Penryn’s Marek Churcher was one of a number of Cornwall sportsmen and women who were honoured at this year’s Cornwall Sports Awards Ceremony.

The Cornwall Rugby and Truro College coach was awarded the Performance and Development Coach of the Year on Friday, November 11.

The annual event, held for the second year at The Atlantic Hotel in Newquay, welcomed over 200 attendees from across Cornwall; including special guests ex-England rugby captain Phil de Glanville and Team GB athlete Mark Lewarne.

Entertainment was also provided in abundance by the evening’s compere, Pirate FM presenter Neil Caddy. Closing the ceremony was 19 year old Sports Leader of the Year Mark Stevens.

Organised by the Cornwall Sports Partnership, the event is now in its sixth year of celebrating and paying tribute to the many volunteers across the county who dedicate their time and efforts to supporting our strong sports community.

This year 13 awards were presented and the well-deserved winners are as follows: • Children’s Coach of the Year – Stephen Lowe, Crafthole District Churches Table Tennis • Participation Coach of the Year – Shane Tellam, Perranporth Rugby Club • Young Coach of the Year U25 – Vanessa Davies, One & All Judo Club • Performance & Development Coach of the Year – Marek Churcher, Cornwall Rugby & Truro College • Official of the Year – Joshua Latus – Newquay Hornets Rugby Club • Adult Club of the Year – Cornwall Athletics Club • Junior Club of the Year – Caradon Hockey Club • Club of the Year 2011 (chosen by postal vote, in collaboration with Cornwall & Devon Media Group Newspapers) – Penzance Tennis Club • Sportivate Project of the Year – Sportivate Gymivate at three Cornwall Council Leisure Centres • Young Leader of the Year – Mark Stevens, Truro College • Community Volunteer of the Year – James Chudleigh, Looe Rowing Club • Community Volunteer of the Year U25 – James Burlingham, Hayle Surf Lifesaving Club • Lifetime Services to Sport – David Pierce, Truro Junior Hockey Club Cornish Team GB Athlete Mark Lewarne comments: "It is a fantastic honour to be involved in the Cornwall Sports Awards for 2011. Having been brought up with sport in Cornwall and worked my way up to representing my country and achieving top International standard, it gives me great pleasure to inspire and motivate everyone involved in sport in Cornwall.

“I have personally benefited from so many inspirational coaches and volunteers who play a vital role in encouraging and supporting participants from grassroots and club level right through to performance sport.”

Cornwall Sports Awards organiser, Natasha Howard of the Cornwall Sports Partnership, says: “Yet again it’s been another fantastic awards evening and we’ve been bowled over by the incredible volunteering efforts of all our winners and nominees. It’s an absolute honour to organise the event each year, to have the opportunity to formally thank our sports volunteers for all the amazing work that they do. It was a record year for nominations, showing how all of their efforts are being recognised and appreciated by the strong sports community we have in Cornwall.”

A variety of Cornish companies and organisations support the event, including: Truro College, Sport England, Miller Countrywide, Tony Pryce Sports, Cornwall & Devon Media, Sports Leaders UK, Pyramid Production Services and NHS Health Promotion Service.