A major supporter of Canadian Paralympians, a high-flying winter athlete, and a star goaltender highlight the Calgary Booster Club’s annual award announcements.
The Calgary Booster Club has unveiled its Athletes of the Year, based on performance during the 2023 calendar year, and the winner of its most prestigious award, Sportsperson of the Year:
- Sportsperson of the Year — PATRICK JARVIS, former president of Canadian Paralympic Committee, Member of the Order of Canada
- Henry Viney Trophy (female) — ALEXANDRIA LOUTITT, ski jumping
- Scott-Mamini Memorial Award (male) — DUSTIN WOLF, hockey
- Jack Gregory Award Winner – DAVID NICHOLSON, powerlifting
Award winners, including Honoured Athletic Leaders and endowment recipients, will be officially recognized on Sunday, April 28th at the Calgary Booster Club’s 70th annual Gala. Tickets for the reception at the Grey Eagle Resort and Casino are available online.
SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR — PATRICK JARVIS
Patrick Jarvis has been a promoter and a builder of sports in Canada, and around the world, for decades. The former Calgary Booster Club director represented Canada at numerous international paralympic sporting events as an athlete before embracing a wide range of leadership roles.
Jarvis has served as the Canadian Paralympic Committee president (1998-2006) and a board member on the International Paralympic Committee. He has also worked on the Canadian Olympic Committee and the 2010 Vancouver Organizing Committee for the Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games. More recently, Jarvis was the executive director at Canada Snowboard and in 2023 he was named the interim chief executive officer for Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton.
A 1976 winner of the Calgary Booster Club’s Harry Hood Memorial Award – given annually to high school athletes displaying outstanding football ability, sportsmanship and scholastic excellence – Jarvis was made a member of the Order of Canada in 2011. He has also been named to the 2024 class of the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame.
HENRY VINEY TROPHY – ALEXANDRIA LOUTITT
Captivated by ski jumping when she watched athletes compete in the 2010 Olympic sport in Whistler, B.C., Alexandria Loutitt spent the next three-plus years begging her parents to let her join in on the high-flying fun. Now, the Calgarian is helping to take the sport to new heights for Canada.
The 20-year-old made her Olympic debut in Beijing in 2022, where she won bronze in mixed team ski jumping, and last year she became the first Canadian woman to win a FIS Ski Jumping World Cup event. Loutitt also won the women’s large hill event at the 2023 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships and landed a 225-metre jump that set an all-time Canadian record.
Other Nominees:
- Ivanie Blondin (speed skating)
- Caeli McKay (diving)
- Sarah Orban (cycling)
- Hannah Schmidt (freestyle skiing)
SCOTT-MAMINI MEMORIAL AWARD — DUSTIN WOLF
Known for his distinctive pre-period stretching routine that is punctuated by a leap in the crease, goalie Dustin Wolf has made the jump to the Calgary Flames.
Before becoming a regular netminder in the National Hockey League (NHL), Wolf proved himself with the Calgary Wranglers. At the American Hockey League (AHL) level, the Californian claimed every major goaltending award, and more. The honours Wolf claimed for his 2022-23 season included the Les Cunningham Award (league MVP), the President’s Award (player excellence), the Harry “Hap” Holmes Memorial Award (lowest GAA) and his second consecutive Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award as the AHL’s best goalie.
Other Nominees:
- Micah Awe (football)
- Ted-Jan Bloemen (speed skating)
- Brendan Bottcher (curling)
- Stephen Calkins (swimming)
- Stefan Daniel (triathlete)
- Wes Heffernan (golf)
JACK GREGORY AWARD WINNER – DAVID NICHOLSON
Powerlifting athlete David Nicholson has called his participation in the Special Olympics the highlight of his life. Nicholson loves training and interacting with amazing coaches and athletes. One of his proudest moments was competing in the national games in Antigonish, Nova Scotia where he qualified for Team Canada’s contingent at the Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023. Nicholson is proud to represent Team Canada and he credits the Special Olympics with improving his confidence.
HONOURED ATHLETIC LEADERS
The Calgary Booster Club recognizes individuals with established track records of dedication to the sporting landscape as Honoured Athletic Leaders. Winners have demonstrated long service — typically more than 15 years — and made contributions in a volunteer or administrative or athletic capacity. These are Calgary’s difference-makers, sport promoters and tireless influencers.
This year’s selections include:
Al Coates
Al’s hockey roots in Calgary go back decades. He was an executive with the 1989 Calgary Flames team that won the Stanley Cup and he was an original organizer of the Calgary Flames Foundation Golf Gala event, which has raised millions of dollars for charity. Al was the executive director of the IIHF 2012 World Junior Hockey Championship and he remains an active member of the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame selection committee.
