Sport Yukon honoured the achievement of Yukon athletes, coaches and administrators at their annual Major Awards ceremony in May
Five awards were given out at the 2023 edition of Sport Yukon’s annual Major Awards ceremony, which took place May 31 at Sport Yukon. The Major Awards began in 1977 with a goal of recognizing exceptional achievements of Yukoners in sport across a number of categories.
The award for Administrator of the Year was given to Brenda Dion. Dion has been involved in various sports in the Yukon for over 20 years and has served on several sport boards such as Athletics Yukon, Canada Senior Games Association and the Yukon Pickleball Association. According to Sport Yukon, Dion has been a huge part of the growth of sport in communities throughout the Yukon and through the Pickleball Fundamentals program with the Canada Games Centre.
“Brenda’s enthusiasm for sport is infectious and inspirational, and her impact on our community can be measured in many ways: in building senior participation in sport, in promoting healthy active living, and in leading sport organizations and initiatives with compassion, vision, and fairness,” reads a release from the organization.
The award for Coach of the Year went to Geremy Newbury. Newbury has been involved with the Whitehorse Minor Hockey Association for its past five seasons, during which he has served as a head or assistant coach to multiple teams. His various roles have included being Head Coach of the U13 Dairy Queen Mustangs A team.
“[Newbury] is known for creating a culture of respect and hard work, and his commitment extends to his dynamic practice plans, commitment to the development and mentorship of his athletes, and belief in leading by example—bringing a positive and constructive attitude both on and off the ice,” Sport Yukon said of the hockey coach.
The Dairy Queen U13 Mustangs A team took home the gold at two tier 3 tournaments and came close to winning gold in a tier 2 tournament.
Callum Weir won the award for National/Territorial Male Athlete of the Year. He competed in the
Canada Summer Games as part of Sport Yukon’s Men’s Soccer Team and contributed to what the organization calls a “history-making performance.”
Weir originally hails from Haines Junction, and as a goalkeeper, has represented the Yukon in both soccer and futsal, played with professional soccer clubs in Victoria as well as Germany and was named to Canada’s national Men’s Futsal Team. Following his performance at the Canada Summer Games, Weir was named to the Games’ Men’s Soccer All-Star Team.
“For all his success, Callum remains a modest and positive team player who values his team, his coaches, and the various supporters that have helped him get to where he is now. His dedication to soccer and futsal has paid off personally, and his continued contributions to Yukon sport have helped elevate our profile on the national level,” continued Sport Yukon.”
The award for National/Territorial Female Athlete of the Year went to Jaymi Hinchey. Hinchey has represented the Yukon in judo and wrestling competitions across Canada. In 2022, Hinchey podiumed in six separate regional, provincial and international events and became the highest-ranked Yukon athlete in the first week of the Canada Summer Games. She is also ranked third in Elite Nationals points leaders.
“Even more commendable than her high level of achievement in judo and wrestling is how
Jaymi commits herself to the sport and her own development. She brings energy, enthusiasm, and positivity to her training, perseveres through challenges, and is a leader and role model among her peers,” commented Sport Yukon.
Finally, the 2022 Canada Summer Games Men’s Soccer Team won Team of the Year. The team is comprised of Cody Adams, Kade Bringsli, Ashton Bryant, Rio Crystal, Alvaro Diaz, Kaden Gregory, Gavin Howells, Sebastian Insley, Bennett Kishchuk, Kaelen Lewis, Tristan Martin, Felix Masson, Zachary Saplywy, Jason Sealy, Etnik Tarakaj, Myles Terry, Callum Weir, Leo Whittaker; Sean Fleming (Coach), Jake Hanson (Assistant Coach), Cindi Cowie (Manager).
“At the Canada Summer Games in Niagara Falls, Team Yukon’s Men’s Soccer Team exemplified this spirit, defeating provincial teams from Nova Scotia and Manitoba to deliver a seventh-place finish, the team’s best-ever performance at the Games,” said Sport Yukon.
“Competing at the national level against provincial teams, with greater resources, can be difficult, so performance at this level is a testament to the hard work and dedication of this team’s athletes, coaches, and supporters.”
To learn more about Sport Yukon, and for information on membership, upcoming events, funding and more, visit www.sportyukon.com.
“The Yukon is home to exceptional talent and a deep well of committed, promising athleticism, and this team showcased the incredible potential of the Yukon on the national stage,” concluded Sport Yukon’s statement.
