Night of Champions award winners

April 12, 2023 – Winnipeg, MB – Once again, Sport Manitoba is proud to be recognizing the top athlete, team, coach, official, and volunteer of the year at our annual Night of Champions. 

This special event is a celebration of the highest achievements Manitobans have made in amateur sport last year. The nominees are athletes and teams garnering national and international attention, devoted volunteers dedicating their time, officials guaranteeing decorum and fair play, and coaches leading and mentoring the next generation of champions. 

Reinvesting in amateur sport is one of Sport Manitoba’s top priorities. One of the ways we give back is by hosting events like this, that recognize the dedication, passion, and commitment that contribute to our thriving sport system.

In a twist on the traditional gala-style program, this year’s event will be an intimate invite-only event for the winners, their families and friends. Each award winner will receive a bursary to put towards furthering their involvement in sport, and a banner with their name and award will be hung at the Sport Manitoba facility. 

Next Thursday, April 20, at the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame, Sport Manitoba will celebrate the following champions for their outstanding achievements last year:

Official of the Year 
Trevis Boyd – Speed Skating – Winnipeg
Trevis is a well-known and respected referee in the speed skating community, who’s been involved at the local, provincial, national, and international levels for 20 years. He continues to share his knowledge and love of the sport by mentoring countless officials across the country. In the 2022 season, he had the honour of officiating at the Olympics in Beijing, China, and he received the 2022 Official of the Year award from Speed Skating Canada.

Canada Games Legacy Fund Volunteer of the Year
Stephen Ceslak – Baseball – La Salle
Stephen has been instrumental in supporting the development of baseball in La Salle at the grassroots level for several years. He’s a coach, board member, tournament organizer, and even a contractor who renovates and maintains the diamonds and batting cages. Stephen brings a passion for the game and for his community unlike any other. In the last two years, he’s led fundraising efforts that have returned over $234,000 for the community of La Salle and Macdonald Minor Ball Association.

Athlete of the Year
Madisson Lawrence – Athletics – Winnipeg
2022 was a massively successful year for Madi Lawrence. She shattered a 33-year-old Canada Summer Games record in Heptathlon, set a provincial record in Heptathlon, was ranked #1 in the province in outdoor events (High Jump, Long Jump, Hurdles, and Heptathlon) and she made Manitoba’s all-time top 10 rankings list in four events: #4 in 60m Hurdles, #3 in 100m Hurdles, #3 in Long Jump, and #1 in Heptathlon. All this, after an accident sidelined her in September 2021, leaving her unable to train for close to four months.

Calm Air Team of the Year
Team Einarson – Curling – Gimli
After winning the two previous Canadian Scotties Tournament of Hearts National Championships, the pressure was on Team Einarson to win a third title in a row. After going undefeated in their pool, they lost one seeding game but carried on to win the whole championship, and became three-time Scotties Champions. They carried that success forward as the home team at the Women’s World Championships, where they won a bronze medal. And in the same season, they won the Grand Slam of Curling Champions Cup.

Coach of the Year
Janine Stephens – Rowing – Winnipeg
As a coach, Janine envisions creating a safe and enjoyable space for people to learn life-skills through rowing, to be successful people and athletes. In 2022, she coached with National Team at the World Championships in the Czech Republic, at the National Rowing Championships in BC, and lead Team Manitoba to personal and team best performances at the Canada Summer Games in Ontario. This two-time Olympian is as dedicated to her coaching development, success and excellence as she was as an athlete. She inspires the same development in her athletes. She uses rowing as a mechanism to draw out the best in others by instilling in them the importance of being yourself, of working hard to achieve a goal, and of cooperating with others to find the best version of yourself.

“Congratulations to all the nominees and award recipients on your highly deserved recognition! You have dedicated so much time, effort, and passion into your craft, and we’re celebrating your inspiring mark in sport here at home and around the world. A sincere thank you to the event sponsors, volunteers, and staff for this exceptional evening in honour of this year’s winners.”
Janet McMahon, President and CEO, Sport Manitoba

About 

Sport Manitoba is a not-for-profit organization and the lead planning, programming and funding agency for the development of amateur sport in Manitoba. Located at 145 Pacific Avenue in Winnipeg, Sport Manitoba partners with over 100 organizations to deliver sport in the province and is responsible for programs including the Manitoba Games powered by Manitoba Hydro, Sport Manitoba Coaching, Team Manitoba, Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame, Fit Kids Healthy Kids, and KidSport. Services provided include the Sport Manitoba Clinic, Sport Manitoba Performance, Sport Manitoba Fitness Centre, and the Paul Robson Resource Centre for Leadership and Coaching. Safe Sport Line: 1-833-656-SAFE (7233).

For more information please contact:
Sarah Tone
Communications Manager, Sport Manitoba
431-778-5796
sarah.tone@sportmanitoba.ca