MARRIOTTS School pupil Josh Lucy was the toast of Twickenham after being honoured for his sporting achievements in 2008 at the Norwich Union School Sport Matters Awards. The 17 year old from Stevenage landed the prestigious male sports student of the year

MARRIOTTS School pupil Josh Lucy was the toast of Twickenham after being honoured for his sporting achievements in 2008 at the Norwich Union School Sport Matters Awards.

The 17 year old from Stevenage landed the prestigious male sports student of the year award at a star-studded ceremony at the home of English rugby.

A host of Olympic and Paralympic gold medallists past and present - including Christine Ohuruogu, Dame Kelly Holmes, Tim Brabants, David Weir and Eleanor Simmonds - rubbed shoulders with Lucy.

Conceived in 2005, School Sport Matters highlights exemplary practice in PE and sport in schools across the country.

Lucy, who plays for Codicote Cricket Club and Stevenage Colts Football Club, was honoured for his commitment to all areas of sport and the award comes hot on the heels of his double honour from the Youth Sport Trust for coaching and health improvement within the school.

He said: "I am really honoured to pick up the award and it came as a real surprise to me. I do a great deal of coaching and I think that may have stood me out above the rest.

"I coach at the cricket club and at the school and I have really caught the bug. I can't wait to go to university and continue it there and beyond.

"I have done my level one coaching badge in football and I hope to take level two soon but I know it will be a bit of a step up. It is a great achievement to be recognised and I feel really privileged to have collected it in front of so many big names.

"People like Kelly Holmes and Tim Brabants are such an inspiration and I had a really good day and can't wait to take my coaching to the next level."

Lucy was hand-picked by a 12-strong judging panel including Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, Dame Kelly, Olympic rower James Cracknell and Tim Brabants.

And Christine Ohuruogu, who claimed Britain's only gold medal on the track in Beijing, was delighted to attend the event and celebrate Lucy's commitment to school sport.

She said: "The School Sports Matters Awards are a chance to recognise people who wouldn't normally be recognised in the school arena.

"These people are doing fantastic things and it is often going unnoticed so these awards serve a great purpose.

"I never had the chance to do anything like this as a youngster - I would have loved to have had the chance and everyone should been honoured to pick up awards."

The annual Norwich Union and Daily Telegraph School Sport Matters Awards recognise outstanding achievements in school sport across the country, and are part of Norwich Union's wider commitment to getting 15 million children active by 2012. Find out more at www.joinourteam.com