Warwick prepares to go ball-istic for Sports

When dishing out our annual Sports Awards here at Warwick, we go a little further than a pat on the back and a “jolly well done”. In fact, scrap that, we don’t just go a little further. We go so much further that we wouldn’t even be able to reach your back to pat it. And you would need some supernatural hearing to catch the “jolly well done”.

We start by whacking up a huge great marquee for the occasion. We then go ahead and host over a thousand people to share the moment. Of course, we include a three course silver service meal and a whole load of wine. And that’s where we start.

Then there’s the small matter of entertainment. We tend to invite a special guest sporting speaker. Although this year we’ve gone ahead and invited two special guest sporting speakers.

We also tend to have a DJ to give you one last opportunity to dance the night away with your fellow sportsmen and women. Once again, this year we’ve gone one step further and added a live party band to the mix.

The date for your diary is Saturday week 9, June 20th – with exams safely behind you. In the meantime you may want to be in with a shout of picking up one of the lucrative awards – there’s the Sports Man and Woman of the Year, Most Improved Sports Man and Woman of the Year, Most Improved Club of the Year, Cecil Angel Trophy for most successful club of the year and of course, the biggie – WGA Club of the Year. And these are just a few of the trophies up for grabs!

Of course, if you’re coming along this is an evening to impress. So dress up to the high heavens – I’m talking dinner jacket, bow tie, cummerbund, ball gown – take your pick.

Tickets went on sale last week and are available on the SU website. Get them quickly before they sell out and you’ll need to pick up your hard copy from the SU reception. The Sports Ball is always an incredible way to see out the year and maybe even to celebrate for the last time with your sports club.

And of course, there’s the small matter of our two special guests. We’ll be honoured with the company of not one, but two, world class athletes. How does an International Rugby Player along with an Olympic Gold Medallist sound? Henry Paul has played Rugby Union for England and Rugby League for New Zealand.

And Tim Brabants won a Gold Medal in the Kayak 1000m Sprint in Beijing 2008, to add to two bronze Olympic medals. Both athletes are Right to Play ambassadors so a big thank you goes out to the Right to Play charity and to the sports clubs who took part in the Term Two Right to Play fundraising week.