Province s amateur athletes, volunteers, coaches and officials to be recognized at Saskatchewan Sport Awards

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1 For immediate release January 18, 2011 Province s amateur athletes, volunteers, coaches and officials to be recognized at Saskatchewan Sport Awards Sask Sport Inc. today announced the finalists and recipients for the Saskatchewan Sport Awards, which include the 2010 Athlete of the Year Awards, Saskatchewan Coaching Awards, and Saskatchewan Volunteer Recognition Awards. New to this year s awards ceremony is the Officials Awards. The Saskatchewan Sport Awards are held annually by Sask Sport Inc. to celebrate the outstanding achievements of Saskatchewan amateur athletes and those individuals who provide their support so these athletes can achieve their goals. This year, the committee received 88 nominations for the various award categories. Our province is home to many talented athletes who excel at the regional, national and international levels, and this is our opportunity to recognize them for their accomplishments. Our athletes are supported by a vast network of coaches, officials and volunteers and we want thank them for their contributions to our amateur sport system, said Audra Young, Sask Sport Inc. President. The finalists for the Athlete of the Year Awards are: Master: Russell Hart, Regina, Saskatchewan Rowing Association Mike Vincent, Regina, Canoe Kayak Saskatchewan Hylke van der Wal, Dalmeny, Saskatchewan Athletics Youth - Male: Jarret Kenke, Saskatoon, Canoe Kayak Saskatchewan Michael Qing, Regina, Swim Saskatchewan Inc., and Special Olympics Saskatchewan Sam Valentine, Saskatoon, Dive Sask Youth - Female: Emily Schaan, Saskatoon, Judo Saskatchewan Renae Barks, Regina, Saskatchewan Rowing Association Jessica Campbell, Melville, Saskatchewan Hockey Association Male: Ben Hebert, Regina, Regina Sport District Inc. Lucas Makowsky, Regina, Saskatchewan Amateur Speed Skating Association Jordan Eberle, Regina, Saskatchewan Hockey Association

2 Female: Colette Bourgonje, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan Wheelchair Sports Association Colleen Sostorics, Kennedy, Southeast Connection Sport, Culture and Recreation District Kaylyn Kyle, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Soccer Association Team: University of Saskatchewan Huskie Men s Basketball Team Huskie Athletics Team Saskatchewan Male National Aboriginal Hockey Championships Saskatchewan Hockey Association Saskatoon Hilltops, Football Saskatchewan The recipients of the Volunteer Recognition Award, Coaching Awards, and Officials Awards are: Volunteer Recognition Awards: Thomas Victor (TV) Taylor, Warman, Judo Saskatchewan Jennifer Ellarma, Kindersley, Special Olympics Saskatchewan Coach of the Year Award: Dean McGarry, Lloydminster, Judo Saskatchewan Coach Dedication Awards Male and Female: Frank McCrystal, Regina, University of Regina Athletics Brenda Bennett, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Baton Twirling Association Officials Awards Male and Female: Blake Lyons, Outlook, Saskatchewan Athletics Association Arleen Day, Silton, Saskatchewan Curling Association Guest speaker will be philanthropist, motivator and former NHL coach, Ted Nolan. The success Nolan has had coaching is substantial, and his accomplishments outside of hockey are equally impressive The Saskatchewan Sport Awards will be held Thursday, April 7th at TCU Place in Saskatoon. Tickets for the evening are available for $75 each, or $600 for a table of eight. To purchase tickets, phone in Saskatoon or in Regina, or online at Event sponsors include Global TV, McMaster Photographers, Canadian Sport Centre Saskatchewan, the Coaches Association of Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan Lotteries. Proceeds from the event will support the Sport Legacy Fund s Future Best Program, which assists the next generation of Saskatchewan s national team athletes.

3 Biographies of the Athlete of the Year Award finalists and nominees are attached, as well as biographies of the recipients of the volunteer, coaching and officials awards. More information is also available at For more information or visuals, contact Pat Rediger at (306) , or visit

4 2010 SASKATCHEWAN SPORT AWARDS BIOGRAPHIES MASTER ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD Finalists Russell Hart, Regina, Saskatchewan Rowing Association Hart, 59, made it to the podium in four events at the FISA World Rowing Masters Regatta in St. Catharines, Ont. He placed first in the mixed C 2x event, rowing with Jennifer Stewart- Mitchell; finished second in the E 1x event; won second in the mixed D 2x event with Liz Kutarna; and earned third place in the E event, rowing with Dave Millar. At the Saskatchewan Rowing Association 2010 annual awards banquet he won the Master Athlete/Crew Male, and the Mixed Master Crew alongside Jennifer Stewart-Mitchell. Mike Vincent, Regina, Canoe Kayak Saskatchewan Vincent, 45, won gold in the C-2 men/master event at The Pas Opaskwayak Indian Days Canoe Race. At the Canadian Marathon Canoe Championships he placed first in the C-2 men, the C-2 mixed and the K-2 men events, and at the Canadian Sprint Canoe Championships he took first place in the K-1 masters/men and set a master men s Canadian record. At La Classique Internationale de Canots de la Mauricie in Shawinigan, Que., Vincent placed third in the C-2 men and was part of the top Canadian team. At the General Clinton in Cooperstown, N.Y., he placed fourth in the C-2 men, competing against 3,000 paddlers. Hylke (pronounced Hill) van der Wal, Dalmeny, Saskatchewan Athletics Competing in the master men 70+ category, van der Wal, 73, took first place at the Knights of Columbus Indoor Games in the 800m event, setting a provincial record. He placed first in the 300m at the Queen City Kinsmen Indoor, setting another provincial record. At the Canadian Masters Outdoor track and Field Championships, he won first in the 2,000m, second in the 400m and 800m run and 300m hurdles, and sixth in the long jump. He came in first at the Canadian Masters 10km Road Race Championships, and fifth at the Canadian Cross Country Championships. At the World Masters Indoor Track and Field Championships, van der Wal took fifth in the 800m and 12 th in the long jump. At the Saskatchewan Athletics and Bob Adams Foundation Award Night, he was awarded Male Master Athlete of the Year for 2010, and was co-recipient of the First Annual Howard West Athletic Award.

