Media Releases
April 11, 2006
Toews and Yestrau Selected Manitoba Youth Athletes of the Year
Winnipeg – Hockey player Jonathan Toews and Swimmer Landice Yestrau have been named Manitoba’s Male and Female Youth Athletes of the Year based on their achievements in 2005.
The Under-17 Provincial Football Team was named Manitoba’s Junior Team of the Year.
Also recognized at Sport Manitoba’s “A Night of Champions” were Gordon and Nancy Stewart (Special Olympics) as the Great-West Life Volunteers of the Year, Blake MacKay (Athletics) as the Great-West Life Youth Volunteer of the Year, Hector Vergara (Soccer) as the Official of the Year and Jaclyn Vallis (Triathlon and Synchronized Swimming) as Sport Administrator of the Year.
Lori Letandre (Boxing) and Justin Sinclair-Paul (Basketball) were named winners of the Tom Longboat Award as Manitoba’s Aboriginal Athletes of the Year.
Sport Manitoba’s award winners were determined from a group of 36 nominees put forward by Provincial Sport Organizations and selected by members of the Manitoba sports media. The Manitoba Aboriginal Sport and Recreation Council made selection of the Tom Longboat Awards.
For more information, contact:
Barry Moroz
Sport Manitoba Communications
925-5903
Email
Sport Manitoba “A Night of Champions” Award Winners
Jonathan Toews (Hockey) – Male Youth Athlete of the Year
Captained Team Western to a gold medal at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge; won the USA Hockey 18 and Under National Championship with the Shattuck-St. Mary’s Prep Team; and captained Team Canada to a gold medal at the Under-18 Junior World Cup. He was the leading scorer on all occasions and was the youngest member to be named to the Canadian Under-20 team for the World Junior Championships.
Landice Yestrau (Swimming) – Female Youth Athlete of the Year
Team Manitoba’s flag bearer at the 2005 Canada Summer Games, Landice won gold medals in the 50 and 100-metre backstroke setting a new Games record in both events. Silver medalist at the Junior Pan Pacific Trials, was 4th in the 50 at the World Trials and placing 3rd in the 50 metre backstroke qualified to represent Canada at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
Under-17 Provincial Football Team – Junior Team of the Year
In just it’s second year of operation, the team won the gold medal – Manitoba’s first ever - at the 2005 Football Canada Cup with a perfect 4-and-0 record.
Gordon and Nancy Stewart (Special Olympics) – Great-West Life Volunteer of the Year
The Stewarts teamwork, positive attitude, dedication and innovation have made them leaders within Special Olympics. They were instrumental in moving the level of competitions for Special Olympics swimmers in a direction that is more consistent with a generic sport model.
Blake MacKay (Athletics) – Great-West Life Youth Volunteer of the Year
Blake is one of Athletics Manitoba’s top up and coming officials. In 2005 he officiated at the Cargill Indoor Games, Boeing Indoor Classic, CIS Championships, Canadian Senior Championships, National Francophone Games and the Canadian Road Race Championships.
Hector Vergara (Soccer) – Official of the Year
Officiated three World Cup qualification matches, four matches at the 2005 Gold Cup including the final and capped off the year by officiating the final of the FIFA Club World Championships in Japan becoming the first Canadian to ever officiate at the event.
Jaclyn Vallis (Triathlon and Synchro Swim) – Sport Administrator of the Year
Serves 20 active committees with Triathlon Manitoba and sits on the National Youth Development Committee. Played a pivotal leadership role in the reorganization of Synchronized Swimming Manitoba by implementing new policies and procedures.
Lori Letandre (Boxing) – Tom Longboat Female Aboriginal Athlete of the Year
Five time provincial champion and gold medalist at the 2002 North American Indigenous Games, Lori has won the Canadian Championship in her division the last two years.
Justin Sinclair-Paul (Basketball) – Tom Longboat Male Aboriginal Athlete of the Year
Led the Fisher River Hawks to the school’s first provincial championship, was named to the provincial all-star team and was selected player of the year by the Manitoba Basketball Coaches Association.
