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Coaches of Canada Announces its 2007 Award Winners – October 01, 2007 |
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OTTAWA, Ontario – October 01, 2007 Coaches of Canada today announced the 2007 winners of its two national awards — the Jack Donohue Coach of the Year Award and the Sheila Robertson Award. Both awards will be presented during Petro-Canada Sport Leadership sportif, scheduled to take place in Halifax, October 12-14, 2007. The Sport Leadership Awards Ceremony will take place on Friday, October 12, 2007, at 7:00 p.m. at the Cunard Centre.
The Jack Donohue Award recognizes a coach’s dedication to the profession and the outstanding performances of his or her athletes during the past competitive season. The legendary basketball coach for whom the award is named was a towering figure in Canadian sport who taught his athletes to value life and to learn from each and every experience.
The 2007 winner of the Jack Donohue Award is alpine ski coach Paul Kristofic, ChPC, of Toronto, Ontario.
In only his first season as head coach of the Canadian Alpine Ski Team’s men’s program, Kristofic led his skiers to 12 podium performances, a result not seen since the heady days of the Crazy Canucks. Highlights include downhiller Jan Hudec’s silver medal at the 2007 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships; Erik Guay’s five podium performances, including his first-ever World Cup win; John Kucera winning a Super-G at the Bombardier Lake Louise Winterstart, becoming the first Canadian to win on home soil since Rob Boyd in 1989; Manuel Osborne-Paradis capturing two World Cup podiums; and Michael Janyk recording his first World Cup podium performance, a second-place finish at a Slalom in Beaver Creek, CO.
“Such consistent results don’t come by chance, but instead are a reflection of Paul’s commitment to state-of-the-art coaching, employing the latest technology, studying the latest coaching trends, designing athlete-specific training methods, paying strict attention to detail, and exemplifying the fair play philosophy and treating each athlete with respect and as equals,” says Ozzie Sawicki of Cochrane, Atla., vice president of Coaches of Canada. “Paul embodies Jack’s characteristics and is a most deserving recipient of this award.”
The previous winners of the Jack Donohue Award, inaugurated in 2004, are diving coach Michel Larouche, ChPC, of Montreal, artistic gymnastics coach Kelly Manjak, waterpolo coach Patrick Oaten, ChPC, and long track speed skating coach Xiuli Wang, ChPC. Larouche is the coach of diving sensation Alexandre Despatie. Manjak coached Kyle Shewfelt to the floor gold medal at the 2004 Olympic Games. Oaten led the women’s national team to a bronze medal at the XI FINA World Championships. Wang coached four skaters to medals at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games, including 5,000m champion Clara Hughes.
The Sheila Robertson Award, inaugurated in 2005, is named in honour of the founding editor of Coaches Report magazine. The award recognizes a national sport organization that demonstrates a consistent approach to valuing and recognizing the role of the coach within the organization, with the media, and with the public.
The 2007 winner is Skate Canada. “Skate Canada met our criteria to the letter,” says Gail Donohue of Vancouver, a member of the Coaches of Canada board of directors. “Coaches serve on its board of directors and as members of many committees. It promotes and recognizes its coaches internally, through its web site, publications, and annual awards, and externally on many levels and through various media.”
Previous winners of the Sheila Robertson Award include the Canadian Yachting Association and Diving Plongeon Canada.
About Coaches of Canada
Coaches of Canada is the national organization representing Canada’s professional coaches—with members who represent all sports, both professional and amateur. Coaches of Canada’s mandate is to advance the profession of coaching and to advance the contribution coaches make to individuals, teams, communities, and society.
For more information:
Gail Donohue, Director-at-Large, Secretary
604.737.3009
Gail.Donohue@sport.bc.ca
Guy Napert-Frenette
Manager, Public Relations
Canadian Alpine Ski Team/Alpine Canada Alpin
403-777-3211
guynf@canski.org
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COACHES OF CANADA
