OTTAWA – Canada’s most deserving and influential coaches and sport leaders will be honoured this evening at the 2018 Petro-Canada Sport Leadership Awards Gala. The class of 2018 award recipients include Wrestling Canada Lutte’s Dave McKay, of the Burnaby Mountain Wrestling Club, and Marty Calder, of Brock Wrestling Club.

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 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