A couple of months ago, we asked you to submit your nominations for the NAF Sportsperson of the Year award, which highlights extraordinary efforts and contributions to our community that go beyond the game itself. Thank you for the large number of nominations. It is great to see what happens all over the world and that on large and small scales, people use this hobby to make a difference.
We have read all the stories and entries carefully, and it is impossible to see this in an entirely objective way. While all coaches nominated helped our community in their own ways, we would like to highlight one story in particular:
A Story of Resilience and Community Spirit
In October of last year, the area around Valencia, Spain, was hit by a natural disaster. A massive storm struck the area, and the subsequent flood destroyed countless houses, fields, cars, and more. Many people lost their homes, possessions, jobs, and some even lost friends or family. Many people in the city had even been forced to climb trees, scale lampposts and sprint desperately to the upper floors of buildings to escape. At least 223 people died, and around 800,000 people were affected by this, including some of our fellow Blood Bowl coaches.
Our community reacted in a brilliant way. Not only did people collect money to help those in need, but local communities also organized collections of various supplies and even went to the area to help rebuild and offer emotional support. This was not just a momentary flare; it ended up being weeks of work and sacrifices. Coaches took days off work to help out, canceled tournaments, or family obligations to assist those in need.
Honoring Coach Joanet
As we can’t give the award to the entire community, we would like to award coach Joanet (#7690) the NAF Sportsperson of the Year trophy. He coordinated the efforts of countless people offering help, reached out to other communities, and provided guidance and support to everyone who needed it over months. By being a cornerstone of the combined efforts, he truly made a difference. Thank you for all you have done, Joanet.
Honorable Mentions
We’d still like to give out a few honorable mentions:
- Chicaork
- TrevCraig
- Lord_Chelmsford
- Overgone5
- Taurenbeast
- seanh1986
- Lonewolfjackson
- thewalleh
- TimDaBoss
You all made a difference! Keep up the good work with all you do!
Thank you for paying attention to this. We hope this might inspire some people to look beyond “just playing your games” and recognize that our community is unique in this way. We are looking forward to receiving more nominations at the end of the year!