Provincial Annual Awards Handed Out and Five New Hall of Fame Members Honoured

The Sport Newfoundland and Labrador Stars and Legends Awards Gala took place Saturday evening, April 10, 2010 at the Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland in St. John's. Provincial Annual Awards were presented in seven categories recognizing the best athletic achievements in Newfoundland and Labrador during 2009.

The winner of the Margaret Davis Memorial Award 2009 Junior Female Athlete of the Year is Hannah Rivkin of St. John's.

The winner of the Joe Mullins Memorial Award 2009 Junior Male Athlete of the Year is Shane Boland of Goulds.

The winner of the Graham Snow Memorial Award 2009 Executive of the Year is Ross Crocker of St. John's.

The winner of the John Drinkwater Memorial Award 2009 Coach of the Year is Jim Dunphy of Holyrood.

The winner of the Ed Browne Memorial Award 2009 Team of the Year is Kelly's Pub Junior Canadians Softball Team.

The winner of the Elizabeth Swan Memorial Award 2009 Senior Female Athlete of the Year is Laura Breen of St. John's.

The winner of the "Ferd Hayward Memorial Award" 2009 Senior Male Athlete of the Year is Luke Adam of Kilbride.

The event also honoured six new Newfoundland and Labrador Sports Hall of Fame inductees.

The new inductees are:
William "Bill Barron, Builder (Softball)
John Breen, Athlete (Soccer)
Patricia "Trish" Dwyer, Athlete (Curling)
Arthur B. Hamlyn, Veteran/Athlete (Hockey)
Patrick G. Kelly, Athlete (Softball)

The Stars and Legends Awards Gala pays tribute to the Provinces best athletes, coaches and volunteers, past and present. It's designed to bring current day athletes and those of the past together to celebrate the outstanding accomplishments and history of sport in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Doug Fowler, President of Sport Newfoundland and Labrador said, "What a great honour it is to be part of this celebration. The excitement surrounding the athletes, coaches and volunteers, both past and present, was outstanding. Newfoundland and Labrador is rich with talent which was evident again at this year's Stars and Legends Awards Gala."

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Media contact
Troy Croft
Sport Newfoundland and Labrador
709-576-4932
troy@sportnl.ca

BACKGROUNDER
Biographies of Finalists
Sport Newfoundland and Labrador 2009 Provincial Annual Awards

Senior Male Athlete of the Year

Luke Adam, of Kilbride, was a member of Silver Medalists, Team Canada at the 2010 World Junior Hockey Championships. He scored 4 goals and added 4 assists for a total of 8 points in six games played. The Buffalo Sabres 2nd round draft pick plays in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles where he led the team in scoring with 49 goals, 41 assists for a total of 90 points, second in the league for goals and fifth in the league for overall points.

Senior Female Athlete of the Year

Soccer player Laura Breen, of St. John's, for the second time in her career, was selected to play for Canada at the World University Soccer Championships in 2009. She was Memorial's top goal scorer and her play for the Sea~Hawks women's soccer team earned her a selection to the Canadian National University first all star team and to the Atlantic University first all star squad. During the Jubilee Trophy Provincial Championships, Laura Breen was named Playoff MVP.

Junior Male Athlete of the Year

Shane Boland, of Goulds played at the World U19 Championships for the Paul Davis Systems Club in P.E.I finishing with a 3-4 record in the quarter finals. He was also a member of the Kelly's Pub Junior Canadians softball team which won gold at the Canadian Junior Male National Championships and was selected as all star second basemen for the tournament. He emerged as the top pitcher in the St. John's Intermediate softball league with a 10-1 record. As a star batter and accomplished pitcher, Shane Boland won the Softball Canada Ethel Boyce Achievement Award and the Newfoundland and Labrador Bob Whelan Memorial Award in 2009. His overall statistics for competition in 2009 include 257 at bats in 87 games, a .300 batting average; 64 runs scored with 77 hits including 7 home runs and 28 RBI's.

Junior Female Athlete of the Year

Hannah Rivkin, of St. John's, performed at such a high caliber during the Canada Summer Games in P.E.I and the Canadian U18 club championships in Alberta that she impressed Canadian Soccer Association coaches enough to receive invitations to three national U20 team training camps. Hannah was leading scorer for Team Newfoundland and Labrador at the Canada Summer Games and placed fourth in tournament scoring at the girls U18 National Championships. Her team won the Provincial Girls U18 A championships where she earned the most spirited player award. While attending the National Training Centre in Halifax over the past three years, Hannah earned the right to participate in numerous national championships where she attracted the attention of the Canada Women's National Team Coach and has been identified as a potential national team player.

Coach of the Year Award

Jim Dunphy, of Holyrood, coached the Kelly's Pub Junior Canadians Softball Team to a national gold medal in 2009. Four of his players received individual honours as a result of their outstanding play. Jim Dunphy demonstrated his exceptional coaching abilities by coaching his team to a provincial senior championship, the first junior team to win a senior provincial crown in the province. Jim Dunphy's outstanding accomplishments have made him one of the finest softball coaches in the history of the sport within this province.

