Sports Awards

The Strath Union Athlete of the Year is an award donated by Strathclyde Students' Union and is awarded to an individual who performs at the highest level during the season under review. This award is aimed at an individual who has demonstrated exceptional athletic performance during the season under review, representing the highest standards of excellence in their sport.

The Athlete of the Year is open to all athletes, including those who may or may not compete for the university, as long as their performance during the review period is outstanding.

To support your nomination, the following categories of achievement should be considered. Nominations will be evaluated based on the athlete’s overall contribution to their sport and performance level.

• International performances (e.g. Commonwealth Games, World Cup, World Champs, etc.)

• Domestic national performances (e.g. National Championships)

• International student performances (e.g. World University Games)

• Domestic BUCS performances (e.g. BUCS Championships)

• Domestic SSS performances (e.g. SSS Championships)

• Other relevant achievements (e.g. Awards, National Squads)

The Duncan Mathieson Trophy is awarded for the best performance by an athlete during their first year at the University of Strathclyde.

The trophy is named in honour of the incredible contributions Mathieson made to the University during his time in Glasgow. Originally hailing from Islay, Mathieson graduated from the Jordanhill College Scottish School of PE, before being appointed Strathclyde's first Director of Sport in the 1960s. As the first Director of Sport at Strathclyde, his department of Physical Education began with only one staff member, Mr Mathieson himself. By the time of his retirement over 20 years later, Mathieson had grown his department to a team of 6 staff, and was responsible for the opening of a new ‘state of the art’ Sports Centre at the top of John Street in 1975 which was in operation until 2018.

Mathieson was responsible for growing the influence of sport throughout the University, by developing close relationships between his department and the Sports Union, sitting on the Executive for many years.

This award recognizes the student-athlete who has demonstrated the highest level of performance in their sport during their first year at university, with particular focus on achievements during the season under review.

A first year constitutes:

• An undergraduate student in their first year (not repeating first year).

• A postgraduate or master’s student in their first year (not repeating first year).

• A student entering directly into the second, third or fourth year of their course.

This award is for the team that has demonstrated exceptional achievement possible during the season under review. The Team of the Year award is specifically reserved for teams competing in Tier 2 leagues or below (e.g., Korfball Division 2, Rowing Beginners, etc.) and is not open to Tier 1 and above teams.

David Tedford was a gifted mathematician and was an engineering student at Strathclyde in the 1950s. He was also a talented footballer and was awarded a Blue for his efforts. Following his graduation, Tedford returned to become a professor at the University and as a member of the academic staff, he was a great supporter of the Sports Union and its activities. As an Honorary Vice President for many years during his time at Strathclyde, Tedford used his influence to advocate for the benefits of widespread sporting activities across the University.

This award is for the team that has demonstrated exceptional achievement possible during the season under review. The Team of the Year award is specifically reserved for teams competing in BUCS/SSS Tier 2 leagues or below and regional and intermediate/beginner event teams (e.g., Hockey W3 Tier 5, Korfball Division 2, etc.) and is not open to Tier 1 performance teams.

The primary focus will be on the team’s overall progress and success within their respective league or competition. Teams demonstrating notable development, consistency, and achievement in their league or division will be looked upon favourably.

Please include results that demonstrate the team’s achievements in the following areas:

• National performances

• BUCS performances

• SSS performances

• League and/or cup performances

• Notable competition performances

• Other relevant achievements

This award honours the team that has achieved the highest level of sporting success during the season under review. The Performance Team of the Year award is specifically reserved for teams competing at the highest level of competition (e.g., BUCS/SSS Tier 1, BUCS Premier League, National Event teams).

For the purposes of this award, a “Team” is defined as a single group of individuals who compete together regularly in one aspect of a particular sport (e.g., Equestrian BUCS 1s). Only teams competing at the highest tier or event level of their sport during the review period are eligible for nomination.

Please do not nominate all individual members of a team for the awards Half Blue or Full Blue. However, individual members of the team who have demonstrated consistently high levels of performance may be nominated for separate individual awards.

