May 7, 1999
(Tourism, Culture and Recreation)

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

Sport Newfoundland and Labrador announced May 6 the names of the four regional finalists for the Frank W. Graham Volunteer of the Year Award. The presentation of the Frank W. Graham Volunteer of the Year Award to the four regional winners and the provincial winner will take place during Sport Newfoundland and Labrador's Annual General Meeting Luncheon at the Fluvarium, Nagle's Hill, St. John's on Saturday, May 8, beginning at 12:30 p.m. The regional finalists are:

NORTHERN REGION: Andrew Battcock of Happy Valley-Goose Bay

Andrew Battcock has been involved with a variety of different volunteer programs over the past year. He willingly commits many hours for the benefit of programs and participants and his dedication and service to Happy Valley-Goose Bay has been unparalleled. Andrew is active in many school-related activities. He is a certified coach and official for minor hockey; a certified coach and all-star coach for minor soccer; an official for basketball, volleyball and floor hockey; a certified coach for volleyball, basketball, softball, wrestling, badminton and lacrosse; and for the last three Winter Games he has been the sports coordinator for table tennis and floor hockey. As a physical education teacher at St. Michael's School, Andrew runs an extensive intramurals program and coaches a number of school sports teams. He has attended a number of national conferences on intramurals and the Provincial Youth Leadership Program, and in turn, he has presented a number of workshops on student leadership in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Black Tickle, West St. Modeste, Labrador West, Stephenville, and St. John's. He has piloted the Active Living Challenge Program at his school and he is about to pilot the provincial Grade 1 and 2 Physical Education curriculum. Andrew is a participant and major fund raiser for the Terry Fox Run for Cancer Research; the Heart and Stroke Foundation's Jump Rope for Heart; and the Janeway Children's Hospital. As a sports participant he is active in the Labrador Cup Soccer, the teachers hockey league and he finds the time to be an active runner.

 

EASTERN REGION: Roger Farrell of Kippens

Roger Farrell is currently Secretary of the Newfoundland and Labrador Judo Association; tournament director for all provincial and regional tournaments held on the West Coast for the Newfoundland and Labrador Judo Association. Roger is chairman for the National Coaching Certification Program and is himself a certified Level 2 Coach working on his Level 3 certification. He volunteered on the Organizational Committee for Judo which took place in week one of the 1999 Canada Winter Games and for Short Track Speed Skating which took place in week two of the Canada Winter Games. Roger helped organize the 1998 Atlantic Judo Championships held in Stephenville last fall and the International Training Camp with Raymond Damblant, 7th degree black belt and Andrez Sadez, the Technical Representative for Judo Canada. Roger is a member of the Commonwealth 2000 Team as well as chief instructor of the Indian Head Judo Club where he teaches, grades and organizes events for the kids. Outside of judo, Roger volunteers on the parents committee for the 708 Air Cadets Squadron where he has gone on many field trips. Roger is also a lifeguard and helps the cadet members with water safety, survival in the water, canoeing, etc., and he has also participated in camps with Boy Scouts and Girl Guides. If this is not enough to keep him busy, he is a certified Level 1 in triathlons, and when he is not competing, he is volunteering to help organize the triathlons in Stephenville and Corner Brook. Roger is a correctional officer at Her Majesty's Stephenville Penitentiary and he volunteers on the social committee dealing with the sick and doing visitations. Roger also plans outings and Christmas parties for the kids.

SOUTHERN REGION: Earl Green of Clarenville

Earl Green has served as president of the Clarenville Men's Slo-Pitch League for the past five years and he has promoted slo-pitch in the Clarenville area bringing the local league from four to 10 teams. He has taken steps to affiliate the local league with Slo-Pitch National and as a result of this affiliation, he has organized Slo-Pitch National regional qualifiers, provincial and national tournaments and as a result of his efforts Clarenville has hosted tournaments which have grown from regional qualifiers to national tournaments. Earl is serving his fourth term on the Board of Directors for the National Slo-Pitch and he currently holds the position of Men's "E" Director for Newfoundland. As a registered umpire with the Slo-Pitch National, Earl, over the past five years, has umpired slo-pitch tournaments at the regional, provincial and national levels. Last August, Earl served as convenor of the National Molson "E" Men's Slo-Pitch Tournament which was hosted by the Town of Clarenville. This successful national competition drew a total of 16 teams from the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario, and Manitoba and the event promoted the Clarenville area in a very positive light. Earl serves on the organizing committee of the annual Clarenville Labour Day Men's Slo-Pitch Tournament which is now in its 20th year. Over the years Earl has played a significant role in this tournament's success as this event has seen as many as 52 teams compete. For the past three years Earl has held the position of director on the executive board of the Clarenville Athletic Recreation Association and as a member of this organization he has taken an active role in the development of sport and recreation in the Clarenville area. Forty-two year old Earl Green has made an outstanding contribution to sport and recreation and he has devoted a great deal of volunteer time to promoting slo-pitch at the local, provincial and national levels.

EASTERN REGION: Rhonda O'Brien of St. John's

Rhonda O'Brien has been affiliated with the St. John's Minor Soccer Association for two years and in 1998 she was re-elected to the Board of Directors and named chairperson for the All-Star Committee. This position was perhaps the most demanding and most difficult job within the association. Her first task was helping to decide which eligible coaches would be name coach for 30 all-star teams ranging from Under-11 to Under-19, in male and female A, B, C and D categories and two senior teams (male and female) in the 1998 St. John's Senior Soccer League. Rhonda arranged and chaired all of these meetings for her committee and she also volunteered her time to help the association's director with registration. Being the largest minor sports organization in Newfoundland, this was a hugh undertaking for two people. Along with the all-star administrator, Rhonda organized and bought several new sets of uniforms for many of the all-star teams. Once her all-star coaches were in place and organized, Rhonda attended every all-star indoor try-out to collect try-out fees and be there for questions from coaches and parents. Rhonda produced a survey to ensure that the St. John's Minor Soccer Association had a nickname and she made sure that the 10,000 plus players who attended the try-out practices completed a survey. By the end of June, the name "St. John's Storm" was born and adopted as the association's new name. As a parent, Rhonda looked after the finances for her son's Under-15 A team and her daughter's Under-15 B team and managed to reach every goal needed and then some for the teams to compete in the provincial championships. Rhonda was the team manager for both these teams which ended up being provincial champions in their respective age group. During September, Rhonda helped start the fundraising for the Under-15 A Boys Team to compete at the National Tournaments and oversaw approximately $20,000 being raised for this trip. Rhonda also volunteered her time to assist with the House League Tournaments.

1999 05 07 4:20 p.m.