THREE Gwent coaches have been nominated as Sport Wales and BBC Cymru Wales unveiled a shortlist of local heroes of grassroots sport in Wales for 2015.

The community coaching and volunteering finalists for the Wales Sport Awards have been picked out by an expert panel of judges.

These are the people often in the background but who help ensure that community sport in Wales is thriving.

The finalists will come together on December 7 at the Sport Wales National Centre in Cardiff to recognise the very best of elite and grassroots sport in Wales.

Samantha O'Callaghan, a netball coach from Blaenau Gwent, and Angeline Tshiyane, a multi-sport coach from Newport, have been nominated for the Community Coach of the Year award.

And Greg Price, a table tennis coach from Blaenau Gwent, is up for the Young Coach of the Year prize.

O'Callaghan has integrated the junior and senior sections at Ebbw Vale Netball Club.

They previously ran as two separate clubs, but the integration has stemmed the drop off of junior members and increased the overall membership at the club by 38 per cent.

Tshiyane’s main achievement has been establishing a variety of black and minority ethnic sporting groups with young people, particularly with new swimming and physical activity sessions.

Price’s multi-talented sporting ability has seen the demand for his services stretch right across Blaenau Gwent and into Merthyr.

Overall he has engaged with more than 500 young people in various sports and has helped to set up Ebbw Vale Badminton Club, where he continues to coach.

Professor Laura McAllister, chair of Sport Wales, said: “At a time when sport is being embraced by our nation like never before, these are the individuals who are the very heartbeat of what is being achieved.

“Community sport needs enjoyable experiences and opportunities to inspire more people to take part. These are the coaches and volunteers who are leading the way in getting more people in Wales hooked on sport.

“Choosing the finalists was such a difficult task but reading their stories goes to prove that they deserve their time in the spotlight.”