5 Other Nominee Included: Don Smith, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Taekwondo Federation International Smith, 40, won gold in the patterns and sparring categories at the provincial, Western Canadian and national competitions in At the Can-Ams held in Oakville, Ont. he won first in sparring and second in patterns, and at the Iska World Open in Orlando, Fla. Smith took home bronze in the sparring category. Along with these achievements, he was also a coach and member of the Saskatchewan Men s sparring team, which won gold medals at both the Western Canadian and national championships. YOUTH - MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD Finalists Jarret Kenke (pronounced Ken-key), Saskatoon, Canoe Kayak Saskatchewan Kenke, 16, competing in the National Team Trials 1, placed eighth in the Senior K-1 500m, coming in under the national time standard. At the National Team Trials 2, Kenke took silver in the Final A of the Junior K-1 1,000m, and he took bronze in the Final A of the Junior K-1 500m. These performances resulted in his selection for the development card races at the National Championships and a place on the Junior Pan Am Championship team. At the National Championships, he took gold in the Midget K-1 1,000m and the Midget K-2 1,000m, he won bronze in the Midget K-1 6,000m and placed fifth in the Juvenile K-1 1,000m. At the Pan Am Championships, Kenke won bronze in the Junior K-4 1,000m and the Junior K-2 1,000m. Michael Qing (pronounced King), Regina, Swim Saskatchewan Inc., and Special Olympics Saskatchewan At the Special Olympic National Games, Qing, 18, won gold medals in the 100 free, 100 breast and 200 breast categories, and took silver in the 200 free, 200 IM and the 4x25 freestyle relay. As a result of his performance, Qing qualified to compete at the 2011 Special Olympic World Games. At the Down Syndrome International Swimming Organization Fifth Short Course World Championships, he won gold in the 50 free, 100 free, 200 free, 800 free, 50 fly, 200 fly, 50 back and 400 IM events. At this competition, Qing broke eight world records, one in every category he swam, and he was named the Top Male Athlete at the meet. Sam Valentine, Saskatoon, Dive Sask Valentine, 15, won gold in the 1m, 3m and platform events at the Western Canadian Diving Championships, where he set a new Saskatchewan Group B Platform record. At the Junior National competition, he took gold in the 3m and platform events, and bronze in the 1m. He was also given the Isabel Warren award for the top compulsory score at the event. At the Senior Canadian Championships, Valentine won sixth in the platform event and set a new Saskatchewan record. At the Amsterdam Diving Cup, he won gold on the Platform, bronze in the 3m and ninth in the 1m, and at the Junior World Championships he placed eighth on the platform. At the CAMO International Meet, Valentine took silver in the platform event, and eighth in the 1m and 3m. He was also named to the Junior National Team.

6 Other Nominees Included: Curtis Graves, Saskatoon, Gymnastics Saskatchewan Graves, 17, qualified for high performance status with Gymnastics Canada in 2010, which allowed him to compete at the Junior level. At the Canadian Gymnastics Championships, Graves won gold on the high bar, and qualified to advance to the Senior high bar finals where he placed seventh. Graves placed fourth in this same event at the Elite Canada tournament in Gatineau, Que. He placed sixth in the AA event at the Western Canadian Gymnastics Championships, and at the Jurassic Classic in Calgary, Alta. he won third on the high bar and fourth in AA. At the Whitlow Invitational, in Florida he won gold on the rings, bronze on the high bar, eighth on the floor and sixth in AA. Gymnastics Saskatchewan selected Graves as its 2010 Male Athlete of the Year. Connor Antochow, Regina, Saskatchewan Taekwondo Federation International Antochow, 13, took first place in the sparring and patterns categories at Provincials, and at Western Canadians he took gold in sparring. At the SaskCup in Regina, he placed first in the patterns and second in sparring. At the National Championships in Richmond, BC, Antochow placed first in the sparring category. From the national competition, Antochow advanced to the Can-Ams, where he faced competitors from Canada and the United States. At this event, Antochow took home the silver medal in the sparring category. Sean Senger, Saskatoon, Football Saskatchewan Senger, 17, helped the Centennial Collegiate Chargers to a first-time win at the Saskatoon City Championships. In the Saskatoon league, Senger was second in scoring with 84 points, and fourth in receiving yards. At Provincials, the Chargers advanced to the final taking silver in overtime. As a kicker and receiver, Senger was selected to play with the Under 18 Team Saskatchewan. In the team s first game against Manitoba, he was named Offensive MVP and scored 12 of Saskatchewan s 26 points. At the Canada Cup, Senger helped the Saskatchewan team to a gold medal. He led the tournament in scoring and punts inside the 20, and was named Special Teams MVP for the tournament. He also won the field goal skills competition with a 51- yard field goal. Tanner Spencer, Craik, Saskatchewan Baseball Association Spencer, 16, was selected to play with Team Canada as a result of his performance at the Under 17 Baseball Canada Cup. Saskatchewan placed sixth in this tournament. With Team Canada, Spencer pitched against affiliated Dominican Pro teams and minor league Pro teams. Against the Atlanta Braves, he pitched three innings and gave up one run,; against the Washington Nationals he pitched three innings and allowed one run; and against the Detroit Tigers Spencer pitched three innings and allowed one run. In the Dominican, he pitched three innings against the Seattle Mariners and allowed three runs; and against the Tampa Bay Rays he pitched three innings allowing two runs. On the Team Canada Summer Tour, Spencer pitched one inning with no runs against the Lowell All-Americans, two innings with one run against the Danbury Westerners and four innings with three runs against the Twin City All Stars.

