Michaela Harte - Vote for your Sporting Hero

[ziggysego]

The BBC is once again inviting nominations for the nation's Sports Unsung Hero.

Now in its sixth year, the award, supported by Robinsons, is given to a volunteer who has made a difference to their community through sport.

Fifteen local winners are chosen by each BBC English region as well as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

They will then join a star-studded guest list at the Sports Personality of the Year awards ceremony at the Echo Arena in Liverpool on 14 December.

The overall winner is then decided by a judging panel including representatives from the BBC's Nations and Regions, plus previous Unsung Hero winners.

Bursaries of up to £2,500 are also available to the winners of each regional award to help them with their work in sport.

A local BBC panel of judges will choose a shortlist of regional nominees and the winner will be announced at a regional BBC Sports Awards event.

So if you know someone in your area who goes an extra mile to change the lives of others through sport and deserves recognition, we want to hear from you.

You can nominate people who, on a voluntary basis, prepare facilities, roll the pitch, coach the juniors, run local sports leagues or work behind the scenes so that sport can be played and enjoyed throughout the UK.

To nominate your Unsung Hero, either fill in the form on this page and click "Submit" or, if you prefer, print it off by clicking here, then fill it in and send it to the address on the form.

NOMINATION FORM

Process of nominations
All nominations must come from the public.
No nominations will be accepted from companies.
The closing date for nominations is Friday 31st October 2008.
(The postal & e-mail addresses to send the completed nomination form to are below)

The criteria for Nomination
Nominees cannot nominate themselves or be nominated by a member of their immediate family.
Nominees must be 16 years or over on 1st January 2008. There is no upper age limit.
Nominees must actively help others participate in sport at any level.
They must do so on a voluntary basis - without any financial reward. They can recover expenses, but nothing over and above that.
It cannot be part of their job - it cannot take place within their normal work place or facilities.
Those being helped must be amateurs.
The person being nominated must not be a playing participant in the sporting group they are helping.
The Sports Unsung Hero must be an individual.
They cannot have won any previous BBC Sports Unsung Hero Award.
Employees of BBC, BBC Worldwide and Robinsons, as well as their immediate families, are not eligible for nomination

I hope that all Gaels will folk for Michaela and get her nominated and hopefully become regional winner.

[Minder]

I wouldnt exactly call him an "unsung hero" Ziggy

[ziggysego]

I wouldnt exactly call him an "unsung hero" Ziggy

Semantics

[the green man]

I hope that all Gaels will folk for Mickey and get him nominated and hopefully become regional winner.

Time to get the banjos out then

[maggie]

Good call Zig- but two questions.
Can you post the link to nominate and can we just copy your reason (still have have migrane so not in creative frame of mind!)

[pintsofguinness]

You can nominate people who, on a voluntary basis, prepare facilities, roll the pitch, coach the juniors, run local sports leagues or work behind the scenes so that sport can be played and enjoyed throughout the UK.

Not exactly Mickey is it?

I think the award is for people who haven't had their achievements or commitments recognised.

[saffron sam2]

ziggy, you are talking balls.

Here's the 2006 winner.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tv_and_radio/6191206.stm

Tell me how Mickey Harte competes with that.

[maggie]

You can nominate people who, on a voluntary basis, prepare facilities, roll the pitch, coach the juniors, run local sports leagues or work behind the scenes so that sport can be played and enjoyed throughout the UK.

Not exactly Mickey is it?

I think the award is for people who haven't had their achievements or commitments recognised.

But he could still be regarded as an unsung hero in the sense that he has gained respect for his achievements on this island, but this could be the opportunity to do so on a wider scale, and im sure when he first started managing the minors, he did do the behind the scene jobs.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Somehow, I don't think that Mickey could care about this, perhaps quite the reverse.

[pintsofguinness]

But he could still be regarded as an unsung hero in the sense that he has gained respect for his achievements on this island, but this could be the opportunity to do so on a wider scale, and im sure when he first started managing the minors, he did do the behind the scene jobs.

It isnt an award for people who did behind the scenes jobs before their sport recognised, it's for people who do tremendous work behind the scenes who are never recognised, Mickey has been recognised for his work in the GAA, he's not an unsung hero.

[gorm agus bui]

What about Charlie McAlinden, the wee referee from Castlewellan who would do maybe a game in the morning in Newcastle, one in Downpatrick in the afternoon and then another in the evening in Dromara, and travels to them all by pushbike.
Well deserving of recognition

[ONeill]

He shouldn't have lost to Down.

Ziggy, I think you've misjudged this a wee bit.

[give her dixie]

He got my vote.
Good man Ziggy

[maggie]

He shouldn't have lost to Down.

Ziggy, I think you've misjudged this a wee bit.

Eh?

[Kerry Mike]

I'm giving one to Micheala Harte.


A vote that is, she does loads of work behind the scenes, most of it unseen and ia a vital cog in the success of Tyrone.