The Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture hosted the awards in collaboration with the Eastern Cape Sports Confederation to honour locals for their contribution to sports development in the region.
"I was extremely proud to receive this award," said Edge, a former Springbok swimmer and lifesaver linked to NMMU's high performance centre.
"Being a swimming coach is more of a passion than a job," he said, reflecting on a 35-year coaching career. "The fact that I absolutely love what I do, motivates me every day."
Last year, eight of Edge's charges competed internationally at events such as the All-Africa Games, African Junior Swimming Championships, Fina Swimming World Cup and Commonwealth Youth Games.
According to him, they brought home more than 20 medals from these galas.
"They are showing tremendous growth and potential and I am excited about the future of swimming at NMMU," said Edge, whose swimmers had set 58 provincial age group and open records during the course of the year.
He was also appointed coach of the national team that competed at the 28th Fisu World University Games in Gwangju, South Korea, last July.
Even though his day was filled with coaching and the developing of training programmes, Edge said he tried to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
"I eat carefully and make sure that I exercise daily – either in the gym or in the pool."
Two of his swimmers, Alard and Alaric Basson, were finalists in the Sportsman of the Year category.
"It is a great achievement for them," said the institution's aquatics manager Melinda Goosen."
She said the brothers had represented South Africa at the All-African Games, the World Cup and University Games in 2015.
Edge said his swimmers were now focusing on next month's SA National Aquatic Championships in Durban, which double as the Olympic trials.