Calgary, AB (November 3, 2017) – Canada’s most deserving and influential coaches and sports administrators will be honoured this evening at the 2017 Petro-Canada Sport Leadership Awards Gala. The class of 2017 award recipients includes Diving Coach Dany Boulanger, Canada Soccer’s John Herdman, Calgary’s own Duane Bratt (lacrosse), and Baseball Canada.
Hosted by the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) at the Sheraton Suites Calgary Eau Claire, the Gala recognizes those who live out the values and competencies of the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) and the positive impact they have within the Canadian sport community. More information on the deserving winners is posted on the Awards & Recognition page of the CAC’s website, coach.ca. Please follow #SLS17 for photos of the evening.
“We are all inspired by the coaches and coach developers who ignite change and encourage growth for our athletes within an ever-changing landscape,” said Lorraine Lafrenière, Chief Executive Officer of the CAC. “It takes leadership to bring out the best in our coaches and athletes, and the Coaching Association of Canada is thrilled to recognize this year’s award winners and the impact they’ve had within the Canadian sport community.”
Attending for the first time this evening is the Honourable Kent Hehr, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities.
“Coaches don’t have the chance to step on the podium and live the glory attached to it, even though they have also invested much of their time and energy. Tonight, I am very proud to support the Coaching Association of Canada in its efforts to recognize the dedication of coaches who allow our Canadian athletes to grow,” said the Honourable Kent Hehr, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities. “Coaches have an impact not just on athletes’ performances—the mark they leave on the sport community and the history of sport in Canada testifies to a commitment to sport and this country that deserves to be widely acknowledged tonight, and all year long.”
THE WINNERS ARE:
Geoff Gowan Award
The Geoff Gowan Award was created by the Coaching Association of Canada in 1996 and recognizes lifetime contributions to coaching development. It is awarded to coaches who have presented a positive public image of coaching and who have enhanced the role of the coach with the Canadian public. The award resides at Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in Calgary, Alberta.
Dany Boulanger – Diving (Lévis, QC)
“With more than 40 years of coaching experience at varied competitive levels, Dany’s collaborative coaching philosophy has garnered attention and respect throughout the diving community. He has demonstrated a dedication to his athletes that is second to none as he encourages partnership and encouragement among divers. It’s a true honour to highlight Dany’s four-decade-long coaching career,” said Paul Carson, Chair of the CAC Board of Directors.
“I've been in coaching for 42 years now and never expected anything like this to happen. I was totally surprised to receive this award,” states Dany Boulanger. “I know how Dr. Gowan was instrumental into developing the NCCP and I find it an honour to be presented this award. I always thought that we, the coaches, needed to keep learning more, needed to become more concerned about the long-term development of the athletes, and be way more concerned about their personal, academic and emotional development. It’s really nice to know that somebody thought that my involvement in sport had such an effect!”
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Jack Donohue “Coach of the Year” Award
The Jack Donohue “Coach of the Year” Award is presented to a Chartered Professional Coach (ChPC) for their outstanding contributions as one of Canada’s top coaches. The award recognizes a coach’s dedication to the profession of coaching, commitment to continual improvement, and the successful performances of his or her athletes during the past competitive season.
John Herdman, ChPC – Canada Soccer (Vancouver, BC)
“John’s leadership has impacted not just Canada’s performance at back-to-back Olympic Games, but has also raised the profile of women’s soccer throughout the country,“ said Lorraine Lafrenière. John’s work ethic, passion, and preparation combined with his dedication to the team, the program, and the country make him the well-rounded coach any leader would strive to emulate. We’re honoured to present John Herdman with the Jack Donohue Coach of the Year Award.”
“I’m humbled by this honour. I’ve worked in coaching for over 20 years but have never felt like I’ve done a day’s work, so to be recognized for doing something you love and is your absolute passion, it feels strange, in a good way. When I read about Jack Donohue, who he really was and what he contributed to people, I honestly feel like I’ve still got a long way to go to be that good. There’s a lot of amazing people in this country working in sport who bring their passion every day and receive little recognition other than the smiles of their athletes; for me it’s always been that simple,” says John Herdman. “It means that I have some amazing people around me and through their dedication and commitment to a shared vision for soccer in this country, they’ve raised me and our sport up on their shoulders. It means my kids get to see their dad achieving something and that’s important to me. Hopefully they’ll bring me a cup of tea in bed at the weekend.”
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Investors Group National NCCP Coach Developer Award
This award recognizes an outstanding individual who has gone above and beyond to inspire and develop NCCP coaches in their community. In 2017, Investors Group presented nine Community NCCP Coach Developer Awards, while one national winner will be recognized this evening.
