The following is being distributed at the request of Sport Newfoundland and Labrador:

Newfoundland and Labrador Volleyball Association - Provincial award winners and election of board

The association's provincial awards were presented during the past weekend in Gander. The winners selected in each category as follows:

REG SOPER MEMORIAL AWARD - DEDICATION TO VOLLEYBALL
Winner

Eric Hiscock, Bell Island - This year Eric coached five club teams, is coach of the Midget Plus 1 Provincial Girls Team, coached his region at the Newfoundland and Labrador Winter Games and as well the Senior Ladies Team in the St. John's Ladies League. Along with his coaching, Eric serves on the NLVA executive, has hosted two provincial championships and several invitational tournaments.

COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD
Winner

Terry Mosher - Head coach of the 1997 Women's Canada Games team, who placed sixth at the games which ties the best ever finish for a volleyball team from Newfoundland. The team also travelled to Montreal, Quebec for a pre-Canada Games tournament earlier that summer.

• Coach of the CBS Sabres Girls Midget Team.
• Coach of the Queen Elizabeth Regional High School girls team who placed first at zones, second at regionals and fifth at provincials.
• Head coach of the 1998 Midget Girls Provincial Team, who will travel to the Quebec Plus Championships and the 1998 Eastern Elite Championships this summer.

WAYNE SHEPPARD MEMORIAL AWARD - SENIOR FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Winner

Cheryl Oldford - Member of the Memorial University Women's Varsity Volleyball team that finished the AUAA season with a 17-1 record.

• Selected AUAA first team all star.
• Selected as Memorial University Women's Volleyball Team Most Valuable Player for the 1997-98 season.
• Member of the Memorial University Junior team that won the 1998 Provincial Junior Championships.
• Selected to the all star team at the 1998 Provincial Junior Championships.
• Member of the 1997 Canada Games team.
• Played in the 1998 Senior A Championships with Hickman's.

WAYNE SHEPPARD MEMORIAL AWARD - SENIOR MALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Winner

Deon Goulding - MVP at the Provincial Senior A Championships.

• Member of Guards Senior team, St. John's senior champions.

ROBBIE WEST MEMORIAL AWARD - JUNIOR MALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Winner

Tommy Kelly - Member of the Roncalli Volleyball team winning several tournaments including the 4A High School Volleyball Championships, Volleyfest, and the Provincial Juvenile A Championships. The team also won bronze at the Provincial Junior Men's Championships.

• Selected to the all star team at the Provincial Junior Men's and Juvenile A Men's Championships.
• Selected MVP of his juvenile team.

ROBBIE WEST MEMORIAL AWARD - JUNIOR FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Winner

Susan Penney - Captain of the Discovery Collegiate Senior Girls team which won gold at Volleyfest 97 and placed second at the 4A High School Championships, the Provincial Junior A Championships and Juvenile A Championships.

• Selected to the all star team at the Junior A and Juvenile A Championships, as well as MVP at the D.C. Invitational.
• Member of the 1997 Canada Games team.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AWARD
Winner

CBS Sabres Volleyball Club

• Obtained federal funding and operated a six week program during the summer of 1997
• Entered seven teams in Volleyfest 97.
• Held a Junior High Challenge in December with 29 teams.
• Entered 21 teams in provincial championships at all levels and winning the following: silver, boys junior high; silver, boys midget A; silver, boys juvenile B; silver, boys Winter Games; gold, pre-bantam eastern girls; silver and bronze, eastern pre-bantam boys; gold in senior A mens;
• Five players from CBS made the Canada Games Volleyball team.
• Hosted four provincial tournaments.
• Built outdoor court.
• Huge number of players, coaches, parents and teachers involved in the program.

TEAM OF THE YEAR AWARD
Winner

Memorial University Women's Volleyball Team

• Finished the regular season of the AUAA women's volleyball league in second place, with a 17-1 win-loss record. This included a 17 match winning streak.
• The team lost a two and a half hour five game match to the University of Moncton in the AUAA playoffs.
• Three members of the Sea-Hawks were selected as members of the AUAA all star team. Susan Mosher and Cindy Walsh were second team all stars, while Cheryl Oldford was selected as a member of the first all star team.
• Power hitter Cindy Walsh finished first in the AUAA in digs and seventh in the CIAU.
• Team members Robin Upshall, Susan Mosher and Denise Joy finished in the top 10 kills statistics.
• Seven members went on to play for the MUN Juniors and won the Provincial Junior Championship, where three of the players, Susan Mosher, Cheryl Oldford and Lynn Taylor were selected as all stars.

The NLVA executive will be comprised of Jeff Saunders as President; Catherine Strickland as 2nd Vice President; Eric Hiscock as Secretary; Noel Lilly as Officials Chair; Terry Mosher as Coaching Chair; who were all re-elected this past weekend for another term. Other members of the executive are Rex Hillier as 1st Vice President and Pat Horan as Registrar.

Contact: Cheryl Oldford, (709) 576-0817.

1998 06 16 11:45 a.m.