We are pleased to announce the finalists in the 2022 Perth and Kinross Sports Awards. Now in their 33rd year, our prestigious awards are promoted and supported in partnership with Perth & Kinross Sports Council and recognise the commitment and achievements of volunteers, teams and athletes from across a wide range of sports in our local area.

Phil Coleman, Community Sport and Partnership Manager for LAL, commented:

"Once again, whittling down entries to 31 finalists for the Perth & Kinross Sports Awards was very difficult. The standard of submission was extremely high, demonstrating just how well served we are in the area.

It’s great to be able to celebrate this success, in partnership with Perth and Kinross Sports Council, and all of the finalists, recognising the hard work and commitment that individuals, teams and organisations have dedicated throughout 2022."

The awards ceremony will take place at Perth Art Gallery on Friday 3rd March 2023 and promises to showcase local sporting talent and those people committed to inspiring future generations.

The full list of finalists features a total of 31 volunteers, athletes and teams with achievements gained during the period from January 1st 2022 to December 31st 2022.  

Find out more about the finalists below:

Sports Personality of the Year

Laura Muir – Athletics

Laura from Milnathort has had an outstanding year winning Commonwealth Gold in the 1500m and Bronze in the 800m in Birmingham, as well as World Championships Bronze (1500m) and European Championships Gold (1500m) medals.

Eve Muirhead – Curling

Scottish curling legend Eve has had an phenomenal 2022 with medals at two major competitions, including Britain's only gold medal at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games and a World Championship mixed doubles title with Bobby Lammie.

Milli Smith – Curling

2022 saw Mili achieve an Olympic Gold Medal – (Beijing2022) as part of Team GB, who were also announced ‘Team of the Year’ at the Scottish Sports Awards 2022. Mili was awarded an MBE for services to Curling rounding off an incredible year in what she later announced was her final season as a full-time curler.

Young Sports Personality of the Year

Oscar Wyllie – Canoe Slalom

Oscar successfully secured a place in the U18 Great Britain team and achieved 3^rd place in the Kayak team event at the Junior World championships. These championships also saw him make the semifinals in the kayak cross event which was replicated in the K1M class at the Junior European championships. Oscar finished the season top of the UK Junior 16 rankings.

Abbi Brooks – Badminton

Badminton player Abbie was a medalist at numerous events throughout 2022, and is currently ranked number one for women’s singles in U19 in Scotland.  Her achievements include winning the Dunfermline Babolat Open; runner up at the Scottish National Championships,  winner of the Glasgow Yonex Championships, winner of the U19 West of Scotland Mixed Doubles and WS categories, winner of the U19 Midland Junior Mixed Doubles and WS categories and U19 winner Derby Notts Gold.

Connor Graham – Golf

In 2022 Connor ranked 9th Place on the European Golf Rankings as an U18. He competed in 12 tournaments and had 5 top 10 finishes, with highlights being 1st Place at the R&A Junior Open Championship shooting 3 rounds under 70 to win,  2nd Place at the Lytham Trophy and 3rd Place - Scottish Boys Open Championships. Connor also played in the Dunhill Links Pro-Am event as partner to Finnish Pro Golfer Sami Valimaki in the team event

Disability Sports Personality of the Year

Cayden Thomson – Wheelchair Rugby League

Cayden successfully maintained his place in the wheelchair Rugby league Scottish squad and was named Vice captain of the team who competed in the World Cup in October 2022. A member of both Perth Eagles Wheelchair Sports Club and Dundee Dragons (who play in the British league), he was named player of the year at the Dragons annual awards night.

Matthew Doig – Athletics

Matthew has cerebral palsy and is an internationally classified RR3 Frame Running athlete who trains with Perth Strathtay Harriers. Matthew has enjoyed a very successful 2022,  winning numerous medals locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. Matthew won Gold at the Scottish Disability Sport Track and Field Championships and travelled to Denmark to compete in the CPISRA International Frame Running Cup,  competing in six races, achieving five personal bests and winning three silver medals.  Matthew is also part of British Athletics Paralympic Development Academy and newly formed Frame Running Development Team.

Freya Howgate – Athletics

Perth Strathtay Harriers athlete Freya Howgate (T/F 37 classification athlete) has had a fantastic year, winning many Scottish titles across sprints and throws at the Scottish Disability Sport national championships. Travelling throughout the UK, a highlight in August was two personal best performances at the Godiva Championships in Coventry. Freya was also selected to be part of the 2022 Scottish Athletics Team Achieve Programme at the Commonwealth Games before going on to be selected for Scotland at the UK School Games in Loughborough where she achieved 2 podium places.

