BCA Members well represented in BC Athlete of the Year Award Nominees

Finalists announced for the 48th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards
Winners to be honoured at ceremony on March 5, 2014

Sport BC, on behalf of the BC sport community, announced today the outstanding amateur athletes, coaches and officials, named as finalists for 14 of the 18 award categories to be presented at the upcoming Athlete of the Year Awards.

The 48th annual awards ceremony and gala dinner, set for March 5, 2014 at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, recognizes BC’s best amateur athletes, coaches, and officials for outstanding performances in their sport over the 2013 season. Nominations are received from the provincial and multi sport organizations, high schools, colleges or universities. Finalists and winners are selected by a committee of 20 highly regarded BC sportswriters, broadcasters, and amateur sport leaders.

“A significant number of very strong nominations were received this year,” notes Sport BC’s President & CEO, Rob Newman. “The Athlete of the Year Awards provides a great opportunity to recognize these talented and deserving athletes, coaches and officials.” For 2013, in partnership with ProMOTION Plus, a Female Coach of the Year Award category was added. “This year’s nominees in all of the award categories are certainly a testament to the strength and depth of sport in our province,” states Newman. “So too is the funding support that we have received this year from ViaSport and our other sport and business partners.”

Newman is pleased to announce that the finalists for the 48th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards represent 21 different individual and team sports and 20 communities throughout the province and include:

Athlete with a Disability
Sonja Gaudet (Vernon, BC) – Wheelchair Curling
Brianna Nelson (North Saanich, BC) – Swimming
Michelle Stilwell (Parksville, BC) – Wheelchair Athletics

College Athlete of the Year
Alanna Bekkering (Kamloops, BC) – Soccer
RuiLin Huang (Burnaby, BC) – Badminton
Kayla Unger (Abbotsford, BC) – Volleyball

Female Coach of the Year
Kim Chapdelaine (Abbotsford, BC) – Athletics - Track & Field
Tracy David (Victoria, BC) – Soccer
Jen Ross (Abbotsford, BC) – Rugby

Male Coach of the Year
Randy Bennett (Victoria, BC) – Swimming
Victor Gantsevich (Richmond, BC) – Fencing
Graham Thomas (Vancouver, BC) – Hockey

Female High School Athlete of the Year
Asianna Covington (Surrey) – Athletics - Track & Field
Emma Entzminger (Victoria, BC) – Volleyball, Basketball, Softball and Soccer
Emma Wolfram (Kamloops, BC) – Basketball

Male High School Athlete of the Year
Lars Bornemann (Victoria, BC) – Volleyball, Basketball and Track & Field
Marcus Davis (Saanichton, BC) – Football
Amarveer Dhesi (Surrey, BC) – Wrestling

Female Junior Athlete of the Year
Georgia Ellenwood (Langley, BC) – Athletics - Track & Field
Taylor Kim (Surrey, BC) – Golf
Emma von Dadelszen (Vancouver, BC) – Fencing

Male Junior Athlete of the Year
Kyle Carragher (Port Coquitlam, BC) – Gymnastics
Dylan French (Richmond, BC) – Fencing
Kevin Kwon (Maple Ridge, BC) – Golf

Master Athlete of the Year
Christa Bortignon (West Vancouver, BC) – Athletics
Gerry Poulton (Victoria, BC) – Squash
Dr. Cathryn Zeglinski (Vancouver, BC) – XCO Cross Country Mountain Bike

Official of the Year
Len Apedaile (Black Creek, BC) – Cross Country Skiing
Dale Jackson (Victoria, BC) – Golf
Steve Papp (Saanichton, BC) – Hockey

Female Senior Athlete of the Year
Stacie Anaka (Burnaby, BC) – Wrestling
Hilary Caldwell (White Rock, BC) – Swimming
Kim Gaucher (Mission, BC) – Basketball

Male Senior Athlete of the Year
Dylan Armstrong (Kamloops, BC) – Athletics - Track & Field
Ryan Cochrane (Victoria, BC) – Swimming
Kelly Olynyk (Kamloops, BC) – Basketball

Team of the Year
Team McNamara (Delta, BC) – Beach Volleyball
Trinity Western University Women’s Soccer (Langley, BC)
University of British Columbia Men’s Soccer (Vancouver, BC)

University Athlete of the Year
Maxwell Lattimer (Delta, BC) – Rowing
Shanice Marcelle (Victoria, BC) – Volleyball
Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe (Vernon, BC) – Basketball

“It will be a great celebration of sport on March 5th with an additional four awards being presented, including Best of BC, Community Champion, Harry Jerome Comeback and the Daryl Thompson Lifetime Achievement Award,” notes Newman.

About the Athlete of the Year Awards
The Athlete of the Year Awards, founded by Sport BC, is the longest standing sport recognition event in Canada. Awards in 17 different categories are given each year to athletes, coaches, and officials on their performance and contribution to sport in our province. The awards play a valuable role in nurturing athletic success and recognizing some of BC’s growing talents.

Also included as part of the evening’s celebration of sport is the presentation of the annual President’s Awards. Now in its 20th year, the President’s Awards are presented to volunteers from Sport BC member organizations who represent the spirit of volunteerism, and whose dedication, energy, and commitment contribute to development of their respective sport or organization.

For information on the purchase of a table or tickets for the 48th annual Athlete of the Year Awards, please visit sportbc.com or contact:

Shelley Johnson
Event Manager, Athlete of the Year Awards
Tel: 604.875.1775
E-mail: shelley.johnson@sljproductions