OTTAWA — When the True Sport Foundation announced its Canadian Sport Awards winners Tuesday, honouring the likes of Patrick Chan and Christine Nesbitt, the national organization also singled out an Ottawa hockey team of 14-year-old girls whose bravery and resolve made them the Spirit of Sport Story of the Year. These were the teammates of Daron Richardson.
The Ottawa Senators Women’s Bantam AA hockey team was less than halfway through its 2010-11 season when Daron Richardson, who played defence for the team, took her own life.
The remaining 16 girls on the team, only in Grade 9, were devastated.
“The sudden and tragic loss of their beloved friend and teammate seemed too much to bear,” according to the nomination form for the award. Yet, those girls rallied and responded in a big way.
On the ice, the girls won four gold and four silver medals in nine tournaments and took the silver medal at the provincial championships.
“They really didn’t want to let (Daron) down,” coach Bruce MacDonald said Tuesday night. He added that the girls did it with a level of sportsmanship that made him proud.
“They knew that’s what Daron would want them to do,” he said.
At the same time, it’s what the girls have done off the ice that will be remembered by people in Ottawa and beyond. Daron’s teammates, along with many other dedicated volunteers, were a big part of the Do It For Daron campaign to raise awareness and money for the cause of youth mental health.
“They were truly inspirational,” the nomination said, and clearly, the judges agreed.
Also recognized by the True Sport Foundation was Ottawa lawyer Michael Smith, who won the Athlete Leadership Award. Smith, a former wrestler who represented Canada internationally, now coaches and promotes athlete rights in sport within sport organizations. He was an athlete ambassador for the 2011 Canada Winter Games, promoting athlete leadership.
For Chan, it was a case of another day, another award.
Chan, the reigning world and national figure skating champion in men’s singles, received the Canadian Sports Awards male athlete of the year honour.
Nesbitt, a speedskater from London, also continued her domination of the 2011 year-end honours handed out by media organizations and national associations by taking the Canadian Sports Awards female athlete of the year.
Chan, an Ottawa native who was raised in Toronto, and Nesbitt were named the Postmedia News male and female athletes of the year, respectively, in December.
Cross-country skiing star Alex Harvey of St-Ferriol-les-Neiges, Que., received the junior athlete of the year honour, while Jeff Stoughton’s curling rink from Winnipeg — which includes Jonathan Mead, Reid Carruthers, Steve Gould and Garth Smith — was named team of the year.
Harvey and cross-country teammate Devon Kershaw of Sudbury were named partners of the year.
The foundation’s Leadership Awards, recognizing outstanding contribution to the betterment of sport, went to Tom Quinn of Beaconsfield Que., the Canada Games Council chairman, who won the Leadership in Sport Award; Judith Tutty of Mississauga, who won the Volunteer Achievement Award for her work with the Ontario Canoe Sprint Racing Affiliation; and Smith.
The Forzani Group won the Corporate Excellence Award for support to Canadian sport.
Canadian Sport Awards winners
Top male athlete: Patrick Chan, Toronto, figure skater
Top female athlete: Christine Nesbitt, London, Ont., speedskater
Top junior athlete: Alex Harvey, St-Ferriol-les-Neiges, Que., cross-country skier
Team of the year: Jeff Stoughton, Jonathan Mead, Reid Carruthers, Steve Gould and Garth Smith, Winnipeg, curlers
Volunteer Achievement Award: Judith Tutty, Mississauga, Ontario Canoe Sprint Racing Affiliation
Athlete Leadership Award: Michael Smith, Ottawa, wrestler
Corporate Excellence Award: Forzani Group
Spirit of Sport Story of the Year: Ottawa Senators bantam double-A women’s hockey team.
The Ottawa Senators Women’s Bantam AA hockey team was less than halfway through its 2010-11 season when Daron Richardson, who played defence for the team, took her own life.
The remaining 16 girls on the team, only in Grade 9, were devastated.
“The sudden and tragic loss of their beloved friend and teammate seemed too much to bear,” according to the nomination form for the award. Yet, those girls rallied and responded in a big way.
On the ice, the girls won four gold and four silver medals in nine tournaments and took the silver medal at the provincial championships.
“They really didn’t want to let (Daron) down,” coach Bruce MacDonald said Tuesday night. He added that the girls did it with a level of sportsmanship that made him proud.
“They knew that’s what Daron would want them to do,” he said.
At the same time, it’s what the girls have done off the ice that will be remembered by people in Ottawa and beyond. Daron’s teammates, along with many other dedicated volunteers, were a big part of the Do It For Daron campaign to raise awareness and money for the cause of youth mental health.
“They were truly inspirational,” the nomination said, and clearly, the judges agreed.
Also recognized by the True Sport Foundation was Ottawa lawyer Michael Smith, who won the Athlete Leadership Award. Smith, a former wrestler who represented Canada internationally, now coaches and promotes athlete rights in sport within sport organizations. He was an athlete ambassador for the 2011 Canada Winter Games, promoting athlete leadership.
For Chan, it was a case of another day, another award.
Chan, the reigning world and national figure skating champion in men’s singles, received the Canadian Sports Awards male athlete of the year honour.
Nesbitt, a speedskater from London, also continued her domination of the 2011 year-end honours handed out by media organizations and national associations by taking the Canadian Sports Awards female athlete of the year.
Chan, an Ottawa native who was raised in Toronto, and Nesbitt were named the Postmedia News male and female athletes of the year, respectively, in December.
Cross-country skiing star Alex Harvey of St-Ferriol-les-Neiges, Que., received the junior athlete of the year honour, while Jeff Stoughton’s curling rink from Winnipeg — which includes Jonathan Mead, Reid Carruthers, Steve Gould and Garth Smith — was named team of the year.
Harvey and cross-country teammate Devon Kershaw of Sudbury were named partners of the year.
The foundation’s Leadership Awards, recognizing outstanding contribution to the betterment of sport, went to Tom Quinn of Beaconsfield Que., the Canada Games Council chairman, who won the Leadership in Sport Award; Judith Tutty of Mississauga, who won the Volunteer Achievement Award for her work with the Ontario Canoe Sprint Racing Affiliation; and Smith.
The Forzani Group won the Corporate Excellence Award for support to Canadian sport.
Canadian Sport Awards winners
Top male athlete: Patrick Chan, Toronto, figure skater
Top female athlete: Christine Nesbitt, London, Ont., speedskater
Top junior athlete: Alex Harvey, St-Ferriol-les-Neiges, Que., cross-country skier
Team of the year: Jeff Stoughton, Jonathan Mead, Reid Carruthers, Steve Gould and Garth Smith, Winnipeg, curlers
Partners of the year: Harvey and Devon Kershaw, Sudbury, cross-country skiers
Leadership in Sport Award: Tom Quinn, Beaconsfield, Que., Canada Games Council chairmanVolunteer Achievement Award: Judith Tutty, Mississauga, Ontario Canoe Sprint Racing Affiliation
Athlete Leadership Award: Michael Smith, Ottawa, wrestler
Corporate Excellence Award: Forzani Group
Spirit of Sport Story of the Year: Ottawa Senators bantam double-A women’s hockey team.
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