OTTAWA, ON, November 14, 2025 – The Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) honoured 65 recipients for their remarkable contributions to sport in Canada at the 2025 National Coach Leadership Awards Night.
This year’s award recipients include Pat Reid, recognized for a lifetime of leadership in coaching; Andrea Ronnebeck, honoured for her dedication to coach development; David Pagniello, celebrated for creating an impactful youth sport program; and 62 coaches receiving a Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Award.
The annual celebration highlights coaches who exemplify the values and competencies of the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) and showcases their lasting impact on athletes and communities across Canada.
“Coaches play a pivotal role in developing athletes as skilled competitors and as individuals,” says Bill Greenlaw, Chair of the CAC Board of Directors. “Through their mentorship and dedication, they empower athletes to reach their full potential in sport, in the classroom, and as members of their communities. The CAC is proud to celebrate the 2025 award recipients for their extensive contributions to driving positive sport in Canada and supporting the next generation of leaders.”
The CAC’s National Award recipients include:
Pat Reid (Stratford, ON)
Recipient, 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award
The CAC’s Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes a lifelong commitment to coaching and coach development. This prestigious award is presented to an outstanding individual who has positively influenced the growth of coaching in Canada, contributed significantly to the sport community, shown dedication to upholding the values of the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP), and inspired future generations of coaches.
Pat Reid is a highly accomplished Canadian high jump coach and sport administrator. He began his coaching journey in 1964 in his hometown of Elliot Lake, in Northern Ontario. Over more than five decades, he has guided athletes to national and international success. He has volunteered countless hours to coach track and field athletes and supported multiple female athletes to a Canadian Junior Championships title for eight years in a row. Pat’s contributions to coaching education in Canada are equally remarkable. Since the early 1970s, he has been deeply involved with authoring technical manuals, developing and facilitating hundreds of courses for coaches, and helping establish the various levels of the NCCP. Beyond the track, Pat has been a tireless advocate for community sport. He created annual track and field events, helped develop local facilities, and promoted athletics for youth at both community and national levels.
“From club coach and meet director to national team coach, coach developer and mentor, Pat Reid’s long career in sport has influenced both athletes and coaches in athletics and in other sports, in Canada and across the world. His has truly been a lifetime in sport,” says Mathieu Gentès, CEO of Athletics Canada.
Andrea Ronnebeck, ChPC (Kenora, ON)
Recipient, 2025 National NCCP Coach Developer Award
The CAC’s National NCCP Coach Developer Award recognizes an individual who has gone above and beyond to develop trained and certified NCCP coaches in their community. The recipient of this award embodies the spirit and characteristics of the “best of the best” NCCP Coach Developers throughout Canada.
Andrea Ronnebeck began coaching in 1978. She is a Level 4 Certified Curling Coach and a Master Coach Developer, with a career spanning provincial, national, and international competitions. For the past nine years, Andrea served as Education Manager for the Northern Ontario Curling Association, coordinating coach training across community and competitive streams. During her tenure, she ran more than 418 NCCP training events, serving over 10,000 coaches. Andrea has mentored and developed 47 NCCP Coach Developers in Ontario, provided individual feedback to hundreds of coaches, and created countless professional development opportunities to help coaches thrive. Beyond coaching, Andrea has contributed to Curling Canada’s Gender Equity Committee and launched programs like “Girls Rock”, now implemented nationwide to empower young girls to participate and lead in curling.
“Andrea Ronnebeck has been an invaluable contributor to coach development in Ontario and Canada,” says Nolan Thiessen, CEO of Curling Canada. “Hundreds of curling athletes and coaches have benefited from Andrea’s positive attitude, expertise and passion for our game. Curling Canada is thrilled she is being recognized for her many years of contributions with the 2025 National NCCP Coach Developer Award.”
David Pagniello, Titans Volleyball Association (Mississauga, ON)
Recipient, 2025 Impact Award
The CAC’s Impact Award recognizes an individual or organization for their creation of an innovative event or program that has benefited the sport and coaching community. In response to a dynamic sport environment, the recipient has demonstrated a determination to uplift those around them and a dedication to supporting marginalized groups in sport.
David Pagniello is the founder of the Titans Volleyball Association in Toronto. Over the past five years, Titans has grown from 310 athletes to over 800, offering comprehensive technical training, competitive opportunities, and a focus on personal development. From its inception, Titans has ensured that all athletes, regardless of background, skill level, or experience, feel valued and included. David embedded the values of inclusion, equity, and community into every aspect of the club. Through active outreach to diverse neighbourhoods, including partnerships with local schools and community centres, he has expanded opportunities for participation for girls and boys, particularly those from equity-deserving groups. By offering flexible fee structures, honourariums, and creative cost management, Titans keeps registration affordable, ensuring that no athlete is turned away due to financial barriers.
“The Titans Volleyball Club is grateful to the CAC for recognizing Canadian leaders and their impact on sport in Canada. We are honoured to have David Pagniello receive the 2025 Impact Award,” says Alison Cooper, Head Coach at the Titans Volleyball Association. “Working alongside David over the past few years has shown me what true leadership looks like: a vision grounded in the values of inclusion, cooperation, and growth, with consistency in action and genuine care for every athlete and coach who walks through the gym doors. The Titans Volleyball Club feels like a family because of the time, energy, and heart David has poured into building this community.”
Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Awards
In 2025, the CAC and Petro-Canada recognized 62 coaches from 13 sport organizations with the annual Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Awards. These awards spotlight coaches who have supported their athletes to a medal-winning performance at a world championships event, the Olympic or Paralympic Games, or the Special Olympics World Games. Since 1986, Petro-Canada has honoured 1,574 coaches with this award.
View the full list of 2025 Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Award recipients.
More information on the award recipients is posted on the Awards & Recognition page of the CAC’s website.
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For more information, pictures or videos of the recipients, please contact:
Sarah Min
Manager, Marketing and Communications
Coaching Association of Canada
smin@coach.ca
About the Coaching Association of Canada
The Coaching Association of Canada unites stakeholders and partners in its commitment to raising the skills and stature of coaches and ultimately expanding their reach and influence. Through its programs, the CAC empowers coaches with knowledge and skills, promotes ethics, fosters positive attitudes, builds competence, and increases the credibility and recognition of coaches. For more information, please visit www.coach.ca, follow us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.
About Petro-Canada
Petro-Canada, proudly owned by Suncor, operates more than 1,500 retail stations and 300 Petro-Pass wholesale locations nationwide, including more than 70 Petro-Canada branded retail stations and wholesale marketing arrangements with Indigenous communities. In 2019, Petro-Canada opened Canada’s Electric Highway, a coast-to-coast network of electric vehicle chargers. In 2020, the Petro-Canada CareMakers Foundation was launched to help support Canadian family caregivers. Petro-Canada’s retail loyalty program, Petro-Points, provides Canadians with the opportunity to earn and redeem rewards. Petro-Canada is a Proud Partner of the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee, supporting Canadian athletes and coaches since 1988.