Saskatchewan Sport Awards Recipients and Finalists Announced

Olympians and Paralympians, international and national champions and the coaches and volunteers who have dedicated time behind the scenes, will all be honoured at the 2023 Saskatchewan Sport Awards.

The Saskatchewan Sport Awards will celebrate the 30 finalists and recipients of the event’s nine different categories on February 1 in Regina.

The annual program celebrates the success and dedication of those in the province’s amateur sport community through two categories – Excellence Awards and Recognition Awards. The Excellence Awards celebrate outstanding event performances or a series of performances by a Saskatchewan athlete, coach or team within a given calendar year, while the Recognition Awards include the Volunteer and Coach Dedication Awards which honour individuals who have devoted their time and effort to the growth of sport in Saskatchewan.

2020 Paralympian Jessica Frotten, adaptive waterski world-record holder Blake Lamontagne and diverse gymnast group Team Saskatchewan Gymnaestrada are recipients of the Inspire Through Sport awards. While long-serving volunteers in adaptive ski, basketball and football, Pat Prokopchuk, Bob Coffin and Mike Tanton will be honoured with Volunteer Dedication awards.

Six coaches all with at least 20 years of coaching experience will be handed Coach Dedication awards. The coaches are Don Larson (box lacrosse), Rob Sleeth (canoe/kayak), Pat Barry (football), Maureen Johnson (baton twirling), Hazem Hussein (swim) and Jason Cawkwell (swim).

The 18 finalists across the six Excellence categories includes an Olympian as well as national and international medallists. 

“The dedication, perseverance and success that each award finalist and recipient share is remarkable,” said Bill Kinash, Volunteer Board Chair for Sask Sport. “All finalists are strong examples of why Saskatchewan’s amateur sport community thrives locally, provincially, nationally and even, internationally. As a community, we can be very proud to celebrate their achievements.” “All finalists are a strong example of why Saskatchewan’s amateur sport community thrives locally, provincially, nationally and even, internationally. As a community, we can be very proud to celebrate their achievements.”

The 2023 Saskatchewan Sport Awards will be celebrated with a gala on Thursday, Feb. 1 at 6:30 p.m. at Queensbury Convention Centre in Regina. The gala will honour the 12 Recognition Awards recipients, as well as announce the recipients of the six Excellence Awards and celebrate those named as finalists.

Youth Athlete of the Year Finalists

Female

Teah Chavez – Tennis

Sophia Magus – Athletics

Lila Stewart – Diving

Male

Keegan Rice – Tennis

Luca Veeman – Speed Skating

Storm Zablocki – Athletics

Coach of the Year Finalists

David Calam – Lawn Bowling

Igor Nikitovic – Canoe 

Ryan Jones – Para Swimming 

Team of the Year Finalists

University of Regina Cougars Men’s 4×200-metre relay team – Athletics

Saskatoon Hilltops – Football

North Regina Little League All-Stars – Baseball

Athlete of the Year Finalists

Male  
Rylan Wiens – Diving

Taylor Carter – Special Olympics: Golf

Jonathan Podbielski – Athletics

Female

Sydney Carroll – Artistic Swim

Shelby Newkirk – Para Swimming 

Paige Crozon – Basketball 

Coach Dedication – Recipients

Hazen Hussein – Swim

Pat Barry – Football

Jason Cawkwell – Swim

Maureen Johnson – Baton Twirling

Don Larson – Box Lacrosse

Rob Sleeth – Canoe

Volunteer Dedication – Recipients

Bob Coffin – Football

Mike Tanton – Basketball

Pat Prokopchuk – Adaptive Ski

Inspire Through Sport – Recipients

Jessica Frotten – Para Athletics

Blake Lamontagne – Adaptive Waterski

Team Saskatchewan Gymnaestrada – Gymnastics

Nominations were made for 49 athletes, coaches and teams for the 2023 Saskatchewan Sport Awards in the Excellence categories.

Subscribe to Updates

News travels fast. Delivered straight to your inbox, SIRC’s daily newsletter will ensure you stay connected with the latest news, events, jobs, and knowledge in Canadian sport.

Latest NEWS

SIGN up for Canadian sport daily

News travels fast. Delivered straight to your inbox, SIRC’s daily newsletter will ensure you stay connected with the latest news, events, jobs, and knowledge in Canadian sport.

 

Sign up to Our Newsletter

News travels fast. Stay connected to sport and physical activity-related knowledge, news, jobs and resources through SIRC’s daily newsletter — The Canadian Sport Daily — delivered straight to your inbox.

"*" indicates required fields

Groups*
Skip to content