7 YOUTH - FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD Finalists Emily Schaan, Saskatoon, Judo Saskatchewan Schaan, 16, competing as a wrestler, placed first in the Provincial High School Wrestling Championships, first in the National High School Championships, first in the National FILA Cadet Championships and first at the Pam-Am Championships. In Judo, she took the gold at the Pacific International and qualified for the National F Team. At the Youth National Under 17, she won the silver medal, and at the Ontario Open Under 20 she won the bronze. In Paris, France at the Meichel Beavais International, Schaan won a gold medal. Renae Barks, Regina, Saskatchewan Rowing Association Barks, 18, won the gold medal in the open single and the lightweight single at the Canadian Secondary Schools Rowing Association, and she was the first woman to win both events in the same year. At the Junior National Team Trials she won gold in the Junior Women s single, and was selected to the Junior National Team. At the National Rowing Championships she placed first in the U23 lightweight 1x, and third place in the Senior lightweight 1x. At the World Rowing Junior Championships in the Czech Republic, Barks and her team placed ninth overall, and third in the B final. Jessica Campbell, Melville, Saskatchewan Hockey Association Campbell, 18, was the captain of the Canadian Female Under 18 National Team in Competing at the World Under 18 Championships, she scored the goal to win the gold medal for Canada. Campbell also made Team Saskatchewan in Her success on the ice has led to a scholarship to attend Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. Other Nominees Included: Miranda Seifert, Regina, Saskatchewan Taekwondo Federation International Seifert, 16, won gold in all sparring events in which she competed. She won the event at the SaskCup in Regina, Provincial Championships in Saskatoon, Western Championships in Regina, and National Championships in Vancouver. She is also a member of the U18 Canadian Women s Rugby team and the U18 Sask Female Midget Zone Two Hockey Team. She plays basketball as a Senior, though she is young enough to play as a Junior.

8 Julia Garnet, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Cycling Association Garnet, 18, won gold at the Junior Nationals Time Trial held in Devon, Alta. and as a result she was invited to join Team Canada at the Junior World Championships in Italy. At the Junior Nationals Road Race, also in Devon, Alta., Garnet placed sixth, and was invited to join the Senior Team Canada Racing Team to compete in Europe. Injured early in the season, she was pleased with her performances at the Junior Nationals. At the World Junior Championships in Offida, Italy, she placed 24 th in the Time Trial and 45 th in the Road Race event. Madison Brannen, Saskatoon, Gymnastics Saskatchewan Brannen, 12, won gold at the Provincial Championships in the AA, vault, bars and floor competitions. At the Prairie Invitational, she won first in the floor and AA events and took third in bars. At the Wild Rose Invitational she placed first in the vault and bars, and took second in AA. She took silver in the vault, fourth in the bars and the beam, and fifth in AA at La Classique Gymnix in Montreal, Que. Brannen placed second in AA, beam and vault at the Western Canadian Championships, and at the Canadian Gymnastics Championships, she won gold on the floor and placed seventh on the beam. Brannen has been named Gymnastics Saskatchewan s Female Athlete of the Year for Kiera West, Regina, Saskatchewan Baton Twirling Association West, 15, placed first in the three events and second in two at Provincial Championships in Saskatoon, qualifying for the Canadian Championships. At the Provincial Team Trials, she won gold in the freestyle event and advanced to the National Team Trials. At this event, West again took the gold in the Freestyle event and qualified for the World Championships. At the Canadian Championships she took gold in the six events she entered, and was declared Grand Champion Medley. At the World Championships in Bergen, Norway she placed fourth in freestyle, and at the Congressional Cup in Emittsburg, Md., West placed 12 th in a competition including Senior athletes. Lauren Wiegel, Quill Lake, Special Olympics Saskatchewan Wiegel, 18, set five records in the 400m run, 800m run, 1,500m run, and the 3,000m run at the Special Olympics Saskatchewan Provincial Summer Games. At the Special Olympics Canada 2010 National Summer Games, Wiegel won gold in the 400m run and the 100m hurdles; and she captured silver in the 800m run and bronze in the 1,500m run. As a result of her performance, Wiegel was selected to represent Canada at the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Athens. Jenna Berenbaum, Saskatoon, Canoe Kayak Saskatchewan Berenbaum, 17, placed seventh in the Final A of the C-1 200m at the National Team Trials 2 in Montreal, Que. This performance qualified her to the Junior National Development Team. At the National Championships in Regina, Berenbaum placed fifth in the Final A of the Juvenile C-1 1,000m, Juvenile C-1 500m and Juvenile C-1 200m. In the Juvenile C-2 1,000m and 200m, she took the gold medal; and in the Juvenile C-2 500m and the Juvenile C-4 500m she won the silver.

