger children relax and enjoy themselves. Finley also delivers the clubs online conditioning sessions twice a week, helping with athlete’s stamina, strength and flexibility. Finley’s club are very grateful for his hard work and commitment!

The Young Sports Person of the Year

This award sees one of our Excellence in Sport Award winners picked for their individual achievement and success throughout 2022. 

Joe Rowe

Joe is our World Champion sailer. Beating the best the world has to offer in his Topper dinghy.

The Club of the Year Award

This award is for a sports club based in Rugby who have achieved success in sport as well as their developmental initiatives.  This may include the development of coaches, officials and volunteers, any new opportunities for new and existing members which have been introduced, developing new sections or achieving Club accreditation.

Rugby Artistic Swimming Club

A club going from strength to strength, Rugby Artistic Swimming Club enjoyed a very successful season, culminating in finishing second in the national Combo Cup.

The club continues to nurture and development both swimmers and coaches, including one who has gained the highest judging qualification which will allow her to judge at international level including the Olympics. As well as several swimmers selected to train with Great Britain squads, the club continues to support young swimmers to coach several teams within the club.

The Sportsman of the Year Award

The sportsman of the year award recognises the achievements of our male athletes who have excelled on an individual level in their sport during 2022.

Kian Taylor-Jackson – Dance

Competing domestically and internationally as a member of the IDO streetdance squad. In 2022, Kian became British champion in a number of categories, including breakdance.

Travelling over to North Macedonia he secured a European Championship before taking 2nd place in the World Championships in Austria.

In July, Kian also performed as part of the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth games.

Sportswoman of the Year

This award recognises the individual achievement of our talented female athletes who have achieved sporting success during 2022

Kimberley Woods – Rugby Canoe Club

Rounding off our amazing sportspeople, 2022 saw Kimberley selected for the GB Canoe Slalom Team in 3 categories. Despite an injury affected start to the year she still managed to compete in the Slalom World Cup series making a number of finals.

Kimberley has also embraced the new Olympic discipline of Kayak Cross winning Silver at the World Championships in Germany and Gold at the World Cup in Slovenia, she’s currently ranked 2nd in the World.

The Lifetime Achievement Award

Jon Hughes - Draycote Water Sailing Club

Joining Draycote Water Sailing Club as a junior, Jon has been a member for over 40 years. Performing a range of additional roles for the club for over 17 years, he joined the Club Committee in the 1990s, serving as Rear Commodore Sail. His work saw a number of innovations in the racing programme at Draycote Water. Becoming Solo fleet captain for 5 years, the Solo fleet became one of the most active at the Club, largely due to Jon’s leadership.

Moving on to taking over the running of the Club’s Youth & Junior fleet in 2016, the Youth & Junior activity has increased dramatically, including Friday evenings race training and fun club for the less experienced sailors, and a very popular Saturday Youth Club.

With youth & Junior sailors competing on the national stage in a number of classes, thanks to Jon’s leadership, the Youth & Junior sailors have fun and make lasting friendships.

The Sailing Club presents its Commodore’s Cup each year to the member who the Committee feel has made the biggest contribution to the Club in that year. It is a reflection of Jon’s contribution that he’s been awarded this Cup 3 times since he has been running the Youth & Junior section.