Executive of the Year Award

Ross Crocker, of St. John's, is the president of Softball Newfoundland and Labrador and General Manager of Kelly's Pub Junior Canadians Men's Softball Team which won a Gold Medal at the National Championships. Ross also led the organizing committee of the Constable William Moss Memorial Softball Tournament, which is the largest minor fast pitch tournament east of Montreal. It is due to Ross's dedication to this tournament over the past eight years that it has been such a tremendous success.

Team of the Year Award

Kelly's Pub Junior Canadians Softball Team won a Gold Medal at the Canadian Junior Male Softball Championship in 2009. The team finished the 2009 national championships with a 9-2 record and defeated Nova Scotia 4-2 in the championship game. The 2009 Kelly's Pub Men's Softball Team was the first junior team to win the provincial senior male softball championships in the province. They also won the 2009 St. John's Day Tournament and finished second in the St. John's Senior A league with a 16-8 regular season record.


Biographies of the Newfoundland and Labrador Sports Hall of Fame new Inductees

William "Bill" Barron - Builder
Bill Barron has been involved with softball in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador since 1957. He was involved as a player in the St. John's Senior Softball League for ten years, as an umpire for twelve years and as an executive member of Softball Newfoundland and Labrador for eleven years. Bill is presently, and has been for the past forty-five years, an executive official of the St. John's Senior Softball League. He was named Softball Newfoundland and Labrador's Executive of the Year in 1967 and again in 1998. In 1967 Bill coached the St. John's team to their first senior provincial championship and managed the Newfoundland senior men's team at the national championships in 1972. He is known by all in the softball community as an outstanding organizer for national and provincial tournaments at both the junior and senior levels. In 1981 he was inducted into the Newfoundland Softball Hall of Fame. For his passion and love for the game, Bill Barron is known to softball enthusiasts as "Mr. Softball".

John Breen - Athlete
John Breen's legacy in sport began at a very young age when he excelled at many sports including hockey and soccer. As time passed John continued with hockey, winning two Herder Memorial Trophies; however, soccer became a passion, when he accomplished many great things in his thirty year career on the field. With the success of two national championships, three Atlantic championships, ten Challenge Cup and nineteen city titles, John continued to influence the soccer community in a big way. In the 1980's, his devotion and determination with Holy Cross gained him the recognition in this province as Player of the Decade. In 1996 he was inducted into the St. John's Soccer Hall of Fame and in 2003 he was inducted into the Newfoundland and Labrador Soccer Hall of Fame. John proceeded to give back to the sport he loved by coaching at the local and provincial levels. John Breen is known as a man who has been admired and respected by all in the soccer community and represents soccer in Newfoundland and Labrador with leadership and class.

Patricia Dwyer - Athlete
Patricia Dwyer is known as one of Newfoundland and Labrador's most successful women curlers who competed on an elite level as a player and coach. From 1976 to 1990, Patricia was a member of the Sue Anne Bartlett Curling Rink which was named provincial "Team of the Year" in 1979. Patricia participated in eight Canadian Women's Curling Championships, making it to the championship game on two occasions. She made great accomplishments in her curling career because of her love for the game and the passion to excel. She was inducted into the Newfoundland and Labrador Curling Hall of Fame in 1985, the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Bell Island Hall of Fame in 1995. Patricia was also named Labrador Female Athlete of the Year in 1986 and Newfoundland Curling Coach of the Year in 1990. Patricia Dwyer leads by example as a dedicated, committed and hard working Newfoundland and Labrador athlete and coach.

Arthur B. Hamlyn - Veteran/Athlete
Arthur Hamlyn proved to be one of Newfoundland and Labrador's greatest goaltenders to play the game of hockey in this province. Arthur Hamlyn, also known by his fans and teammates as "Hammy" was known for his outstanding net minding skills with numerous hockey teams across the province. He started his goaltending career in the St. John's Senior Hockey League in 1928 with St. Bon's where he played until 1939. He then went on to play on Bell Island and The Royals during the early years of the 1940's. As he stole the hearts of many Newfoundlanders, Arthur accomplished numerous achievements along the way including his name appearing on the Boyle Trophy ten times and on the Herder Memorial Trophy four times. To recognize "Newfoundland's greatest goaltender", the Art Hamlyn Memorial Trophy was established in 1954. This trophy is awarded annually to the goaltender with the least goals scored against him for the season. Arthur "Hammy" Hamlyn's career as a goaltender in this province is said to be the performance of a courageous, hark working, inspired man. Arthur Hamlyn passed away in February 1951 at the age of 41 years.

Patrick Kelly - Athlete
Patrick Kelly has been established as one of Newfoundland and Labrador's best softball players at the local, provincial and national level. The all-star first baseman and pitcher competed for 16 years gaining numerous personal and team successes. Pat attended 10 senior national men's championships representing Newfoundland and Labrador and was named an all-star first baseman in 1976. He pitched the first no hitter by any pitcher from Newfoundland and Labrador at the national senior men's championship in 1975. Pat was a member of ten provincial championship teams at the junior and senior level, winning four MVP awards and three batting titles. Locally, between 1974 and 1981, he won nine individual awards including a batting crown, earned run average title and all-star pitcher. Pat Kelly is described as a gifted athlete with outstanding talent and ability. He is also known in softball circles for his great leadership qualities and determination. Pat is a member of the St. John's Softball Hall of Fame and the Newfoundland Softball Hall of Fame.

2010 04 12                                                       9:35 a.m.