Nominations Open for 2017 gsport Awards

Nominations are open for the 2017 gsport Awards, a 20-week window for the nomination of candidates across seventeen categories, including Athlete of the Year, Athlete of the Year with Disability, Junior Athlete of the Year and Coach of the Year.

(Click here to visit the 2017 gsport Awards Nominations Page)

Aimed at promoting South African women in sport, the annual gsport Awards has been running since 2006, when Atlanta Double Olympian gold medal winner Penny Heyns was inducted as the inaugural gsport Hall of Fame recipient 10 years after she became the first – and to date the only – double Olmpic gold medal winner for South Africa.

Having been endorsed by Sport and Recreation South Africa in 2015, gsport strives to bring recognition to those who deserve to be honoured on the biggest stage, for their contribution to the ideals of SA women in sport.

As before, all qualifying candidates are also encouraged to nominate themselves directly.

After nominations close on 1 July, gsport’s judging panel will deliberate to identify the top three finalists, after which they join public voters to cast their vote for the winner in each category.

To allow for an audit of gsport’s processes, nominations must be submitted via the gsport website (gsport.co.za/nominations), and winners will be announced at the 2017 gsport Awards in August.

2017 gsport Awards Public Nominations are sought for these Categories:

1. Athlete of the Year – This award will go to a sportswoman 18 years and older who has excelled at an international or senior level during the Year under Review*, serving as inspiration for other women to make their mark on the record books.
2. Athlete of the Year with Disability – Traditionally one of the big voting categories each year, this Award aims to raise the profile of women’s sport with disability in SA, and is based on performances during the Year under Review*.
3. Emerging Athlete of the Year – This award is presented to an emerging sportswoman of any age, who has excelled at a national and provincial level during the Year under Review*. It honours the stars of tomorrow to inspire them to sporting greatness.
4. School Sports Star of the Year – This award will go to a sportswoman under the age of 18 who has excelled athletically. The focus is on personal improvement during the Year under Review*.
5. Team of the Year – This award will go to a team of sportswomen of any age, who have excelled as a unit during the Year under Review*.
6. Coach of the Year – This Award is presented to a coach (any gender) who made a significant impact on women’s sport during the Year under Review* and is actively involved in growing the careers of South Africa’s leading sportswomen.
7. Woman of the Year – This Award recognises a formidable woman who is breaking barriers and making strides in the business of sport, as an administrator or official. She dedicates her life to the development and success of South African sport, particularly women’s sport.
8. Woman in Media: Social Media – This category seeks excellence in two measures – success as a woman in sports media; and (being involved in) creating powerful online content about SA women in sport. This Award will be won by the candidate who is able to demonstrate a convincing edge using Social Media in either or both focuses during the Year under Review*.
9. Woman in Media: Print – This category seeks excellence in two measures – success as a woman in sports media; and (being involved in) creating powerful journalist content about SA women in sport. This Award will be won by the candidate who is able to demonstrate a convincing edge as a print journalist in either or both focuses during the Year under Review*.
10. Woman in Media: Radio – This category seeks excellence in two measures – success as a woman in sports media; and (being involved in) creating powerful journalist content about SA women in sport. This Award will be won by the candidate who is able to demonstrate a convincing edge as a radio journalist in either or both focuses during the Year under Review*.
11. Woman in Media: Television – This category seeks excellence in two measures – success as a woman in sports media; and (being involved in) creating powerful journalist content about SA women in sport. This Award will be won by the candidate who is able to demonstrate a convincing edge as a television journalist in either or both focuses during the Year under Review*.
12. Style Star – This award recognises a vibrant South African woman in sport who has become synonymous with a leading sense style and elegance during the Year under Review*, serving as an inspiration to all women.
13. Volunteer of the Year – Volunteers are the backbone of amateur sport. This award recognises an individual (any gender) or organisation that selflessly have of their time and/or resources during the Year under Review* to help raise the profile of women’s sport in South Africa.
14. Supporter of the Year – gsport is seeking nominations for those special family members (any gender) and others who helped to make SA women athletes’ dreams come true during the Year under Review*.
15. Special Recognition Award – This Awards seeks to reward contributions beyond the call of duty, which are widely acknowledged to have made a positive impact for the good of SA women in sport.
16. Sponsor of the Year – The concept of sponsorship of SA women in sport is steadily becoming less rare an occurrence, and this Award seeks to applaud the Commercial Sponsor best known during the Year under Review* for moving this cause forwards.
17. Federation of the Year – All Sports Federations are focusing time and resources on developing the twin requirements of women’s athletic potential, and including women in leadership positions and governing structures. Which Federation has made the greatest strides in the Year under Review*?

* For categories which specify the Year under Review among its qualifying criteria, the performance window for the 2017 gsport Awards is the year from 1 July 2016 to 30 June, 2017.

gsport seeks the following information supporting nominations:

• Name and contact details of the person submitting the nomination
• Name and contact details of the nominee
• Which category the candidate is being nominated in
• A few compelling reasons why the person being nominated should be considered for an award at the 2017 gsport Awards

Photo 1 caption: Nominations for the 2017 gsport Awards have opened. Screengrab: gsport

Photo 2 caption: Sports and Recreation Minister Fikile Mbalula (2nd right, front row) pictured with winners of the 2016 SPAR gsport Awards, (Back row, from left) Carol Tshabalala, Karen Losch (Wheelchair Tennis SA), Charné Bosman, Motshidisi Mohono, Rachel Makhura, Caster Semenya, Tebogo  Selebogo (National Lotteries Commission), Penny Heyns, Odessa Swarts and Tanya Mostert (Free State Crinums), (second row) Janine Van Wyk, Kgothatso Montjane, Zelda Hansen, Busisiwe Mokwena, Mignon du Preez, Lena Sithole (Worldwide Sport), and (Front row) Mama Joy Chauke, Nokwanda Hlongwane, Minister Fikile Mbalula, Faith Sibeko, hosted at The Venue in Melrose Arch, Johannesburg, on Saturday, 27 August, 2016. Photo: M Sports Marketing

Photo 3 caption: 2016 SPAR gsport Awards judges (from left) Cheryl Roberts, Pietie Coetzee, Zanele Mdodana and Uyanda Mbuli. Photo: gsport