After a lapse of a year due to Covid-19, the Central Otago Sports Awards (COSA) are back on the calendar with nominations closing at 5:00pm next Friday (April 9).

These awards aim to recognise the achievements of the sportsperson who by his or her performance, service and example has performed to an elite level and expressed the ideals of true sportsmanship. 

Sport Central’s community advisor for Wanaka Tiny Carruthers said the awards usually attract some illustrious names: “Dougal Allan, Braden Currie, Alice Robinson, Nico Porteous and Zoi Sadowski–Synnott come to mind,” he said. 

Central Otago’s sports region stretches from Maniototo to Roxburgh, Kingston to Glenorchy, Cardrona to Makaroa and all points in between.

The nomination period for each athlete covers their performance from January 1 2020 to March 31 2021 and Tiny is encouraging all regional sports organisations, clubs, coaches, whanau/family or individuals to make the effort to nominate well performed athletes from their code. 

Wanaka Rowing Club crews were nominated in the team category of the last COSA’s held in 2019. PHOTO: Supplied

There are nine categories which include junior and senior sportspeople, male and female, as well as Spirit of Central awards for both junior and senior sportspeople who display the values of grassroots sport in Central Otago and show an outstanding contribution to sport in the region.

There are also categories for team of the year, coach of the year and the John Fitzharris Services to Sport award. 

The Supreme Award, the Bruce Grant Memorial Trophy, is chosen from senior, junior and team award winners.

Tiny said he’s excited by the calibre of the judging panel assembled for this year’s event, including former NZ international representative in both netball and basketball Belinda Colling and New Zealand Order of Merit recipient Tony Lepper. 

This year’s awards are sponsored by Mitre 10 MEGA and guidelines and nomination forms are on the Sport Otago website.

Finalists will be notified by Friday April 16 and the awards celebration will be held at the Wanaka Golf Club on Tuesday, May 4 at 7:00pm.