Duane Bratt – Lacrosse (Calgary, Alberta)
“Duane Bratt has invested time and commitment to the game of lacrosse, and he’s had such a positive impact on the lacrosse community across Canada,” said Trevor Krahn, Director, Sponsorship & Community Engagement at Investors Group. “He’s been such a leader within the sports community and has had such an impact on providing valuable resources to aspiring coaches. We’re honoured to present the Investors Group National NCCP Coach Developer Award to him this year.”
“To be selected as the 2017 award recipient is quite significant to me. I was surprised, and then I was deeply honoured,” said Duane Bratt. “This is a tribute to all the other coach developers I have worked with in lacrosse and in the CAC, and to all of the coaches who have taken my many clinics over the years. And, ultimately, it’s a tribute to all the players who have benefited from better coaching practices.”
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Sheila Robertson Award
The Sheila Robertson Award recognizes a deserving National Sport Organization or Multi-Sport Service Organization that demonstrates a consistent approach in valuing and recognizing the role of the coach within the organization, the media, and the public.
Baseball Canada
"Receiving the Sheila Robertson Award means so much to Baseball Canada as we work hard to serve the needs of our coaches at the various stages of development," said André Lachance of Baseball Canada. "We are fortunate that we can count on our provincial members and also on our cross-country team of coach developers to activate our innovations, while also recognizing how other sports organizations have made us better through knowledge-sharing collaboration."
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Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Awards
These prestigious awards recognize coaches whose athletes have excelled at World Championships, Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the Special Olympics World Games. Petro-Canada, a Suncor business, has honoured close to 1,100 coaches since 1986 with a Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Award.
“Whether it’s on the field, on the ice, on the court, in the gym, or in the water, every athlete has a coach to thank for their experience in sport,” says Kim von Eicken, general manager, marketing services, Suncor. “It’s important that we recognize these coaches who have played such a vital role in both our athletes’ lives and within the sport industry. Congratulations to this year’s award winners.”
The 57 deserving coaches are:
Alberta
Barb Prystai: Special Olympics Canada
Athletes: Special Olympics Canada Figure Skating Team
Bart Schouten, ChPC: Speed Skating Canada
Athletes: Vincent De Haitre, Ivanie Blondin, and Olivier Jean
Burkhard Schaffer: Alpine Canada Alpin
Athletes: Erik Guay and Manuel Osborne-Paradis
Kim Cousins, ChPC: Athletics Canada
Athlete Alister McQueen
Ravi Walia: Skate Canada
Athlete: Kaetlyn Osmond
Wolfgang Staudinger, ChPC: Canadian Luge Association
Athlete: Kimberley McRae
British Columbia
Bruce Deacon, ChPC: Athletics Canada
Athlete: Liam Stanley
David Wilkinson: Special Olympics Canada
Athletes: Special Olympics Canada Snowshoeing Team
Donna Bilous: Special Olympics Canada
Athletes: Special Olympics Canada Speed Skating Team
Elizabeth Roman: Special Olympics Canada
Athletes: Special Olympics Canada Figure Skating Team
Mark Schnurr: Special Olympics Canada
Athletes: Special Olympics Canada Alpine Skiing Team
Maureen Brinson: Special Olympics Canada
Athletes: Special Olympics Canada Snowshoeing Team
Randy Scott: Special Olympics Canada
Athletes: Special Olympics Canada Alpine Skiing Team
Rob Kober, ChPC: Freestyle Canada
Athlete: Mikaël Kingsbury
Trennon Paynter: Freestyle Canada
Athlete: Mike Riddle
William Marshall: Alpine Canada Alpin
Athlete: Alana Ramsay
Manitoba
Joanne Zahaiko: Special Olympics Canada
Athletes: Special Olympics Canada Snowshoeing Team
Ron Struch: Special Olympics Canada
Athletes: Special Olympics Canada Alpine Skiing Team
Sabrina Klassen: Special Olympics Canada
Athletes: Special Olympics Canada Snowshoeing Team
Vlastimil Cerny, ChPC: Swimming Canada
Athlete: Kelsey Wog
New Brunswick
Sacha LeBlanc: Special Olympics Canada
Athletes: Special Olympics Canada Speed Skating Team
Mario Richard: Special Olympics Canada
Athlete: Special Olympics Canada Figure Skating Team
Nova Scotia
Cyril MacDonald: Special Olympics Canada
Athletes: Special Olympics Canada Speed Skating Team
Jan Kruk, ChPC: Canoe Kayak Canada
Athlete: Katie Vincent
Ontario
Adam Kingsbury: Curling
Athletes: Team Homan
Anne Schelter: Skate Canada
Athletes: Team Canada - Nexxice
Ben Titley, ChPC: Swimming Canada
Athletes: Chantal Van Landeghem, Michelle Williams, Penny Oleksiak, Richard Funk, and Sandrine Mainville
