There’s only a few weeks until the SW/S Awards, on Friday 26th November 2021 at the Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow, and we’re here to give you the preview. The finalists for our 11 categories will be announced shortly and we hope you’re just as excited as we are for the names of the athletes, teams, coaches and volunteers, to mention a few, that are helping to put women on the sporting map.
Rose Reilly will be our guest speaker on the night. Rose who is originally from Kilmarnock is one of the most celebrated women in football, but at the age of 17, she moved to France as she was banned from playing the sport, by the Scottish FA. After that she moved onto Italy where she became such a valued player that Italy’s president asked her to represent them at the what would go on to be known as the 1984 Women’s World Cup. Bringing the Italian side victory, she went onto to win a Golden Boot and named female footballer of the year. Never gaining the recognition she deserved at that time, it is pleasing to see things have changed and Rose’s story is being told and we are delighted to have her join us on the night, to spread the word even farther.
Our awards this year include Sportswoman of the Year, and Para Athlete of the Year, both awards celebrating excellence at senior level, in their chosen sport.
Some of the other awards include The SW/S Inspiration in Sport award which is presented someone who has overcome adversity to achieve and thrive in sport despite. sportscotland Young Sportswoman of the Year, for an athlete at junior level who has represented Scotland at and achieved excellence in their sport.
The UWS Team of the Year award is given to a team who have achieved excellence in their sport and shown outstanding team work and the Frame Coach of the Year award is for a coaches at any level in sport. MG Alba Sporting Champion award is given to a team or club at any level in sport who have championed sport in their community and the Kube-net Volunteer of the Year award celebrates someone behind the scenes who sport cannot do without.
QTV Power of Sport award highlights the amazing work of organisations across Scotland who are using sport and/or physical activity programmes designed for women and/or girls, to create a positive impact on local communities and individuals in need.
Our Active Scotland Media and Gender Equality award is aimed at someone who has made an impact in the broadcast/coverage of an event/sport which has helped to raise awareness, increase the profile and impact on women in sport.
Following our first Pioneers in Sport lunch in March 2018, we continue to induct into the SW/S Hall of Fame, celebrating the pioneering spirit. This year we have The Tru-Wealth Pioneer in sport award, which recognises those unsung heroines of past years.
Danii Joyce won the Sportswoman of the Year back in 2015: “Being a para athlete is hard – being a deaf athlete is even harder, there is no category at the Paralympics for deaf/hearing impaired athletes so it’s not like we have the choice to go or not either.”
Having began her Swimming career at six, Danii has since then become deaf, meaning it is more difficult to compete in the water. Despite this setback, she has gone on to become a double Deaflympic Gold medallist and continues to compete.
“After I won SW/S Sportswoman of the Year, the publicity was amazing, I was able to really raise awareness for not only women in sport but deaf athletes as well. To win the award as a mainstream athlete would have been absolutely amazing in itself but to do it as a deaf person and have my achievements actually recognised and in par with mainstream/Paralympic achievements and athletes was phenomenal. From there my swimming career grew from strength to strength and I realised I could not only make it as a deaf athlete but I could compete with some of the best mainstream in the country as well,
“The awards are such a good celebration and such an amazing night to be a part of. It’s 2021 and we still see such a huge division when it comes to men and women in sport, and so it’s nice to have a night that is dedicated to just women and all their achievements. It’s amazing the athletes that you’re introduced to on the night and it’s scary how brilliant they have done in their sport and yet we don’t hear about it before. It’s a great night and just a humbling experience.”
Scottish Women in Sport 2019 Awards dinner 
Danii Joyce, The RBS 2015 Sportswomen of the Year and Yvonne Greeves from RBS. 
Scottish Women in Sport 2019 Awards dinner. 
Whether this is your first time at the Awards, or you’ve been to every single one so far, the SW/S team look forward to welcoming you at the Voco@Grand Central Hotel.
Founder of SW/S, Maureen McGonigle invites everyone to attend and support the work of SW/S: “It’s always a pleasure and a privilege to have so many inspiring women and many male allies join us on awards night. All in attendance work tirelessly to help promote women into all roles in sport and those achievements are something that we should all recognise and celebrate.
This year our awards are something special, as we have come through such a difficult time and sport and particularly women and girls in sport have suffered. We hope that our awards will, in some small way, bring light after a very dark twenty months or so.”
Tickets are still available, please feel free to join us on the night – £700.00 for a table of ten or £75pp. Contact: scottishwomeninsport.@gmail.com for more information.
