Andrew Harris

CFL BC Lions running back Andrew Harris was recently named the Most Outstanding Canadian of the 99th Grey Cup. Joining the Lions in 2009, the team won the Grey Cup on home soil this year. Earning a spot on the Lions’ active roster in 2010, he was used primarily on special teams his first season and was later named the CFL’s special teams player of the week on September 14, 2010.

Beginning as the Lions’ backup running back in the 2011 year, Harris soon became the starting running back midseason. He finished with a total of 853 yards and 8 touchdowns with 11 starts. During the playoffs, Harris was named the Canadian player of the week for his performance in the Lions’ win over the Edmonton Eskimos in the Western Division Final. In the Grey Cup game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, he scored a touchdown, rushing for 65 yards over 10 carries.

Christine Sinclair

Burnaby native Christine Sinclair is currently a forward for the Western York Flash and the captain of the Canadian National Team. She has been with the National Team for 12 years, participating in three FIFA Women’s World Cups in 2003, 2007 and 2011. In the 2011 World Cup, she broke her nose in a match and came back to score a highlight goal. Christine is also a five-time nominee for World Player of the Year by FIFA. As Canada’s all-time leading caps and goal scorer, she is the reigning Canada Soccer Player of the Year.

In 2011, Christine participated at the XVI Pan American Games in Guadalajara, where she was Canada’s flag bearer. In the championship match, she scored the equalizer to send the final to extra time, where Canada won gold after a 4-3 win.

Some highlights of this year include being named the WPS Championship Most Valuable Player and winning the championship final with the Western New York Flash, marking her second straight WPS championship. On her 12th year with the National team, Christine led the team in goal scoring 11 out of the 12 seasons and is also the fifth player to score her 120th career international goal. She is also one of only two players in the WPS league’s three-year history to have scored more than 10 goals in back-to-back seasons.

Dylan Armstrong

Dylan Armstrong is a five-time Canadian national champion in shot put, who currently trains with past Olympic gold medalist, Anatoliy Bondarchuk.

He achieved Canada’s first athletics (track and field) gold medal at the XVI Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico in October 2011. At the Pan American Games, his 21.30 meter throw established a new Pan American Games record and secured gold. This is where he also successfully defended his reigning title. Another record set by this Kamloops native is a title in the IAAF Diamond League and a new Canadian record of 22.21 meters — the best throw of the season world wide.

His 2011 results include No.1 at the Meeting International d’Athlétisme Moulay el Hassan, the Diamond League, and the Samsung Diamond League in Italy and in Qatar. The shot putter consistently threw over 21-metres all season, won silver at the World Championships which was Canada’s first ever medal in  throwing events at a World Championship. At 30 years old, Armstrong has a deserved reputation as a Canadian champion with the London Olympics in sight.

Mark Recchi

Kamloops native Mark Recchi played his way into the record books in the final season of his storied career, scoring his 1500th career point in a two-goal showing for the Boston Bruins against the Florida Panthers.

At the age of 43, Recchi also became the oldest player to score a goal in a Stanley Cup Final, doing so in Game 2 of the 2011 Finals against the Vancouver Canucks. Leading the team in scoring, Recchi helped the Bruins win their first Stanley Cup since 1972 and hoisted his third with as many teams.

After 22 years in the NHL, Recchi announced his retirement in the post-game celebration following the Bruins’ 2011 Stanley Cup victory. He finished his career fourth all-time in games played and 12th all-time in points. He was the last active player in professional hockey who had played in the NHL in the 1980s.

Paul McCallum

At BC Place this year, Paul McCallum set the record, with 30, for the most all-time consecutive field goals made in the CFL, breaking the previous mark of 28 held by Dave Ridgway. Playing as a placekicker and punter for the BC Lions, he holds CFL records for the longest field goal made at 62 yards and highest field goal kicking accuracy in a single season at 94.34%.

McCallum is the oldest player in the CFL, having played 19 seasons over the course of his career. He is also the last active player to have played for the Ottawa Rough Riders, as the team folded in 1996.