2017 Annual Awards - Volunteer of the Year Awards Part 1 

We start to take a look at our finalists for the Volunteer of the Year Awards in preparation for the 2017 Annual Awards that will take place on 25th November, 6.30pm at JetPark in Auckland.

The District Winners for the Volunteer of the Year Awards are as follow:

• Northland - Gary Traill
• Auckland - Gabe Marsters
• Waikato - Awards Night Not Happened
• Bay of Plenty - Doug Taylor
• Wellington - Kent Hawkins
• Canterbury - Nic Dann
• Midlands - Vicki Rae
• Southland - Andrea Dudley

Winners from each of the 11 regional District Associations are put forward as contenders for the coveted National Award. When deciding the judging panel considers the following:

• Engagement - ability to inspire goodwill and develop others
• Commitment - evidence of contributing time and dedicated service
• Impact - signs of influence on the community to achieve results

Our first finalist is Nic Dann. Nic is a member of the Marlborough College Old Boys Squash Club. Nic's nomination reads as follows:

Club Squash

• Committee member for the Marlborough College Old Boys Squash Club 2016-2017
• Sole organiser social squash league Oct-Nov 2016, Feb-Mar 2017 called "Blowout Squash" involving taking names, creating draws, unlocking club, running the bar and correlating results for the 6-week block of the competitions.
• Sole organiser of competitive squash league, Feb-Mar 2017 called "Game, Mark, Go" involving taking names, creating draws, unlocking club, running the bar and correlating results for the 6-week block of the competition.
• Ran introduction to club coaching workshop in April
• Ran coaching workshop for members in May
• Supported with draw and running of J-Grade tournament hosted by the club
• General committee support for tournaments and other initiatives

Marlborough Squash

• Created the funding proposal and organised all junior players into Marlborough Coaching Development Squads for 2017 season.
• Organised the coaches of the Junior Development Squads with their squad times, venues and players, ready to start early in 2017
• Involved with discussion with Squash Canterbury on the support required from Squash Canterbury for the Clubs at the Top of the South
• Coached Junior Development Squad of 7 members during 2017 playing season
• Organised for Coaching courses to be run to develop more coaches in Marlborough for the later part of 2017 (outside of this nomination timeframe)

School Squash (Marlborough Boys College)

• Organised and ran the 22 members of the MBC College Squash Teams that attended three major tournaments requiring planing, management, coaching and attendance.
• Coached the school team of 7 players for the South Island Secondary School Champs in Christchurch in June
• Coached the school team of 21 players for the Tasman Secondary School Champs in Nelson in July
• Coached the school team of 11 players for the National Secondary School Tournament in Palmerston North in August
• Continues to support and grow the sport of squash at Marlborough Boys College as a volunteer service to the school NZ Secondary School Squash
• President of the NZ Secondary School Squash Association during this term, leading the NZSSSA committee, developing key relationships with Squash NZ, NZSS Sports Council, Regional Sporting Trusts and the many schools involved in Sec Schools National
• Selector of the NZSSSA team to complete in the Trans Tasman Exchange
• Facilitated the Nomination and Selection process of the NZSSS players involved in the Trans Tasman Exchange, complete with written guidelines for selection, policy development and other administrative tasks.
• Coached the NZSS Squash Team of 20 players who attended the Trans Tasman Exchange in Rock Hampton, Australia for their 4 day tournament of 10 matches each player. Nic ran the girls team of 10 players, actively coaching and managing the players needs for 100 matches that the girls played. NZ won the tournament comprehensively.
• Was the organiser of the Trans Tasman trip requirements including accommodation, flights, tournament details and the coordination of passports and other logistics.

Congratulations to Nic on being a finalist for the Volunteer of the Year Award.