Coaching Association of Canada announces award winners

Ottawa, ON (November 9, 2018) – Canada’s most deserving and influential coaches and sports leaders will be honoured this evening at the 2018 Petro-Canada Sport Leadership Awards Gala. The class of 2018 award recipients include Skate Canada’s Manon Perron, Freestyle Alberta’s Rob Kober, NCCP Coach Developer and Mentor Greg Henhawk, and Tennis Canada.

Hosted by the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) in partnership with Petro-Canada at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa, the Gala recognizes those who live out the values and competencies of the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) and the positive impact they have within the Canadian sport community.

“Every year, coaches and leaders in the Canadian sport system foster growth and innovation in their communities,” says Lorraine Lafrenière, Chief Executive Officer of the CAC. “Inspiring athletes to perform at their best — both on and off the field — is because these leaders are positive role models and supporters in the many facets of values-based leadership. The Coaching Association of Canada is proud to recognize these leaders for the positive impact their influence has on Canadian athletes and participants.”

The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport, also praises the contributions coaches make in communities across the country.

“A coach’s greatest reward is to see athletes learn, improve, and excel,” says the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport. “I would like to thank the Coaching Association of Canada for recognizing the outstanding work of these incredible mentors, whose leadership and dedication contribute to every athlete’s success in sport and in life.”

THE WINNERS ARE:

Geoff Gowan Award

The Geoff Gowan Award was created by the Coaching Association of Canada in 1996 and recognizes lifetime contributions to coaching development. It is awarded to coaches who have presented a positive public image of coaching and who have enhanced the role of the coach with the Canadian public. The award resides at Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in Calgary, Alberta.

Manon Perron, ChPC– Skate Canada (Boucherville, QC)
“For almost 40 years, Manon has demonstrated an inspirational dedication to her career in professional coaching,” says Paul Carson, Chair of the CAC Board of Directors. “Manon has not only demonstrated a commitment to coach education and mentorship in Canada, but a commitment to her athletes. She helps athletes develop holistically by encouraging them to balance sport, social, and educational needs. We’re honoured to present Manon with the Geoff Gowan Award.”  

“To be recognized for the time I’ve dedicated to coaching is a huge honour. It’s incredible that I’ve been able to turn my passion for coaching into a 39-year career,” says Perron. “Coaching has been the most rewarding experience, and I’ve also been given the opportunity to be a coach mentor and work with high-performance athletes through Skate Canada. When I think of where I am today, I have so many people to thank. I would particularly like to recognize Skate Canada and Patinage Québec for helping me make my dreams a reality. Lastly, I want to thank everyone who believed in me.” 

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Jack Donohue “Coach of the Year” Award

The Jack Donohue “Coach of the Year” Award is presented to a Chartered Professional Coach (ChPC) for their outstanding contributions as one of Canada’s top coaches. The award recognizes a coach’s dedication to the profession of coaching, commitment to continual improvement, and the successful performances of his or her athletes during the past competitive season.

Rob Kober, ChPC – Freestyle Alberta (Penticton, BC)
“As a testament to Rob’s 25-year coaching career, we can look to the past three Olympic Games where Canada has performed outstandingly in Men’s Moguls,“ says Lafrenière. “This year, we’re happy to present Rob Kober with the Jack Donohue Award, especially since Rob has chosen to play an even bigger role in the athlete development system by taking on the head coach position of the Alberta Mogul Team”.  

“There are so many great Canadian coaches that deserve this award, and I feel very honoured and very fortunate to be singled out,” says Rob Kober. “Having my career recognized like this means a lot to me. I have been incredibly fortunate to have a supportive family. I would like to thank my parents, my kids, my wife and all of my coaching mentors, particularly Peter Judge, Bobby Aldighieri, and Dave Paskevich. Coaching has been an incredibly rewarding career to this point, and that has everything to do with the athletes I have had the privilege of working with. I can’t thank them enough for placing their trust in me.”

