2024 Alberta Sport Recognition Awards

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2024 alberta sport recognition award Winners

The 2024 Alberta Sport Recognition Awards were presented in Red Deer on June 7, 2025 in conjunction with the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2025 Induction Ceremony. 

Aiden Norman, a resident of Calgary, Alberta, won two gold medals, sweeping the backstroke events at the 2024 Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Canberra, Australia. where he won gold in both the 100m and 200m backstroke events 

The University of Calgary swimmer also demonstrated his ability to perform under pressure by contributing to three different relay teams earning silver in the 4x100 medley, silver in the 4x100 mixed medley and bronze in the 4x200 freestyle. 

The standout swimmer was named the Swimming Canada's 2024 Junior Male Swimmer of the Year.  The 18 year old is currently training at the University of Florida with the goal of representing Canada at the 2025 World Aquatic Championships and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. 

 Junior Female Athlete of the Year 

Dianna had an incredible 2024 season, She ran a 51.98 personal best to win the silver medal at the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships in the 400 metres. She capped off the event in Lima Peru with a bronze medal finish in the Women’s 4x100m relay  

The Edmonton native Dianna had a very successful 2024 season  she was the Canadian National Indoor Champion for U20 Women in the 200m distance and the Canadian National Outdoor Champions in the 200m and 400m distances.

Throughout the season, Dianna set the following personal bests with indoor events: 200m, 300m, 400m, long jump and outdoor events:100m, 200m, 400m, 4x100m relay

She currently attends the University of Guelph where she is studying English..

 Junior Team of the Year 

The U22 Female Team Alberta participated in the 2024 U22 National Box Lacrosse Championships winning a second back-to-back female box lacrosse national championship.  Winning this historic second title was a major accomplishment for female lacrosse in Alberta. The team was comprised of players aged 16-21 from all over Alberta. 

Alberta completed the round robin undefeated and faced host Team BC in the finals. The game was 1-0 for Alberta after the first period, tied 1-1 after the second period and Team Alberta pulled away in the third period scoring 4 unanswered goals for a convincing 5-1 win. Twenty-year-old assistant captain Ella Royer (Female Player of the Year nominee) led the tournament in scoring and was named to the tournament all-star team.

 

Open Male Athlete of the Year 

Marco had an incredible 2024 season, capped off with a silver medal finish in the Men’s 800m at the XXXIII Olympic Games in Paris, finishing one one-hundredth of a second out of 1st place.

In addition to the exciting finish in Paris, Marco broke the National Record for the 800m. Coming in to the 2024 season as the reigning World Athletics World Champion in the 800m distance, Marco would go on to finish first at two Diamond League stops internationally as well as finish first on home soil at the Edmonton Athletics Invitational and the Bell Canadian Track and Field Championships where he would set the Canadian Championship record on his way to meeting standard and selection to Canada’s Olympic Team.

Marco has been an outstanding ambassador for his home, Edmonton, AB.  His personal character and integrity enhance his athletic greatness and achievements.

Open Female Athlete of the Year 

Hallie Clarke is  the 2024 World Skelton Champion. Hallie became the youngest athlete ever to win the  World Championships title in Winterberg Germany. At just 19 years old, her 2024 results were outstanding  with five, top-10 finishes in eight races on the World Cup circuit.

Hallie continues to show her drive and excel in the sport.  In 2025 she won the World Junior Championship title. She is the first athlete to win both a junior and senior World Championship.

A multi-sport athlete before trying skeleton, Clarke comes by her athletic talent honestly as both of her parents were talented athletes. Her mom was a highly competitive figure skater in Canada that has since become a predominant power skating instructor. Her dad was an NCAA hockey player and a Toronto Maple Leaf draft pick.  

Hallie graduated from Bowness High School in  Calgary.  She is now completing her Bachelors of Health Science degree online at Queen’s University. Outside of skeleton, Hallie enjoys music and being outdoors. 

Open Team of the Year 

In 2024, Team Canada Sitting Volleyball achieved a historic milestone by securing Canada’s first-ever Paralympic medal in at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.  

