Policies and Procedures

• Nominations will be accepted only for achievements during the time period indicated on the application form.
• All individual award nominees must be or must have been a permanent resident of Welland at the time of the achievements listed or must have represented Welland as a member of a local sports organization.
• Non-Welland residents are ineligible for individual award recognition. Nominations will be considered for team awards so long as the team is Welland based.
• Post-secondary institution teams are not eligible.

• Nomination forms outline the process each nominator must follow and all criteria that must be met in order to submit a nomination successfully.
• Nominators must include their contact information on the form as requested and verify that the nominated athletes or teams have accepted the nomination.
• If an award-winning athlete or team is not available to accept an award at the Banquet due to unavoidable circumstances, the nominator should accept on their behalf or provide a suitable representative to attend and accept the award.
• Nomination forms will be updated as necessary at the discretion of the committee.

• Forms will be available on the City of Welland website or for pick up in person at the City of Welland Community Centre (145 Lincoln Street) to begin the nomination process.
• Committee members will distribute forms within the City of Welland to all local High Schools. Forms will be distributed to the attention of the Principal, Vice Principal(s) and the designated Athletic Director.
• Using data bases available within the City of Welland, the form will be distributed by email to all registered sports organizations.
• Local news outlets will receive a press release informing them that the nomination process is in progress and how to access nomination forms.

Forms may also be accepted by committee members on behalf of an organization or individual up until the designated nomination date deadline. Photocopies of achievements are preferred. All material submitted becomes property of the Welland Sports Promotion Committee and will not be returned.

The deadline for acceptance of a nomination form can be extended at the discretion of the committee in any nomination year.

In the event of low response in any nomination year, and at the discretion of the committee, credible nominees may be put forward to the nomination process. The committee will monitor sport achievement in any year and contact the individual or team, inviting them into the nomination process.

• A nomination may be disqualified from entering the process if the following is present:
  1. The athlete or team is found to be competing under a professional nature for the achievements nominated
  2. The achievements are not factual, are inaccurate or unverified by their sport’s governing body
• Nominators will be contacted in the case of disqualification. In qualified cases another avenue for recognition may be suggested.

The following categories are in place for each nomination year, and it will be at the discretion of the committee to omit any category in any given year that does not produce qualified nominations:

1. ATHLETE AWARDS
   • Outstanding Achievement: An athlete that has demonstrated proficiency in their given sport at any age as nominated by their organization. Any number of athletes may be recognized. Need not be a Welland resident, but must belong to a Welland club
   • Individual Outstanding Male Athlete: Up to 54 years of age. Achievements may be accomplished through inter-collegiate competition or with a recognized sport organization. The top three athletes in this category will be recognized and placed either 1st, 2nd, or 3rd.
   • Individual Outstanding Female Athlete: Up to 54 years of age. Achievements may be accomplished through inter-collegiate competition or with a recognized sport organization. The top three athletes in this category will be recognized and placed either 1st, 2nd, or 3rd.
   • Masters Athlete of the Year (Male & Female): Ages 55 years and up. Achievements may be accomplished through competition in any recognized sport organization. The top three athletes in each gender category will be recognized and placed either 1st, 2nd, or 3rd.
   • Outstanding Junior Team: Ages 16 years and under. A team will be recognized as having two or more members that have verified in the nomination process that all listed awards were achieved as a team. The top three teams in this category will be recognized and placed either 1st, 2nd, or 3rd.
   • Outstanding Senior Team: Ages 17 years and over. A team will be recognized as having two or more members that have verified in the nomination process that all listed awards were achieved as a team. The top three teams in this category will be recognized and placed either 1st, 2nd, or 3rd.
   • Outstanding Junior High School Team: Grades 9 and 10. A team will be recognized as having two or more members that have verified in the nomination process that all listed awards were achieved as a team. The top three teams in this category will be recognized and placed either 1st, 2nd, or 3rd.
   • Outstanding Senior High School Team: Grades 11 and 12. A team will be recognized as having two or more members that have verified in the nomination process that all listed awards were achieved as a team. The top three teams in this category will be recognized and placed either 1st, 2nd, or 3rd.
2. NON-ATHLETE AWARDS
   • Coach of the Year: Awarded to a coach that has demonstrated outstanding dedication to their athletes and sport through their actions as a coach with either individual athletes or in a team setting. The coach may be with a recognized sport organization or within a school setting.
   • Grassroots Coach Award: Given to an individual who has demonstrated as a coach a long term commitment to the growth, support, and promotion of any sport organization.
   • Sport Volunteer Award: Given to an individual that is fully committed to supplying support to one or more organizations over the period of a least 1 year without remuneration. Coaches are not eligible for this award.
   • Sport Executive: Given to an actively involved individual (or more than one individual at the discretion of the board) who has demonstrated an outstanding contribution to their organizations executive or board of directors during the nomination period.
   • Contribution to Sport: Given to a non-athlete who has contributed to the promotion of, or supported a sport, in any position that has benefited that sport. ie: coach, fundraiser, etc.
   • Special Recognition Awards: At the discretion of the committee any Welland sports figure/team may be recognized for achievements that are deemed worthy but fall outside of the accepted awards criteria. These awards are discussed on an individual basis when the committee is presented with such a request.
3. H.L. CUDNEY MEMORIAL AWARD
   • Individual or Group: Given to an individual or Group for outstanding achievement or contribution to Sports in Welland

Categories will be judged on the basis of nominating information. The following criteria for both individual athletes and teams are ranked in order of importance below:

1. Level of Competition Achieved: Local, Regional, Provincial, National, International
2. Post Season or Championship Results
3. Regular Season or Qualifying Competition Results
4. Sport Divisions, Qualification Standards for Competition, Number of Competitors in any defined Division
5. Competitive, Intercollegiate

• Committee members in good standing may vote for award recipients at the specified meeting each year.
• Members will be presented with the nomination and will proceed to vote after any discussion and question period has ended with voting weighted in the following manner:
  First Place vote - 5 points
  Second Place Vote - 3 points
  Third Place Vote - 1 point
• Voting will be cast anonymously on paper ballots.
• The vote totals will be tallied at the end of the first vote by the committee chairperson.
• In the case of a tie between two individuals or teams, the committee members will recast votes one time only in a vote involving only the individual or teams tied in order to break the tie. If the vote results in a tie again, the tie will stand.

• Nominators will be informed by the designated method on their nomination form that voting has taken place. If successful in the award process, they will be asked to inform their nominated athlete or team to attend the banquet.
• Nominators will not be given specific results of the vote, only the information that their nomination will be recognized in their category.

The information regarding the nominees and finalists and winners will be released to the following only.

1. The City of Welland employees associated with the committee will receive access to all results required for the coordination of the awards event.
2. The local news outlets will receive information that only informs them of the nominations and finalists for use in articles
3. advertising the awards event. No results are released until after the awards event.
4. Release of the winners names and categories will be released to the agency that will be providing the awards for the awards event.
5. Release of the winners names and categories will be made available to local political parties that offer certificates in their honour.

Event duties are discussed in detail in the Welland Sports Promotion Constitution.