Stop by for a coffee or tea and celebrate the winners of the Tim Hortons North Okanagan Athlete and Team of the Year awards.
The region’s top athletes will be named Monday at 10 a.m. outside the Okanagan Landing Tim Hortons.
“We invite everyone to come down and join in the ceremonies,” said committee co-chair Ken Richardson. “We had to make some tough choices this year with so many deserving athletes being nominated.”
Up for Athlete of the Year are university basketball stars Diane Schutze (Thompson Rivers WolfPack), Nayo Raincock (SFU Clan) and Cassandra Brown (Portland Pilots), speed skater Connie Kapak, extreme runner Tracy Garneau, lacrosse goalie Brodie MacDonald (Langley Thunder/Edmonton Rush), curlers Sonja Gaudet and Jim Cotter, track sensation Tessni Carruthers (Nicholls State Colonels, Louisiana) and cyclist Leah Goldstein.
Cotter’s provincial men’s championship rink and the Okanagan Rhythmic Gymnastics Club were chosen as Team of the Year finalists. There will also be a Leadership in Sport award presented.
Last year’s Athlete of the Year was Dave Robinson, who guided the Vipers to a third straight B.C. Hockey League Fred Page Cup title, and came within one game of helping the team win an unprecedented third straight Royal Bank Cup Canadian championship.
Dan Currie, owner of Tim Hortons, presented the North Okanagan Team of the Year award to a pair of high school volleyball powerhouses last year.
Head coach Doug Kozak and provincial tournament MVP Adam Tishenko represented the B.C. AA boys champion Seaton Sonics, and head coach Sharon Shaigec and provincial tournament MVP Kelsey Thompson were on hand from the B.C. AAA girls champion Fulton Maroons.
Mel Briggeman is the co-chair of the selection committee, which includes Currie and media members Betty Selin of SUN-FM, Pete McIntyre of KISS-FM and Kevin Mitchell of The Morning Star.
