By Dan Marshall

Athletes, coaches, volunteers to be honoured at Nanaimo Sport Achievement Awards

Feb 16, 2017 | 10:49 PM

NANAIMO — For the 12th straight year the Nanaimo Sport Achievement Awards will highlight the accomplishments of the local sporting community.

There are 20 different categories to honour athletes, coaches, volunteers, and administrators. The celebration is expected to be sold out at the Coast Bastion Inn on Friday.

2017 will be the first year of the Steve Smith Memorial Award. The award will be presented for excellence in extreme sports. Smith, who grew up in Cassidy, was a world champion downhill mountain biker who passed away at the age of 26 after a tragic accident in May 2016.

Sport Achievement Awards organizer Marilyn Sullivan says they’re proud that the award has come to fruition.

“Steve was very well known here. A lot of kids that do BMX and mountain biking had a lot of respect for him and looked up to him,” said Sullivan.

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When the awards began in 2006 many of the nominations were for sports like basketball, volleyball, and hockey. But Sullivan says as the event has gained notoriety the number of sports represented has increased.

“We’ve got cycling, jiu-jitsu, bowling, judo, it has evolved to where it’s all sports,” said Sullivan. “That was the idea in the very beginning and it didn’t take long for that to actually happen.”

The Sport Achievement Awards isn’t just about recognizing people in the local sports community, it’s also about helping them. In 2016 five local athletes were given $500 each to help with the costs of training and competing through the athlete financial assistance program.

Sullivan says that money comes from the awards night itself and also includes a yearly silent auction.

“Since it began we’ve given away about $50,000 in 12 years. On our website we have an application for the athlete financial assistance program. People can send it to us then we can decide how many (recipients) we’ll have.” 

At the awards, decorated Paralympian Michelle Stilwell will serve as the guest speaker. The Parksville/Qualicum MLA has recently retired from competitive racing and is one of the best known athletes in the region.

Friday’s ceremony gets underway at 6 p.m.

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Weekend Sports

BCHL

Clippers @ Powell River – Friday 7:15 p.m. Hap Parker Arena
Clippers @ Powell River – Saturday 5 p.m. Hap Parker Arena

VIJHL

Bucaneers @ Saanich – Friday 6:30 p.m. George Pearkes Arena

BCMML

Silvertips vs Valley West Hawks – Saturday 5:45 p.m. Strathcona Gardens
Silvertips vs Valley West Hawks – Sunday 8 a.m. Frank Crane Arena

PACWEST

Mariners Women’s Volleyball @ Camosun – Friday 6 p.m.
Mariners Men’s Volleyball @ Camosun – Friday 8 p.m.
Mariners Women’s Volleyball @ Camosun – Saturday 5 p.m.
Mariners Men’s Volleyball @ Camosun – Saturday 7 p.m.

Mariners Women’s Basketball @ Columbia Bible College – Friday 6 p.m.
Mariners Men’s Basketball @ Columbia Bible College – Friday 8 p.m.

Badminton Championships Friday – Sunday in Coquitlam (CCAA National qualifying event)

AAA GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

61st Island Championship Thursday to Saturday @ Dover Bay Secondary