At the end of the season each team presents their own medals and trophies to the players. We also award three special trophies which date back to the early days of the club. This year’s deserving winners are Amber, Ava and Joe – congratulations!

President’s Trophy for Outstanding Minor Player of the Season (7–11) - Ava Wishman

This is what Ava’s coach Katia said:

“Ava Wishman is consistently a stand-out player for the U10 team.

She is one of the team’s top scorers and fantastic on the attack, whether dribbling around her opponents or putting the perfect pass in. Not only that, she is always looking over her shoulder, anticipating the play and getting back to defend – a true team player. Ava was instrumental in leading the team to win this year’s Sussex Shield competition, beating 12 other teams.

Ava is always positive, keen to listen and learn and sets a great example for her team. Even when injured, Ava has shown up to practice to bring moral support to her teammates and to quietly express her commitment to the team.

With her skill, team play, pace and great attitude, it is no surprise that she has also been invited to train with the Brighton and Hove Albion Advanced Centre. She is a gem of a player, a role model to her teammates and anyone around her and a pleasure to coach.”

Chairman’s Trophy for Outstanding Junior Player of the Season (12+) - Amber Page

Amber’s coach Carly told us:

“Amber Page was nominated because she is “dedicated, passionate and brilliant!”

Amber started football later than many of our other girls but was like a fish to water and with hard work and dedication she quickly improved and progressed. This year she moved position in our team and has been brilliant and like a rock in defence.

On the rare occasion Amber is not there the rest of the team miss her skill and support. She works hard in training, listens well to direction from her coaches and others and does everything with a great sense of humour.”

Hardy Riedel Cup for Outstanding Club Player of the Season - Joe Tansey

This is what Joe’s coach Marcus had to say:

“Joe Tansey has been our Captain Fantastic for five seasons now, and an integral part of Hove Park Colts since he was eight years old – part of the original Amber team and now Gold.

Joe has always stood out for his maturity and football intelligence. So when Gold was set up there was no question of him becoming our captain. He is the backbone of everything we do, not only for his level of skill but also his character. This isn’t just the view of his coaches but also his team, who both respect and admire him in equal measure. He is also a part of our coaching regime – it’s his job to get the boys warmed up and take them through early drills.

This season was particularly competitive and something to learn from it is that Under 14 Gold NEVER give up, we often turn games around in the last 10 minutes, and this is usually down to Joe driving his team on.

As the team comes into an age when competitiveness and sometimes bad sportsmanship enters the game, Joe’s level head and cool attitude creates a calm influence across the team to ensure that, whatever the score, they always leave a match with their heads held high and in good spirits. Other managers frequently comment on this.

At this grassroots level of football it is not always about having a mini Ronaldo or a boy who can score ten goals – it’s about being in a team, building character and friendships that you will always remember and carry through life. Joe epitomises all of this and we’ve been lucky to have him at Hove Park Colts.”

Congratulations to our three winners!