Lethbridge Sport Council Achievement Awards - April 2017

ASDC SW recognizes outstanding Junior Athletes for 2016

Junior Female Athlete Jessica Zarowny

photoJessica is an athlete who is known for her hard work, enthusiasm, determination, and positive attitude. In the summer of 2016, she played basketball for Team Alberta dor the third time. Despite starting the volleyball season injured, she was able to recover and return to playing a month into the season. Even after the month long lay-off, she was voted in as a 2nd Team All-Star and helped the team win the South Zone and a Bronze medal at Provincials.

In December, Jessica committed to play basketball at the University of Lethbridge of Pronghorns where she will be utilized for her defensive abilities and strong rebounding skills. Her successes in basketball continued as she helped lead her team to an undefeated League Championship and Bronze Medal at Provincials. She was also voted as a league All-Star and shared co-league MVP honors.

Jessica, the ASDC SW is proud to call you an alumnus of the Athlete Enhancement Program and congratulations on being named the 2016 ASDC SW Junior Female Athlete of the Year.

Junior Male Athlete Joel DeMaere

Joel is a respected athlete on the Judo Alberta team for his competition performances, but more importantly, his hard work he puts into his daily training and strong ability to balance sport and school. He is considered to be a quiet and respectful leader on the team, but don’t be fooled, as when it comes time to spar, you best be prepared for a battle. In 2016, he won his first national title, qualified for worlds in 2017, and is on national teams traveling to Europe. His list of accomplishments in 2016 is vast, having placed first in eight competitions, competing in the 60kg weight class and at both the U16 and U18 levels. He also placed third at three competitions where he competed at the U21 and U18 level.

Joel, the ASDC SW is excited to see what the future has in store for you, we are proud to call you alumni of our Athlete Enhancement Program, and congratulations on being named the 2016 ASDC SW Junior Male Athlete of the Year.

Ethan Choi Junior Male Athlete

Athletic Performance Awards

These awards are intended to recognize and celebrate outstanding athletic performance.

Junior Male Athlete: Ethan Choi

Sponsored by The Lethbridge Sport Council

This award is presented to a male athlete, considered in their respective sport to be at a Junior Level, who exhibits the highest level of skill, performance and dedication to their sport at their level of competition.

Ethan Choi had a very impressive season in 2016. Ethan is a 14-year old junior male golfer from Pincher Creek, who trains and is a member at the Lethbridge Golf and Country Club. At the age of 14 Ethan has competed and has had success at the Provincial, National and International levels. Some highlights of Ethan’s 2016 accomplishments include: 2016 CJGA BC Junior Open Champion, 2016 PGA of Alberta Junior Masters Champion (14 & Under), Alberta Bantam Boys Provincial Champion (where Ethan shot -12 Under Par (59), 2016 Alberta Bantam Junior Bantam Player of the Year.

PGA of Canada Pro Justin Stoski says of Ethan, “Ethan is very driven, passionate, reserved and talented. He displays great initiative with a very positive attitude, and understands the importance of balancing education with elite golf.”

Lethbridge Sport Council ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Alyssa Fraser

Junior Female Athlete

Athletic Performance Awards

These awards are intended to recognize and celebrate outstanding athletic performance.

Junior Female Athlete

Alyssa Fraser

Sponsored by Servus Credit Union

This award is presented to a female athlete, considered in their respective sport to be at a Junior Level, who exhibits the highest level of skill, performance and dedication to their sport at their level of competition.

As a child, Alyssa Fraser was active and naturally athletic. In 2014, after winning Junior Nationals for Olympic Weightlifting, Alyssa began getting pain in her hip, and was eventually diagnosed with a rare cancer. In the months that followed, Alyssa launched a fundraiser for the ‘Helping Families Handle Cancer Foundation’, raising over $12,000 for the cause. After taking over 2 years off of hard training, Alyssa returned to training 5 days a week leading up to Nationals, and in November of 2016, won the “Best Lifter Award” at the 2016 Alberta Youth & Junior Championships where she finished ranked 1st. This January, Alyssa competed at Jr. Nationals in Broussard Quebec, where she finished 9th in her category, with a total of 127 kg. Although her treatments continue, Alyssa continues to train, and now also does Crossfit.

