Tourism, Culture and Recreation
March 30, 2009The following is being
distributed at the request of Sport Newfoundland and Labrador:
Provincial Annual Awards Handed out and
Six New Hall of Fame Members Honoured
The Sport Newfoundland and Labrador Stars and Legends
Awards Gala took place Saturday evening, March 28, 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 2008.
The winner of the Margaret Davis Memorial Award 2008
Junior Female Athlete of the Year is Victoria Ralph of Carbonear.
The winner of the Joe Mullins Memorial Award 2008
Junior Male Athlete of the Year is Matthew Young of Corner Brook.
The winner of the Graham Snow Memorial Award 2008
Executive of the Year is Bev Power of Labrador City.
The winner of the John Drinkwater Memorial Award 2008
Coach of the Year is Patrick Parfrey of St. John�s.
The winner of the Ed Browne Memorial Award 2008
Team of the Year is The Rock Rugby Team,
The winner of the Elizabeth Swan Memorial Award 2008
Senior Female Athlete of the Year is Nichole Adams, of St.
John�s.
The winner of the Ferd Hayward Memorial Award
2008 Senior Male Athlete of the Year is Frank Walsh, of St.
John�s.
The event also honoured six new Newfoundland and
Labrador Sports Hall of Fame inductees.
The new inductees are:
- Thomas L. Gallant, Builder (Judo)
- Andrea Hutchens, Athlete (Basketball)
- Harold St. Croix, Athlete (Athletics)
- Iain Robert Tennent, Athlete (Swimming)
- Donald Richard Yetman, Athlete/Builder
(Hockey/Baseball)
- Joseph "Joe" Wadden, Athlete/Builder
(Baseball/Basketball)
The Stars and Legends Awards Gala pays tribute to the
province�s 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, "You could see the pride on their faces throughout the
evening and it was evident that receiving this recognition amongst the
entire sporting community meant a great deal."
- 30 -
Media contact:
Troy Croft
Sport Newfoundland and Labrador
709-576-4932
troy@sportnl.ca
BACKGROUNDER
Biographies of Finalists
Sport Newfoundland and Labrador 2008 Provincial Annual Awards
Senior Male Athlete of the Year
Frank Walsh, of St. John�s, was an instrumental member
of the Senior Rock Rugby team recording a 3rd national title in four
years. He was selected to the National Senior Men�s team for the fall
tour to Europe.
Senior Female Athlete of the Year
Soccer player Nichole Adams, of St. John�s, a member
of EPR Kirby/The Dock, emerged as the top goal scorer at the BMO
National Women�s Championships, helping her team to a fourth-place
finish. Nichole was voted the Newfoundland and Labrador Soccer
Association Senior Female Athlete of the Year.
Junior Male Athlete of the Year
A member of the Silver Blades Skating Club,
Matthew Young, of Corner Brook, set a new provincial record at the 2008
BMO Skate Canada Junior Nationals.
Junior Female Athlete of the Year
Carbonear native Victoria Ralph won a bronze medal at
the National Wrestling Championships and was named for the second
straight year most outstanding wrestler at the Canadian Amateur
Wrestling Association (CAWA) Atlantic Championships.
Coach of the Year Award
Patrick Parfrey, of St. John�s, was head coach for The
Rock, the Rugby Canada Super League gold medalists and the Rugby Canada
Super League Eastern Conference gold medalists. He was also Head Coach
for The Rock U18 which were the national bronze medalists and the
Eastern Canadian gold medalists.
Executive of the Year Award
Bev Power, of Labrador City, is the Chair of the Board
of Skate Canada Newfoundland and Labrador. She was appointed to Skate
Canada�s Board of Directors and served on five Skate Canada Committees.
Under her leadership and focus of growing sport in the province, the
number of figure skaters has grown to 4,700, a new provincial record.
Team of the Year Award
The Rock Rugby Team were the
Rugby Canada Super League gold medalists, taking the national title for
the third time in four years. They were also the Rugby Canada Super
League Eastern Conference gold medalists.
