April 21, 2006

Ontario Government Congratulates 2005 Athletes Of The Year

Four Named Athlete Of The Year At Ontario Sport Awards

 

TORONTO – Minister of Health Promotion Jim Watson presented awards to four Ontario athletes at the 2005 Ontario Sport Awards last night. The awards for best Male and Female Athletes as well as Male and Female Athletes with a Disability are among the highest honour an athlete can receive at the provincial level.

“The government of Ontario is pleased to recognize and support the hard work and outstanding talents of these four athletes,” said Watson. “The Ontario Sport Awards are an opportunity to show our appreciation for amateur athletes and all those who help them to reach their potential.”

Recipients who achieved the designation of Athlete of the Year are:

• Mara Jones – Female Athlete of the Year
• Jeffrey Buttle – Male Athlete of the Year
• Kenny Trudgeon – Male Athlete With A Disability of the Year
• Chelsea Clark – Female Athlete With A Disability of the Year

The McGuinty government applauds Ontario’s athletes in their quest for excellence in sport and values the role these athletes play as advocates for sport, physical activity and as role models for children and youth. Increasing support to high-performance athletes is one component of the McGuinty government’s ACTIVE2010 – Ontario’s Strategy for Sport and Physical Activity.

“It is an honour to receive an award of excellence in sport, among so many other great athletes,” said Mara Jones, Female Athlete of the Year. “I want to thank Minister Watson and the Government of Ontario for helping all of us to achieve our goals.”

The Ontario Sport Awards were introduced 39 years ago to acknowledge top athletes and sport supporters. The evening was organized by the Sport Alliance of Ontario,in partnership with the Ministry of Health Promotion.

The Ministry of Health Promotion was established in June 2005 to improve and deliver programs that contribute to healthy living and wellness in this province. Key priority areas include Ontario’s smoke-free strategy, healthy eating, active living, injury prevention and mental health.

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For further information:

Rui Manuel Estevão
Minister’s Office
416-326-8497

Julie Rosenberg
Ministry of Health Promotion
416-326-4833

Version française disponible

Recipients Of 2005 Ontario Sport Awards

 

Male Athlete of the Year

Jeffrey Buttle (Barrie, Ontario)

One of Canada’s rising talents in men’s figure skating, Jeffrey placed second at the 2005 World Championships and first in the Canadian Senior Championships. This year at the Olympics in Torino, Jeffrey earned a bronze medal in men’s figure skating.

 

Female Athlete of the Year

Mara Jones (Toronto, Ontario)

A member of the Argonaut Rowing Club in Toronto, In 2005 Mara was a lightweight in the women’s quad where she came first and received a gold medal at the World Championships in Japan.

 

Male Athlete with a Disability of the Year (nominees)

Kenny Trudgeon (Ilderton, Ontario)

Exceeding standards at the 2005 Ontario Paralympics Championship, Kenny won gold medals in discus, javelin and shot. He broke the Canadian national record in shot with a distance of 13.46 metres.

Female Athlete with a Disability of the Year (nominees)

Chelsea Clark (Mississauga, Ontario)

A National team athlete in the 2005 CP-ISRA World Championships, Chelsea ranked first in the world in her disability class T34 and was nominated for the international Paralympics committee’s Paralympics Sports Award.

Male Coach of the Year

Lee Barkell (Barrie, Ontario)

In 2005 Lee Barkell was awarded the Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Award by the Coaching Association of Canada. Lee coached Jeffrey Buttle.

 

Female Coach of the Year

Joely Christian (Scarborough, Ontario)

At the 2005 Canadian Summer Games in Regina, Joely was the head coach of the first-ever gold medal winning team for the Ontario Women’s Volleyball team.

 

Team of the Year

Team Ontario Women’s Volleyball (Toronto, Ontario)

At the 2005 Canadian Summer Games in Regina, Team Ontario Women’s Volleyball became the first ever Ontario women’s volleyball team to win the gold medal. The team also competed in the prestigious International High Performance Global Challenge tournament in Colorado Springs where they won the silver medal.

 

The Rolf Lund Award

Martha Deacon (Cambridge, Ontario)

Most of Martha’s life she has been associated with the sport of badminton which has led her to become the president of Badminton Canada, badminton team manager at the Olympics. She has also been a member of the board and finance committee for the Canadian Olympic Association.

Syl Apps Special Achievement Award Recipients:

• Roger Wallis (Etobicoke, Ontario)
• William (Bill) Hogarth (Kingsville, Ontario)
• George A. Tinnerman III (Burlington, Ontario)
• Dave Watt (Toronto, Ontario)
• William Brian Mealey (Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario)
• Jim Minards (St. Catherines, Ontario)
• Sonny Wong (St. Catherines, Ontario)
• John Archibald (Beeton, Ontario)
• Barbara Cooper (Toronto, Ontario)
• Carl Littlejohns (Innerkip, Ontario)
• Frank Peter Sr. (Stoney Creek, Ontario)
• Colin Jose (Hamilton, Ontario)
• Margarette Wong (Port Dover, Ontario)
• Rob Good (Waterloo, Ontario)
• Marg McGill (Burlington, Ontario)
• Brian W. Cowan (Puslinch, Ontario)
• Sheila Kerrigan (Belle River, Ontario)
• Harold Reginald Stoddart (Trenton, Ontario)
• Shirley Eileen White (Erin, Ontario)
• David Lockington (Newtonville, Ontario)

 

Corporate Sport Citations Award Recipients:

• KOBE Sportswear (Hockey Development Centre of Ontario)
• Toronto Maple Leafs Alumni Association (Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations)
• Swans Marina (Ontario Sailing)
• City of Vaughan (Ontario Soccer Association)
• Qasra Sports (Ontario Cricket Association)
• Streetsville Bowl (Ontario 5 Pin Bowlers’ Association)
• Belair Insurance Company (Ontario College Athletic Association)
• The Promotional Specialists (Gymnastics Ontario)
• Investors Group (Golf Association of Ontario)
• Ridley Windows (Squash Ontario)
• First Recognition (Ontario Softball)
• Canadian Cowgirls Precision Riding Team (Ontario Equestrian Federation)

 

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For further information:

Rui Manuel Estevão
Minister’s Office
416-326-8497

Julie Rosenberg
Ministry of Health Promotion
416-326-4833

Version française disponible