Monday 30 March 2015 00:01, UK
Sky Academy Ambassadors Jonny Wilkinson and Nick Dougherty were joined by the cast of Soccer AM and Thinus Delport to announce this year’s Sky Sports Living for Sport Award winners.
The Student of the Year, Teacher of the Year and Project of the Year winners were all invited to Sky Studios in London to receive their trophies during the Sky Sports Living for Sports Awards show.
Broadcast on Sky Sports 1 on Sunday evening, the hour-long show was hosted by Di Dougherty and featured a host of sports stars including Thierry Henry, Jessica Ennis-Hill and Darren Campbell.
The Awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of students and teachers in using sport stars and the skills learnt through sport to build life skills in young people as a result of their involvement in the programme.
Sky Sports Living for Sport is part of Sky Academy, a set of initiatives using the power of TV, creativity and sport to help one million young people in the UK and Ireland build practical skills and experience to unlock their potential.
England rugby union hero Jonny Wilkinson surprised 16-year-old Rory Doherty from Northern Ireland with a video message to reveal he had been chosen by the judging panel as the Sky Sports Living for Sport Student of the Year.
Rory won the award for using the skills he learned through the programme to build the skills he needed to overcome confidence issues and severe dyslexia.
Sky Academy Ambassador Jonny Wilkinson said: “Rory Doherty is a truly remarkable individual and a deserving winner of the Sky Sports Living for Sport Student of the Year Award.
"The skills learnt through sport can be incredibly powerful in all aspects of life and it’s amazing to see what Rory has achieved through this initiative. His story has really inspired me and I know that he will go on to inspire many more people too.”
On receiving the Sky Sports Living for Sport Student of the Year award Rory Doherty said: “I’m shocked and excited to be the overall Student of the Year. When Nick Dougherty came to my school earlier this week to tell me I had won for Northern Ireland with a video message from Rory McIlroy, I never imagined that I would win today.
"I feel very proud of what I have achieved through Sky Sports Living for Sport and glad that it’s helped me to overcome many challenges in my life.”
Sky Sports Living for Sport Teacher of the Year Ashley Smith from Worcester was presented with his award by former South African rugby union player Thinus Delport.
Delport has made regular visits to Ashley’s school as part of his role as a Sky Sports Living for Sport Athlete Mentor and presented the award to the Norton College teacher. Ashley received the award for embracing the programme to help positively change the lives of his students through sport.
Ashley Smith said: “I’m thrilled to be awarded the Teacher of the Year accolade. I work with students who struggle with complex learning difficulties and I used the Sky Sports Living for Sport programme to boost their confidence, and improve their performance in all areas of their studies.”
The cast of Sky 1 and Sky Sports popular TV programme Soccer AM awarded 19 County Louth students from Ó Fiaich College the Sky Sports Living for Sport Project of the Year award. The students were recognised for running a successful project encouraging goal-setting and to raise motivation levels amongst their peers.
Chloe Rochford from the winning Sky Sports Living for Sport Project of the Year group said: “It’s been a great experience at Sky Studios and for us to win the Project of the Year award tops off an amazing day.
"Sky Sports Living for Sport has helped me and 18 other students improve our attendance and helped us to reach our full potential in all aspects of school life. It’s allowed us to become better people and we’re excited that our project has been recognised as the best in the UK & Ireland.”
Sky Sports Living for Sport runs in partnership with the Youth Sport Trust and in this academic year alone, over 1500 UK secondary schools and 175 Irish secondary schools will take part.
To get involved and sign up to Sky Sports Living for Sport visit www.skysports.com/livingforsport.
