Goulding and Rhodes seal Sports Awards success

Twenty awards were dished out at The Spa after guest of honour, Olympic swimmer Chris Cook, kicked things off with an inspirational speech.

Two of the big winners were long-serving cricket committee member Bernard Goulding, who won the Service to Sport Award, and Westway Amateur Boxing Club’s George Rhodes, who scooped the Coach of the Year honours.

Goulding said: “I’m really pleased, this is the fourth time I’ve been nominated, so it is really great to have actually won it.

“It is just a shame that my wife Linda couldn’t be here to see it because she did such a lot for local cricket.

“All the time I was involved in cricket, she was involved and we estimate that she has raised over £30,000 for local charities over the years, so this award is a fitting tribute to her.”

Goulding has a long association with the local cricket leagues, having played from the age of 12 right up until 1998.

He added: “I played cricket from the age of 12, going on to play for Gristhorpe and then Langdale End, before retiring on my 50th birthday in 1998.

“I’ve also been involved in the local leagues for 40 years this year, as secretary of the Derwent Valley League and the AndyHire Evening League.

“I was thinking it was time to finish, but I’ve decided that I need something to keep my mind occupied, so I’ll be staying on the Beckett League committee as well as organising the Cayley Cup competitions.”

Westway ABC coach Rhodes was delighted to win the Coach of the Year Award, but was quick to sing the praises of everyone associated with the club.

Rhodes said: “It’s been a nice surprise to be recognised for the work I do, but this is not just about me, it’s about the club.

“A good coach always has good coaches around him, and Al Edwards, Ash Blackwell, Shaun Whitehead, Al Phillips and a lot of past coaches who have been on board have all played their part.

“It’s a two-way thing, the boxers have to take credit for this as well as they turn up and put the hard graft in.”