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IG Wealth Management National NCCP Coach Developer Award

This award recognizes an outstanding individual who has gone above and beyond to inspire and develop NCCP coaches in their community. In 2018, IG Wealth Management presented ten Community NCCP Coach Developer Awards, while one national winner will be recognized this evening.
Greg Henhawk – Aboriginal Sport and Wellness Centre of Ontario (Six Nations of the Grand River, ON)
“Greg has been a positive coaching figure in his community for more than 40 years and has been teaching coach education for 31 years. He’s been involved in the NCCP since 1980 as a participant, learning facilitator, master coach developer, and project advisor,” says Trevor Krahn, Director, Sponsorship & Community Engagement at IG Wealth Management. “We’re honoured to present the IG Wealth Management National NCCP Coach Developer Award to him this year.”

“I am very proud to be recognized for my somewhat ‘outside the box’ delivery style in the courses and workshops that I teach. I like to root my delivery in the holistic model of life predicated by my Mohawk culture,” says Greg Henhawk. “As with all cultures, I believe that the present and past voices of the people contain great wisdom. I am proud to share the wisdom of my Indigenous ancestors and I try to teach in a way that illustrates and honours the voice of my people. I have lots of people to thank, but I would particularly like to recognize my community in the Six Nations of the Grand River, as I truly think that the strength of a person lies in the people that surround them. Until I one day join the spirit world, I hope to keep learning from the people I have met and who I have yet to meet. As much as I am a teacher and a coach, I am forever a lifetime learner.” 

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Sheila Robertson Award

The Sheila Robertson Award recognizes the outstanding contributions to coach education, recognition, and professional development by a National Sport Organization (NSO) or Multisport Service Organization (MSO). It is awarded to an NSO or MSO that consistently demonstrates its value of coaching through its organizational mandate and communications activities throughout the year to its internal and external audiences. 

Tennis Canada
“Tennis Canada is very proud to receive this award and to be recognized by the Coaching Association of Canada for our work in coaching development,” says Ari Novik, Senior Director of Tennis Development at Tennis Canada. “Tennis Canada has been committed to coaching development for many years and has provided substantial resources to this area, so we greatly appreciate both the recognition and the excellent partnership that we have formed with the CAC over the years. Finally, I want to acknowledge my team at Tennis Canada – Marie-France Mercier, Jocelyn Robichaud, Joan Leung, Ryan Borczon, and Scott Milnthorp.”

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Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Awards

These prestigious awards recognize coaches whose athletes have excelled at World Championships, Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the Special Olympics World Games. Petro-Canada, a Suncor business, has honoured close to 1,200 coaches since 1986 with a Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Award.

The 44 deserving coaches are:

Alberta
Bart Schouten, ChPC: Speed Skating Canada    
Athlete: Ted-Jan Bloemen

John Jaques, ChPC: Cross Country Canada    
Athletes: Brittany Hudak, Collin Cameron, and Mark Arendz    

Jules Owchar: Curling Canada    
Athletes: Brad Gushue, Mark Nichols, Brett Gallant, and Geoff Walker 

Les Gramantik, ChPC: Athletics Canada    
Athlete: Damian Warner

Philippe Abbott: Cycling Canada    
Athlete: Mike Sametz

Robin McKeever, ChPC: Cross Country Canada    
Athletes: Brian McKeever, Emily Young, Mark Arendz, and Natalie Wilkie    

Ravi Walia, ChPC: Skate Canada    
Athletes: Kaetlyn Osmond and Patrick Chan

Stanley Hayer: Alpine Canada Alpin    
Athletes: Brady Leman, Kelsey Serwaa, and Brittany Phelan

Toben Sutherland: Freestyle Canada
Athlete: Alex Beaulieu-Marchand    
    

British Columbia
Dave McKay, ChPC: Wrestling Canada Lutte    
Athlete: Justina Di Stasio 

Dave Thompson: Rowing Canada Aviron    
Athletes: Lisa Roman, Kristin Bauder, Nicole Hare, Hillary Janssens, Christine Roper, Susanne 
Grainger, Jennifer Martins, Rebecca Zimmerman, and Kristen Kit    

