3:30pm Tuesday 30th June 2009
THE annual South East Essex College Sports presentations were held at the College’s sports ground in Wellstead Gardens.
The awards were the celebration of the last 12 months in sport at the Southend college, which saw 26 individual prizes handed out, covering everything from rugby and men’s volleyball to ladies’ football.
The two most prestigious awards of the evening were the highly anticipated sportsman and sportswoman of the year.
Sportsman of the year was announced as Gary Ogilvie.
The 19-year-old from Hullbridge, who is a BTEC National Certificate in Sport and Football Academy student, has continuously performed at a high level for the college football team and has represented the English Colleges national line-up this season.
Sportswoman of the year was announced as Jessica Clarke, 18, from Thorpe Bay. The A level Sport and Physical Education student, who is also studying A levels in Business Studies and Information Communication Technology, was selected for the east region swimming team and completed with distinction at the British Colleges Sport National Championship in April.
Clarke was the only female athlete at the college to get selected for this squad and swam in the 50 metres backstroke and the 200 individual medley.
Both deserving winners also took home a year’s free membership to Westcliff-based gym, Academy Fitness, who sponsored the awards and also supplied the winners with two top-of-the-range mountain bikes.
Clarke said: “I’m really pleased that I’ve been recognised this year as A level Sport students make up such a small contingent. The bike and gym membership are also a fantastic bonus and really come in handy as I’m going to the University of Greenwich.”
Ogilvie, who couldn’t wait to test drive his bike, giving it a lap of Wellstead Gardens, added: “I was really surprised to win this award and such great prizes.
“it would have been a good evening and celebration without bringing home anything, but this has really helped make this year one to remember.”
In September, Ogilvie - who has played Ryman League foiotball for Concord rangers and Great Wakering last season — will be travelling to Florida to be part of a soccer skills academy, following in the footballing steps of Mark Baptist, who handed out the awards.
In previous years the awards have been presented by such famous sports people as Teddy Sheringham and Peter Taylor, but this year the college wanted to show how one of its own students had achieved great things and help inspire the current crop of students.
Baptist, 20, from Rochford was a former student at the college who started out on the BTEC First Diploma in Sport (Performance) and then graduated onto the Football Academy, which he completed with a Distinction.
He is now studying at the University of Indiana, where he is on a full Football scholarship.
He has just completed his first year on his four-year long scholarship and said: “I feel really privileged to have been asked back to present these awards.
“I won an achievement award here last year so I know just how important this presentation is to students, many of whom I still know, which makes it all the more special.”
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.echo-news.co.uk/trade_directory/