Feb. 01, 2023
With one week remaining before the Ottawa Sports Awards Dinner to celebrate the 2022 award winners, five final honourees are set to be recognized in the following award categories which represent a broad spectrum of sport engagement in the city.
Additionally, complete roster and bio information is now online for all Sport Award winners and Champion Teams for 2022.
The awards dinner on February 8 will mark the 70th Ottawa Sports Awards. For a complete history of our award winners, including the categories below, click here.
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Lifetime Award: Media – Terry Marcotte
For nearly 40 years, Terry Marcotte had a front row seat for some of Ottawa’s major sporting events, and his work brought the stories of local athletes into the City’s living rooms each night. Marcotte covered Olympic and Paralympic athletes with the same passion and personal connection that he approached high school success stories and up and comers.
After beginning his career in journalism in New Brunswick, Marcotte came home to Ottawa and joined CTV Ottawa, then CJOH, in 1987. He became head of CTV Sports in 1999, and was soon a fixture at local practices, games, and events. He was also a mainstay on Team 1200, hosting Sportscall and frequently appearing on The Drive.
His tireless commitment to the sports community set him apart during his award-winning career. Now retired but a story-teller at heart, Marcotte has recently co-authored his first book, ‘Hockey Moms’ which explores the stories of unsung hockey heroes with the warmth and humour that have become his trademark.
Spirit of Sport Award: Trinity Lowthian
The Spirit of Sport Award celebrates those who have set a meaningful example for others through their personal journey in sport. It is presented by longtime Ottawa Citizen sports reporter, Martin Cleary. Trinity Lowthian is being recognized as the City’s top fencing athlete for 2022, thanks to her outstanding international results – four medals at the Pan-American Championships and a fifth place finish at the U23 World Wheelchair Fencing Championships. Her success has spurred Lowthian to pursue a place on Canada’s Paralympic team for 2024.
This has all happened rather quickly for Lowthian, a positive difference-maker who has faced significant health challenges. She grew up competing in biathlon, triathlon, and water polo before spending much of 2018-2020 as a patient at CHEO. Lowthian continued to experience lengthy hospital stays into 2021: her final two years of high school and her first two years of university were filled with health challenges.
Now, with a Hickman line, Total Parenteral Nutrition, and weekly Intravenous Immunoglobulin treatments, she has emerged onto the piste and found her niche. A nutrition sciences student at uOttawa, she is also contributing her lived experience to CHEO’s Research Institute.
Ottawa Sport Endowment: Ottawa Fencing Club, Parafencing Program
Investing in parafencing has already led to fantastic results for Trinity Lowthian and enhanced the experience of Ottawa Fencing Club able-bodied fencers. The club is looking to build on this starting point and offer a full a para-fencing program to give youth and adults with disabilities the opportunity to get involved and empowered through para-sport.
This will be the first parafencing specific program in Canada. A major reason why the sport is not able to grow is because of a lack of access, with this program, Ottawa Fencing will be increasing accessibility to the sport in Ottawa. The Ottawa Sport Endowment will provide $500 to the program.
Special Recognition Awards: Erika Hoffmann
There is no Ottawa Sports Award for auto-racing, at least not yet. Erika Hoffman has made waves in the sport this past year, winning the Formula Woman international competition against a group of 75 drivers. Formula Woman is a motorsports entry opportunity for women of all ages with a passion for driving. In the final day of testing in Sweden, Hoffmann recorded the fastest lap time of the 11 women remaining and earned a place on the Formula Woman GT Cup Team.
The Barrhaven product started racing at Calabogie Motorsports Park where she also coaches young women and girls in auto-sport to inspire them to continue breaking ground in a traditionally male dominated industry.
Special Recognition Award: Dave Smith
Not only does he have the best hair in Ontario Lacrosse, Gloucester Griffins Junior B Lacrosse Club owner and General Manager Dave Smith received his 50-year volunteer award from the Ontario Lacrosse Association in 2022.
Smith founded the Jr B Griffins in 1978 and remains with the club to this day. He spent many years volunteering for the GLA minor organization, serving both as coach and president, providing the foundation and leadership that has grown Gloucester into the powerhouse that it is today.
The Special Recognition Awards are for individuals or groups who have contributed notably to their sport community in unique ways, such that other Ottawa Sport Awards may not clearly capture their contributions.
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In addition to the above awards, the Howard Darwin Memorial Scholarships will also be presented at the dinner. Those winners will be revealed at the event, with a pair of Ottawa-based post-secondary student-athletes each receiving a $1,000 gift from the Ottawa Nepean Canadians Sports Club.
Photos from the event will be available. Follow the Ottawa Sports Awards social media accounts for updates from the dinner.
Nominations for the 2023 Ottawa Sports Awards will open in September!