The 2008 Cherriman Award
The winner of the Cherriman Award this year is our own Jenny Ball from IOW Masters who beat off a strong field of nominations. The annual award, established to commemorate the contribution made to masters in this country by Leonard and Vivienne Cherriman is made to the individual or team adjudged to have contributed the most to the cause of British masters. Jenny was particularly delighted to receive this award as the inspiration for our club came from the Cherrimans here at Sandown on the Isle of Wight. (please look at ‘history’ on this website)
For the last 14 years Jenny has dedicated much of her time to promoting swimming on the Isle of Wight. She is always ready to support, encourage or help anyone wanting to learn or improve their swimming from a beginner to a person of national standard.
Her impact is far wider than masters swimming. Jenny teaches and coaches Adult classes and Parent and Child groups at The Heights either in groups or privately – never giving up on anyone’s progress, however long they take to learn or whatever disabilities they may have. Although Jenny now teaches at The Heights her love of swimming was nurtured at West Wight where she was encouraged to start teaching and learnt the skills and pleasures of teaching both adults and parent and Baby classes from Shirley Miles. Over the years Jenny has achieved ASA certificates for teaching/coaching, timekeeping and judging. She travels all over England to officiate when asked – refreshingly for both masters and age group events.
Jenny is widely recognised as the dynamo and mastermind behind the highly successful Isle of Wight Masters meet which celebrated its 11th anniversary this year (Next year at The Heights on February 20th a nd 21st 2009) working tirelessly to ensure that it is a meet of the highest quality possible.
Jenny is the Hampshire masters’ representative and moved her organisational talents to the Hampshire County Masters Meet in 2007. Her level of commitment extends to attending both Hampshire ASA committee and South East Region masters working group meetings. She even attended with a broken leg!
Jenny still finds time to train, compete and win medals for the full range of masters events including open water and sea swims. She has attended several World Masters Championships with top ten finishes in the pool and open water events in Perth. Jenny regularly completes the local Sandown to Shanklin swim as well as organising it. She has also completed four cross-Solent swims, a distance of three and a half miles in two hours, in the last ten years.
