For Immediate Release – March 10, 2023 – (Vancouver, BC)
Sport BC celebrated the 55th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards on Thursday, March 9, 2023. The event was hosted by CBC’s Scott Russell recognizing the province’s best in amateur sport including athletes, coaches, teams, and officials for outstanding performances in their sport in either 2021 or 2022 season. Each finalist was nominated by their Provincial or Multi-Sport Organization, High School, College, or University. The Selection Committee, led by long-serving Chair Bernie Pascall, included a diverse group of highly experienced British Columbia sport leaders and media members.
“This was our first in-person event since 2019 and the 55th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards was a true celebration of sport in our province, the recipients represent an exceptional 2021 and 2022 in BC sport and we are inspired by the sport stories of all of our finalists, the category winners, and the organizations they represent”, shares Sport BC’s President and CEO, Rob Newman. “We are proud to bring the amateur sport community together and thank you guests, sponsors, and friends in sport.”
Sport BC congratulates all the Athlete of the Year Awards’ Recipients:
| Athlete with a Disability Presented by Mawer Investment Group Tyler Turner (Vancouver) – Para Snowboard |
| Master Athlete of the Year
Presented by Markel Play – Canada Shelly Stouffer (Nanoose Bay) – Golf
University Athlete of the Year Anna Mollenhauer (University of Victoria) – Field Hockey |
| High School Male Athlete of the Year Presented by First Nations Housing and Infrastructure Council of BC Laon Kim (Gleneagle) – Swimming |
| Junior Male Athlete of the Year
Presented by Sport Burnaby |
| Junior Female Athlete of the Year Presented by Richmond Sport Hosting Gracey Hemstreet (Sechelt) – Cycling |
| High School Female Athlete of the Year Presented by BC Lottery Corporation Marina Radocaj (R.A. McMath) – Volleyball/Basketball |
| College Athlete of the Year Presented by BC Amateur Sport Fund Jane Lytvynenko (Vancouver Island University) – Volleyball |
| Senior Female Athlete of the Year
Presented by Canada Life |
| Male Coach of the Year Presented by TD Bank Group Chris MacDonald (Vancouver) – Golf |
| Female Coach of the Year Presented by Canadian Sport Institute Pacific Bev Priestman (Vancouver) – Soccer |
| Team of the Year Presented by Local Rental Solutions UBC Women’s Golf Team |
| Official of the Year Presented by Sport BC Insurance Janice Hunter (West Vancouver) – Figure Skating |
| Senior Male Athlete of the Year Powered by Under ArmourEvan Dunfee (Richmond) – Athletics |
An additional six awards were presented including the Best of BC, KidSport BC Community Champion, Harry Jerome Comeback, Daryl Thompson Lifetime Achievement Award and In Her Footsteps Honourees.
| Best of BC
Christine Sinclair – Soccer The Best of BC Award, supported by the Province of British Columbia, is presented to an individual or team thought to have represented British Columbia, nationally or internationally, in either a professional or amateur sport. |
| KidSport Community Champion
Farhan Lahlji |
| Daryl Thompson Lifetime Achievement Award
Kristine Chambers – Triathlon The Daryl Thompson Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by the BC Games Society, is presented to an individual who has contributed their time in an extraordinary way to sport over a long period of time and/or has made a major contribution to amateur sport in British Columbia. The award is named after the late Daryl Thompson an inspiring former Chair of Sport BC. |
| Harry Jerome Comeback Award
Rebecca Marino – Tennis The Harry Jerome Comeback Award is presented to an individual who succeeded in their sport after suffering a significant and unique setback |
| ProMOTION Plus The recipients have demonstrated their commitment to being role models and mentors of young women; they have opened doors to increase accessibility and promote opportunities for participation. They have strived, struggled, fallen, picked themselves us and continued – because they know the benefits and love what it means to be deeply involved in sport and physical activity.In Her Footsteps . . . Celebrating BC Women in Sport Sue GriffinDebbie PyneBobbie Steen Foundation Legacy Award Amy de Bree |