An impressive cross-section of talent who have distinguished themselves on a provincial, national and, in some cases, even international level account for the list of Sudburians nominated for the annual awards that will be handed out at the Sudbury Sports Hall of Fame dinner and induction ceremony on June 12 at the Caruso Club.
In a field that covers a very wide range of sporting activities, nominees that represent curling, hockey, track and field, nordic ski, basketball, soccer, powerlifting, volleyball and water sports (sprint kayak/canoe) will share the spotlight next month.
The Chris Sheridan Family Team of the Year category continues its recent trend of hosting elite curling talent, with the Bella Croisier rink of Jamie Smith, Piper Croisier and Lauren Rajala (gold at both Canada Winter Games and Canadian U18 Curling Championships) going toe to toe not only with U Sport champions Kira Brunton, Megan Smith, Alyssa Denyer, Mikaela Cheslock and Emma Johnson of Laurentian, but also with the Sudbury Five basketball team and the Sudbury Midget "AA" Lady Wolves (Esso Cup - silver medal winners).
With the Professional Athlete category dropped from the ranks after the 2018 Dinner, the Elite Athlete of the Year bracket benefits from a wealth of impressive athletes, with Nick Foligno (nominee for 2018-2019 Masterton), Jenna Hellstrom (first local ever to play for the national women's soccer team), Collin Cameron (Para Nordic World Cup champion) and Tyler Bertuzzi (Detroit Red Wings forward named to Team Canada World Championship team) all bunched into one grouping.
The 2018 Import Athlete of the Year, Kadre Gray (L.U. basketball - OUA Male Athlete of the Year) is sure to receive a stiff test in trying to repeat from OHL goaltender of the year and World Juniors gold medal winner Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, as well as National Basketball League of Canada MVP Braylon Rayson.
Amateur Female Athlete of the Year voting pits Marianne Alarie (Queen's basketball), curler Kira Brunton, Josée Seguin (Special Olympics - World Games medal winner) and Karli Shell (Guelph Gryphons women's hockey - U Sport champions) in a wonderfully varied display of female athletic excellence, while Damien Giroux (Saginaw Spirit captain - Western Conference finalists), Logan Spicer (Canadian Legions - bronze medal) and Jeff Walton (Dalhousie Tigers volleyball) will duke it out for the male bragging rights.
The Joe Drago Coach of the Year award will be handed out to one of Drew Bannister (Soo Greyhounds - OHL), Rob Gallo (Laurentian Voyageurs - women's soccer), Ryan Lafraniere (Laurentian Voyageurs - curling) and Cory Stillman (Sudbury Wolves).
In what is easily the most unheralded category of the lot, largely because the bulk of their work is done in the background, without much fanfare, Dan Welch (coach/volunteer/administrator with Northern Water Sports Centre) and Mike Martyn (I.T. administrator - Sudbury District Hockey Officials Association) are up against the 2018 Telus Cup organizing committee.
Four different institutions are represented in the race for High School Athlete of the Year accolades, with Lauren Fearn (Lo-Ellen), Hannah Nikylchyk (Lockerby) and Ariane Saumure (Macdonald-Cartier) on the girls side, and Michael Babcock (Lasalle) and Kurtis Wennerstrom (Lo-Ellen) in the boys division.
Finally, the Dr Fred W Sheridan High School Team of the Year is assured of making its way to the south-end athletic powerhouse that is Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School as the Knights' nordic ski crew battle it out, in house, with coach Colin Ward and the track and field contingent.