Many of this team’s core athletes have deep roots in Alberta’s sport development system, making their achievements a direct reflection of the province’s commitment to nurturing athletic talent.  Alberta athletes Heidi Peters, Jennifer Oakes and Sarah Melenka were instrumental in the team’s success, with Peters leading in points and serving effectiveness throughout the Olympic tournament. 

Beyond their on-court success, the team has been a beacon of advocacy, raising awareness for adaptive sports and fostering opportunities for individuals with disabilities. 

 

Coach Recognition Award

A former skeleton Olympic athlete himself, Joe highlighted his 2024 coaching year, by guiding Hallie Clarke to a World Championship title – the youngest ever to do so in the sport at 19 years old.

He became involved in coaching in 2018, primarily to help support development athletes on their pathway to Canada’s national team. His goal as a coach is to create an environment where his athletes learn the fundamentals of the sport safely and with enjoyment while building the confidence and skills needed to become competitive skeleton athletes.

Joe has made a positive impact on Canada’s skeleton program over the last year, Joe’s coaching style emphasizes his technical detail and athlete development, showcasing his passion, influence and ability to uplift skeleton in Canada.

He has played a critical role in ensuring Canada’s elite sliders are fully prepared to take on the world, and win. In addition to success on the international stage, it is Joe’s work at the grassroots level in 2024 that is even more  impressive. Joe embarked on a national recruitment drive, teaming up with RBC Training Ground, where he helped encourage a record-number of young Canadians with newly discovered Olympic dreams in their eyes to come to the sport of Skelton.

A member of the Calgary Police force he also has masters degree in high performance coaching from UBC. Joe has coached athletes from multiple countries at every level, including the World Cup, Youth Olympic Games and Junior World Championships. Joe was also named The Coaching Association of Canada Coach of the year in 2024. 

 Coach Recognition Award

 Alex Dawson has had a tremendous impact on competitive swimming in Northern Alberta.

In the last 10 years, Alex has increased competitive membership in the Club from about 60 members to just over 120 members. The Club's Learn to Swim Program has increased from 100 swimmers in 2015 to over 600 participants.

The GP Piranhas is one of the largest Swim Clubs operating in the Province. Competitively, the Club is ranked in the top 10 in the Province and is consistently represented on the podium at provincial and national-level championships.

Alex was named as Team Canada Head coach at the Junior Pan American Swimming Championships.  He has also coached swimmer, Oliver Dawson a Canadian Junior record holder and  Canadian Men’s 200M Breaststroke champion. 

Alex is creative and dynamic and offers young athletes in Northern Alberta well-structured and engaging ways to compete in the sport of competitive swimming. His work around establishing a developmental swim program has been adopted by the Province , and by many clubs throughout the province. Alex is a champion for young athletes.

 Coach Recognition Award

In 2024, Ron was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame – Class of 2024 as an Athletics Builder and received the 2024 Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Award.

His unwavering dedication has influenced numerous athletes, including Marco Arop, the first Canadian male to win world gold in the 800m and the silver medal at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Ron’s coaching legacy extends onward through several past athletes that he has mentored to become coaches at the national and international level. Over four decades, Ron has left an undeniable mark on athletics in Alberta, within the club community of Edmonton

 

 Don Watts Coach Developer Award 

Jackie has been a Master Coach Developer since June 2003 (22 years). Jackie’s coaching and coach development career spans over 35 years with an extensive background in coach mentorship and development, athlete development and  business management.

She plays a major role in Alberta training of our coaches and Learning Facilitators. She is a  Certified Coach Evaluator, Certified Learning Facilitator, Certified MASTER Coach Developer, ChPC, Certified Level 3 swim coach 1995, Swim Coach Evaluator since 2010, Swim Learning Facilitator since 2012, Multi-sport LF since 2016. 

In addition to her active involvement in delivering coach education at all levels and evaluation of coaches to attain certification, she has also been involved as a Mentor Coach with the Advanced Coaching Diploma Program through the Canadian Sport Institute in Calgary.

 

Technical Official Recognition Award

Drew Fischer exemplifies excellence in officiating. He demonstrates unwavering dedication to his craft and a profound commitment to mentoring and developing the next generation of referees.

