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| 2006 Annual Awards | |
BC Wheelchair Sports Association Annual Awards & Recognition Night was held on Saturday, April 14th, 2007 at the FourPoints Sheraton Hotel in Richmond. Congratulations to all the nominees and to these award recipients: Outstanding Community Support Award Kinsmen Club of Prince George Stan Stronge Volunteer of the Year Mary Nguyen (Wheelchair Rugby), Vancouver Spirt of Sport Award Jessica Des Mazes (Athletics), Burnaby Coach of the Year Adam Frost (Wheelchair Rugby), Vancouver Junior Athlete of the Year Deion Green (Basketball), Victoria Most Improved Athlete of the Year Travis Murao (Wheelchair Rugby), Richmond Female Athlete of the Year Michelle Stilwell (Athletics), Nanoose Bay Male Athlete of the Year Jaimie Borisoff (Basketball), Vancouver Included in this special evening was recognition of the BC athletes, coaches and support staff who attended World Championships in 2006 for Athletics, Basketball, Tennis, Wheelchair Rugby, Target Sports and Curling. BCWSA Executive Director Kathy Newman acknowledged the following individuals: In Athletics, Kelly Smith, Alan Bergman, Michelle Stilwell, Peter Lawless; In Tennis, Yuka Chokyu, Phil Rowe and Uros Budimac; In Target Sports, Chris Trifonidis; In Curling, Gerry Austgarden, Gary Cormack, Sonja Gaudet, Ina Forest and Joe Rae; in Basketball, MJ Boudreault, Arley McNeney, Jennifer Krempien, Misty Thomas, Tim Frick, Bruce Enns, Trish Nicholson, Paige Larson, Laura Goertz, Jaimie Borisoff and Richard Peter; In Wheelchair Rugby, Garett Hickling, Ian Chan, Trevor Hirschfield, Say Luanghamdeng, Travis Murao, Adam Frost, Thomas Zochowski, and Veronica Planella. ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - FEMALE Michelle Stillwell (Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island) Nationally, Michelle met and exceeded the tough standards set by Athletics Canada to become a member of the senior National Team. Internationally, Michelle excelled at the World Championships in Assen, Netherlands against the best female T52 racers in the world bringing home gold in the 200m and silver in the 100m. Provincially she continues to dominate in all the WCRS events. She won the BC Athletics Female Athlete with a Disability award in 2006. Titles won in 2006:
 ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - MALE Jaimie Borisoff (Vancouver) In 2006 Jaimie Borisoff, in his 16th year of playing wheelchair basketball, had an outstanding year on the basketball court. Summary of Personal and Team awards in 2006 include:
MOST IMPROVED ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Travis Murao (Richmond) Travis Murao is wheelchair sport's most improved rugby player for many reasons both on and off the court. Travis is currently a member of three different wheelchair rugby teams: the University of Arizona, USQRA, club team, the BC Provincial Team and the Canadian National Rugby Team. At the University of Arizona Travis has become the leader of his team, he runs practice, he coaches and he plays. Travis' improved performance this year has helped lead this team to its first appearance in the Division I National Championships in the US. This is a huge step for this team as they will finish in the top 8 in the most competitive league in the world. Next Travis was an integral part of the BC Provincial Teams National Championship in May of 06. Travis's improved play both offensively and defensively helped the team win not just on the championship game but in all the round robin games as well. Third and perhaps most impressive for Travis was his placement on the Canadian National Wheelchair Rugby Team and it's third place finish at the World Championships in New Zealand this past September. Travis is the first player to make the top 12 without being an alternate for a year or two first, which is a first since the National Team started having alternates in 2000. JUNIOR ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Deion Green (Victoria) Deion had a fantastic 2005/06 season. He set his sights on making the 2007 Canada Games team and worked hard to achieve that goal. He participated in the Victoria program and played in the CWBL league. Deion attended his first BC Winter Games and led his Zone 6 team to a silver medal. Over the summer, he was one of a select few to go to a junior high performance camp in Toronto, where he was identified as a great candidate for the Junior National team program. Deion has improved significantly in the past year and has a great future ahead of him! SPIRIT OF SPORT AWARD Jessica DesMazes (Burnaby) 2006 was Jessica's first year of involvement in wheelchair racing. She started with the pre-season athletics clinic, obtained a racing chair through the BCWSA loan chair program and participated consistently and enthusiastically in track and road training sessions throughout the season. Jessica competed in most of the WC Race Series track and road events, BC Summer Games and traveled to London Ontario for the National Championships. Jessica was the WC Race Series' Rookie of the Year. Jessica's spirit of sport is driven from deep within her soul. Her commitment to her training program and her appetite for knowledge about her sport equals her work ethic to achieve her future goals of competing at athletics highest honour. Being a team player is very important for Jessica. Only involved in wheelchair racing for 11 months she inspires veteran athletes and is a mentor to the developing athletes, as she keeps focused on her goals on the road to National team. COACH OF THE YEAR Adam Frost (Vancouver) As head coach, Adam took the BC A squad to the Canadian National Championships and won gold as well as training the BC B squad to a Silver on the developmental side of the National Championships. Adam is also the current assistant coach of the National team and has contributed to the development of Coaching Association Training specific to Wheelchair Rugby. The wheelchair rugby program in BC is probably bigger than it ever has been as a result of a very positive welcoming environment created by the Head Coach. Highlights of 2006:
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR Mary Nguyen (Vancouver) Mary Nguyen has been volunteering for Wheelchair Rugby since 1999 and has played a huge role at every Vancouver Invitational Rugby Tournament that is held each year and at the Canada Cups in 2004 and 2006. When Mary arrived on the scene she was in her last couple years of high school but was already a leader and proved herself to be the leader of the people we had volunteering from Gladstone Secondary. Her role quickly grew where she was in charge of all the score keepers. Next Mary quickly became the Floor Manager which means that she is in charge, of, or supporting, all of the behind the scenes activity in the gym: set up, take down, score keeping, awards ceremonies, organizing and recruiting all the volunteers and responding to all the inquiries from the team leaders. Mary's role at the Canada Cup has been the same as it is for the Invitational except as this is a larger tournament and the pressure for her to perform well in her role increases. She has handled it exceptionally well and has helped the Canada Cup become one of the finest run Bi-Annual tournaments in the world. For the Canada Cup, Mary took on additional responsibilities, including assisting with the event banquet, hosting team training sessions, assisting with ceremonies, and other important tasks. Without Mary's help on these two organizing committees, both of the wheelchair rugby tournaments that are held in Vancouver would be much more difficult to run and BC Wheelchair Sports would be with-out a fantastic person. COMMUNITY SPORT AWARD Kinsmen Club of Prince George The Prince George Titans wheelchair basketball team celebrated their 25th anniversary of wheelchair basketball in Prince George this year. Over most of the past 20 years, the Kinsmen, the Kinettes and the Kinsmen Community Complex have supported the Titans and wheelchair basketball. Unsurpassed with hundreds of hours of free gym time, fundraising support and volunteerism they have been instrumental in the development and continuation that has allowed wheelchair basketball to thrive throughout the northern communities. With the continued support of the Kinsmen Club, the Titans can be assured of a continuing legacy of wheelchair basketball in Prince George. |
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