BLITZ AWARDS 2005

This years Inverness Blitz Academy of American Football awards promised a sensational ceremony and all 300 guests and players were not disappointed.

From the opening ceremony with the "Blitz Running Man" covering the varied landscapes of the Highlands before emerging from the video screen and summoning representatives from all the teams to the stage to the musical finale of the cast, the audience were treated to a collection of action video clips from this seasons award winners and interviews with award nominees.

Presenting the awards to the winners were a host of great personalities including:

Danny Alexander MP, Charlie Ewing - Scottish Development Squad Head Coach and GB Lions Head Coach, Denis Bell - Chairman of the Inverness Area Sports Council, Scott Couper - Former Scottish Claymores and Chicago Bears wide receiver, Alan Hoseason - Coaching Development Officer for Coaching Highland, Phil Swainson - Sports Development Officer with Highland Council, Wendy Bamford - Chairman and secretary of the British Youth American Football Association, Stephen Dowds - Rector of Culloden Academy, Dougie MacDonald - Senior Lecturer for the Inverness College Sports Department, Ian Cameron - Member of the Board of Directors for Caledonia Community Leisure, Neil Bowman - Highland Institute of Sport strength and conditioning coach, and lecturer for the Inverness College Sports Department, John Ford - Councillor for Culloden.

The Presentation Director and host of the event, Robbie Paulin, commented

" As Hazel Irvine said in her Welcome Video `Inverness Blitz are going to make sure that American Football will be put on the map in Scotland` and this event has proved that. "

Whilst presenting the Blitz Acheivement Award Denis Bell commented "By far the best awards show in Inverness area, ever" a feeling that was echoed by some of his fellow presenters, Charlie Ewing said " some of you here may think that this is just a normal awards ceremony, but I can tell you this is far from normal", Scott Couper added " If Robbie had been working for the Claymores then perhaps we might still be around"

The award winners of the BLITZ 2005 Awards are:-

INVERNESS ROCKETS Cadet MVP Andrew MacKintosh
GLENURQUHART GLADIATORS Cadet MVP Calum Davenport
INVERNESS ROCKETS Junior MVP Angus MacKintosh
GLENURQUHART GLADIATORS Junior MVP Jon Wallace
MORAY MANIACS Youth MVP David Underwood
INVERNESS ROCKETS Youth MVP Graham Scott
ABERDEEN OILCATS MVP Neil Shepherd
CHEERLEADER Cadet Jasmine Gilham
CHEERLEADER Junior Joanne Kelly
ACADEMY SECTION - "Funniest Moment of the Season" Niall Hamilton
NORTHERN PHOENIX MVP Mark Larnach/David Kerr
MORAY FIRTH DOLPHINS MVP Chris Gordon
HIGHLAND WILDCATS MVP Kenneth Mackay
ACADEMY SECTION - "Best Athlete" Callum Hickie
ACADEMY SECTION - "Best Frontliner" David Ronald
ACADEMY SECTION - "Most Improved Player" Paul Stevenson
ACADEMY SECTION - "Rookie of the Season" Euan Rennie
ACADEMY SECTION - "Scott Couper Award" Scott Hackett
ACADEMY SECTION - "Hardest Hitter" James Pyke
BLITZ ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER Paul Kirkland

This is the first time that the Blitz have held their awards ceremony at Culloden Academy and they would like to thank all the staff at Culloden Academy and especially the Rector, Stephen Dowds for their help and support.

PICS C/O INVERNESS BLITZ