Cameron Jennings: Cycling Canada Cyclisme
Athlete: Ross Wilson
David White: Alpine Canada Alpin
Athlete: Kirk Schornstein
Hellaina Rothenburg: Special Olympics Canada
Athletes: Special Olympics Canada Cross Country Team
Janet Collins: Special Olympics Canada
Athlete: Special Olympics Canada Figure Skating Team
Lee Barkell, ChPC: Skate Canada
Athlete: Gabrielle Daleman
Linda Kiefer, ChPC: Swimming Canada
Athlete: Kylie Masse
Rachel Mathews: Special Olympics Canada
Athletes: Special Olympics Canada Snowshoeing Team
Ronald Cambridge: Special Olympics Canada
Athletes: Special Olympics Canada Floor Hockey Team East
Shelley Barnett: Skate Canada
Athletes: Team Canada - Nexxice
Tracey Zwiers: Special Olympics Canada
Athlete: Special Olympics Canada Figure Skating Team
Quebec
Aaron Dziver, ChPC: Diving Plongeon Canada
Athlete: François Imbeau-Dulac
Arturo Miranda, ChPC: Diving Plongeon Canada
Athlete: Jennifer Abel
Derrick Campbell, ChPC: Speed Skating Canada
Athletes: Charles Hamelin and Samuel Girard
Eric Van den Eynde, EPA: Cycling Canada Cyclisme
Athlete: Marie-Claude Molnar
Félix-Antoine Lapointe: Athletics Canada
Athlete: Guillaume Ouellet
César Henderson, EPA: Diving Plongeon Canada
Athlete: Melissa Citrini-Beaulieu
Claude St-Jean, EPA: Swimming Canada
Athletes: Sandrine Mainville and Katerine Savard
Frédéric Blackburn, EPA: Speed Skating Canada
Athlete: Marianne St-Gelais
Guillaume Plourde: Cycling Canada Cyclisme
Athlete: Tristen Chernove
Jean-Sébastien Labrie: Alpine Canada Alpin
Athlete: Mac Marcoux
Louis Bouchard, EPA: Cross Country Canada
Athlete: Alex Harvey
Marie-France Dubreuil: Skate Canada
Athletes: Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir
Mathieu Pelletier: Canoe Kayak Canada
Athlete: Laurence Vincent-Lapointe
Maxime Henault: Canada Snowboard
Athlete: Laurie Blouin
Michel Hamelin, EPA: Freestyle Canada
Athelete: Justine Dufour-Lapointe
Patrice Lauzon: Skate Canada
Athletes: Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir
Tom Johnson, ChPC: Swimming Canada
Athletes: Yuri Kisil and Markus Thormeyer
Saskatchewan
Abigail Frasz: Special Olympics Canada
Athletes: Special Olympics Canada Floor Hockey Team West
Ryan Unruh: Special Olympics Canada
Athletes: Special Olympics Canada Floor Hockey Team West
Sheldon Dean: Special Olympics Canada
Athletes: Special Olympics Canada Floor Hockey Team West
About the Coaching Association of Canada
The Coaching Association of Canada unites stakeholders and partners in its commitment to raising the skills and stature of coaches, and ultimately expanding their reach and influence. Through programs, such as the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP), the CAC empowers coaches with knowledge and skills, promotes ethics, fosters positive attitudes, builds competence, and increases the credibility and recognition of coaches.
About Suncor
Suncor Energy is Canada's leading integrated energy company. Suncor's operations include oil sands development and upgrading, offshore oil and gas production, petroleum refining, and product marketing under the Petro-Canada brand. A member of Dow Jones Sustainability indexes, FTSE4Good and CDP, Suncor is working to responsibly develop petroleum resources while also growing a renewable energy portfolio. Suncor is listed on the UN Global Compact 100 stock index and the Corporate Knights' Global 100. Suncor's common shares (symbol: SU) are listed on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges.
Petro-Canada, a Suncor business, operates almost 1,500 retail stations and 280 Petro-Pass wholesale locations nationwide. Petro-Canada's retail loyalty program, Petro-Points™, provides Canadians with the opportunity to earn and redeem rewards. Petro-Canada is proud to be a National Partner of the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic committees, supporting Canadian athletes, coaches and their families for more than 25 years. For more information, visit petro-canada.ca.
About Investors Group
IGM Financial Inc. is one of Canada's premier personal financial services companies, and one of the country’s largest managers and distributors of mutual funds and other managed asset products, with over $139 billion in total assets under management. Its activities are carried out principally through Investors Group’s network of Consultants located across Canada, Mackenzie Financial Corporation’s network of third-party financial advisors and Investment Planning Counsel’s network of financial planners dedicated to serving the needs of their clients.
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For more information, pictures or videos of the recipients, please contact:
Michel Hachey
Manager, Communications
Coaching Association of Canada
613-235-5000, ext. 2382
613-858-0242 (Nov. 1-5)
mhachey@coach.ca