Rob Kober, ChPC: Freestyle Canada 
Athlete: Mikaël Kingsbury

Steve Bush: Water Ski and Wakeboard Canada 
Athletes: Team Canada Water Ski  

Trennon Paynter, ChPC: Freestyle Canada
Athlete: Cassie Sharpe    

Manitoba
Jeff Stoughton: Curling Canada    
Athletes: John Morris and Kaitlyn Lawes    

Nova Scotia
David Kikuchi, ChPC: Gymnastics Canada Gymnastique 
Athlete: Ellie Black    

Jan Kruk, ChPC: Canoe Kayak Canada    
Athletes: Katie Vincent and Laurence Vincent-Lapointe

Mark Smith, ChPC: Softball Canada    
Athletes: Women’s National Team    

Ontario
Andrew (Drew) Ross: Water Ski and Wakeboard Canada    
Athletes: Neilly Ross and Jason McClintock

Brian Orser: Skate Canada    
Athlete: Gabrielle Daleman    

Derrick Campbell, ChPC: Speed Skating Canada    
Athlete: Charles Hamelin, Samuel Girard, Charle Cournoyer, and Pascal Dion    

Elliot Catton, ChPC: Canada Snowboard    
Athlete: Sébastien Toutant, Mark McMorris, Max Parrot, and Laurie Blouin

Lee Barkell, ChPC: Skate Canada    
Athlete: Gabrielle Daleman

Matt Rini: Water Ski and Wakeboard Canada    
Athlete: Whitney McClintock

Marty Calder, ChPC: Wrestling Canada Lutte    
Athlete: Michelle Fazzari    

Michelle Darvill, ChPC: Rowing Canada Aviron    
Athletes: Lisa Roman, Kristin Bauder, Nicole Hare, Hillary Janssens, Christine Roper, Susanne 
Grainger, Jennifer Martins, Rebecca Zimmerman, and Kristen Kit    

Wendy Morgan, ChPC: Curling Canada    
Athletes: Jennifer Jones, Kaitlyn Lawes, Dawn McEwen, and Jill Officer    

Quebec
Bruno Marcotte, ChPC: Skate Canada    
Athletes: Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford 

Eric Van den Eynde: Cycling Canada    
Athlete: Shelley Gautier    

Frédéric Blackburn, ChPC: Speed Skating Canada    
Athletes: Valerie Maltais, Marianne St-Gelais, Kasandra Bradette, and Kim Boutin    

Guillaume Plourde: Cycling Canada    
Athlete: Tristen Chernove 

Jean-Sébastien Labrie, ChPC: Alpine Canada Alpin 
Athletes: Alana Ramsay, Alexis Guimond, Kurt Oatway, Mac Maroux, and Mollie Jepsen

Karina Kosko, ChPC: Gymnastics Canada Gymnastique    
Athlete: Sophiane Méthot    

Marie-France Dubreuil, ChPC: Skate Canada    
Athletes: Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue    

Mathieu Pelletier: Canoe Kayak Canada    
Athlete: Laurence Vincent-Lapointe    

Maxime Hénault: Canada Snowboard    
Athletes: Max Parrot, Laurie Blouin, and Sébastien Toutant

Michel Hamelin, ChPC: Freestyle Canada
Athlete: Justine Dufour-Lapointe    

Patrice Lauzon: Skate Canada    
Athletes: Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue    

Rino Langelier, ChPC: Racquetball Canada    
Athlete: Samuel Murray    

Sébastien Travers: Cycling Canada    
Athletes: Ross Wilson and Alex Hyndman 

Tyrel Rose, ChPC: Canadian Tenpin Federation    
Athlete: Francois Lavoie    

Saskatchewan
Adam Burwell: Canada Snowboard    
Athlete: Mark McMorris    

Loren Prentice: Racquetball Canada    
Athlete: Tim Landeryou    

Wayne Kiel, ChPC: Curling Canada    
Athletes: Mark Ideson, Ina Forrest, Dennis Thiessen, Marie Wright, and Jamie Anseeuw

More information on the deserving winners is posted on the Awards & Recognition page of the CAC’s website, coach.ca. Please follow #SLS18 on Twitter and Instagram for photos of the evening. The CAC wishes to thank Globe Awards & Promotions, the official provider of gala prizing and trophies handed out this evening.