Unsung Heroes Behind-the-Scenes Professions in Sports

Unsung heroes of sports are the people who play a crucial role in sports, but we often hear very little about them. They are the sports industry’s biggest hidden stars and carry out a wide range of roles. Let’s dive in to discover more about the important role unsung heroes have in sports.

What are unsung heroes?

There are more unsung heroes than you can imagine, and to give you some examples of anyone who can be considered one, they can be F1 principals and pit crews, ground staff, performance chefs, doping officials, snowmakers, medics, physios, chaplains, football interpreters, rowing coxswains, kit designers, and basically anyone else involved behind the scenes in sports. And it’s not just the people within the stadium – there are the broadcast directors ensuring those at home always have the best angle, the coders keeping the leading sites for sports betting in India or the UK up-to-date to the latest second of action, the journalists who report on the action moment by moment. 

What is the BBC Sports Unsung Hero Award?

The British public service broadcaster, or the BBC as it’s more commonly known, dishes out an annual award called the BBC Sports Unsung Hero Award to celebrate these people. However, this particular category is aimed at a slightly different type of unsung hero. 

The annual award is presented to the sportsperson who has made an unrecognised yet substantive contribution to sport. From the BBC’s point of view, the nominee for the award must not be a participant in the sporting group they are helping, and their contributions must NOT be part of their job. 

The public nominates the BBC Sports Unsung Hero Award nominees, and the previous winners from the last five years include the following:

• 2022 – Winner: Mike Alden. Sport: Football. Contribution:  Founded Park Knowle FC in one of Bristol’s most deprived areas
• 2021 – Winner: Sam Barlow. Sport: Several. Contribution:  established a fitness club for those experiencing the loss of a loved one. She was inspired after her husband lost his battle against cancer
• 2020 – Winner: Sgt. Matt Ratana. Sport: Rugby. Contribution: he made rugby popular again at the East Grinstead Rugby Club when he took over as head coach
• 2019 – Winner: Keiren Thompson. Sport: Several. Contribution:  several contributions
• 2018 – Winner: Kirsty Elwen. Sport: Football. Contribution:  overcame mental health issues to inspire others to do the same and find a better place through swimming

The other type of unsung hero is someone who is directly involved in sports in one capacity or another, meaning it IS their job, and their contributions are part of the sporting team they are helping or part of the sport they are officiating. 

There are many behind-the-scenes professions in sports that people tend to forget about that play an essential role in how well that team or individual performs. 

However, they may not be directly involved with helping a team or individual. They may have something to do with sports in another capacity, not the competitive side of sport, and occasionally deserve recognition. 

Examples of unsung sporting heroes

One such example is the designer who created the blueprint for modern football shirts with a World Cup-winning shirt. 

There’s also the international athletic starter who disqualified Usain Bolt in a World Championship final and the anti-doping officials’ determined efforts to unmask the stars who are prepared to cheat to win. They help maintain the integrity of sports.  

Many people also class everyone involved in Lewis Hamilton’s Formula 1 pit crew in the season he landed his maiden F1 title as unsung heroes and even the famed rugby doctor whose heroics after coming onto the pitch saved Thom Evans’s life at the Millennium Stadium in Wales. 

They can be called unsung heroes for many reasons, and there are countless other examples of people like this who often hide in the shadows of sports but make huge contributions. 

Final note

Unsung heroes of sports don’t necessarily have to be linked to professional sports. They could be involved in amateur sports but may have greatly impacted people of all ages and from all walks of life in their local communities. 

They can be rehabilitators or physiotherapists who have helped people recover from major injuries or issues, either physical or mental. The list goes on.