Please include results that demonstrate the team’s achievements in the following areas:

• International performances

• National performances

• BUCS performances

• SSS performances

• League and/or cup performances

• Notable competition performances

• Other relevant achievements

The Gradutes Trophy is presented to the club that has shown the most all-round sporting success and team development within the Sports Union

The Trophy was kindly donated to the Sports Union by the Graduates department of the University of Strathclyde.

This award recognises the club that has demonstrated outstanding improvement, growth, and impact across various areas during the season under review. The Club of the Year is open to all clubs that have made significant strides in their development, regardless of competitive performance.

The following areas may be considered when evaluating a club’s success:

• Membership and participation growth

• Inclusion and diversity

• Volunteer, coach, and official development

• Club financial management (i.e. sponsorship, fundraising, etc.)

• Marketing, publicity, and profile

• Event hosting

• Sustainability initiatives

The club’s performance will be considered within the context of its size, scope, and available resources. Competitive success is not the primary focus but may be considered as one of the factors in the overall evaluation.

Additional considerations in relation to the Sports Union:

• Conduct (adhering to deadlines and proper communication).

• Participation in events and meetings.

• Respect for university policies and broader sporting community

For an individual who has provided an outstanding contribution to a Sports Union section through a coaching position. This could be in the following areas:

• Improvement in standards.

• Mentoring club members.

• Increasing participation.

• Club and coaching development.

Drew Manzie was appointed the University of Strathclyde's third Director of Sport. After joining Mr Mathieson's Department of Physical Education in the late 1960s, Manzie was a loyal servant to the Department and continued his personal involvement in sport; developing into a fantastic rugby coach. Until his retirement in 2003, Manzie also continued his interest in education, completing an “in-service” B.Ed (Honours) at Strathclyde's Jordanhill and involving himself in many research projects.

This award was donated by Anne-Marie Hughes and is awarded to the individual who has made an notable impact on their sports and/or the Sports Union during the current season. Winners must have gone above and beyond their given role within the club (committee position, coaching, officiating, any other volunteer roles). This could include notible contributions to:

• The Sports Union

• BUCS/SSS

• NGB committees/groups

• Being a leader in the face of adversity

• Leading on sustained improvement and development for their club and/or sport

• Leading on initiatives/projects

•Any other major achievements

This award recognises an individual who has demonstrated consistent excellence and achieved a high level of performance in a particular sport during the season under review. The following information can be used to indicate this:

• National representation (Age Group/Level)

• International representation (Age Group/Level)

• British Universities Competition Medal

• British Universities Representative Honours

• Scottish National Competition Gold Medal

• Scottish National Representative Honours

Background information should be provided that includes representation from previous years.

This award recognises an individual who has demonstrated a consistent high level of performance in a particular sport during the season under review, though they may not yet meet the standard for a Full Blue. The following information can be used to indicate this:

• National representation (Age Group/Level)

• Scottish Student Sports representation (Age Group/Level)

• Regional/District representation (Age Group/Level)

• Scottish Universities Competition

• Scottish Universities Representative Honours

Background information should be provided that includes representation from previous years.

A club may award colours to any individuals they deem to have served the club well during the season under review. Typically, nominees should meet the following criteria:

• The nominee has made a substantial impact on the club’s development, through either the quality or quantity of their contributions, driving the success and growth of the club.

• Over the course of multiple years, the nominee has held multiple committee position (which may include repeated positions), consistently demonstrating dedication to advancing the club’s goals and ensuring its success and development.

For an individual who has had a strong connection with the University of Strathclyde, or the Sports Union, and has shown an outstandingly high level of sporting achievement. An Honorary Blue can be awarded in either situation:

• A student was not recognised while at the University despite meeting the Full Blue criteria.

• A graduate of the University who has gone on to show an outstandingly high level of sporting achievement.

For an individual who has shown an outstanding service to a particular club. This may include holding a number of official roles within the section i.e. coaching, officiating. This will normally be over several seasons. Honorary Life Membership of Club shall not be awarded to a current student of the University of Strathclyde.

For an individual who has shown an outstanding service, or impact, to multiple clubs or to the Sports Union. This will normally be over several seasons. Honorary Life Membership of The Sports Union shall not be awarded to a current student of the University of Strathclyde.