Long-time coach and teacher Jamie Shaw will be inducted into the Yukon Sports Hall of Fame for his contribution to sports.
In an April 21 press release, Sport Yukon announced the induction for the coach and teacher who passed away in 2018.
The Yukon Sports Hall of Fame induction is an annual event recognizing a person’s excellence as an athlete, coach or builder, or a team’s success at the national and international level, with this year’s event set for May.
Shaw was a dedicated coach and teacher as well as serving as the athletic director at F.H. Collins Secondary School from 2007 to 2016, when he became the school’s vice-principal, it was noted in the release.
“He cherished education, both as a responsibility and privilege as a teacher, but also as a life-long student, who continually trained and gained coaching certifications in a variety of sports,” Sport Yukon said.
Shaw coached a number of teams in a variety of sports including basketball, hockey and athletics, including Team Yukon at national and international competitions such as the Canada Games, Arctic Winter Games and Western Canada Games.
“Shaw believed that hard work paid off and saw sport as the perfect conduit for athletes and coaches alike to challenge themselves, to grow and ultimately to succeed,” the statement read.
It was after a decade-long battle with cancer that Shaw passed away.
During the period leading to his death, “his dedication to athletes and coaches never wavered, and he continued to infuse his energy and enthusiasm into every corner of the Yukon sport community,” the statement read.
Shaw is best known for his humour and generosity towards athletes and coaches, devoting his time to their development while mentoring a number of them “who continue to work hard in developing sport across the territory.”
“His passion for sport and commitment to life-long learning is carried on by the Jamie Shaw Memorial Fund, which provides access to training and development for Yukon athletes and coaches, and by the Jamie Shaw Basketball Tournament held annually in Whitehorse,” the statement adds.
Sport Yukon executive director Tracey Bilsky said “Jamie belongs on this wall,” referring to the wall at the Sport Yukon building where inductees are honoured.
“The legacy he has left in everyone he touched will live on,” Bilsky said.
“He was an outstanding person who left far more than he took, and he is sorely missed.”
Contact Patrick Egwu at patrick.egwu@yukon-news.com