Annual athletic award winners announced

On Saturday evening, March 9, Sport Newfoundland and Labrador announced the winners for their Annual Awards Program. Winners in seven separate categories were announced at the Holiday Inn in St. John's. Accomplishments were from the year 2001.

Katie Arnott of St. John's was named the winner of the Provincial Junior Female Athlete of the Year. Arnott was a member of the Girls Canada Games team last summer, played four international games for the Canadian Under 19 team and was named an All-Conference Rookie of the Year while playing for Oakland University. The other two finalists in the Junior Female Athlete category were Michelle Bartlett of basketball and Julia Howard of athletics.

The winner of the Junior Male Athlete of the Year is Grand Bank native, John Douglas of soccer. Douglas is the starting goalie for the MUN varsity team as well as the Boys Canada Games Team, which won a silver medal in London, Ontario. The other finalists for the Provincial Junior Male Athlete of the Year were Mike Arns of volleyball and Robert Wilson of rugby.

The Senior Female Athlete of the Year went to Michelle Critch of karate. Critch captured a gold and bronze medals at the Canadian nationals, followed up with two golds and a bronze at an international competition in San Diego as well as a fourth place finish at the Pan American Championships in Chile. Janine Browne of basketball and Donna Phelan were the other two finalists for the Elizabeth Swan Memorial Award.

The Ferd Heyward Memorial Award for the Provincial Senior Male Athlete of the Year went to Carl English of basketball. English led his University of Hawaii team to the NCAA Championship for the first time in eight years. He was named his conference's Most Outstanding Player and First Team All Star. The other two finalists were Terry Blake of bowling and Adam Morgan of diving.

The winner of the John Drinkwater Memorial Award for the 3M Coach of the Year was Vince Pickett of soccer. Pickett coached the Boys Canada Games to a second place finish in the Provincial Challenge Cup and also a silver medal win at the Canada Games in London, Ontario. The other finalists for the 3M Coach of the Year were Terry Mosher of volleyball and Jeff Thomas of curling.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Team of the Year received the Edward Browne Memorial Award. The winners were the Brad Gushue Junior Men Curling Team. They captured the Provincial Junior Men's Championship, followed up with the Canadian crown and finished off by winning the World Junior Championship in Utah. The other finalists were the Canada Games Men's Rugby Team and the Canada Games Men's Soccer Team.

The winner of the Provincial Executive of the Year was baseball's Ted Thorne of Corner Brook. Thorne has been a member of the Corner Brook baseball executive for the last 21 of 23 years. He is a member of the Organizing Committee for the 2002 National Junior Championships. The other finalists for the Graham Snow Memorial Award were Eric Hiscock of volleyball and Judi Kelloway of soccer.

Sport Newfoundland and Labrador acknowledged the financial assistance of Molson and 3M Canada during the awards banquet.

Further information and pictures are available from Todd Martin at Sport Newfoundland and Labrador at (709) 579-4932 or tmartin@sportnf.com

2002 03 11                       12:40 p.m.