Rushcliffe School has successfully hosted the third annual Family of Schools Sports Awards.
Over 100 local students were recognised for their sporting achievements in front of an audience of 300 guests. Awards were categorised as for sporting effort, leadership or excellence; and were again presented by former Rushcliffe student and Olympic medallist Sam Oldham.
Having represented Team GB as a member of the medal-winning British Men’s Artistic Gymnastics squad, Sam spoke about the hard work and dedication needed to succeed in sport. Paying testament to Rushcliffe’s history as a centre for UK gymnastics, he looked forward to an audience which included a number of aspiring gymnasts of national standard becoming the next generation of UK medal-winners.
PE teacher and awards host Mike Shaw said: “This is the second year Sam has presented the awards and the school is very grateful and appreciative of him for doing so. His talk and question and answer session was the highlight of the evening.”
Head of PE Lyndon Crawley said the sports awards were designed to encourage the next generation of local students. While pointing particularly to the legacy of exceptional sporting performance at Rushcliffe School, Mr Crawley said that sports is about participation and effort above all.
Year 11 student and international swimmer Kyra Macdonald was a runner up for the outstanding performance award. Kyra thanked the school and staff for the support she has received while concentrating on her sporting ambitions, which have included recent travel to the Caribbean to compete in the CARIFTA and CCAN games.
The school thanked the local businesses who have again made the sports awards possible, including Planet Bounce, Loughborough Lightning, Liss Sports and Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club – the generous donors supplying Nuts the Squirrel as a mascot for the evening.