THERE’S still time to nominate a person or group for this year’s West Dunbartonshire Sports Awards, which celebrate, the endeavours undertaken by those in the community who are passionate about sport.

Now in its second year, the sports awards campaign and event allows us at the Dumbarton and Vale of Leven Reporter to reach out to the sporting communities by acknowledging and rewarding local sporting achievements and celebrating their success.

In the coming weeks the Reporter will be highlighting randomly-selected nominees to inspire people to nominate those they think are deserving of recognition.

This week the spotlight is on Andrew Campbell, of Alexandria, who has been nominated for Young Volunteer of the Year.

The 19-year-old has a casual sports coach and has been coaching for the past three years running classes in wide a range of sports in primary school and for community clubs across the area.

He was nominated by Active Schools coordinator Yvonne Macdonald who said his work at St Patrick’s Primary in Dumbarton helped it secure the first Golf Sportscotland School Sport Award in the region.

He was also credited for getting young people in the area ‘more active, more often’.

She said: “Andrew Campbell is an enthusiastic, dedicated and highly motivated sports coach and volunteer. He is highly regarded by school staff, fellow coaches and parents.

“The children in his sessions really look up to him and he is a fantastic and inspirational role model.

“In particular, Andrew has made a huge impact on the children of St Patrick’s Primary School where he has been a volunteer for the past two years.

“He has delivered many extra-curricular activities, including an infant breakfast fitness club, lunchtime multi-sports clubs and an after-school football club.

“He has also given up his spare time to help out with Health Weeks and Sports Days in St Patrick’s and his volunteering helped the school achieve a Gold Sportscotland School Sport Award in 2015.” He has also worked with Kirktonhill Tennis Club and at Loch Lomond Rugby Club and holds keep fit classes for older people in Dumbarton every Friday.

Andrew told the Reporter: “I’ve always been into sport from a young age, I loved playing sport and it was when I was sitting my exams in sixth year that I thought my biggest passion was sport and I thought how can I get into the professional side of this?” That sparked his hundreds of hours of volunteering which he said have helped him secure a place at Stirling University training to be a PE teacher but he added that he was ‘surprised’ to be nominated for the award.

Last year’s inaugural awards was a huge success, attracting 37,000 votes from members of the public and decorating winners and runners-up.

In 2015, the awards promises to be bigger and better, culminating in a glittering awards ceremony at Clydebank Town Hall on Friday, October 30.

To nominate someone you think deserves to be in the spotlight, visit: www.westdunbartonshiresportsawards.co.uk.