SWIMMER Jordan Theaker came out on top in the Hyndburn Sports Awards held last Friday night at Accrington Town Hall.

The Great Harwood Otters youngster held off the challenge of fellow swimmer Robert Harrison and motocross ace Aaron Smith to pick up the coveted Rising Star award.

Jordan, 12, won the award after an outstanding season.

He has qualified for eight out of eight disciplines and distances in the National Swimming Championships, which take place later this month.

And he leads the way in the National Rankings in his age group in six disciplines.

He spends around 20 hours training a week as well as competing most weekends, costing more than £5,000 a year.

Fellow swimmer Robert Harrison, 14, was unlucky to just miss out.

He swims for the Blackburn Centurions and Lancashire's Gallica squad and is on Great Britain's World Class programme with serious prospects for the 2012 Olympics.

He has five top three National Rankings and 11 top three North West Rankings in his age group.

And Aaron Smith was also in the running for the award as he has excelled at motocross.

Aaron is dedicated to his sport and has competed at national level for six years.

He is currently second in the 2006 British Championships and will take part in European races later this year.

The Coach of the Year award was presented to Mark Gray who has worked in the field of Outdoor Education over the last eight years.

He has assisted hundreds of youngsters in sports such as sailing, camping, climbing and mountain biking.

The Community Club of the Year was won by Globe Bullough Park FC. They operate in one of the more deprived areas of Hyndburn and have been a cornerstone of the community, providing regular sporting activities for young people, many of whom are from low income or one parent families.

The club are run by a reliable and dedicated team of volunteers who fundraise and even drive the minibus to ensure the club grows and survives. Evidence of the growth is the club's expansion into six teams for next season.

Netball coach Sue Grogan was rewarded for her 25 years service to the sport with the Special Recognition award.

Sue has been a figurehead in the development of netball in Hyndburn and she has coached youngsters from five-years-old to adults.

And a group of former Hyndburn netballers recently won a tournament in Wales - and put their success down to Sue.

In the new awards, Paul Clegg won the Cricket Development Group's "Services to Cricket".

He has been involved with Baxenden Cricket Club since he was 13-years-old. He has dedicated 40 years of his life to playing cricket, spent 10 years as the cricket secretary followed by 20 years as the club secretary and eight years as the vice chairman.

He has been a loyal servant and has had a big impact on cricket in Hyndburn.

Alan Greenwood, meanwhile, won the Soccer Taskforce's "Services to Football."

Alan is the secretary of the Accrington and District Junior Football League but has also competed in local leagues as a manager and referee. He has been a key figure in the growth of the league with more than 200 teams now competing in age groups of Under nines to Under 16s.

AWARDS
Club of the Year: Globe Bullough Park FC
Special recognition: Sue Grogan - Hyndburn Netball
Rising Star -Jordan Theaker - Swimming
Rising Star runners-up - Robert Harrison (swimming) Aaron Smith (motocross)
Coach of the Year - Mark Gray - Outdoor pursuits
Services to Football - Alan Greenwood - ADJFL secretary
Services to Cricket - Paul Clegg - Baxenden Cricket Club
School winners - represented Hyndburn in the Lancashire Youth Games: Moorhead High School - rugby league boys; Mount Pleasant - gymnastics; Woodnook Primary - Year Five Mixed Cricket; The Hollins - girls basketball; Borough Squad - Netball; Basketball East Lancashire Squad; Norden - rugby league girls; Broadfield - Multi-skills; Mount Carmel - orienteering
School winners: Peel Park Primary School - orienteering; Baxenden School - Girls cricket; Woodnook Primary - Year Six cricket; St Nicholas - Year Six girls football