OTTAWA, ON – The Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) today announced that Alex Johnstone of Melfort, Sask., is the winner of the 2008 Investors Group National Volunteer Sport Administrator Award.

Throughout the year, a volunteer sport administrator award is presented at every Community Coaching Conference sponsored by Investors Group, with one of those recipients chosen to receive the national award. Johnstone was chosen from 41 local winners, each of whom demonstrates outstanding commitment and service to the athletes and coaches in his or her community.

“Investors Group is proud of its long-standing relationship with CAC in developing coaching skills at the grassroots level through Investors Group Community Coaching Conferences across Canada,” says Richard Irish, Vice-President, Community Affairs and Area Marketing for Investors Group. “We are very pleased to be able to recognize some of the outstanding volunteers who run amateur sport programs in our communities through the Investors Group National Volunteer Sport Administrator Award, which honours them for their dedication to helping young people achieve their full athletic potential.”

Alex Johnstone's contribution to the sport of athletics stretches back to 1971, when he began to coach at Shellbrook High School. Over the years, he has also been head coach of the Shellbrook Ardavarks, throws coach for the Tisdale Track Club, camp director and head coach of the Saskatchewan Legion Track and Field Camp, and head coach of the Canada Summer Games track and field team.

As Prairie representative, Johnstone was instrumental in the implementation of the Hershey Track and Field Games Program, which introduces children to physical fitness through basic track and field events, and he remains the program's coordinator.

Johnstone has served on the board of directors and is a long-serving official with Saskatchewan Athletics. He is the meet director of the Spring Throws Meet, held annually in Prince Albert and since 1988 has been officials coordinator of the First Nation Summer Games. He also is a mentor for officials from Level 1 to Level 5.

A certified throws coach and certified official, in 2006, Johnstone was the Director of Excellence for the athletics team at the North American Indigenous Games and led the team to the 2008 Games in Cowichan, British Columbia.

Johnstone's outstanding contribution to sport in his community has been recognized by the Bob Adams Coach Award, the Sask Sport Volunteer Award, and the Sask Athletics Official of the Year award.

About the Investors Group National Volunteer Sport Administrator Award
The Investors Group National Volunteer Sport Administrator Award has been presented to volunteer sport administrators for the past 17 years. The award recognizes the contribution of the community sport programs made by dedicated volunteers who give their time to enable coaches and athletes to enjoy the benefits of well-organized sport.

The award will be presented during Petro-Canada Sport Leadership sportif, scheduled to take place in Calgary, November 7-9, 2008. The Sport Leadership Awards Ceremony will take place on Friday, November 7, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. at the Calgary Telus Convention Centre.

About CAC
The Coaching Association of Canada is a not-for-profit amateur sport organization with the mission of enhancing the experiences of all Canadian athletes through quality coaching. CAC and its partners deliver a leading-edge coaching system whose goal is to have an impact on 1,000,000 athletes through the training of 100,000 coaches each year in the National Coaching Certification Program. Visit www.coach.ca for more information about coach education and training.

 

For more information, contact:

Michèle Dion
Communications Coordinator
Coaching Association of Canada
613-235-5000, ext. 9-2384
mdion@coach.ca