Veteran Sports Personality of the Year

Andrew Brown – Fencing

Andrew competes in the veteran over 70s Epee and made his competitive debut for Scotland at the 2022 Commonwealth Fencing Championships, London where he won Gold.

Isabella Marlborough – Karate

Isabella Marlborough has been training in Karate since 1972. She has been an Instructor (Sensei) since 1977. She has represented The UK and Scotland in many competitions and she was the first woman to fight in a full-contact knockdown competition. Isabella has travelled to Japan, Canada, France, Norway, to be graded and now holds the rank of Yondan 4th Degree Blackbelt.

Youth Leadership Award

Jack Wylkie – Disability Sport / Basketball

All Ability Bike volunteer Jack has been changing the lives of people across our communities by assisting and supporting clients who could not cycle independently, by leading rides on side by side bikes and providing encouragement and empowering riders to achieve their goals. Jack also volunteers at Perth Grammar School as an Active Schools Basketball coach, building positive relationships with disengaged young people and introducing concepts such as respect and a positive mindset to pupils, through sport.

Lucy Scarlett – Cricket

Lucy undertook CricHiiT Activator Training to support and encourage local women get involved in physical activity and cricket.  CricHiiT is a fitness programme based on HiiT principles which utilises cricket skills, and from this Lucy managed to progress some of the participants into both softball and hardball cricket. Lucy was present at all stages of the project and played a major role during social media promotion. The Project has returned for 2023.

Rebecca Harvey – Netball / Swimming

Crieff High School pupil Rebecca is a fantastic role model, showing others that young people can make positive change. Rebecca commits her time to many different organisations to support young people, including, sportscotland, Youth Sports Trust, Young Ambassadors at Crieff High School, support to the Active Schools Coordinator, support to the PE department, coaching at Crieff High Netball Club and working at Live Active Leisure as a Lifeguard. Rebecca has achieved over 300 Saltire volunteer hours in 2022 (volunteering with young people in sport), and an incredible 900 volunteering hours in total.

School Team of the Year

Strathallan S3 Netball Team

Strathallan School students had an incredible year to end the season undefeated and the best U14 squad in the county.  The team were named National U14 Netball Champions after a nail-biting final at the Emirates Arena. Strathallan’s U14A Girls team also beat St Ninian’s in the Netball Scotland Scottish Schools Cup.  The team won all 8 fixtures this season, scoring an impressive 210 goals.

Perth High School S1 Netball Team

The Perth High School S1 Netball Team became PKC champions and earned a place in the Netball Scotland Scottish Cup S1, where they progressed all the way to the Regional Finals.

Perth High School Open Netball Team

The Perth High School Open team is made up of S4,5,6 players. The team won the PKC league in 2022, and progressed to the Scottish Cup in the Open Section, competing against other schools in Scotland, making it all the way to the Regional Finals.  As well as competing in the Scottish Cup, multiple members of the team play in Club and District teams for PKC.

Club of the Year

Tayside Judo

In 2022, Tayside Judo Club established 3 new judo classes at Strathearn Community Campus in Crieff. The club now offers a phenomenal 20 classes each week across 5 different venues within Perth & Kinross, growing judo opportunities and participation rates across the authority. Tayside Judo Club supports individuals to improve their confidence, fitness, physical and mental health through camps, competitions and grading. Competitively, coaches and individuals from the club take part nationally and on the world stage, and coach David was also selected to the Judo Scotland coaching academy.

Perth Parrots Floorball Club

The Parrots joined the Scottish Floorball League in September 2022 offering members a new competitive level of sport. After a successful pilot scheme ‘Parrots socials’ was launched to bring together the LGBTIQ+ community that the Parrots represent in a non-sporting form and reduce social isolation. Community outreach programs have involved work with ‘Andy’s Man Club’, Perth High and Grammar school, with Perth Grammar introducing a new floorball after school's club supported by the club.

Perth Eagles (wheelchair sports and boccia)

Perth Eagles is fully inclusive and encourages people with learning, physical or sensory impairments to take part in sport along with their siblings or friends. The Eagles run two sessions per week (boccia and wheelchair sports) focusing on participation and development. With over 70 members with a disability, there is a growing number of performance athletes within the club, and members also have the opportunity to experience coaching and education qualifications.

Chuck Hay Team of the Year

Jeanfield Swifts Girls Under 16 Football Club

The team is made up of girls from throughout Perth and Kinross, aged 14 -15 years old, playing in Tier 1 of the East Region League, comprising teams from Dundee, Angus, Perth and Fife. The girls went through their league unbeaten and won convincingly with a game to spare. They also competed in the East Region League cup, progressing to the final, beating Dundee United to win the trophy.

