Dec. 03, 2019
The Ottawa Sports Awards is proud to announce the 2019 recipients of Lifetime Achievement Awards in coaching, officiating, and volunteering and administration, as well as the winner of the Mayor’s Cup award for outstanding contribution to local sport. The honourees will be celebrated in person at the 2019 Ottawa Sports Awards Dinner, January 29, 2020 at Algonquin College on Woodroffe Avenue.
Brian Kilrea Lifetime Achievement Award, Coaching: Fernando Henderson
Fernando Henderson has grown and fostered the sport of diving in Ottawa since he started coaching with the Nepean Ottawa Diving Club in 1992. Over the course of his tenure with the club he has produced Provincial, Canadian National and International champions as well as ensuring that the club provides an inspiring team atmosphere for all of its members. Henderson, who is NCCP level ¾ certified, has recently coached internationally for Canada as the Jr. Pan Am Games Coach (Colombia 2011, Arizona 2013, Victoria, B.C. 2017 and saw two of his Ottawa based-athletes take gold medals at the 2017 event. He was a recipient of the Petro Canada Fueling Athlete and Coaching Excellence grant in 2018 and has seen multiple athletes receive NCAA scholarships for diving. An accomplished athlete in his own right, Henderson represented the Dominican Republic in three metre springboard at the 1984 Summer Olympic Games. He was also selected as the Ottawa Sports Awards winner for diving four straight times, in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996.
Lifetime Achievement Award, Technical Official: Penny Glover
A National Officiating Examiner and Instructor, Penny Glover was a trailblazer for squash officials in Canada. Her contributions to squash as a player, official and volunteer in Canada, Ontario and Ottawa have spanned over four decades. Glover became a national level referee at the inception of the Officiating Program and was soon after appointed as National Officiating Examiner and Instructor. She was the chair of both the Canadian and Ontario Officiating Committees, and also served on the National Teams Committee. Glover, a member of the RA Squash Club, won the 2006 Syl Apps Volunteer Award and in 2013 she received the Squash Ontario Simon Warder Officials Outstanding Achievement Award. Originally from Wales and living in Ottawa since 1970, Glover was inducted to the Squash Canada Wall of Fame in 2014. A mentor to so many local officials, Penny was also the Ottawa Sports Award winner for squash in 1974 and 1975.
Lifetime Achievement Award, Sports Volunteer and Administrator: Bill Beelen
A long-time commissioner of the National Capital Baseball League and past president of East Nepean Little League, Bill Beelen has had a lifetime of volunteering in sports in Ottawa. In addition to coaching at all levels of baseball within the city, including Merivale H.S., ENLL, NMHA, and NGHA, Bill is always willing to lend a hand hosting tournaments, improving facilities, or advocating for the advancement of sports in Ottawa. He was head groundskeeper for the national championships in 2015, and has also volunteered his time This summer, Bill was presented with the Marthe Dubroy District Volunteer of the Year Award for his continued dedication.
Mayor’s Cup: L.A. and Bevin Schmidt
This year’s Mayor’s Cup is presented to a duo who have committed themselves together and individually to advancing sport at the local, national, and international levels. The amount of volunteer work done in sport by L.A. and Bevin Schmidt is truly impressive and they are outstanding representatives of the sport community in Ottawa. As a pair, L.A. and Bevin co-founded the Ottawa River Canoe Club in 2002. The Kanata-based club offers a variety of recreational and competitive paddling programs to the community. L.A. has been a member of Canoe Kayak Canada’s Board of Directors for the past 25 years and served on various committees, including working to ensure the women’s canoe program was added to the international paddling racing program. L.A. has also spent time working hard for Persons with Disabilities to be included in all Canoe Clubs across Canada. Bevin is a past chair of the Eastern Ontario Division of Canoe Kayak Canada and a 25-year member of the Canadian Ski Instructor’s Alliance. Bevin chairs the Ottawa River Paddle Challenge race with 200 plus competitors every fall at the Nepean Sailing Club. Both are certified coaches who are actively coaching Masters, Special Olympics, and para paddling athletes, while L.A. is also a certified official for both canoe kayak and alpine ski. In the winter, skiing takes over; the ORCC has formed a unique development partnership with Kanata Nordic, the Schmidts helped to found the region’s university alpine ski team. From dragon boat to stand-up paddling to canoe kayak, to the slopes and beyond: the Schmidts have made a lasting impact.
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Tickets for the Ottawa Sports Awards Dinner are now on sale at https://ottawasportsawards.ca/buy-2019-gala-tickets/
The Ottawa Sports Awards is the largest and most inclusive amateur sport recognition event in Canada will mark its 67th anniversary this year. Last year’s event sold out with 700 people in attendance. Winners of the 65 individual sport awards, team recognition awards, and the Athlete, Coach, and Team of the Year awards will be announced in January.
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For more information, please contact:
Jen Elliott
Ottawa Sports Awards Board Member