Morley launches search for unsung hero

Rugby star Adrian Morley has launched the BBC Sports Unsung Hero Award 2009 in the North West region to search for and honour individuals from the world of grassroots sport.
Morley (pictured in action right) knows how important these contributions are and credits his own unsung hero Alfrieda Kindon – secretary of Eccles and Salford Juniors Amateur Rugby League Football Club – with making him the success he is today.
Speaking at the Eccles based club, where he played from the age of 11 to 17, he said: “I think it’s fantastic that this award is available to recognise the people who make a real difference with their time and energy and expect nothing in return – these people are true heroes”.
Turning professional was, he says, down to Alfrieda and the other volunteers like her. “Without the time and effort they gave me I would not have developed into the player I am. They do fantastic work getting kids off the street and giving them a chance.”
Alfrieda has devoted 32 years of her life to the club and seen hundreds of kids pass through its doors. For her Adrian’s success is just the icing on the cake because the work that she and the other volunteers do is also about making a difference to young people lives.
“Adrian’s achievement is fantastic but a bigger part of it is that he is a role model. Achievement isn’t just about turning professional. A child can come to us with very little confidence then over a matter of weeks we can see a completely different child. They gain confidence and they learn respect and discipline, a season here can see their life taking a different track.” she says.
Nominations should be made for people who go the extra mile to change the lives of others through sport and who deserved to be recognised for their selfless work on the part of others.
Nominees should be 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 by people throughout the UK.
Once the nomination process has been completed, a shortlist of nominees in each area is chosen by a panel made up of BBC regional sports staff, local sporting figures and other independent community figures, with a winner being picked by that judging panel.
A winner is chosen in each BBC English Region and in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Each winner then gets the chance to join the sporting stars of today at BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2009 at the Sheffield Arena in December, where the overall BBC Sports Unsung Hero winner is announced.
Nominations for the BBC Sports Unsung Hero Award 2009 can be made at www.bbc.co.uk/sportsunsunghero or www.bbc.co.uk/northwesttonight using a printable form. Nomination forms are also available from at BBC Local Radio stations and BBC Regional Centres. Nominations can be made up until Friday October 30.
BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2009, held for the first time at the Sheffield Arena, will be broadcast live on BBC One at 7pm on Sunday December 13.