Meigle Cricket Club

Meigle men's 1st team had an incredible 2022, bouncing back to the Cricket Scotland Premiership at the first attempt, winning a trio of honours: Breedon SPCU North East Championship winners, Voneous Broadband Scottish Village Cup Champions (for a third successive time) and Cricket Scotland Eastern Premier League promotion play off winners.

Volunteer of the Year

Alex Pritchard – Swimming

Kinross Otter coach Alex Pritchard is a coach, a committee member, technical official, and meet organiser – and a mum of three children who swim with the club. Alex coaches many training sessions across a variety of squads and she ably fulfils both lead and support roles, and enjoys mentoring new coaches and poolside helpers.  Alex has given up a large amount of her personal time to train in becoming licensed through the judge 2 level, and is always ready to use her knowledge to mentor less experienced swimming officials.

Cerys McGroarty – Netball

Cerys, a pupil at Perth High school dedicates a significant amount of time each week to both Bridge of Earn and Perth High School netball clubs, assisting coaching staff with weekly training sessions and helping to develop and mentor younger players all whilst continuing to play senior team netball, umpiring games across the region, and working part time.

Susan Whiteford – Tennis

Susan uses sport as a vehicle to improve people’s lives and she has a passion for breaking down barriers and making sport more accessible to all. Susan runs the Blairgowrie Hockey and Tennis club. She is the treasurer for the Eastern Perthshire Community Sports Hub and is a mentor for the Blairgowrie High School Motivation, Commitment and Resilience pathway, involving 1:1 work with young people. Susan delivered free hockey and tennis sessions to all 10 schools in the Blairgowrie cluster and used her knowledge of tennis and hockey to deliver training for local teachers about developing motor skills. For adults, Susan runs a tennis programme to help improve mental health which is part of PKAVS’ Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub.

Sport for Change Award

Perth and Kinross Disability Sport

2022 has seen PKDS working with clubs in Highland Perthshire to increase opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in sport and physical activities whilst supporting clubs, coaches and volunteers with Disability Inclusion Training and learning opportunities. Through funding secured by PKDS all costs including venue hire and coach expenses were covered, including the provision of specialist adaptive equipment to clubs.

Perth Parrots Floorball Club

Perth Parrots Floorball Club is an LGBTI inclusive sports club who are dedicated to providing a pathway for the LGBTIQ+ community in Perth and Kinross, to access floorball, as well as helping to grow the sport in Scotland. The club has several initiatives to encourage LGBTI participation, such as taster sessions, being part of LEAP Sports Festival Fortnight, being part of the National Pride Youth Games, marching at Perth Pride, including players pro-nouns on club kit, and hosting an inaugural inter-schools Floorball Tournament for Purple Friday. This has led to Perth Grammar school establishing a new after school floorball club, with ongoing support from the Perth Parrots.

St Johnstone Community Trust

Saints in the Community use the widespread appeal of sport to provide positive life-enhancing experiences to help people throughout Perth & Kinross achieve their goals. In 2022, as well as providing many opportunities to play or be involved in football activities, SITC provided 363 free meals to children, delivered winter hampers to the elderly and vulnerable, and set up programmes to inspire adults to lead a healthier life, and to take part in physical activities to improve mental health. Adults with dementia took part in free reminiscence activities and Show Racism the Red Card workshops were delivered to young people.

George Mortimer Service to Sport Award

Bill McDonald – Badminton

Bill has been a member of Kinross Badminton Club for almost the entirety of the club’s near 60 year existence. He has held numerous official roles over 50 years, including President, steering the club through monumental periods in history.  Bill still attends club nights to welcome new and old faces and occasionally jumps on court to have a go himself. He is a reassuring and positive presence and continues to be a pillar for bringing members, communities, and people together, encouraging the uptake of badminton sport at all levels.

Iain Cook – Volleyball

Iain is an integral part of Perth volleyball Club providing both training and games for anybody interested in the sport.  He has given an unsurmountable number of hours and dedication to the sport over the years and he continues to enjoy volunteering for the club, during the summer months especially, where he offers beach volleyball training and games.

Jim Hunter – Athletics

Jim started coaching more than 40 years ago and developed into an outstanding coach, before taking up the reins as club president at Perth Strathtay Harriers over a decade ago. He has encouraged and enabled frame runners, wheelchair users and able-bodied athletes, all using the track at the same time.  His influence has developed the club beyond a simple athletics organisation into a facility which is accessible to the local and wider community, which has had the direct effect of building confidence and focus, and improving mental health where it is most needed. In June 2022, Jim received a British Empire Medal (BEM) for his services to inclusion in sport and in December 2022 Jim was a Lifetime Achievement Award winner at the UK Coaching Awards.