Smithers Secondary School’s athletes, coaches and volunteers were honoured at the annual athletic awards, handed out two weeks ago.
Each team featured an MVP award, and a number of athletes were also given other awards. Alex Schell and David Walker were honoured as Outstanding Athletes for grade 8, Walker for cross country and long distance running, and Schell for wrestling and other sports. For juniors, it was Gabriel Price and Jessy Zemenchik, Price for cross country running, wrestling and mountain biking, and Zemenchik for excellence in track and field. Garrett Bradley, Lisa Brise and Madison Beblow were given the award for seniors. Bradley was captain and backbone of the rugby team, while Brise and Beblow were part of the wrestling team that won the Provincial title and competed at Nationals.
The Glen Ridennoure Award for excellence in a number of sports was given to Emily Murray for grade 8 students. Murray took part in volleyball, basketball, soccer, and track and field, and has “an amazing attitude and dedication,” according to SSS Athletics Director Cathy L’Orsa. For the juniors, Danielle Irvine was given the award, for her part in cross country running, volleyball, basketball, track and field and soccer.
Nathan Murray and Kate Richey won the senior Ridennoure awards, Murray for soccer, cross country running, volleyball and basketball, and Richey for volleyball, wrestling and soccer.
“Both these athletes are amazingly athletic, exceptionally coachable, intrinsically motivated and described as some of the toughest yet kindest athletes to come out of our school,” said L’Orsa.
Outstanding Team awards went to Girls Snowboarding and Girls Wrestling - both teams won their respective Provincial titles this year – and the Boys Snowboarding team, which placed fourth at Provincials.
The Debbie Stacey Award for service to athletics went to Brent Irvine and Ella Maskiewich. The Coach’s Award for all-round helpfulness and awesomeness went to Lorne Schmidt and Marie Morris. The Craig Roberts Award for heart and determination in the face of adversity went to Brent Irvine.
Long-time volleyball coach Fred Jackson was inducted into the SSS hall of fame, for coaching over 20 athletes that went on to post-secondary volleyball teams, and half a dozen players that currently coach volleyball at SSS.
L’Orsa said several pillars of SSS athletics were also singled out upon retirement from coaching duties, including Liz and Bill Holdijk, who have coached soccer and running for over 10 seasons, and Margaret Groves-Burrell, who threatens to retire after coaching girls basketball for nine years.
Several retiring or soon-to-retire teachers were also mentioned, although it’s unclear whether they will all be able to stay away from coaching. Joe Galvin, Mark Littler, Mike Richey and Mrs. Howard have all made huge impacts on athletics in Smithers over the years, said L’Orsa.