NOMINATIONS have opened for the prestigious 6th Annual Courtney Walsh Award for Excellence Trophy for which the winner will pocket $500,000.

With two cricketers, two track and field athletes and a netballer already winning, several heads of sports association attended the launch Wednesday night at Cuddy’z Sports Bar and Restaurant at the New Kingston Shopping Centre.

Selection committee chairman Dr Aggrey Irons used the acronym HIDE (as Walsh hides the ball from batsman) in spelling out the criteria nominees must possess.

Dr Irons, in his animated style, noted that humility, integrity, discipline and exemplary behaviour were the guiding qualities of the nominees, adding, “We’re depending on sporting groups and the public to nominate such persons”.

President of the Jamaica Badminton Association, Vishu Tolan, whose junior players have consistently excelled, is considering a “senior player” that has contributed to the development of the sport.

Heads of the Jamaica Volleyball Association Major Warrenton Wilson and the Jamaica Hockey Association’s Victor Tomlinson said they would brainstorm with members of their association to come up with a suitable pick, particularly since the nominee must be between the ages of 18 and 40.

For the president of the Jamaica Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Association, Steve McNally, nobody immediately came to mind but he would “ask around”.

President of the Jamaica Netball Association Marva Bernard was present at the launch but not head of the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) Paul Campbell.

New tennis boss Aubyn Hill showed up and head of the Jamaica Golf Association (JGA) Wayne Chai Chong said he had looked past this year and would not be making any submissions.

State Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Arthur Williams, noted that the selection committee should consider as a criterion “athletes who are tax compliant” and commended Jamaican megastar Usain Bolt for being a “voluntary compliant” as athletes had a “duty to pay their share of taxes”.

Meanwhile, public relations and administrative manager of the CHASE Fund, Hilary Coulton, said members of the public who had difficulties filling out and dropping off the hard copy of the nomination form could make submissions to chase12@cwjamaica.com by filling out the answers to questions on the nomination form and submitting it.