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Yukon sports community gathers to recognize outstanding achievements

Whitehorse Huskies named team of the year
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John Streicker (left), minister of community services, stands with Special Olympics World Games athletes at the Celebration of Sport Excellence on May 4. (Sarah Lewis/Yukon Government)

The Yukon government hosted the annual Celebration of Sport Excellence on May 4 at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, recognizing outstanding achievement in sports.

This year’s event also included awards from Sport Yukon, Yukon Aboriginal Sport Circle and Special Olympics Yukon.

Winners of the Premier’s Award of Excellence included Olympic cross-country skiers Dahria Beatty, Knute Johnsgaard and Emily Nishikawa, WHL rookie of the year Dylan Cozens, the Whitehorse Huskies and all of the Special Olympics Yukon athletes that have competed at the Special Olympics World Games.

Sport Yukon inducted Olympians Jeane Lassen and Zach Bell into the Yukon Sport Hall of Fame in addition to awarding the organization’s major awards.

Beatty and Johnsgaard were named international female and male athlete of the year respectively.

Skier Hannah Deuling won the national or territorial female athlete of the year award. The male award went to freestyle skier Etienne Geoffroy-Gagnon.

The administrator of the year was Dan Poelman and the coach of the year was Ken Binns.

The Whitehorse Huskies were named team of the year.

Yukon Aboriginal Sport Circle handed out four awards at the event.

Aboriginal female athlete of the year was swimmer Cassis Lindsay, aboriginal male athlete of the year was snowboarder Ethan Davy, aboriginal female coach of the year was Shereen Hill and aboriginal male coach of the year was Michael Tuton.

Contact John Hopkins-Hill at john.hopkinshill@yukon-news.com

Premier’s Awards of Excellence winners:

Athletics

Jack Amos

Brenda Dion

Jessica Frotten

Biathlon

Nadia Moser

Canoe/Kayak

Mael Pronovost

Luanda Pronovost

Cross-Country Skiing

Dahria Beatty

Ernest Chua

Natalie Hynes

Knute Johnsgaard

Emily Nishikawa

Graham Nishikawa

Curling

Thomas Scoffin

Figure Skating

Tijana McCarthy

Michael Sumner

Freestyle Skiing

Etienne Geoffroy-Gagnon

Dylan Reed

Hockey

Dylan Cozens

Gavin McKenna

Barry Blisner

Evan Campbell

Dan Cletheroe

Charles Dagostin

Kaleb Dawe

Kane Dawe

Colin Dendys

Alex Dzielski

JJ Gainsforth

Adam Henderson

Tyrell Hope

Derek Klassen

Cam Malloch

Jay Massie

Simon Nugent

Jon Olthuis

Andrew Pettit

Kevin Pettovello

Brian Power

Echo Ross

Brett Roulston

Jon Rudolph

Burt Stephens

Ted Stephens

Rob Stuckey

Michael Sumner

Jared Tuton

Michael Tuton

Rob Warner

Orienteering

Leif Blake

Caelan McLean

Rhythmic Gymnastics

Aimee Lien

Snowboarding

Ethan Davy

Speed skating

Micah Taggart-Cox

Swimming

Kevin Spofford

Victoria Ryan

Minister’s Awards of Recognition

Athletics

Darby McIntyre

Jessica Pruden

Biathlon

Jake Draper

Aidan Hupe

Swimming

Ernest Chua

Kassua Dreyer

Sara-Lee Edmonds

Cassis Lindsay

Rennes Lindsay

Volleyball

Kit Bradford-Andrew

Cole Cowan

Jaxon Fitzsimmons

Dina Fitzsimmons

Barrett Furchner

Mattaeus Geisler

Darcy Hill

Quinn Howard

Gareth Morgan-Lester

Alexander Shultz

Jay Sinclair

Duncan Snooks

Matthew Strudwick

Sam Wanless

Kaleb Zaliauskas-Swan

Sport Yukon Award Winners

International Female Athlete of the Year: Dahria Beatty

International Male Athlete of the Year: Knute Johnsgaard

National/Territorial Female Athlete of the year: Hannah Deuling

National/Territorial Male Athlete of the Year: Etienne Geoffroy-Gagnon

Administrator of the Year: Dan Poelman

Team of the Year: Whitehorse Huskies Senior Hockey

Coach of the Year: Ken Binns

Yukon Sport Hall of Fame inductees: Jeane Lassen and Zach Bell

Yukon Aboriginal Sport Circle Award Winners

Aboriginal female athlete of the year: Cassis Lindsay

Aboriginal male athlete of the year: Ethan Davy

Aboriginal female coach of the year: Shereen Hill

Aboriginal male coach of the year: Michael Tuton