Presented by: Yukon School Sports, Yukon Department of Education and Yukon Teachers’ Association
YSS would like to congratulate Mr. Patrick Wyard as the winner of the 2024 Ben Sheardown Award for Coaching Excellence!
The Ben Sheardown Award for Coaching Excellence can be awarded annually to an individual who has been involved in coaching Yukon School Sports teams. A selection committee comprised of: a representative of the Yukon School Sports, the Yukon Teachers’ Association and the Department of Education may select one coach annually.
• Coaching experience associated with community athletic teams will not be a determining factor in the recipient of this award.
• Equal consideration will be given to those coaches who have coached a variety of sports as well as those who have dedicated themselves to a particular sport.
• All unsuccessful nominations may remain active for future nomination periods.
• A past award winner is not eligible for a second award
• Each nomination should have at least one sponsor. Self-nominations will not be considered
• The Selection Committee may decide not to grant the award in a year in which there are no nominations or if nominees do not meet the selection criteria.
Presented by: Yukon School Sports, Yukon Department of Education and Yukon Teachers’ Association
Nominations
Nominations will be accepted from colleagues, parents, school council members, or athletes coached by the candidate. Nominations must be submitted to Kristen Johnston via email at kristen.johnston@yukon.ca Nominations must be received prior to May 1st. Nomination packages should include:
Nomination packages should include:
• Completed application form
• A letter of reference from the nominator attesting to the candidate’s coaching skills, abilities and leadership. This letter may include two references.
Selection Criteria
The successful candidate will possess:
• Coaching skills, abilities and leadership qualities that demonstrate a commitment to coaching Yukon students on Yukon School Sports teams.
• Extensive coaching experience and dedication to Yukon Schools Athletic Association teams.
• Coaching skills, abilities and leadership qualities that enable athletes to develop their physical, cognitive, and social skills to excel to higher levels of play.
• An ability to motivate and encourage student athletes to exceed their own expectations.
• Ability to model behaviors that demonstrate a commitment to students on the team, sportsmanship, and fair play.
Holly Stipdonk, left, and Brayden Stipdonk, right, get a chance to meet with Frankie Falcon before the march into the opening ceremony.James McCarthy/NNSL photo
Fort Smith’s Joseph Burr Tyrrell Elementary won the most overall points.
Hay River’s École Boréale won the prize for the most sportsmanlike team.
And Harry Camsell School in Hay River and École St. Patrick High in Yellowknife won the most overall points for the amount of people they each had on their teams.
DJSS – Diamond Jenness Secondary School; St Pat’s – École St Patrick High School; St Joes – École St Joseph School; PA – Princess Alexandra School; PWK – Paul William Kaeser High School; WDH – Weledeh Catholic School; MMS – Mackenzie Mountain School; ETS – East Three School; WMac – William McDonald Middle School; Tyr – Jospeh Burr Tyerell; HR – Hay River;
Judging by the smiles and excitement on Wednesday, you’d never know that it had been around five years since the NWT Track and Field Championships had last been held.
But it’s true, and it was obvious the meet was missed by a lot of people.
ÉcoleWilliam MacDonald Middle School
Day one of the return of the largest sporting event in the NWT saw dozens of athletes competing in long-distance running, high jump, javelin and discus, among others.
One of the big winners on the first day was Jayden Hwata of William McDonald School, who won the U13 boys high jump with a winning leap of 1.30 metre.
Once he got the win, Hwata said that was good enough for him.
“That was definitely it,” he said.
Princess Alexandra School had the honour of marching in first for the opening ceremony of the NWT Track and Field Championships in Hay River on Wednesday evening. The banner holders are, from left, Molly Campbell, Eleanor Bassett, Blakely Beck and Adele Russell.James McCarthy/NNSL photo
As tradition goes, high jump winners have the option to keep going for as long as they don’t fail a height. The record for that particular division is held by Luke Dizon of Yellowknife, who leaped 1.57 metres in 2017.
“I thought about it, but I knew I wouldn’t get it,” said Hwata.
The return of the championships was a welcome sight for Kenzie McDonald, president of Athletics NWT. He said getting back out there was a mixture of happiness and relief.
“It’s great to be back and the buzz is definitely there,” he said. “I was quite impressed when I heard the number of athletes (close to 900) and it’s great to see kids who are still interested in it.”
McDonald, the coach for East Three Secondary in Inuvik, said he can see the excitement in his young athletes.
“My group especially had no idea about the sport except for two who went to NAIG (North American Indigenous Games) last summer,” he said. “I think as it goes on, they’ll become less afraid. Talking to other coaches, almost every kid they brought was new and they had no idea what it was. It’s all about getting them trained up to the bare minimum and we can work with that moving forward.”
