MW Team Updates

• Current issue
• About MW Team Updates
• Archives
  • November 2011
  • September 2011
  • July 2011
  • May 2011
  • March 2011
  • January 2011
  • November 2010
  • September 2010
  • July 2010
  • May 2010
  • March 2010
  • January 2010
  • November 2009
  • September 2009
  • July 2009
  • May 2009

Athletes, coaches, officials fêted

By Lesley Craig

Attendees of the 20th Annual CF Sports Awards Ceremony on November 22, 2008, navigated through the collection of old vehicles in the LeBreton Gallery of the Canadian War Museum into a crowd of top-notch athletes from throughout Canada. As the athletes gathered in the cocktail area, catching up with old and new friends, the atmosphere was warm and cheerful. They made their way to seats in front of the stage, ready to set aside friendly rivalries and congratulate one another on their accomplishments. And their accomplishments were many and well-deserving of recognition.

Honour Roll inductees Master Warrant Officer Manon Rhéaume and Major Carmen Roy were recognized for their contributions to their chosen sports, badminton and volleyball. The Environmental Awards showcased the athleticism, professionalism and good sportsmanship of personnel from all areas of the Forces, and it was from these winners that the athletes, coaches, official and team of the year were chosen. Both the Male and Female Athletes of the Year are runners, competing in military and civilian events. 14 Wing Greenwood’s Captain Tammy Hiscock was named Female Athlete of the Year, with an impressive 17 competitive races run in 2007. Due to adverse weather conditions in Nova Scotia, Capt Hiscock was unable to attend the ceremony. Her fellow runner, Major Bruce Barteaux, was named Male Athlete of the Year. Maj Barteaux’s preference for Ultramarathons led him to race more than 600 kilometres in 2007.

Many of the athletes’ accomplishments would not be possible without the assistance and encouragement of their coaches, and the ceremony honoured them as well. Captain Jennifer Lawton, a nationally recognized triathlon coach and co-founder of the Formation Halifax Navy Tridents Triathlon Club, picked up Female Coach of the Year. In his first year of coaching, Sergeant Denis Cloutier devoted a great deal of time to his work as head coach of the CF CISM Running Team while continuing to compete in races and win numerous gold medals. The Team of the Year, the Royal Military College’s Men’s Fencing Team, distinguished itself as the first RMC team to win the Men’s Fencing Provincial University Championship. Official of the Year Capt Steven Stuart has experience officiating games in the civilian and military arenas and at the provincial, regional and national levels. A long-time hockey official, he has recently added volleyball to his repertoire.

At this 20th annual Sports Awards Ceremony, Lieutenant-Colonel (Ret) Greg Pearson was inducted into the Hall of Fame for his role in conceiving and implementing the idea of an awards ceremony. Previously, athletes, coaches, teams and officials of the year received their scrolls through the mail, without any formal recognition of their achievements. At CFB Trenton in 1988, LCol Pearson organized and served as master of ceremonies at the first awards ceremony. That inaugural ceremony set a high standard that has been met every year since. “It’s amazing . . . absolutely amazing,” LCol Pearson says. “That we’ve had 20 of these in a row, with none cancelled for any reason, speaks to the fact that the sports program has become even more important to the Forces, both in building fitness and, especially, esprit de corps.”

Maj (Ret) Roy Hillier was also inducted into the Hall of Fame in recognition of his extensive involvement in and contribution to CF sports as an athlete, coach and teambuilder. His expertise spans numerous sports and, over the course of his career in the CF, he competed in 38 CF Regional and National Sports Championships, five civilian provincial and national events and two international competitions, winning a total of 32 medals. It’s not about the trophies, though; for Maj Hillier, it’s about the sports. “It’s nice to be recognized,” he says, “but Monday night I’ll be back in a gym, coaching 15-year-old girls in soccer.”

The Sports Awards Ceremony Committee is back at the drawing board, building next year’s event on the solid base of 20 very successful awards nights.

Source: The Maple Leaf, Vol. 11, no. 42, December 10, 2008, with additional information by Kathy Manser, PSP National Events Coordinator, Ottawa.

|  PREVIOUS ARTICLE | NEXT ARTICLE |