Ottawa Sports Awards – OTTAWA — For the first time in the event’s history, an all-female lineup will be called to the stage to receive the Ottawa Sports Awards’ Lifetime Achievement Awards come this year’s edition of the annual banquet celebrating the finest in local amateur sport.

 

Agnes Laing of the Nepean-Corona School of Gymnastics (Mayor’s Cup for Outstanding Contribution to Sport in Ottawa), Karen Butcher of the Nepean Skating Club (Lifetime Achievement Award – Technical Official), recently-retired Ottawa Gymnastics Centre head coach Tobie Gorman (Brian Kilrea Lifetime Achievement Coaching Award) and the Gloucester Skating Club’s Sheilagh McCaskill (Lifetime Achievement Award – Sports Volunteer/Administrator) will all collect their honours on the evening of Wednesday, Jan. 27 at Algonquin College.

 

Full biographies on each of the Lifetime recipients are available at: https://www.ottawasportsawards.ca/node/1767

 

“Having all female lifetime winners wasn’t anything we set out to do deliberately, but we are certainly very proud to honour this exceptional group who have each contributed so much to sport in our city,” says Ottawa Sports Awards Board of Directors Chair Doug Scorrar. “The fact that those we felt were most worthy of recognition this year all happen to be women is no doubt a positive reflection of the growth of women’s sport in our city and in our country. And to have them recognized for their achievements in sport leadership roles is also particularly encouraging.”

 

A new award will debut this year called the Spirit of Sport Award. The first recipients will be Gordon and Kathleen Stringer, the parents of Rowan Stringer, who died after sustaining a concussion during a high school rugby game.

 

The Stringers have been a driving force behind the creation of Rowan’s Law, which will legislate enhanced concussion awareness, education and treatment initiatives in Ontario to help prevent future injury and death from concussions.

 

“Gordon and Kathleen have showed tremendous courage and vision despite such a devastating loss,” notes Ottawa Sports Awards Board Member Bob Wilson. “To be able to create this positive development in sport safety for future generations is a great demonstration of Rowan’s spirit, and the spirit of sport.”

 

The Spirit of Sport Award will be presented by Martin Cleary, the long-time Ottawa Citizen amateur sports columnist. For 39 years, Cleary has illuminated innumerable local athletes and devoted sports participants in our community. In his writing and the stories he tells, the true spirit of sport shines through.

 

The Ottawa Sports Awards is the largest and longest recurring municipal amateur sport recognition program in Canada. In addition to the Lifetime honourees, the city’s top athlete in over 60 individual sports will be unveiled in advance of the banquet, as well as local teams set to be honoured for winning a championship at the provincial level or higher.

 

Major awards for Male and Female Athlete, Team and Coach of the Year will also be presented on the evening of the banquet. The reception begins at 6 p.m., dinner is at 7 p.m., and award presentations commence at 8 p.m.

 

For more information and to reserve tickets online up to Jan. 22, visit ottawasportsawards.ca

 

Contacts

 

Doug Scorrar

Chair, Ottawa Sports Awards

613-795-8111

ottawasportsawards@gmail.com

 

Dan Plouffe

Director, Ottawa Sports Awards

613-261-5838

editor@sportsottawa.com