Biographies of Newfoundland and
Labrador Sports Hall of Fame New Inductees
Thomas L. Gallant - Builder
Tom Gallant started judo clubs in Corner Brook,
Stephenville, and St. John�s and was the founding member of the
provincial association in 1969. He served as vice president of Judo
Canada for four consecutive terms and was the founder of the Atlantic
Council for Judo which organized all four Atlantic Provinces in one
group. Gallant is a National A Referee, the only national A ranked in
the province, and he has officiated at the national and international
levels. As a Level 3 Certified Coach for Canada, Gallant coached over
3,000 athletes in Newfoundland and Labrador and produced 19 Black Belts,
four national medals, and over 40 Atlantic medals. One of Gallant�s
biggest contributions to building the sport of Judo was his work
developing, implementing and setting a standard for Judo Canada�s
national coaching certification program.
Andrea Hutchens
� Athlete
Andrea Hutchens proved to be one of Newfoundland and
Labrador�s best female basketball players to play the game. She achieved
outstanding success at the university, national, and international
levels from 1991-1995. Her recruitment to the University of Winnipeg�s
Wesmen basketball team turned out to be a career highlight. Hutchens was
part of a team that won 88 consecutive games and three straight national
championships. Because of her success at the University of Winnipeg,
Hutchens was selected to play on several national teams from 1993-1995
and competed in a number of international tournaments. In October 1995,
Hutchens was elected to the Basketball Canada Hall of Fame.
Harold St. Croix �
Athlete
Harold St. Croix , through his persistence and
dedication, excelled in the sport of athletics. In 1976, St. Croix took
third place at the National Juvenile Division, winning Newfoundland�s
first ever national cross-country medal. Eighteen years later, he won a
bronze medal at the National Cross Country Running Championships. St.
Croix holds the all comers road race records for the half marathon and
the 20-mile road race. He won the Tely Ten six times and is one of only
two people who have run the Tely Ten in under 50 minutes. St. Croix is
the only runner who has won the Tely Ten in three consecutive decades -
1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.
Iain Robert Tennent �
Athlete
Iain Tennent was an outstanding swimmer. He competed
at the Canada Games and Canadian Nationals, earning one gold and two
silver medals. In 1997, he was named a CIAU All Canadian, AUAA Swimmer
of the Year, and the University of New Brunswick Athlete of the Year. In
1994 he won four gold medals at the AUAA Swimming Championship. In 1993
he won four gold medals at the AUAA Swimming Championship, was named a
CIAU All Canadian, received the Newfoundland Athlete of the Year Award,
the St. John�s Athlete of the Year Award, the Newfoundland Unisys Quest
for Excellence Award and the AUAA /UNB Swimmer of the Year Award. In
1992 he won four gold medals at the AUAA Swimming Championship, was
named the AUAA /UNB Swimmer of the Year and Rookie of the Year. Tennent
has set 32 records in short course swimming which still stand today. At
the international level, he was a member of the Canadian Junior Swim
Team which competed in the �8 Nations Cup� in France in 1991.
Donald Richard Yetman
� Athlete/Builder
Don Yetman provided the province with many great years
of exciting hockey and baseball. He played with three provincial senior
championship baseball teams, two provincial junior championship hockey
teams, and the St. John�s Townies which won four consecutive Master
League All Newfoundland Baseball Championships. Yetman earned most
valuable player awards in baseball, hockey, and soccer. Though his
accomplishments were great as a player, he also gave unselfishly back to
the community as a coach, spending more than 20 years coaching minor
hockey and minor baseball. In 1986, Don Yetman was inducted into the St.
John�s Baseball Hall of Fame.
Joseph "Joe" Wadden � Athlete/Builder
Joseph "Joe" Wadden enjoyed a remarkable athletic
career as an athlete, coach, and contributing executive volunteer. He
excelled in baseball and basketball. Wadden was a member of four
provincial senior baseball championship teams and two provincial junior
basketball championship teams. He coached baseball teams to three
provincial junior titles, two provincial senior titles, and two Atlantic
championships. Wadden also served as secretary and president of the
Newfoundland Amateur Baseball Association. Joseph Wadden has been
inducted into the Newfoundland and Labrador Baseball Hall of Fame and
the Newfoundland and Labrador Basketball Hall of Fame.
2009 03 30
4:10 p.m.