Until January 31st those in the Peace Country can nominate an amateur athlete or someone involved for the Sport Excellence Awards. The awards will recognize the achievements made from January 1st to December 31st, 2022 by individuals or groups.
Anyone from Fox Creek to the British Columbia and Northwest Territories border can be nominated for an award. The awards which are put on by the Grande Prairie Regional Sport Connection highlights and celebrate community members who continue to improve and make sports better for everyone, whether they are a coach, volunteer, official or even corporate sponsor. The Community Awards categories include Developmental Coach of the Year, Outstanding Official, Sport Builder, Unsung Hero, Community Sportsmanship, and Event of the Year. Last year Grande Prairie City Councilor Dylan Bressey was awarded the Sport Builder award for Disc Golf while Kitakaze Martial Arts Club received the Community Sportsmanship award.
Nominations are also open for the High-Performance Awards, which celebrates the ‘extraordinary talent’ in the area. The High-Performance Award categories include Female and Male Athlete of the Year, Junior Male and Female Athlete of the Year, Team of the Year, and Coach of the Year. Last year the Sexsmith Sabres received the Team of the Year award for Football.
Nominees and award recipients will be recognized at the Northwest Alberta Sports Excellence Awards banquet being held on March 3rd. Last year’s banquet saw 35 nominated individuals and organizations recognized.
More information on nomination criteria, along with the nomination form can be found on the Grande Prairie Regional Sport Connection website.Â