Recognizing Accomplishments in Sport for 2017

In April of each year, the Lethbridge Sport Council Achievement Awards are presented to many deserving athletes, officials, coaches, volunteers and community leaders. Teams, organizations, and individuals are honored for their spirit, drive, and commitment.

This year we recognized accomplishments in 2017. The deserving winners included Grace Holowiski – Merritt’s Ultimate Taekwon-do (Junior Female Athlete), Noah Higgins (Junior Male Athlete), Sunder West – Lethbridge College Kodiaks (Senior Female Athlete), Aaron Hernandez –Pronghorn Athletics and Peter Millman – Pronghorn Athletics (Senior Male Athlete), Deb Williams – Lethbridge BMX (Master Athlete), Joshua Baerg – Deaf National Swim Team (Athlete with a Disability), and the Lethbridge College Kodiaks Women’s Basketball Team (Amateur Team). These athletes all had remarkable accomplishments in 2017, and we are proud to have been given the opportunity to recognize them.

Beyond the athletic performance awards are award recipients in the categories of ‘Sport Excellence’, ‘Sport Leadership’ and ‘Spirit in Sport’. These recipients are often the unsung heroes of sport. Award recipients this year included Russ Gallant - Lethbridge Kyodokan Judo Club (Coaching Excellence), Deirdre Coburn – Lethbridge Skating Club (Officiating Excellence), Cherise Eaves – Lethbridge Speed Skating Association (Sport Administrator), Dave Overes - Football (Volunteer in Sport), South West Little League (Sport Organization) A. Will Smith – Lethbridge Skating Club (Knud Petersen Spirit in Sport Award), and Rob Smith - ATB Financial (Business and Sport Excellence). We honored 7 athletes and a team for their accomplishments in their sports of Taekwondo, disc golf, basketball, track and field, BMX, and swimming.

We honored distinct individuals and an organization who selflessly give of themselves so others can be successful on the field, the court, the diamond, the pool or wherever their chosen sport might take them. Often these people are doing great work in the background and on their own time, and they do so for the love of the game, not for the recognition. It can be easy to forget how many supporting roles it takes to have a successful athlete or team of athletes. The next time you are at the rink, the pool or the diamond, make sure you take a minute to thank an official, a coach, a volunteer or an administrator, and let them know how appreciated their efforts, skills and dedication are.

Next spring, we will do it all over again. We are already accepting nominations for all the categories mentioned above, as well as a few more categories that were not presented in 2017. As summer approaches and the spring sports wrap up, we encourage you to think about the athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers and leaders you see making a difference and achieving great things in sport in Lethbridge. Consider nominating them for an achievement award for 2018. Full nominations details can be found on the Lethbridge Sport Council website, www.lethbridgesportcouncil.ca/achievement-awards.

If you are interested in getting more involved in sport, in any capacity, contact the Lethbridge Sport Council for assistance. You can visit their website at www.lethbridgesportcouncil.ca, or call Tanya Whipple at 403-320-9371.