Simon Neate Marketing Administrator Sport Bay of Plenty

Nominations are now open for the 2014 Bay of Plenty Sports Awards. The awards recognise and showcase the superb sporting talent in the Bay of Plenty and celebrate the personalities, clubs and teams that give the Bay its sporting identity.

The nomination process gives the public an opportunity to nominate volunteers, coaches and athletes from the Bay of Plenty region who have achieved great results in sport during the qualifying period of October 1, 2013-September 30, 2014.

The first Bay of Plenty Sports Awards was held in 1969. However, it wasn't until the early-1990s when Sport Bay of Plenty took over facilitation of the awards that they gained the prestigious reputation they hold today.

Sport Bay of Plenty, Sport Team Leader Megan Clevery says the calibre of nominations received for these awards and the achievements of our local sporting leaders, officials and future champions never fails to astound the judging panel 'who describe it as a humbling experience to read through the nominations”.

The 2014 People's Choice Award will be available for voting from November 6. This is a chance for the community to vote for their favourite athlete and go in the draw to win an iPad mini from Vodafone.

The 2014 awards night is at the Energy Events Centre in Rotorua on Friday, December 5.

All finalists will be recognised and winners will be announced – leading to the Sport Bay of Plenty Supreme Award winner.

Last Year's supreme winner was Olympic Medallist sailor Peter Burling and previous recent winners include other Olympians and World Champions like Gordon Tietjens, Lisa Carrington and Sarah Walker.

If you know someone who should be considered for the Bay of Plenty Sports Awards, visit www.sportbop.co.nz/bopsportswards and download a nomination form, or call into a Sport Bay of Plenty Office in Rotorua, Whakatane or Tauranga.

Forms are also available in schools, clubs and other sporting organisations throughout the Bay of Plenty.

All nominations must be endorsed by the appropriate governing regional sports organisation. Nominations close 4pm on Friday, October 3, 2014.

See below for a list of categories:

BOP Principals Association Secondary School Service to Sport

Aurecon Student Contribution to Sport

Bay Cardiology Secondary Schools Girls Team of the Year

Bay Office Products Depot Secondary Schools Boys Team of the Year

CodeBlue Secondary School Coach of the Year

Waiariki Institute of Technology Secondary School Sportswoman of the Year

Bay of Plenty Polytechnic Secondary School Sportsman of the Year

Dudfield Bryce Print Service to Sport

AquaPlus Club of the Year

Team of the Year (category available for sponsorship)

BayTrust Coach of the Year

MoreFM Official of the Year

Eves Realty Junior Sportswoman of the Year

Vodafone Junior Sportsman of the Year

Holland Beckett Sportswoman of the Year

Bayleys Real Estate Sportsman of the Year

Farmers Auto Village International Athlete of the Year

Bay of Plenty Sports Awards - Supreme Award