Lethbridge Sport Council

ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Tanner Sudo Senior Male Athlete

Athletic Performance Awards

These awards are intended to recognize and celebrate outstanding athletic performance.

Senior Male Athlete: Tanner Sudo

Sponsored

by Horns Hockey Alumni Association

This award is presented to a male athlete, considered in their respective sport to be at a Senior Level, who exhibits the highest level of skill, performance and dedication to their sport at their level of competition.

Tanner Sudo played for Alberta as starting Running Back in the Canada Cup for football in 2016. He was named team offensive MVP for 2 of the 3 games they played in that tournament. As a result of that Tanner was picked as a running back for the Team Canada U19 team. In the 2016 season, Tanner played high school football for the LCI Rams , where he rushed for over 1400 yards and averaged approximately 165-170 yards per game. Tanner was named MVP of his team and also named MVP of the Southern Alberta High School Football League for 2016.

Besides his football accomplishments, in January of 2016 he won a Canadian National judo championship in Montreal at the National Elite invitational championships in the Under 18 U81 category. At that same championship he fought in the senior men’s category against the best senior judo fighters in Canada, he won bronze in that category.

Lethbridge Sport Council ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Rachel Nicol

Senior Female Athlete

Athletic Performance Awards

These awards are intended to recognize and celebrate outstanding athletic performance.

Senior Female Athlete: Rachel Nicol Sponsored by Pronghorns Athletics

The award is presented to a female athlete, considered in their respective sport to be at a Senior Level, who exhibits the highest level of skill, performance and dedication to their sport at their level of competition.

2016 was the accumulation of a lifetime of work towards the goal of becoming an Olympian for Rachel. She qualified to represent Canada at the Olympic Trials in April by swimming lifetime bests and achieving the FINA qualifying standard. At the Rio Olympics Rachel exceeded expectations and moved up from her seed of 18th to place 5th in the Olympic final of the 100 Breaststroke. In addition, she swam on Canada’s 4x100 Medley Relay which placed 5th.

LA Swim Club Head Coach Peter Schori says, “Not only is Rachel an incredible athlete but she is a great mentor to the LASC swimmers and University of Lethbridge Pronghorn’s that she trains alongside.”

Lethbridge Sport Council ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Zack McAllister Athlete with a Disability

Athletic Performance Awards

These awards are intended to recognize and celebrate outstanding athletic performance.

Athlete with a Disability Zack McAllister

Sponsored by The Lethbridge College Kodiaks

Presented to a male or female athlete, considered in their respective sport to be at an athlete with a disability, who exhibits the highest level of skill, performance and dedication to their sport at their level of competition.

In 2016 Zack McAllister won the 100 Free at the Canadian Paralympic Trials, setting a new Canadian and America’s record. At the 2016 Paralympics in Rio, Zack placed 7th in the 100 Free and 8th in the 50 Free in the S8 category. In addition, he swam on Canada’s 4x100 Free and Medley Relays which both placed 7th. Zack has returned full time to his studies at the University of Lethbridge and is swimming with the Pronghorns this year. Coach Peter Schori says, “Zack is one of the hardest working athletes I have ever coaches, and is a great teammate.”

Lethbridge Sport Council

ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Jennifer Drader Volunteer in Sport

Sport Excellence Awards

These awards are meant to recognize and celebrate an individual’s outstanding contribution to the betterment of sport.

Volunteer in Sport

Jennifer Drader

Presented to a volunteer of a Lethbridge sport organization or sport facility who has made an overwhelming contribution to Lethbridge sport that is consistent with LSCAA values in the areas of leadership, sport development, innovation, and growth.