Peyton Simba, left, and Chloe Chicot-Palmer were the flagbearers for Kakisa Lake Scho during the opening ceremony.James McCarthy/NNSL photo
And some of those athletes who marched in were rather excited to do so. One of them was Scarlett Robillard of Princess Alexandra School in Hay River. This was her first crack at the championships and she said there were absolutely no nerves.
“With the fires, the flood and Covid, I never thought I would never get to do this,” she said. “I’m excited to do it.”
‘Our community needed that’: N.W.T. Track and Field Championships wrap up in Hay River
Fri 7 June 2024 : As the N.W.T. Track and Field Championships in Hay River wrap up, participants say it’s been great to have the event back after a four-year hiatus brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, and then by flooding and wildfires.
Youth from across N.W.T. competed in the event from Wednesday through Friday.
Fort Smith’s Joseph Burr Tyrrell Elementary won the most overall points.
Hay River’s École Boréale won the prize for the most sportsmanlike team.
And Harry Camsell School in Hay River and École St. Patrick High in Yellowknife won the most overall points for the amount of people they each had on their teams.
‘It felt so good’
For organizer JJ Hirst, it was a a full-circle moment from when he used to do track and field as a student.
Although he didn’t set any records back then, he has nothing but great memories from that time.
“I remember this field was full of trees, and I remember in gym class, we used to pick the rocks … and for it to come from that to where we are today is, is amazing. I was also involved as a coach, and, you know, just love track. And I love this event,” Hirst said.
He also said the energy has been high throughout the event, despite a lot of rain.
“Listen. Listen to the crowd there,” he said, referring to the sound of spectators cheering.
“When our first event started — the high jump started on Wednesday at [1 p.m.] … I heard the first roar, and it was just – it felt so good, you know? … I think our community needed that.”
Around 120 people put in around 2,000 person hours to make the championships happen, said volunteer co-ordinator Dian Papineau Magill.
They do it, she said, because it makes people happy.
Event coordinator J.J. Hirst said the Hay River needed the track and field championships after four years of cancelations due to COVID-19, flooding and wildfires.
Event coordinator J.J. Hirst said the Hay River needed the track and field championships after four years of cancelations due to COVID-19, flooding and wildfires. (Carla Ulrich/CBC)
“Look at all the smiles,” she said.
“People are happy, the kids are happy, parents are happy. It’s a big family event.”
Ten-year-old Yevah Chepelsky-Tetso competed in the games for the first time this year and described it as “really fun,” adding that her favourite part was the running.
“I don’t know, but like, you have this good feeling,” she said. “When you run, people are like, ‘Yeah! Go! And, like, it’s so much fun. And then you get all hyped up and stuff.”
Volunteer coordinator Dian Papineau Magill said around 120 volunteers worked on the event.
Volunteer coordinator Dian Papineau Magill said around 120 volunteers worked on the event. (Carla Ulrich/CBC)
It was also fun sleeping in a school and staying up late with her friends, reading books and braiding hair, while the boys played hockey in their quarters, she said.
“I’ve been watching a bunch of people over there do high jump, and it looks so much fun,” she added.
“There’s, like, a lot of anger sometimes. There’s a lot of laughter. [It’s] so shocking.”
The exciting partnership between OFSAA and the Canadian Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (CIAAA) was established in 2016 to make Leadership Training Courses available for Ontario Athletic Directors with the following goals:
• To promote the role of Athletic Directors in Ontario high schools
• To offer courses in professional development that are specific and applicable in the everyday role of Athletic Directors in Ontario high schools
• To provide support for existing and aspiring Athletic Directors
WHY TAKE THE LEADERSHIP TRAINING COURSES?
Personal and professional development
To network with other A.D.’s in your region and across the province
To assist those who will follow in your position and help them better understand the role of the Athletic Director in your school and/or board
UPCOMING COURSE OFFERINGS:
503C: Athletic Administration: Enhancing School Based Programs
Wednesday, October 16, 2024 – 4:00 to 7:00 PM in Chatham, ON at the Lambton-Kent DSB office.
This course takes Athletic Directors through ideas and strategies that could be implemented to enhance their athletic programs. The course touches on ways to improve citizenship and sportsmanship within your athletic program through positive initiatives, examines potential problems or possible solutions in areas such as program promotion, social media, tournaments and special events, recognition, awards, fundraising and strategic planning. It is a really good complement to the 501C and 502C.
This course is FREE for the first 28 Athletic Directors who register for the course.
504C: Legal Issues I – The Basics of Negligence, Liability and Risk Management
Wednesday, November 13, 2024 – 6 to 9:00 PM on the ZOOM platform
This course covers liability, negligence, and risk management practices for athletic administrators. Legal concepts will be introduced to athletic administrators through the use of case law, case studies and guided discussion. Appropriate risk management documentation procedures for athletic administrators will be identified. Attendees will benefit from discussing real-life case law scenarios and defining the duties and standards of care that the law requires of athletic administrators. Attendees will leave the course with new knowledge and actionable strategies for managing risk.