9 MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD Finalists Ben Hebert, Regina, Regina Sport District Inc. Hebert, 27, helped his four-man curling team to a gold medal win at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C. Ten teams competed for the top spot at the Olympics, with the Canadians coming out on top. Aside from the Olympic victory, Hebert and his team played to victory in three Grand Slams of Curling in They took first at the BDO Classic Canadian Open, the Players Championship and the National Championships. Lucas Makowsky, Regina, Saskatchewan Amateur Speed Skating Association Makowsky, 23, took sixth in the 500m, seventh in the 5,000m, sixth in the 1,500m and fourth in the 10,000m at the North America/Oceania Regional Qualifier. At the Winter Olympics, he placed 19 th in the 1,500m, 13 th in the 5,000m, and contributed to a gold medal in the team pursuit. At ISU World Cup events, Makowsky placed ninth in the 1,500m and 13 th in the 5,000m in April, tenth in the 1,500m and 19 th in the 1,500m in November, and fourth in the 1,500m later in November. During the last week of November, Makowsky placed 16 th in the 1,500m, 12 th in the 10,000m and second in the team pursuit. In 2010, he received the Peter Williamson Bursary for athletic and academic excellence. Jordan Eberle, Regina, Saskatchewan Hockey Association Eberle, 20, helped win the silver medal for Team Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championships, and he was named the Tournament All-Star at that competition. He led his Western Hockey League team, the Regina Pats, in scoring with 50 goals and 56 assists, in 57 games. In the season, Eberle was named the Western Hockey League Player of the Year, and as a result of his performance he was drafted into the National Hockey League with the Edmonton Oilers. Other Nominees Included: Aaron Almassy, Regina, Saskatchewan Taekwondo Federation International Almassy, 24, won gold in sparring and patterns at provincials, and took gold in patterns and silver in sparring at the Western Canadian Championships. At Nationals, he placed first in patterns and third in sparring; and at the SaskCup, Almassy won bronze in patterns. At the Can- Ams, he took gold in patterns and silver in sparring. From there, he advanced to compete at the European Open in Bratislava, Slovakia. In this competition, Almassy won a bronze medal in sparring. He was selected to be part of the Canadian Sparring Team and will compete at the World Championships in New Zealand.

10 Lyndon Rush, Humboldt, Canadian Sport Centre Saskatchewan Rush, 30, played football for the University of Saskatchewan for five years before he switched to the sport of bobsled. He entered the sport as a brakeman and has since moved to the pilot s seat. At the Winter Olympics, Rush led a four-man team to a bronze medal, and a two-man team to a 15 th place finish. At World Cup events in January 2010, in the two-man bobsleigh competition, his team placed first, fifth and tenth. In the four-man event, Rush piloted his team to a seventh and 10 th place finish on the World Cup circuit. Both at the Olympics and in World Cup events, he piloted the Canada 1 bobsled. Arnold Boldt, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan Cycling Association Boldt, 53, won gold in both the time trial and road race events at the Canadian Para-Cycling Championships in Saint-George, Que. Advancing to the 2010 World Paracycling Championship, also held in Quebec, Boldt cycled to a seventh place finish in the time trial and the 16 th position in the road race. Added to his accomplishments is the fact that, at 53 years old, Boldt was the oldest competitor at the World Championships. He raced cyclists as young as 24 years old. Anderson Loran, Saskatoon, Gymnastics Saskatchewan Loran, 19, placed sixth all around at Elite Canada in Gatineau, Que., taking gold in the floor event and 10 th on the high bar. At this competition he qualified for the Senior National Team. At the Canadian National Championships, Loran placed 14 th all around, with a fifth place finish in vault. His performance at Nationals qualified him to compete at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India. At this competition, he won bronze in the team event, silver on the high bar and he placed sixth on the pommel. At the Pan Am Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, Loran placed 65 th all around, with a 33 rd place finish in pommel. Reuben Ross, Pilot Butte, Dive Sask Ross, 25, won gold at the Senior Winter Nationals in Toronto in the 3m event, and in the Senior Summer Nationals he finished second in the 3m, and first in the 3m synchro. He won gold in the 3m synchro at the Canada Cup. At the Spain Grand Prix, Ross finished 12 th in the 3m, and at the FINA World Cup he took fourth place in the 3m synchro. At the Commonwealth Games, Ross placed fifth in the 1m, second in the 3m, and first in the 3m synchro. Diving with the University of Miami, Ross was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America men s at-large Second Team for the University Division. He was named to the All-ACC Academic Team, and placed fifth in the 1m event at the NCAA Men s Championships. Josh Northey, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Soccer Association Northey, 22, led the University of Saskatchewan Huskies with seven goals, five assists and 27 shots on net. His 12 points put him tied at second in the Canada West division for scoring. He helped the Huskies to their best season with a record, finishing fourth in the conference, and making their first playoff appearance since Northey was named a Canada West First Team All-Star, the Canada West MVP and a CIS First Team All-Canadian. Outside of university competition, Northey led the Huskie United Alumni team to its second consecutive first-place finish in the Saskatchewan Premier Soccer League Men s Championship, which secured a spot at the BMO National Championships.