Jennifer Drader is the current President of the Lethbridge Minor Softball Association and the Softball Alberta South Zone Minor Ball Representative. As the new president, Jennifer has rebuilt the executive, created a new website, streamlined the registration process and created new coach manuals which include practice plans and information to support coaches.

Jennifer has recruited volunteer coaches and has arranged for a coaching clinic to be held in Lethbridge. She stays actively involved in the league as a coach as well. Last summer Jennifer coached a Lethbridge team and took them to the first ever U10 Jamboree in Edmonton. This winter she started winter pitching clinics for U10 and U12 athletes to develop their pitching skills. She is also volunteering to visit a few schools in the Lethbridge area this spring to run a Softball Alberta Learn To Play Program just to expose students to the sport. Jen is usually the first to arrive and last to leave the diamond.

Lethbridge Sport Council ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Ryan Thornley Coaching Excellence

Sport Excellence Awards

These awards are meant to recognize and celebrate an individual’s outstanding contribution to the betterment of sport.

Coaching Excellence

Ryan Thornley

This award is presented to a coach who has achieved outstanding coaching performances and dedicated themselves to grow and develop amateur sport at any level. The recipient of this award exemplifies dedication and leadership that allows athletes and sports teams to grow and shape sport in Lethbridge.

Ryan Thornley is a Head Assistant Coach for the Lethbridge Amateur Swim Club. His primary responsibilities include coaching the Jr National group of swimmers, dry land training coach for National level swimmers, and he is also a training coach for Olympic finalist, Rachel Nicol. Ryan is a dedicated coach and works very well with swimmers of all ages. He is always attentive to the needs of each individual and is frequently talking to the swimmers about issues they are facing both in and out of the water. As a swimmer himself who represented our team well at the past Olympic Trials, Ryan has proven himself to be a great role model both in and out of the pool.

ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Lethbridge Sport Council

Sponsored by Feature Productions

Jesse Sawyer Coaching Excellence

Sport Excellence Awards

These awards are meant to recognize and celebrate an individual’s outstanding contribution to the betterment of sport.

Coaching Excellence

Jesse Sawyer

Sponsored by Feature Productions

This award is presented to a coach who has achieved outstanding coaching performances and dedicated themselves to grow and develop amateur sport at any level. The recipient of this award exemplifies dedication and leadership that allows athletes and sports teams to grow and shape sport in Lethbridge.

Jesse Sawyer has a passion for baseball, and a great passion for sharing the sport of baseball with kids. Jesse is a former Prairie Baseball Academy player, and a member of the 2008 Canadian College Baseball Conference Championship team. He moved on to play NCAA Division I baseball at South Dakota State University where he played three seasons while finishing an Education degree. As a teacher, Jesse spends his days with kids in school then comes straight to the field to spend the rest of his day with more. In 2015, Jesse was the assistant coach to the Lethbridge Bulls, when they won their first Western Major Baseball League Championship. Jesse is the current head coach of the PBA Junior Varsity team and Head coach of the Lethbridge Bulls.

Lethbridge Sport Council ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Mitch Ball Officiating Excellence

Sport Excellence Awards

These awards are meant to recognize and celebrate an individual’s outstanding contribution to the betterment of sport.

Officiating Excellence

Mitch Ball

Sponsored by Doug Jones

This award is presented to an official who is registered with a local, provincial, or national sport association and has demonstrated outstanding commitment and excellence in their role as an official in their chosen sport.

