Who gets your vote in Black Country awards?

It is uniting and engaging communities that is everything the Black Country Sport & Physical Awards stands for.

The past six years has seen the awards get better and better, with more categories and more Black Country unsung sporting heroes getting their full rewards.

Olympians, paralympians, coaches and volunteers have all been honoured in recent years. And this year will be no different with the seventh awards show taking place during a glitzy ceremony in Wolverhampton in November.

The awards have come a long way from when they were initially drawn up by Black Country BeActive Partnership managing director Simon Hall.

Mr Hall, from the partnership which came into force in 2005, wanted to celebrate those who worked hard behind the scenes to allow the future sports stars to flourish, as well as the talented stars themselves.

For more details on how to vote visit www.blackcountrybeactive.co.uk

Sportsperson of the Year (19 years and over)

This category is for sportspeople who have displayed excellence in their chosen sport. This could be county champions, national and international athletes.

Young Sportsperson of the Year (18 years old and under)

Rewarding young sportspeople who have displayed excellence in their chosen sport – county champions, national and international athletes.

Disabled Sportsperson of the Year (open age)

This category is for disabled sportspeople who have displayed excellence in their chosen sport – county champions or national and international athletes.

Community Club of the Year

Recognising a club that provides a high quality sports environment for members through supporting coaches and volunteers and developing the infrastructure of the club for both current members and future generations.

Community Coach of the Year

A paid or unpaid coach who has made a significant impact on those they have coached and is committed to providing more opportunities for people to start, stay and succeed in sport.

Community Project of the Year

Recognising a sport and/or physical activity project which uses innovative approaches to improve health and enhance the quality of life and/or participation levels of the people in the Black Country.

Newcomer of the Year (18 and under)

Rewarding the achievements of an individual in their first 18 months of participating in their chosen sport, activity or role. The individual should have made an outstanding and inspirational contribution.

Unsung Hero

This award recognises those who give up their time for free and, by doing so, make participating in sport and physical activity possible.

Business in Sport

Recognising the contribution businesses make to sport in the local community, and recognises those businesses that encourage their employees to take part.

School of the Year

To turn this idea into reality, Mr Hall approached a number of local councils to create a fixture in the sporting calendar to pay tribute to those who dedicate many hours of their time to unearth sporting excellence all year round.

This, whether it is to perfect their skills in a sport or coach and develop others towards helping them reach their goals.

Big names who have won awards in the past include Wolverhampton-born star Kristian Thomas – who will be most remembered for winning bronze in the London Olympics of 2012.

Triathlete Jodie Stimpson and paralympian swimmer Ellie Simmonds – both also previous winners – have gone on to achieve the best accolades in their sports.

But the awards night, this year to be held at the Ramada Hall Park Hotel, is an event which celebrates and gives thanks to the unsung heroes who don't often see their name in the headlines when they have done a good job.

It is also for those whose achievements fail to stand out when they really should do.

First held in 2009, the awards night has become a permanent place in the calendar with hundreds of guests filling up the tables each year.

Being nominated and winning is a very special and proud moment for anyone to achieve.

For the third year running, four of the awards' Black Country winners will be put forward for a place in the West Midlands Community Sports Awards, taking place at Villa Park – the home of Aston Villa Football Club – at the end of November.

The four categories are Community Coach of the Year, Community Club of the Year, Community Project of the Year and Newcomer of the Year.

Being put forward to the West Midlands Community Sports awards gives winners the chance to showcase their efforts on an ever bigger stage.

There they will compete for prizes against the region's best – not just the Black Country's.

And last year saw basketball coach Clive Allen win both the Black Country and West Midlands prizes for Community Coach of the Year.

Allen, a former British Basketball League player who is part of West Bromwich Albion's registered charity The Albion Foundation, has coached youngsters of all ages the sport.

"To win both awards last year was an amazing feeling," he said. "It was just so nice to get the recognition for something I love doing. Basketball has been a big part of life and to be able to coach it gives me great pride.

"The fact nominations came in from the public also made it more special."

The winners, which were announced at The Light House Media Centre in Wolverhampton, were picked from a shortlist of 39 athletes, coaches and sports clubs drawn from more than 100 nominations from the public.

And since the awards were given out last November several winners have gone on to achieve even more success in their respected sports.

Last year saw Wolverhampton's Olympic medallist, gymnast Kristian Thomas, take the overall Sportsperson of the Year title.

Thomas went on to win gold at this year's European Gymnastics Championships in France – winning Great Britain's first gold medal of the event after scoring 15.166 with a clean routine on the floor.

This secured his first international individual apparatus gold.

Jordanne became Australian Open champion, French Open champion, Wimbledon champion and US Open champion in 2014 – winning the women's wheelchair tennis doubles grand slam for the first time.

The grand slam refers to picking up all four titles in the same calendar year and is a rare feat.

And 2015 has been another impressive year for the 23-year-old after she secured her fifth consecutive grand slam title in Australia in January with doubles partner Yui Kamiji.

And just several days ago her promising career was made even better after she was awarded an MBE in the Birthday Honours List.

Jordanne was left gutted recently when she missed out on winning a sixth grand slam in a row at Roland Garros in France, but will be hoping for more glory when tennis fever hits the nation later this month with the start of the Wimbledon Championships.

Talented weightlifter Bobbie Butters won the Young Sportsperson of the Year award last November.

Winning last year was a special moment for Bobbie, but she has suffered injury woe in the last few months, meaning she has been unable to compete in events.

The 19-year-old weightlifter told the Express & Star how thrilled she was about winning.

"Winning one of the awards was just fantastic, to be honest I totally wasn't expecting it. I remember arriving at the table and looking at the people who I was up against for the award and thinking, 'oh gosh, what a great group of people to be involved with'.

"Being with my family also made it even more special.

"I've been struggling with injury over the past year but I'm hoping to get back to full fitness soon so I can start competing again and taking my development even further."

American football club Sandwell Steelers won the Community Club of the Year award following their projects in and around the Sandwell area.

And last year's success has led to even more on the pitch by enjoying the best start to a season in their history after winning the first four games of the season.

Club chairman Jay Alexander said they were set up to help boost the community and were honoured to be recognised.

"Winning that award last year was a massive thing for us," he said.

"Since being formed we've played a big part in trying to increase sport in the community and it was great to get that recognised – especially with American football being a niche sport, so to speak.

"What we want to do now is set up a partnership charity which will increase that community cohesion within the club.

"We've also branched out to local businesses and gone on a recruitment drive, attracting more people to play for us and be part of our set up." Last year's ceremony finished with 'Blind' Dave Heeley, who became the first blind person to complete the seven-marathon challenge in 2008, collecting the Chair's Recognition award.

And this year the inspirational man had even more reasons to smile when he completed his gruelling charity challenge in the Sahara Desert – becoming the first blind man to complete the 160-mile Marathon Des Sables.

Dave, a father of three, who was raising money for the Albion Foundation, said: at the time "It has just been an unbelievable experience.

"It has just been a horrible adventure in respect of how gruelling it has been, but at the same time an absolutely fantastic adventure." Bosses of the partnership are hoping this year's awards will be one of their best yet.

Andy Webb, BeActive Black Country partnership director, said last year the Black Country was bucking a trend by reinvesting in sports clubs and communities

"We will never forget our heritage but now we are seeing the start of a new era we can all be tremendously proud of," he said.

With support from the Express & Star, this year's awards is set to be bigger and better than ever before.

Each of the 12 awards is set to be fiercely contested, with organisers hoping for more nominations from the public than ever in its history.

Whose unsung names will we be hearing loads more about in the months to come?