Old Albanians stalwart Tasha Saint-Smith has been named Volunteer of the Year in the 2011 City and District of St Albans Sports Awards.
Tasha, the RFUW premiership club’s captain and chairwoman for a number of years, was nominated in the over-21s’ volunteer category for Service to Sport by Amanda Bate, her recent successor as club chair and the Herts RFU county volunteer co-ordinator.
In her citation, Amanda Bate said: "Tasha has played for Old Albanians Saints for 12 years and while being a player has attended training twice a week, sometimes strength and conditioning training, a match each week and worked during the day, yet always found time to dedicate herself to her team.
"She was secretary for one year, pitch captain for two, club captain for four and chair for the past five years. Now she is stepping down but will continue to play, and the Saints would like to see her honoured for all her hard work and dedication which has got them to where they are now."
During Tasha’s 12 years with the club she facilitated the move from the St Albans club to Old Albanians RFC, without which the Saints could not have realised the dream of playing in the RFUW Premiership league, which they entered last season.
This provides a pathway for girls who can play rugby with boys up until the age of 12 and then need an all girls team, so Tasha's hard work means that girls can begin playing at six years and move up through the age groups, then into Under-15 and U18 teams, the women's 2nd team and if they have the talent and determination, the women's first team and Premiership rugby. This also provides the pathway to elite rugby and finally the England team.
"Tasha had to bring down the inevitable barriers women in sport encounter when they take part in a sport which has for a very long time been a male dominated one," Amanda added. "With tact and diplomacy and a little bit of shoving, she has changed many men’s perceptions about women's rugby and now OAs accept it and support it. We are the only Hertfordshire club with two women’s teams and the only one in the Premiership."
Tasha, who works at Tring School, has also formed good school-club links around girls rugby within the school sports partnership, and formed recruitment links with the women's team at the University of Hertfordshire, and the Royal Veterinary College's rugby team.
The awards were presented at The Vineyard Church in St Albans and include a motivational keynote speech by Alison Mowbray, Olympic Silver Medallist with the British rowing team.
Event organiser Jane Roskilly, from the St Albans Sports Development Team provided by St Albans City & District Council and managed in partnership with Leisure Connection, said: "It is vital to recognise and reward our local athletes, coaches, volunteers, teams and clubs for their exceptional sporting contribution and achievements throughout the year. It was a fantastic evening for everyone involved."
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