Sport BC is very proud to announce the athletes, coaches and officials who were the successful recipients of the 2019 Athlete of the Year Awards, held in Vancouver on March 13, 2019. The Province of BC proudly supported the 53rd Annual Athlete of the Year Awards with the Parliamentary Secretary for Sport and Multiculturalism, Ravi Kahlon in attendance to honour the recipients. These extraordinary individuals were honoured for their excellence in and contribution to sport in front of over 400 guests at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel.
1. ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY – presented by Markel This award recognizes an athlete with a disability who has demonstrated extraordinary athletic performance in provincial, national or international competitions in a team or individual sport in BC. RECIPIENT: Mollie Jepsen (West Vancouver) – Para-Alpine
2. COLLEGE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – presented by SBC Insurance This award recognizes an individual who competed in a sport, team or individual, and who represented a college, university/college, or institution in the province of British Columbia in the 2017-2018 academic year. RECIPIENT: Simon Friesen (Capilano University) – Volleyball
3. UNIVERSITY ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – presented by TD Canada Trust This award recognizes an athlete enrolled in a recognized degree-granting university in the province of British Columbia, and who competed in a recognized Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) or National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) sport or sports, team or individual, representing his or her school in the 2017-2018 season. RECIPIENT: Erika Seltenreich-Hodgson (UBC) – Swimming
4. HARRY JEROME COMEBACK AWARD RECIPIENT – presented by BCLC This award recognizes an athlete who competed in a sport, individual or team, in 2018 after having suffered an unusual setback (i.e. illness, injury, etc.)
5. OFFICIAL OF THE YEAR – Special T Group Events. This award recognizes an official who has been responsible for officiating sport events at any level of athletic competition. RECIPIENT: Brett Iverson – Hockey
6. MASTER ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – presented by The Vancouver Sun | The Province This award recognizes an athlete competing in a Masters division as defined as defined by his or her sport, taking part on a team or individual sport in the province of British Columbia. RECIPIENT: Jackie Little (Vancouver) – Golf
7. HIGH SCHOOL FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – presented by Richmond Sport Hosting This award recognizes a female athlete who was enrolled in a secondary school in the province of BC and who competed in a sport or sports, team or individual, representing her school in the 2017-2018 school year. RECIPIENT: Taryn O’Neill (George Elliot High School) – Athletics
8. HIGH SCHOOL MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – presented by Infigo Imaging This award recognizes a male athlete who was enrolled in a secondary school in the province of British Columbia and who competed in a sport, team or individual, representing his school in the 2017-2018 academic year. RECIPIENT: Diego Maffia (Oak Bay High School) – Soccer/Basketball/Volleyball
9. JUNIOR FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – presented by Sport Hosting Vancouver This award recognizes extraordinary athletic performance by a female junior athlete who is competing on a team or in an individual sport in British Columbia. RECIPIENT: Jordyn Huitema (Canadian National Team) – Soccer
10. JUNIOR MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – presented by Delta Land Development Group This award recognizes extraordinary athletic performance by a male junior athlete who is competing on a team or in an individual sport in British Columbia. RECIPIENT: Tyler Tardi (Team Tardi) – Curling
11. FEMALE COACH OF THE YEAR – presented by ProMotion Plus This award recognizes a female coach who has been responsible for coaching an amateur team(s) and/or individuals at any level of athletic competition in British Columbia. RECIPIENT: Pam Ross (Karate Canada) – Karate
12. MALE COACH OF THE YEAR – presented by Current Design This award recognizes a male coach who has been responsible for coaching an amateur team(s) and/or individuals at any level of athletic competition in British Columbia RECIPIENT: Richard Wooles (Cycling)
13. KIDSPORT COMMUNITY CHAMPION OF THE YEAR – presented by Ritchie Bros. The KidSport Community Champion Award is presented to an individual who has made a significant and meaningful contribution to KidSport over the past year. RECIPIENT: Jon Montgomery (Victoria)
14. TEAM OF THE YEAR – presented by Helly Hansen This award recognizes an amateur team competing in a Sport BC sanctioned league representing BC during 2017 -2018. RECIPIENT: Nicole & Megan McNamara (UCLA) – Beach Volleyball
15. SENIOR FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – presented by Canadian Sport Institute This award recognizes extraordinary athletic performance by a female athlete who competes on a team or individual sport in BC. RECIPIENT: Kelsey Serwa (Kelowna) – Ski-Cross
16. SENIOR MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – presented by Sport Burnaby This award recognizes extraordinary athletic performance by a male athlete who competes on a team or individual sport in BC. RECIPIENT: Bryan Abrey (New York Gremlins) – Softball
17. DARYL THOMPSON AWARD RECIPIENT – presented by BC Games Society This award is named in honour of the late Daryl Thompson, former chair of Sport BC. Daryl’s contributions to sport as an athlete, coach and executive officer were exemplary. This prestigious award recognizes an individual who has contributed their time in an extraordinary way to sport over a long period of time or has made a major contribution to amateur sport in British Columbia. RECIPIENT: John Buchanan (SFU) – Coach
18. IN HER FOOTSTEPS HONOUREE – presented by In Her Footsteps This award honours athletes, coaches, officials, judges, pioneers or advocates. These women have made significant contributions to sport and fitness through their own performance, or by enabling others to excel by encouraging participation and fostering developmental growth in sport. RECIPIENT: Jennifer Fenton – Builder & Colleen Laferriere – Coach
19. BEST OF BC – presented by the Province of British Columbia The recipient of the prestigious annual Best of BC award is the individual or team thought to have best-represented B.C. nationally or internationally, in professional or amateur sport. RECIPIENT: Christine Girard (Olympian) – Weightlifting
Source: SportBC