Features

The nominations had finished, the judges had judged, the phone-lines had been ringing off the hook and finally it was time to announce the winners of this year's BBC Yorkshire Sports Awards.

Sport in Yorkshire is thriving, but it's all down to those people at the grassroots level of local sport, who more often than not, help out for little or no cash reward whatsoever.

During the ceremony a special Spirit of Yorkshire award was given posthumously to charity fundraiser Jane Tomlinson. The award was collected by her husband, Mike, along with Jane's brother Luke Goward. Nell McAndrew presented them with the award.

Other BBC Award winners:

• Coach of the year - Tony Smith (Leeds Rhinos/Great Britain)
• Team of the year - Leeds Rhinos
• Outstanding performance - Junior Witter (boxer)

Sports England Awards:

• Junior boy - Abdirisak Ahmed
• Junior girl - Jessica Ren
• Senior male - Paul Goodison
• Senior female - Jessica Ennis
• Senior athlete with disabilities - Danielle Brown
• Junior athlete with disabilities - Esther Stranger
• Junior team - St John Fisher RC School, Harrogate
• Senior team - Sheffield Hatters basketball

The judges:

The BBC Awards were judged by a seven-strong panel whose names are listed below: 

Tanya Arnold - BBC Look North
Harry Gration - BBC Look North
Sharon Shortle - BBC Radio York
Derm Tanner - BBC Radio Leeds
Seth Bennett -BBC Radio Sheffield
Matt Reeder - Yorkshire Post
Elizabeth Peacock, Ch RAC

The panel also made up the shortlist for the BBC Yorkshire Sports Personality of the Year Award.  Viewers of BBC Look North voted for the winner.