11 Laurence Nixon, Saskatoon, Huskie Athletics Nixon, 23, led the Huskies to a 6-2 record, placing first in the Canada West division. Competing in the Canada West playoffs, his team was eliminated in the semi-finals. Given the Frank Gnup Trophy, Nixon was named the Canada West Player of the Year, and became a finalist for the Hec Crighton Trophy. In eight games, he threw 2,424 yards, completing 167 of 256 pass attempts. Nixon led the Huskies to the top scoring offence with 287 points, yards per game in total offence and yards per game in passing offence. The Huskies made a Canada West-best 16 touchdowns this season. Twice Nixon was named Canada West and CIS Football Offensive Player of the Year for throwing more than 420 yards in games against Alberta and Regina. Cory Niefer, Saskatoon, Sask Provincial Small Bore Association Niefer, 35, took gold in the individual and team categories at the 2010 Nationals Men s Air Rifle. He also took silver in the ISSF Men s 3-Position and ISSF Men s Grand Aggregate. At the Championship of the Americas, he won silver in the men s air rifle event. His second-place finish, secured Niefer a spot at the 2012 Olympic Games. In the men s air rifle category, Niefer also won gold medals at the Western Canadian Air Rifle, the USA Champion of Champions, the SFC Nationals and the SPSBA Outdoor Provincials. He took silver in this same event at the Canadian Grand Prix. Corbin Eskelson, Saskatoon, Football Saskatchewan Eskelson, 22, was declared All-Star Linebacker, Outstanding Linebacker and Defensive Player of the Year in the Prairie Football Conference. Captain of the Saskatoon Hilltops, he made 102 defensive points, 35 tackles, six assists, one special teams tackle, two special teams assists, two sacks, two pass knockdowns and three interceptions. Eskelson led his team to win the Canadian Championships, facing the Vancouver Island Raiders in the final game. He was also named Canadian Junior Football League All-Canadian Linebacker and Player of the Week. Carl Paulhus, Moose Jaw, Special Olympics Saskatchewan Paulhus, 25, won two gold medals at the Special Olympics Canada 2010 National Summer Games in London, Ont. achieving his personal best with both victories. One of his gold medals came in the 60kg squat lift, where he scored points. The other gold came in the 90 kg combination lifts. Paulhus also won two silver medals at the Special Olympics Canada 2010 National Summer Games; one in bench press, and the other in 90kg combination dead lift and bench press. Simon Bairu, Regina, Saskatchewan Athletics Bairu, 27, won gold in the 10,000m event at the Canadian Senior Track and Field Championships, setting a record for Varsity Stadium at the University of Toronto with a time of 28: At the Road Rock n Roll Marathon Arizona, he finished the half-marathon first out of 8,015 runners with a time of 1: At the ING Rock n Roll Philadelphia he finished fifth in the half-marathon. He took fifth place in the 10,000m at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational in Stanford, Calif. At the IAAF World Cross Country Championships he placed 13 th in the 12km race with a time of 33:44.00, the best finish in Canadian history.

12 Jayson Lechner, Balgonie, Saskatchewan Broomball Association Lechner, 20, helped his team to a second-place finish at the Odessa Juvenile Tournament, facing five other teams, and was named a First Team All-Star. At the Estevan Juvenile Tournament, his team came first and Lechner was the tournament s top scorer. In the Regina Men s League, Lechner was once again the top scorer, and he helped his team take second place. At Juvenile Nationals in Balgonie and White City, Lechner s team won gold, competing against nine other teams. Lechner was named First Team All Star and Team MVP. He was also the top scorer at the tournament, and was named tournament MVP. FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEA R AWARD Finalists Colette Bourgonje (pronounced Boog-own-ya), Prince Albert, Saskatchewan Wheelchair Sports Association Bourgonje, 48, won a silver medal in the 10km cross country sit-ski event, and a bronze in the 5km race at the 2010 Paralympic Games in Callaghan, B.C. During the closing ceremonies, she was given the Whang Dai Adversity Award for exemplifying the spirit of the Paralympic Games. At the IPC World Championships in France, Bourgonje won gold in the 5km race, silver in the 0.6km free sprint and bronze in the 0.95km free sprint. She was inducted into the Canadian Disabled Hall of Fame. Through the season, Bourgonje competed all over the world in many different cross country sit-ski events, earning seven first-place finishes, two secondplace finishes, one third-place and one fourth-place finish. Colleen Sostorics (pronounced Sos-store-icks), Kennedy, Southeast Connection Sport, Culture and Recreation District Sostorics, 31, helped take the Canadian Women s Hockey Team to a first place finish at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, B.C. The tournament ran from Feb. 13 to 25, 2010, with teams from eight different nations competing against one another. Sostorics helped win the gold in her usual position on defence. Kaylyn Kyle, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Soccer Association Kyle, 22, started eight of the nine games played by the Canadian National Women s team in the 2010 season. Of the nine games played, Canada won eight. Kyle also helped the National Team to victory at the CONCACAF Women s World Cup Qualifier. Canada played five games in total against Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Costa Rica and twice against the home team, Mexico. Kyle regularly played the full 90 minutes in the CONCACAF games. Canada secured a spot at the 2011 FIFA Women s World Cup, and they did not concede a single goal. Kyle also helped her club team, the Vancouver Whitcaps, to an undefeated season. The Whitecaps advanced to the playoff finals, and Kyle contributed a goal and an assist to that effort.

13 Other Nominees Included: Jillian Gallays, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Amateur Wrestling Association Gallays, 24, won gold in the 55kg category at the Canada West Championships, and won gold again in the same weight class at the Canadian Interuniversity Championships. At the National Championships in Fredericton, N.B., Gallays also took the gold medal. At the Great Britain Cup in Sheffield, England, she once again took the gold medal in the 55kg class. Wrestling at World Cup-Germany, Gallays placed eighth out of 10 competitors in her class. At the World Championships in Moscow, Russia, she placed eighth out of 23 wrestlers in her weight class. Competing at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, Gallays finished sixth out of six competitors in the 55kg category. Chelsea Stone, Regina, Saskatchewan Taekwondo Federation International Stone, 25, won gold in both patterns and sparring are the SaskCup in Regina. Competing at Western Canadians, she placed first in patterns and sparring, and took silver in the power test and the specialty breaking test. Stone took gold in sparring and silver in patterns at the Canadian National Championships in Richmond, B.C. At the Can-Ams, facing competition from the United States and Canada, she took gold in patterns and sparring. Stone was selected to the Canadian Sparring Team which will represent Canada at the World Championships in New Zealand in March Her first place finish at Nationals in 2010, marked Stone s 14 th consecutive national title. Breanne George, Saskatoon, Huskie Athletics George, 21, helped her team to a third place finish in the Canada West Women s Hockey Regular Season. With a record, the Huskies played to their best season so far. In the Canada West playoffs, the team advanced to the semi-finals. George was named Canada West Most Valuable Player, a Canada West First Team All-Star and a CIS First Team All-Canadian. She is the first Huskie women s hockey player to be named an MVP and an All-Canadian. She scored a conference-high 28 goals and 18 assists in 24 games, and her 28 goals tied the regular season record. She was named Huskie Athletics Athlete of the Week three times, Canada West Athlete of the Week and CIS Female Athlete of the Week twice. Kali Christ, Regina, Saskatchewan Amateur Speed Skating Association Christ, 19, won gold in the 1,500m and 1,000m, the bronze in the 500m, and fourth in the 3,000m event at the Canada Cup I. At the Canada Cup II, she placed third in the 1,500m, fourth in the 1,000m and the 3,000m, and seventh in the 500m. At the North American Championships, Christ was fifth in the 1,500m, seventh in the 1,000m and the 3,000m, and 12 th in the 500m. At a Junior World Cup in Berlin, Germany, she placed seventh in the 1,500m and 14 th in the 3,000m. At another Junior World Cup event, Christ took gold in the 1,500m, and bronze in the 500m and 3,000m. At the World Junior Championships in Moscow, Russia, she placed 16 th in the 1,000m and the 1,500m, 19 th in the 3,000m, 36 th in the 500m, and fourth in the team pursuit.

