Please use the link above for all Sports Awards nominations. These are due by Friday 21st August.

There are many awards that need nominations, and all criteria is below and on the form. Please nominate for the following awards for 2026:

- Colours, Service Colours, Long Term Commitment

- Team of the Year, Junior Team of the Year, Social Team of the Year

- Coach of the Year, Student Coach of the Year, Volunteer of the Year

While we know it might be uncomfortable, we encourage students to nominate themselves for all Colours awards. The Sports Department will do their best to spot if any information is missing, but students/parents know themsleves and their achievements better than anyone else.

Tournament Week and Aims Games results can definitely be taken into consideration, please communicate directly with the Sports Office if you would like to add information to your nomination after the weeks are completed.

COACH OF THE YEAR 2026

Staff and students are invited to nominate any coach associated with sport/s whom they believe through personal commitment, coaching ability, rapport with students and possibly (but not necessarily) results during the period September 19th 2025 and 21st August 2026 is worthy of such recognition. This may be the coach of an individual or team at any level and preferably, but not necessarily, hold official coaching credentials in a particular code or a generic coaching certificate.

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR 2026

Staff and students are invited to nominate a person or persons who, over a period of time as a volunteer, have made a significant contribution to sport at Marsden. This contribution may have been in any role – coach, manager, administrator, mentor, etc. It may be a teacher, parent or person from the community. The basis of the nomination should be the time and commitment contributed by the person, along with outcomes achieved. Nominations can be over a long or short period of time.

SOCIAL TEAM OF THE YEAR 2026

Students are invited to nominate their social team to win Social Team of the Year at the Sports Awards.

A social team is defined as a team that doesn’t have an official coach and probably doesn’t train. Social Team of the Year will be awarded to a team who:

Is incredibly well self managed by the students
supportive of each other
has students participating who are maybe playing this sport for the first time or giving it a go again
haven’t defaulted at all or if they have it was for a very good reason
Wears uniform correctly throughout the whole season

2026 MAJOR CUPS

All of the below awards are decided by the school and team management. Information will be taken from the Colours nominations.

Martine Foster Cup for Contribution to Junior Sport: All students eligible

Official of the Year: All codes eligible

All-Rounder of the Year: All students eligible

Most Promising Sports Person Award: Year 7-10 Sportswoman of the Year

Weston Cup: Sports Woman of the Year

Carr-Smith Cup: Rowing

Fran Hesp Coxswin’s Trophy: Rowing

Marsden Rower of the Year: Rowing

Emma Humphries Cup: Football

Karori Swifts Cup: Football

Jackson Cup for Contributions to Hockey: Hockey

Proctor Cup: Hockey

Cory Wright Cup: Hockey

Patrick Cup: Badminton

Sarah Molisa Cup: Basketball

Netball Club Cup: Netball

Senior A MVP: Netball

Penny Francis Cup: Netball

Miller Cup: Water Polo

Burdon Keating Cup: Underwater Hockey

Tamara Warmerdam Cup: Volleyball

Marsden Cup for Volleyball: Volleyball

Cricket Salver: Cricket

Stockwell Cup: Cricket

2026 COLOURS

Students, parents and volunteers are invited to nominate students for colours. If you have performed highly in your sport or have been coaching/umpiring/playing for a few years you could be eligible!

We encourage self-nominations as you are the person who knows your achievements best.
If you are not sure which award you should apply for please discuss your achievements with Rosie Kirkpatrick or Jessica Gill
After nominations have been received, a committee meets to determine the final recipients.
Final decisions on the awards of Sports Colours will be made by the Colours Committee consisting of representatives from the Senior Management Team, Sports Department, and Head of PE and Health as appropriate. Student Heads of Sport may be invited to attend for part of the meeting.
Achievements gained by a student can only be used for either Sports Colours or Service Colours for Service to Sport – not both. However, students may be awarded both Sports Colours and Service Colours if they meet the criteria for both.
To receive awards, students must be a current student at the school at the time of the presentation of the awards.

SPORTS COLOURS (Yr 11-13) & JUNIOR SPORTS COLOURS (Yr 7-10)

Sports Colours will be awarded to individuals who have shown a high level of achievement in a particular sport. This is the highest honour available in sporting activities at Marsden School.
Awards are for individuals, but team or group success may be recognised towards sports colours.
There must be evidence of commitment, discipline, and hard work. The student must be a good role model to other students within their sport or activity and the wider Marsden community and, in sport, must display characteristics of sportsmanship and fair play.
Criteria for whether an individual is eligible for colours:
- This award acknowledges students who have been selected for the highest provincial, regional or national representative team as defined by the governing regional secondary school sports body.
- Non-travelling reserves, tournament teams, ‘B’ squads or national development squads will not automatically receive colours, however they will be considered in special circumstances. This may be based on the number of students who trialled for each team, or where a national sports body doesn’t select a team in this age group.
- Final decisions will consider both the level of competition reached and the participation levels within the sport at regional and national levels. As a result, students in highly competitive sports may receive colours for lower placings than students in sports with fewer competitors.

CERTIFICATES OF HIGH ACHIEVEMENT 2026

Certificates of High Achievement are awarded to students who have reached a high standard in their chosen activity but who have not fulfilled all the criteria for Colours to be awarded.

COMMITMENT AWARD (Yr 13 ONLY)

Any year 13 student who has been part of a school top team for 3 years+ continuously including her year 13 year. This award recognises long term commitment to a sport. For example, a 1st XI Football member in Year 11,12 and 13.

SERVICE TO SPORT COLOURS

Service Colours are awarded to students who have made an outstanding contribution to the sports.
It is expected that the student will have been involved in the sport throughout their time at the school. Service may be accumulated over one or more years but the contribution cannot be counted again if it has already been used as evidence towards Service Colours in the previous year.
There are many opportunities for service, including but not limited to: coaching or directing a student group, making a significant contribution to a sport or group as a Student Head of that group, umpiring or officiating beyond the requirements of the league or group, assisting or organising trials or other related activities, arranging specific events which help to lift the profile of the sport or activity within the school.
It may also include involvement outside of school that contributes to our programme here.

HONOURS BARS

Honours Bars are awarded to any student in Years 7 – 13 who wins a national title or is selected to represent New Zealand in an age group team, or development team/group which competes in an event or represents New Zealand. Selection in an NZ Squad that does not actually play a fixture or perform may not earn an honours bar.