His journey began in Calgary, where he honed his skills as a young referee. Drew ascended to the pinnacle of his profession, recently serving as a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, officiating 11 matches.

His recent recognition as the top referee in the MLS for the 2024 season underscores his exceptional performance and the respect he commands within the professional soccer community.

Beyond his on-field achievements, Drew actively contributes to the growth of the refereeing community. He consistently mentors young referees in Calgary, sharing his invaluable experience and insights.

His dedication to education extends beyond local levels, with regular contributions to CDSRA IRT classes and an upcoming presentation at the ARC referee symposium in Calgary in February 2025.

Drew's character and integrity are universally admired. Any instructor, assessor, or referee who has had the privilege of interacting with him can attest to his positive influence and unwavering dedication to the sport.

Technical Official Recognition Award

Jeff Verhoeven has been an Amateur Boxing Official since 2003. He has vast experience at all levels, and is an asset to the Alberta Amateur Boxing Association.

His talent and expertise at international events and  three Olympic qualifying tournaments, in Africa, Thailand, and the Solomon Islands. He was assigned to officiate at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games as one of 2 Canadian officials appointed for the games. He was in the ring for the very first bout to kick off the Olympic games, as well as the first gold medal match.

Jeff goes above and beyond his provincial duties by also volunteering on the National Officiating Committee that is actively shaping the new rules for the  sport. He is considered as a top official in the nation, it makes him a great example and teacher for new volunteers. Jeff runs teaching courses for new officials, and ongoing support and training to help existing officials reach higher levels..

Technical Official Recognition Award

In 2024, Louise was selected and assigned to the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. Louise was one of four Canadian officials appointed and the lone official from Alberta.

In addition to attending the Paralympics in Paris Louise also officiated at the Athletics Alberta Outdoor Provincial Championships, and the Bell Canada Track and Field Championships.

Louise has served as past-chair of the Alberta Officials Committee and serves on the National Officials Committee with Athletics Canada. She started her officiating career at the 1993 Alberta Summer games in Wetaskiwin and has been on a field ever since.

Louise continues to be active in the province as a mentor and to work with the Alberta Officials committee to develop new officials and set a standard for excellence. 

 

Sport Volunteer Recognition Award 

As a speedskating parent, Blair began his volunteer involvement at the grassroot level in the role of Meet Recorder. His meticulous work ensured that competitions ran smoothly, allowing skaters and officials to perform at their best.

At the provincial level, Blair’s leadership as President of Speedskating Alberta from 2009 until 2015 was instrumental in advancing the organization’s mission and strategic objectives. His efforts fostered the development of the sport in the province, ensuring the organization’s programs and services benefited members across the broader speed skating community.

Blair's involvement also extends to the national level, His commitment to the governance and strategic direction of the sport led to his election to the national Board of Directors in 2015, where he continued to contribute as President of the board for two terms, from 2019 until September 2024.

Throughout this time, Blair advocated for increased investment by Speed Skating Canada in grassroots development initiatives for athletes, coaches, officials, and volunteers. 

Blair’s dedication, leadership, and spirit of volunteerism have had a profound impact on the sport of speedskating, His contributions have strengthened the sport of speedskating at multiple levels, creating a lasting legacy.

Sport Volunteer Recognition Award 

Virginia has proven to be an exceptional leader and a driving force behind Alberta Water Polo’s success in her roles as both Vice President and Secretary. She embodies the spirit of volunteerism, and her contributions have been instrumental in shaping the future of Alberta Water Polo.

Her tireless efforts, strategic vision, and commitment to excellence have set a gold standard for volunteerism.

 Virginia’s leadership is nothing short of remarkable. As the world faced uncertainty during COVID, Virginia guided Alberta Water Polo with resilience and clarity, ensuring the organization not only survived but thrived.

Virginia’s leadership has directly contributed to Alberta Water Polo achieving unprecedented growth.

 

See a complete list of  Alberta Athlete and Team of the Year recipients

See a complete list of Alberta Sport Recognition Awards past recipients