14 Sara Thibeault, Regina, Saskatchewan Baton Twirling Association Thibeault, 20, placed first in freestyle and pairs at the Provincial Team Trials. Advancing to National Team Trials, she again took the gold in freestyle and pairs. At Provincial Championships, she placed first in all six of the events she entered; and at Canadian Championships she finished first in four categories, second in two and third in one event. She was Grand Champion in the solodance, three-baton and duet events. At the World Championships, Thibeault finished 12 th, and at the Congressional Cup in Emittsburg, Md., she took ninth place. She and her partner are ranked fourth in the world in pairs, and Thibeault was named 2010 Saskatchewan Senior Athlete of the Year for baton twirling. Julie Paetsch, Lanigan, Football Saskatchewan Paetsch, 22, helped take her team to a silver medal finish at the IFAF Women s World Tackle Football Championship in Stockholm, Sweden. She was declared the game MVP in the quarterfinal against Sweden and the semi-final against Germany. Against Sweden, she scored the only offensive touchdown and rushed for 60 yards on 12 carries. Canada was defeated by the American team in the tournament final. Paetsch also played hockey with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies in the season. She appeared in 24 games, and recorded 10 goals and 26 assists. She was named a Canada West Second Team All-Star. Colleen Morstad, Swift Current, Special Olympics Saskatchewan Morstad, 30, captured medals in five of the six events she swam in at the Special Olympics Canada National Summer Games in London, Ont. In the 100m breaststroke she took the gold medal, in the 200m backstroke she won the silver medal, and in the 1,000m individual medley, the 200m freestyle and the 200m breaststroke she won bronze medals. Morstad has been named the Female Athlete of the Year by Special Olympics Saskatchewan, and she has competed at both the provincial and national levels, including representing Saskatchewan at the Canada Games in Prince Edward Island. Kelsie Hendry, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Athletics Hendry, 28, placed first at the Air Force Invitational, USAF Academy with a 4.45m pole vault, setting new indoor Canadian and Saskatchewan Senior records. She set similar records at the 2010 NAU Tune Up in Flagstaff, Ariz. with a second-place finish. At the Harry Jerome Classic in Burnaby, B.C., she won bronze with a 4.2m pole vault, and at the Canadian Track and Field Championships she again took bronze with a pole vault of the same height. At the IAAF World Indoor Championships, Hendry finished sixth, and at the Commonwealth Games she won the bronze medal. She was the recipient of the Saskatchewan Athletics Female Athlete of the Year award and her performances in 2010 qualified her for Athletics Canada Senior Carding Status. Christine Selinger, Regina, Canoe Kayak Saskatchewan Selinger, 23, won a silver medal in the Open Women K1 200m LTA, and a gold medal in the Open Mixed K2 200m LTA/TA at the Sprint Canoe/Kayak National Championships in Regina. At the ICF Senior Sprint Canoe World Championships in Poznan, Poland, Selinger won gold in the Women s V1 LTA/TA, her silver in the Women s K1 TA. Selinger traversed Vancouver Island s Nootka trail in 2010 in an all-terrain hand cycle, and she is believed to be the first paraplegic to have done so.

15 TEAM AWARD Finalists University of Saskatchewan Huskie Men s Basketball Team, Huskie Athletics The Huskie Men s Team won the first ever national basketball title for the University of Saskatchewan. With a 14-6 record, the team placed second in the Prairie Division in the Canada West regular season. Showron Glover was named a Canada West First Team All-Star and a CIS First Team All-Canadian. The Huskies advanced from the Quarter-Finals in Saskatoon to the Canada West Final Four in Vancouver, B.C., and then to the CIS Championships in Ottawa, Ont. At the CIS Championships the Huskies upset three teams seeded ahead of them; the University of Windsor Lancers (71-68), the Carleton University ravens (86-82), and in the final game, the UBC Thunderbirds (91-81). Showron Glover, Troy Gottselig and Michael Linklater were named CIS Championship Tournament All-Stars, and Gottselig was also named tournament MVP. Team Saskatchewan Male National Aboriginal Hockey Championships, Saskatchewan Hockey Association At the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships in Ottawa, Ont. From May 2-8, the Team Saskatchewan Men s Hockey Team won gold. The team s first-place finish at this national tournament was earned against a field of nine other teams. Saskatoon Hilltops, Football Saskatchewan The Saskatoon Hilltops finished the regular season with a record of 7-1. The team had the best defence, and were second in scoring. Seven All-Stars and two Prairie Football Conference All- Stars were selected from the team. The Hilltops were also given three Outstanding Player Awards, the Coach of the Year Award, the Defensive Most Valuable Player Award and the Player Community Service Award. At the Prairie Junior Football Conference Championship, the Hilltops beat the Regina Thunder and advanced to the national championship. At the Canadian Junior Football League Championship Canadian Bowl, they beat the Vancouver Island Raiders. Three players from the Hilltops were named All-Canadian All-Stars, and both the offensive and defensive Players of the Game were chosen from the Hilltop side.