Art O’Dwyer
Art is part of the fabric of Calgary’s volleyball scene. After playing the sport at the University of Calgary in the late 1970s and early 1980s, he went into coaching. He served as an assistant volleyball coach at UCalgary before coaching other sports, including baseball, soccer and hockey. Art was named the Volleyball Alberta Coach of the Year in 2009 and he was the head coach of the SAIT women’s volleyball program from 2011 through 2020. He continues to mentor young coaches.
Celeste Bazinet
She’s been described as a remarkable pillar of the Calgary Senior High School Athletic Association (CSHSAA). Celeste – better known as “Baz” – earned that description for her efforts as an athletic director, teacher and coach. The athletic director at both Bishop McNally High School and Notre Dame High School has coached several sports, including soccer, football, basketball and volleyball.
Catriona Le May Doan
She’s a decorated athlete and an inspiring sports leader. As a speed skater, Catriona claimed two Olympic gold medals and another five World Championship gold medals. She was Canada’s flag bearer at the closing ceremony of the 1998 Nagano Olympics and at the opening ceremony of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. In addition, she won the Lou Marsh Award as Canada’s Athlete of the Year in 2002. Catriona has been inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame and was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Canada. She is currently the president & CEO of Sport Calgary.
Cody Ehrmann
Cody is a gridiron guru who has earned the respect and admiration of the student athletes he has taught over the years. The junior and senior football head coach at Calgary’s Henry Wise Wood High School has been described as dedicated, passionate and inspiring by both his players and the teachers he’s worked with. He has also coached track and field, basketball, and driven the bus for the school’s basketball teams.
Ian Gordon
He was an intense competitor as a sprinter and that intensity allowed him to represent Canada at the Commonwealth Games, the Pan-Am Games and the Olympics in the early 1970s. Ian followed that up by coaching with Calgary Track West in the 1980s before setting his sights on working as an official, where his duties included track referee and start referee. He was also the statistician for the Alberta Officials Committee, has worked as a member of the National Officials’ Committee, and he served on the Athletics Alberta Board. In 2017, Ian was named to the Athletics Canada Wall of Honour.
Lisa Schott
She has spent countless hours volunteering her time to artistic swimming. Initially drawn to the sport by her daughter’s involvement with a Calgary swimming club, Lisa went on to become a board member for Canada Artistic Swimming in the early 2000s. She then became the president of that organization from 2007 through 2011. Lisa’s volunteer efforts continued as the president of Aquatics Canada, a role she held between 2011 and 2020. In 2017, she was elected as chair of the World Aquatic Technical Committee. Lisa is an internationally respected leader.
Martyn Bentley
If you know about rugby in Calgary, then you know Martyn. His achievements include a decade of playing time with the Canucks Rugby Club and another decade as a junior coach for the Canucks. Martyn did everything, from directing cars in the parking lot to coaching all age levels. He worked with kids at Lord Beaverbrook High School and also served in executive positions, including president, with the Canucks, helping to make the club successful on the field while growing enrolments.
Murray Sigler
Murray has been an avid supporter of multiple sports in Calgary. The former CEO & executive director of Sport Calgary, continues to support athletics on several fronts. He is the founder of the Sport For Calgary Foundation, which seeks to build a healthy community through participation in sports, as well as the president/CEO of the Calgary Health Foundation. In addition, Murray sits on the boards of the Lindsay Park Sports Society, KidSport Calgary and the Glencoe Golf & Country Club.
Pamela Young
Getting everyone rowing in the right direction is no problem for Pamela. Her experience with the Calgary Rowing Club is extensive and includes time spent as a director, secretary, treasurer, vice-president and president. A thoughtful and effective leader, Pamela has also worked for 15 years on the Glenmore Canoe and Rowing Clubhouse Foundation Board.
Theresa Garagan
Theresa has been a dedicated volunteer with Special Olympics Calgary for over two decades. She has attended numerous Special Olympics events at the local, provincial and national and international levels, working as a coach to push athletes to achieve their goals. Theresa coaches both track and field and alpine skiing.
Todd Richards
He’s worked as an exceptional teacher and coach at Forest Lawn High School and James Fowler High School. Todd has coached track, basketball, hockey and football in those twenty-plus years. In that time, he has had a positive impact on thousands of student athletes.
Wade Buteau
Wade is a multi-sport talent who has coached football, wrestling, rugby, track and other athletic endeavours for 38 years. The teacher at Our Lady of the Rockies High School helped guide his teams to 17 city championships and one provincial title. Wade has built character in his athletes in a positive environment, allowing them to thrive in competition and in life.
The Calgary Booster Club has celebrated athletic excellence and community leadership since 1952.
For More Information:
Ian Wilson
Content Manager, Calgary Booster Club
Tel: 403-891-4269
[email protected]
Michael Boyles
Board of Directors, Calgary Booster Club
Tel: 403-815-9297
[email protected]