This course will be delivered on Zoom and the link and course information will be sent closer to the date of the course.
OFSAA will subsidize 100% of the cost for the first 14 A.D.’s who register.
The Collège Jeanne-Sauvé girls’ golf team has a collective swing in its step.
The St. Vital-based team recently took first place at the provincial high school golf championships on Sept. 20 at Minnewasta Golf & Country Club in Morden, Man.
CJS finished the Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association tournament on 304 strokes, pipping St. Mary’s Academy in second (305), and Portage Collegiate in third (329).
Photo by Simon FullerThe Collège Jeanne-Sauvé girls’ golf team recently took first place at the provincial high school golf championships. Pictured, from left: Celeste Pelletier, Dayna Marriott, Erin Nowicki, and Jewel Lafleche.
Coach Dominic Courcelles said the win means the girls’ team — which consists of Jewel Lafleche, Dayna Marriott, Erin Nowicki, and Celeste Pelletier — has registered back-to-back victories in the event.
The win was also impressive due to that fact only three of the four players were available to compete at the tournament; Marriott had work commitments.
“It feels pretty great,” Courcelles said. “As we only had three of the four girls, we had to count all of the scores, and we knew every score counted.”
In MHSAA tournament plays, only the best three scores count toward a school’s official total.
“It was great to be able to shoot such a low score in what were pretty tough conditions,” Courcelles said.
“There was lots of wind, and the ground was saturated, so we weren’t getting lots of roll. We’re all pretty proud of our performance.”
“I just think our girls are super-great athletes … whatever the sport they’re playing. They’re very athletic, and also very strong academically. Each of them is easy to coach,” he added.
When asked about their achievement, the golfers were modest, but were happy about their success on the greens, a sentiment echoed by Lafleche.
“It’s a good accomplishment,” said the 14-year-old, who’s in Grade 10.
A consensus among team members was that a significant feature of tournament play is that “you can’t see how everyone else is playing, so you’re focused on your own play.”
Asked what advice she might have for upcoming golfers or youngsters considering trying the sport, Marriott — a 17-year-old Grade 12 student — said it’s important to keep at it, move forward and don’t look in the rear view mirror.
“If you have a bad shot, don’t dwell on it. Put it out of your mind, and move forward,” she said.
“We’re very proud to win back-to-back provincial championships, and we’re excited to defend it again next year,” Courcelles said.
“We’re losing Dayna to graduation, but hopefully we can find a new fourth player and go from there.”
The Ministry of Education has again approved the OFSAA Try Day grant for up to $700 for public secondary schools to introduce a new or non-traditional sport or physical activity to your school program in the 2024-25 school year. Select an activity that reaches out to as many students as possible and encourages those who do not participate regularly in school physical activities to join in. Give other students the opportunity to exercise their leadership ability. A definite win-win situation for all!
SCHOOL ELIGIBILITY
150 Publicly-funded secondary schools
Fully committed to completing the OFSAA Try Day program and meeting the deadlines
Involves the minimum required number of student participants and leaders
CRITERIA for approval of funding and reimbursement??
Must introduce a new sport to your program
Selected activity must comply with your school and local school Board safety protocols, policy and direction.
Must involve a minimum of six (6) student leaders in the planning, implementation and evaluation of the OFSAA Try Day event
Must include a minimum of sixty (60) participants – thirty (30) in schools with a student population under 500
Must complete the OFSAA Try Day program by May 15, 2025 and submit reporting materials by May 30, 2025
Funding used for new equipment, instructional resources, transportation to/rental of outside facilities, guest instructors. Tee shirts and food not eligible items for funding.
REGISTRATION Application forms and criteria can be found on the OFSAA website (ofsaa.on.ca) under Programs/Try Day/Registration and are to be submitted ONLINE only. For your application to be considered, the school principal’s approval is required.
SELECTION PROCESS FOR FUNDING AND REPORTING PROCEDURES
Funds are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis provided that all criteria are met
Acceptance for funding is sent by e-mail to the Program Coordinator and Principal within 2 weeks of receipt of registration form
Reporting package is e-mailed within 2 weeks of your acceptance. All reporting materials should be submitted as soon as possible upon completion of your OFSAA Try Day
Deadlines: OFSAA Try Day programs are to be completed by May 15, 2025, and all reporting materials submitted by May 30, 2025
Reimbursement is sent to the school once all reporting materials are received: online reporting form and student evaluation surveys, receipts, photos, media/school articles
Limited funding available
BENEFITS
Enhance and rejuvenate your physical education programs
Introduce sustainable activities that benefit present and future students
Provide an opportunity for student leadership
Encourage regular daily activity as well as lifelong participation
GIRLS CHAMPION
Tayla Perry – RG Campbell
Chloe Wills – Kyle
Ada Dillon – Sakaskohc
By: 