16 Other Nominees Included: ITF Taekwondo Saskatchewan Team, Saskatchewan Taekwondo Federation International. At the Western Canadian Championships held in Regina, Sask., the ITF Taekwondo Saskatchewan Team won 34 medals; with 16 gold, 11 silver and 6 bronze. At this competition, the team placed first in men s team sparring. Advancing to the National Championships in Richmond, B.C, the ITF Taekwondo Saskatchewan Team won 30 medals in total. Of these, 15 were gold, 4 silver and 11 bronze. Once again, the team took top prize for men s team sparring. Five members of the team have qualified to compete at the World Championships that will be held in New Zealand in March, Additionally, four members of the team have been selected to be part of the Canadian Sparring Team at the World Championships. Regina Pacers Bantam AAA Baseball Club, Saskatchewan Baseball Association The Regina Pacers placed first at the Sask Baseball Provincial Championships in Saskatoon; won bronze at the Brandon Baseball Tournament; and silver in the Saskatoon Tournament. Overall, they finished the season with a record of At the Baseball Canada National Championships, the Pacers played to the final game and took home the silver medal. On the way to the final, the Pacers recorded victories against Alberta, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and British Columbia. Against B.C., Jeremy Sylvester pitched 6/2/3 hitless baseball. Six players were named to the Team Sask High Performance Program for , and one player was selected to participate in Baseball Canada s Mizuno Camp program. University of Regina Women s Curling Team, University of Regina Athletics At the 2010 CIS Curling Championships in Edmonton, Alta, Brooklyn Lemon s rink won the first women s curling national title for the University of Regina. In round robin play, the University of Regina Cougars bested Manitoba six to five, Waterloo seven to six, Brock nine to four, and Calgary six to five. The one loss in round robin play came at the hand of Saint Mary s. In the semi-final, the Cougars beat Wilfrid Laurier comfortably, 11-5, and in the final match, they once again faced Saint Mary s. This time the Cougars came out on top with a 6-5 victory. In January and February 2011, the Cougars will represent Canada at the 2011 Winter Universiade in Erzurum, Turkey. Balgonie Clippers, Saskatchewan Broomball Association Competing in the Regina Men s League, the Balgonie Clippers finished the season in first place. At the Odessa Juvenile Tournament, the Clippers finished in second place out of six teams. They finished with the gold medal at the Estevan Juvenile Tournament. At the Juvenile Provincial Championships in Odessa, the Clippers finished in second place and qualified to appear at nationals. At Juvenile Nationals in Balgonie and White City, they played to a first-place finish, outperforming nine other teams participating in the tournament.

17 Paige Lawrence and Rudi Swiegers, Skate Canada Saskatchewan At the BMO Canadian Figure Skating Championships held in London, Ont., Lawrence and Swiegers skated to a sixth-place finish and received a Grand Prix Assignment. At the Skate Canada International in Kingston, Ont., they won the bronze medal and again received the Grand Prix Assignment. Competing at the Cup of Russia in Moscow, Lawrence and Swiegers earned a fifth-place finish and were named the alternate for the Grand Prix Final. Kayla McKinnon and Sara Thibeault Pair, Saskatchewan Baton Twirling Association At the Provincial Team Trials, McKinnon and Thibeault won first place and advanced to the National Team Trials, where they again took the top spot. At the Provincial Championships, McKinnon and Thibeault placed first, which advanced them to the Canadian Championships, where they earned another first-place finish. At nationals, the team was named Grand Champions Duet. Competing at the World Championships in Bergen, Norway, McKinnon and Thibeault placed fourth out of a field of 15 pairs. The pair moved up one spot in the world rankings, to fourth place overall. They were named Team of the Year for baton twirling at the provincial and national levels in VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION AWARDS Thomas Victor Taylor, Warman, Judo Saskatchewan Taylor has been a tireless volunteer for Judo Saskatchewan for the past 25 years. As the current President, Taylor is responsible for the association s administrative duties, event management and coaches retreats, and he is a member of the Selection, Officials, Canada Winter Games, and Sports for All committees. He is the former Chair of Finance and Secretary for Judo Saskatchewan, and Chair of Administration for the 2003 Canadian Senior Judo Championships. He has developed the judo draw schedules for several Judo Saskatchewan competitions, including the Saskatchewan Winter Games, Provincial Judo Championships and the Saskatoon Open Selection Competition in He has also been the association s Team Manager at several events, including the 2010 Edmonton International, the 2010 Senior National Championships & National Training Camp, and the 2007 Canada Winter Games. For the past 15 years, Taylor has also been involved in the kitchen operations of Judo Saskatchewan s training camps, and in 2010 he was the Camp Chief responsible for organizing volunteers and cooking food for the athletes at the three events.