With over 20 years umpiring experience, Mitch’s accomplishments include as winning the 2012 the Alberta Umpire of the Year award and being selected as an official for the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto, to name a few. Mitch’s passion is the sport of baseball. He is currently the President and a Founding Member of the Southern Alberta Umpires Association. Mitch is in his third year as the provincial lead evaluator for baseball umpire clinics. In 2016 Mitch taught 3 clinics at the national level (60 students approximately), as well as all the other clinics he taught – reaching about 100 umpires from beginner to international. In addition to the valuable contribution of evaluator, Mitch spends countless hours volunteering for baseball locally and provincially, and has represented Canada at the Little League World Series. In 2016 Mitch passed his evaluations that will allow him to move to his next goal – the Olympics.

Lethbridge Sport Council

ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Scott Sweetman Sport Administrator

Leadership Awards

These awards are meant to recognize and celebrate an individual’s outstanding contribution to the betterment of sport.

Sport Administrator Scott Sweetman

This award is presented to a sport administrator who has made an overwhelming contribution to Lethbridge Sport that is consistent with the Lethbridge Sport Council vision, mission, and values.

Scott Sweetman has been a tireless advocate of introducing youth to the safe and effective use of firearms. As the founder of the Safety Training program (STP) and the Safe Shooting Team (SST), Scott selects youth candidates who, more than just having interest and talent, have the attitude of giving back and supporting their fellow team members. Young folks learn firearm safety principles and then are provided hands-on training, use of equipment, ammunition and targets. They are also asked to contribute to the community by volunteering for facility repair, maintenance and cleaning. The SST team receive further training, complete their Black Badge training and travel to International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) pistol matches across Alberta. The young members he has developed are responsible, respectful contributors. They also perform well and have represented Lethbridge very well.

Sport Council ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Lethbridge

Malcom Kano Shaun Ward Sport Champion

Leadership Awards

These awards are meant to recognize and celebrate an individual’s outstanding contribution to the betterment of sport.

Shaun Ward Sport Champion Malcom Kano

Named in honour of Shaun Ward, an enthusiastic and respected champion of the community sport sector.

Presented to lifetime achievement recipient for outstanding contribution of a sport leader; someone who exemplifies LSCAA values as demonstrated in ground breaking organizational leadership, innovative practices, influential communications, cutting edge sport marketing or positioning of the community sport sector.

In 1995 Malcolm Kano became the Founding Chair for the Lethbridge/Taber KidSport Society. Kidsport believes that no kid should be left on the sidelines and all should be given the opportunity to experience the positive benefits of organized sports. KidSport removes the financial barriers that prevent children from playing organized sport. Since 1995, Malcolm has led the fundraising to assist over 3300 kids with hundreds of thousands of dollars to participate in sports in his local area. He is an 18-year and current provincial board member for KidSport Alberta, which has raised over 14 million dollars and funded more than 71,000 kids. Malcom is also a board member of the Lethbridge Sport Council.

Lethbridge Sport Council

ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Ashley Steacy

Knud Petersen Spirit in Sport

Spirit in Sport Awards

These awards honour outstanding community sport heroes for their character and actions that help grow and shape sport in our community.

Knud Petersen Spirit in Sport

Ashley Steacy

Sponsored by Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame

In 2015, this award was renamed in honour of Knud Petersen, the first recipient. The award recognizes and celebrates a community hero who, in the pursuit of sport or support of sport, has demonstrated values such as dedication, perseverance, sportsmanship, respect for others and a true love of sport. This category showcases the magic that lives within sport to inspire, motivate, and capture the hearts and minds of the community

Ashley exemplifies “Spirit in Sport” because of her character, the way she has embraced the honor of role model, and the connection she has made in this community in the time following the Olympics. Whenever her demanding schedule has allowed, Ashley has said yes to every invitation she could, including as a SportFest guest, Lethbridge Rugby Club meet and greet, Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs forum, Original breakfast club presentation with fellow Olympian Rachel Nicol, Chinook High School and LCI school visits, Lunch with an Olympian, and a Cheers4Lethbridge Champion interview. Ashley is an approachable, inspirational local female athlete and she has accepted her role in our community graciously. She is a mentor for our youth that we can be very proud of.

Lethbridge Sport Council

ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS