Beyond Sport Award 2013 Winners Unveiled

Organisations including Sky Sports Living For Sports have been announced at this year’s Beyond Sport Summit and Awards in Philadelphia, with the National Football League (NFL) claiming the ESPN Federation/Governing Body of the Year Award.

The Award, supported by SportAccord and given in recognition of the league’s groundbreaking and high-impact campaign around breast cancer awareness, amongst its other initiatives, saw the NFL chosen from a shortlist of the leading governing bodies and federations from around the world. Through the first six months of its ‘A Crucial Catch’ program, the NFL reached more than 17,000 women through education, outreach and screening navigation, and nearly 3,500 women were screened.

Beyond Sport founder Nick Keller said: The NFL has an impressive and diverse community repertoire, but ‘A Crucial Catch’ is a truly groundbreaking program. Commissioner Goodell and his team have changed many lives across the USA, but perhaps none in so tangible and such an incredible way. They are worthy winners of the ESPN Federation/Governing Body of the Year Award, and our congratulations go to them and all our other winners.”

Meanwhile, the Toronto Blue Jays followed in the footsteps of the Memphis Grizzlies, Philadelphia Eagles and Hapoel Tel Aviv as Beyond Sport’s Sport Team of the Year, rewarded for their efforts as one of the only major league sports teams to work across an entire nation. The Jays Care Foundation has implemented a community investment strategy on a national scale addressing the needs of under-resourced communities across Canada.

Sky Sports won the Corporate of the Year Award, supported by Fortune, for its work with Sky Sports Living for Sport. The organisation was presented its Award by Beyond Sport Young Ambassadors Israel Imwensi and Corrine Eckert.

Beyond Sport’s Global Partner, Barclays, backed both international and local awards. The Sport for Social Inclusion Award, supported by Barclays, was given to YUWA for its work with young girls in India, while Students Run Philly Style won the Barclays Philadelphia Impact Award.

Each winner will receive a special tailored package of support to go with their locally crafted Beyond Sport Award trophy, specially created by Philadelphia institution Spike’s Trophies.

The Beyond Sport Awards were presented as part of the Beyond Sport Summit and Awards – the largest gathering of sports teams and leagues, organisations, businesses and brands around the use of sport as a tool for social change. Speakers included NBA Commissioner David Stern, Governor Ed Rendell, Coca-Cola SVP Sharon Byers, Special Olympics CEO Tim Shriver, NBA Global Ambassador Dikembe Mutombo, Philadelphia Eagles legend Brian Dawkins, New York Yankees Assistant GM Jean Afterman, Philadelphia 76ers CEO Scott O’Neil and many more.

Beyond Sport’s global partners are Barclays, TIME, Unicef and ESPN. 

The Beyond Sport Awards 2013 Winners

Best New Project

• Sports for Juvenile Justice – United States

Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative (PYSC)

Enrols juvenile offenders in diverse sports programs, seeking to decrease adolescents’ further involvement in the juvenile justice system

Sport for Social Inclusion, supported by Barclays

• YUWA – India

Uses football to engage with young girls, empower them and provide them with skills; located in the poorest most dangerous area of India for a girl, where child marriage and sex trafficking is a typical occurrence

UNICEF Sport for Education Award

• Skateistan Kabul – Afghanistan

Uses skateboarding as a hook along with a special teaching curriculum to educate populations of Afghanistan that otherwise would not receive access such as girls.

Sport for the Environment

• Carbon Management Strategy for London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games –United Kingdom 

Best Foot Forward

Developed a carbon management methodology that was recognised by the independent Commission for a Sustainable London 2012 as ‘groundbreaking’ and NGO’s Bioregional and WWF as an ‘innovative approach’ and a ‘key sustainability success story’.

Sport for Conflict Resolution Award, supported by Comic Relief

• Jugando por la Libertad – Colombia

Nukanti Foundation for Children

A capoeira program for children and youth affected by extreme violence, poverty and forced displacement that encourages children to attend school and maintain a high performance level through discipline, communication, concentration, attention provided, and leadership roles.

Sport for Health Award, supported by Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals

• Increasing Access of Sexual and Reproductive Health Information and Services to Adolescents and Youth – Kenya

Moving the Goalposts Kilifi

Educates the population on safe sexual practices, as well as empowers the girls in the community through football training, leagues, games, and coaching programmes

Corporate of the Year, supported by Fortune

Sky Sports Living for Sport – United Kingdom

• British Sky Broadcasting Ltd

A programme run in partnership with the Youth Sport Trust (YST) that provides planning tools, access to star athletes and sports kit to 30,000 11-16 year olds across the UK per year.

ESPN Federation/Governing Body of the Year, supported by SportAccord

• National Football League – United States

Shortlisted mainly for its ground-breaking and high-impact campaign around breast cancer awareness; other impressive programming includes the progress Play 60 has made – an obesity awareness and reduction initiative for kids across the country

Sport Team of the Year

• Toronto Blue Jays – Jays Care Foundation –Canada

Jays Care has adapted its philanthropic model to meet the unique needs of under-resourced communities and children in need across Canada. Three Jays Care programs are prime examples of initiatives that began in Toronto, and have been adapted and expanded nationally: Rookie League; Field of Dreams; Home Run Scholars.

Barclays Philadelphia Impact Award

• Students Run Philly Style – USA

Students Run Philly Style offers intensive marathon training as part of a program which helps youth succeed in life by connecting students with adult mentors.

Innovation Through Sport Award, supported by One World Futbol Project

• Luke Dowdney, Founder, Fight For Peace

Fight For Peace provides children and young people in disadvantaged communities with alternative to crime, drug dealing and organised armed violence, via social inclusion through boxing and martial arts.