AN Ulverston sportswoman embedded in her home town hockey community for more than four decades has been honoured for her contribution to the sport.

Chris Regan, 63, has been put forward for Sports Volunteer of the Year in this year's Heart of Ulverston Awards.

Mrs Regan, of Yealand Drive, said it was "an honour" to be nominated for such an award, as she paid tribute to her clubmates.

She said: "It's an honour and I'm very pleased; I didn't know I was being nominated. With all these things, it's not one individual - like the films when there is a best actress, but it's about all the other people. It's the same with hockey; there are numerous other people that work to keep the club moving forwards.

"It's not just me. It's a team effort."

Caroline Smith, one of the people who nominated Mrs Regan said: "She works tirelessly for her love of the club, hockey, and investment in children. She is an unsung hero and a fantastic mentor."

After taking up the sport as a young girl at Dowdales School, Mrs Regan first became involved with Ulverston Hockey Club when she was in her early 20s.

During her stay at the club she took up the role as match secretary, a commitment that has only increased as the years went on.

She now acts as the club's president, its welfare officer, disciplinary officer, umpire development officer and junior team coach.


Mrs Regan said: "I've played numerous sports, but hockey was the stand-out one. It was something that I played and enjoyed and something that I could pass on to others."

A passion of Mrs Regan is helping to foster the next generation of hockey umpires. She is always happy to see a group of young athletes being officiated by someone their own age.

She said: "There is nothing better than having young players playing, and being umpired by a young person.

One of the achievements Mrs Regan is celebrated for was securing a five-figure refurbishment of the artificial pitch at the hockey club.

She said: "After 12 to 15 years it needed replacing, and at the time the [Ulverston] leisure centre were going to struggle to replace it."

Fortunately, through the contacts she had made by working in hockey at a county level, she knew of a way of securing the future of Ulverston's pitch.

She continued: "When you are in hockey and meeting and greeting people, you get a lot of information. I found out about a grant that we could apply for. I worked with the leisure centre and Sport England and we got a grant for £67,000."

Click here to fill out a nomination form for this year's Heart of Ulverston Awards, it only takes five minutes.

Read more about this year's HoU nominees:

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