A former Paralympian himself, the 39-year-old from Hertfordshire has been heading up the Welsh academy since 2007.

In 2010, his squad won countless titles across the UK and Europe with his players on the GB fast-track programme aiming for a place at London 2012.

At the recent GB Boccia Nationals in Scotland, two Welsh players, Jacob Thomas and Karl Parish, brought back medals after Thomas grabbed gold and Parish seized silver in the BC3 category.

Thomas has now been selected for the GB Boccia Elite Squad, the pathway to the London 2012 Paralympics.

Pearse said: "It is a reflection of the hard work and success of the athletes I coach that is most pleasing.

"There are so many positive aspects to being a coach, particularly empowering individuals through Boccia.

"I'd like to see one or more of the Welsh athletes I first came into contact with a couple of years ago reach the podium for GB."

Other winners at the ceremony included GB basketball coach Damien Jennings and head coach of the British Swimming Intensive Training Centre, Bud McAllister.

The Lifetime Achievement award was handed to 90-year-old Swansea table tennis legend Betty Gray, the Volunteer Award to Aberaeron RFC stalwart Glyndwr Evans, while 23-year-old Rebecca Daniels picked up the Young Coach/Leader of the Year title for her work to spread the hockey message across Europe.

Earlier this year, the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) committed an additional £1 million of funding towards coaching, taking Sport Wales' annual investment over the £5 million mark.

Minister for Heritage, Alun Ffred Jones, said: "I'm delighted that the Assembly Government has been able to provide additional funding for coaching in Wales

"Our investment is a reflection of the crucial role played by coaches the length and breadth of Wales.

"I'd like to congratulate each one of the winners for their dedication and to thank them for their hard work and commitment.

"Their stories are a real inspiration, which I hope will motivate others to take up coaching in order to make a difference."

Meanwhile Sport Wales, along with its partners, has committed to doubling the number of coaches and volunteers in Wales, from around 110,000 to around 250,000 by 2016 which is around 10 per cent of the population.

Chair of Sport Wales, Professor Laura McAllister, said: "The winners are the perfect role models for what we want to achieve in Wales.

"Every one of them should be rightly proud of their achievements.

"More than ever, there is agreement and appreciation that coaches and volunteers are the lifeblood of sport.

"Without the fantastic work of the thousands already making a difference in communities, from grassroots to elite level, we wouldn't have opportunities to take part in sport in Wales, and to excel.

"Now we need more of the public to follow their lead.

"We will need an army of enthusiastic and qualified coaches and volunteers.

"We'll need help to encourage more people to help out - more mums, dads, family and friends.

"Once they're involved, they'll be hooked too.

"Congratulations to Peter and all our winners and finalists."

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