18 Jennifer Ellarma, Kindersley, Special Olympics Saskatchewan Prior to Ellarma s involvement with Special Olympics Kindersley three years ago, the organization was experiencing a lack of volunteers and support from the community, and it was having trouble locating proper facilities for its athletes. Ellarma volunteered as the association s Program Coordinator and became committed to ensuring that Special Olympics athletes would have an equal opportunity to participate in and develop individually through sport. She raised local awareness and helped eliminate stereotypes of people with disabilities by establishing an annual Special Olympics Day in Kindersley, increasing media attention, gaining new sponsorships, and participating in parades and trade shows to promote the success of their athletes. In 2010, Ellarma was named a Missions Staff member for Team Saskatchewan at the Special Olympics Canada Summer Games. Her dedication has since earned her a position on Special Olympics Saskatchewan s Board of Directors, where she was named to the Sport Advisory Committee. COACH OF THE YEAR Dean McGarry, Lloydminster, Judo Saskatchewan McGarry, the head coach of the Lloydminster Judo Club has also been an 11-year member of the province s judo coaching team. In 2010, nine of McGarry s athletes qualified for the provincial team that competed at the 2010 Senior & Youth National Championships where his athletes captured one 1 st, two 3 rd and a 5 th place finish. Dean accomplished a rare feat in the sport of Judo by having medal winners in three different age divisions at the 2010 National Championships. His athletes also medaled at various other national and international events, including three first place and one third place finishes at the Pacific International in Vancouver; a first, second and third place finish at the Edmonton International; two first places at the Michel Beavais Open in Paris, France; a second and third place at the Quebec Open/International in Montreal; a second and two thirds at the Ontario Open/International. Two of McGarry s athletes were selected by Judo Canada to attend the Thuringia Cup in Germany with the National Team. McGarry has also volunteered his time as the Chair of Coaches for Judo Saskatchewan and over his career has helped develop over 20 national judo medalist athletes. His work has created one of the top 25 judo clubs in Canada for the past two years.

19 COACH DEDICATION AWARD MALE Frank McCrystal, Regina, University of Regina Athletics For the past 32 years, including 23 of which he was a volunteer coach and a teacher, McCrystal committed his efforts to coaching young athletes both on and off the field. He encourages them to not only succeed on the football field but also as a student and leaders in their communities. Under his direction, the Rams have won seven CJFL Championships and nine PFC Championships. McCrystal was also a key member in the decision to move the Rams from junior football to the university level, and since then, the team has captured the 2000 Atlantic Bowl and participated in the CIS playoffs nine out of 12 seasons. McCrystal was named CIS and Canada West Coach of the Year in 2007 and is a multiple winner of the PFC and CJFL Coach of the Year award. Many of Frank s athletes have gone on to play professionally, including Chris Getzlaf, Jason Clermont, Brendon LaBatte, and Jon Ryan, who is now playing with the NFL s Seattle Seahawks. McCrystal a Level 3 coach, spent over 10 years as a NCCP Course Conductor and has assisted at many minor and high school football camps. He has also volunteered his time as a member of the Football Canada rules committee and the Chair of the eligibility committee for Canadian University Football Coaches Association. Frank has always viewed education as a cornerstone of the Rams program and was instrumental in establishing an educational assistance and study hall program for his players. COACH DEDICATION AWARD FEMALE Brenda Bennett, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Baton Twirling Association Bennett has been a dedicated baton twirling coach for the past 27 years in Saskatoon. She helped establish the city s Optimist Twirling Connection in 1983, and more than 20 of her students have gone on to become beginner and competitive baton coaches. Brenda s athletes have earned numerous national and world championship medals and titles, including a team bronze medal at the 2005 World Championships. Bennett is recognized for her skills and achievements across Canada and around the world. She has been a guest coach at various Canadian clinics and at the World Baton Twirling Championships in Japan, as well as a judge for several international competitions. Brenda is the Coaches Representative on the Canadian Baton Twirling Federation (CBTF), is an active coaching course conductor and actively pursues training opportunities for herself, her athletes and fellow coaches. In 2005, the Canadian Baton Twirling Federation presented Bennett with a Lifetime Achievement Award, and she was also a nominee for the 2006 YWCA Women of Distinction Awards in the Athletics category. Brenda believes that coaches are one of the most influential people in the lives of athletes and takes pride in being a positive role model.

20 OFFICIALS AWARD - MALE Blake Lyons, Outlook, Saskatchewan Athletics Association For the past 21 years, Lyons has dedicated his time and efforts to officiating at local, provincial, national and international athletics competitions. He is one of the sports few officials who is a specialist in the weight requirement of throwing equipment, such as shot puts and javelins, at the national athletics level. His expertise as a Level 5 Official has led him to officiate at the 1999 Pan Am Junior Games, 2000 North American Indigenous Games, 2001 Canada Summer Games, 2008 Masters Festival in Regina, and at numerous Saskatchewan High School Provincial Championships, Saskatchewan First Nations Games, Downtown Lions Sled Dog Games in Saskatoon, and national junior and senior track and field championships. Lyons is also a mentor for other track and field officials, and he is a former member of the Saskatchewan Officials Committee board for track and field. In 2002, Saskatchewan Athletics presented Lyons with an Official of the Year award. OFFICIALS AWARD - FEMALE Arleen Day, Silton, Saskatchewan Curling Association Day has been an active curling official since 1983 and has become one of only two women in Canada to earn the Level 5 Official certification the highest level officials can achieve in the sport. She has officiated at numerous local, provincial, national and international curling events, including 10 national women s curling championships, five national men s curling championships, several world curling championships at the junior, men and women levels, five Continental Cups, and the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Day was also one of the leaders who helped develop Canada s curling officiating system, and she was one of the key individuals involved in merging the Canadian Ladies Curling Association with the men s Canadian Curling Association. At the provincial level, Day served on the former Saskatchewan Ladies Curling Association s Board of Directors as a regional representative, head official and president, and she was also their Chief Curling Official for several years. Her efforts earned her an induction into the Saskatchewan Curling Association s Legends of Curling Honour Roll in the Officials category in