THE presitgious annual Courtney Walsh Award for Excellence is considering adding a dimension where students will be recognised for their outstanding contribution to sports in tandem with academic excellence.

“This year, it is proposed that the Student Excellence Awards be introduced for nominees at the secondary education level. Schools will be asked to nominate one student who has displayed excellent qualities in academic performamce and represented the school in sport, while showing team commitment and good tenets for fair play,” according to the awards organisers.

Should it be introduced this year, the winning students, who must be Jamaican nationals and currently in Grades 10 to 13 of secondary school, will get trophies, tablets and one year free Internet service.

Also, the schools of the winning students will get a Supreme Ventures plaque and $250,000 award for development of a specified project to benefit the students and the institution.

Meanwhile, nominations for the coveted and ninth annual Courtney Walsh Award for Excellence opened with a press launch at Cuddy’z Sports Bar and Restaurant, New Kingston Shopping Centre in Kingston on Thursday evening.

In addressinng the function, Brian George, chairman of the Courtney Walsh Award for Excellence Selection Committee, extolled the exemplary qualities with which Ambassador Walsh used to distinguish himself on and off the field of play.

The Courtney Walsh Award for Excellence is presented annually to an outstanding male or female Jamaican athlete between the ages of 18 and 40, who has represented the country at the senior level.

The award is administered by the CHASE Fund.

Inaugurated in 2005, the award is based on the positive attitudes demonstrated by Ambasador Walsh, and which makes him an exemplary role model.

For the main award, nominees must exhibit for consideration a history of outstanding achievement in their chosen sport, with notable achievements in the calendar year preceding the award; a spirit of sportmanship and goodwill, reflected by truthfulness, courtesy and respect when dealing with other players/competitors and administrators; amodel of sporting endeavour, dedicated to improving individual performance; hard work and excellence in competition; strong national pride; appropriate leadership skills; appropriate deportment; a high level of discipline and integrity, both inside and outside of the sports arena; and humility in the face of victory.

A selection committee, comprising a representative each from CHASE, the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA), the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA), the Jamaica Cricket Association; the Sport Media; the institute of Sports (INSPORTS), the Sport Development Foundation (SDF) and three directors from the CHASE Board, is responsible for processing nominations and selecting the awardee each year.

Since the introduction of the prestigious award, eight top achievers whose consistently excellent performances are recognised in Jamaica and oversees have been honoured. They include: James ‘Jimmy’ Clive Adams, 2005; Deon Hemmings, 2006; Elaine Davis, 2007; Nehemiah Perry, 2008; Brigitte Foster-Hylton, 2009; Aleen Bailey, 2010; Dr Neil Gardner, 2010; Veronica Campbell Brown, 2011.