Vancouver, BC — January 28, 2026 — Sport BC, in collaboration with BC School Sports, is pleased to announce the Male and Female
High School Athletes of the Year: Elijah Black and Adrianna Buitelaar.
Through discussions with Sport BC Member, BC School Sports, one male and one female high school athlete were selected to reflect
exceptional athletic performance, leadership, and dedication.
High School Male Athlete of the Year – ELIJAH BLACK
Elijah Black is an outstanding student-athlete and leader at W.J. Mouat Secondary School. The 2025 BC School Sports
3A Football Play of the Year, Elijah had a record setting season, leading his Hawks to the Championship Game at BC Place in December.
Known for his composure and football IQ, he shattered multiple BC high school passing records and demonstrated exceptional dedication
both academically and athletically, balancing training, leadership responsibilities, and work throughout the season. Elijah also starred for
the WJM Varsity basketball team. Beyond BCSS activities, Elijah was the starting quarterback for Team BC at the Canada Cup.
High School Female Athlete of the Year – ADRIANNA BUITELAAR
Adrianna Buitelaar, a student-athlete at Mennonite Educational Institute (MEI), enjoyed a breakout year in athletics, excelling across track
and cross country at the provincial and national levels. Adrianna set a new all-time BC School Sports Provincial Record in the 1500m on the
track, and won gold at the BCSS Cross Country championships with the fastest female time in any division. She captured national titles in
the 3000m and U20 cross country, which earned her selection to the U20 Athletics Canada National Cross Country Team, while her
leadership and competitive spirit continue to inspire those around her.
These student athletes represent the highest standard of high school sport in British Columbia and exemplify excellence, perseverance, and
leadership both in competition and in their school communities. Congratulations to W.J. Mouat’s Elijah Black and Mennonite Educational
Institute’s Adrianna Buitelaar. Sport BC looks forward to celebrating with you at the Athlete of the Year Awards on March 5, 2026.
Tickets are available here.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPORT BC’S ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD SPONSORS!
About Sport BC
Sport BC believes in the power of sport and is committed to building stronger communities through positive sport experiences. Our goal is to enhance and support sport participation in British Columbia ensuring everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Through our KidSport BC, BC Amateur Sport Fund, and BC Women & Sport along with our services Sport BC Insurance, and Payroll and Group Benefits; Sport BC supports our seventy plus member organizations. Keep up to date @SportBC
About BC School Sports
BC School Sports is a organization of over 450 public and independent schools in British Columbia. It is the governing body for school sport and coordinates and delivers opportunities with our member schools for interschool competitions in over 18 activities to over 123,000 student-athletes each year. BCSS delivers 61 provincial championships annually, with thousands of student-athletes competing at the highest levels of interscholastic competition.
Media Contacts
Allison Mailer Jordan Abney
Sport BC, VP Operations BC School Sports, Executive Director
[email protected] [email protected]
778-839-8576
Athlete of the Year Awards
Thursday, March 5, 2026
Fairmont Hotel Vancouver
#SportBC58thAOY
https://sportbc.com