THE deadline to nominate your sporting stars and dedicated volunteers from the past 12 months is next week.

After a year's absence because of COVID-19, Dunfermline and West Fife Sports Council's annual awards for 2021 is scheduled to take in just under six weeks' time and there are only six days left to put forward candidates for prizes in eight categories.

First held in 1978, the area's sporting 'Oscars' recognise talented sportsmen and women, and clubs, for their achievements throughout the previous year, as well as coaches and volunteers.

The last awards ceremony to be held was in February 2020, which saw former Woodmill High School pupil Emma Russell, who last year competed at senior level for Great Britain's swimming team for the first time, winning 4x100 metres and 4x200m freestyle relay gold at the European Aquatics Championships, named as Sports Personality of the Year, an award which will again be sponsored by the Press.

In addition to the Sports Personality of the Year award, the Young Sports Personality of the Year – sponsored by the Carnegie Dunfermline Trust – will be presented to a young person aged 16-and-under as of December 31, 2021, who has shown qualities of endeavour in sport, and whose individual standard of performance has improved throughout the year.

The East Kilbride Sports Council Award is presented to an individual athlete with a disability who has achieved significant progress in their sport throughout the last 12 months, while there will also be accolades for the Coach of the Year, sponsored by Dunfermline and West Fife Sports Council; School Ambassador of the Year, sponsored by Active Schools; and Services to Sport, sponsored by Fife Sports and Leisure Trust.

Team achievements will also be recognised in the Benny Hutton Team Award, for those aged 16-and-over, and the Junior Team of the Year, which is sponsored by Active Schools Fife.

Individuals and clubs can submit nominations in any category but nominees must be resident within Dunfermline and West Fife or a member of a club currently affiliated to the sports council. In the team awards, 25 per cent of the team may be resident outwith Dunfermline and West Fife.

Candidates may be nominated for one category only, and only one nomination is admissible per club (unless allowed by the committee), and anyone who derives their livelihood from taking part in competitive sport, or who coach professionally, are not eligible.

Nominations close on Wednesday (January 19) and, to submit a nomination, you can access a form at www.westfifesport.com, by emailing sports.councilwest@fifeleisure.org.uk, or by contacting the Press.

The awards ceremony will be held at Queen Anne High School on Wednesday, February 23.