FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Northeast Honours Recipients of the 2016 Premier’s Awards for Aboriginal Youth Excellence in Sport
Eight Outstanding Aboriginal Athletes Receive Prestigious Award
Prince George, B.C. (November 3, 2016) – The 2016 Premier’s Awards for Aboriginal Youth Excellence in Sport were presented this evening to eight outstanding Aboriginal youth athletes from British Columbia’s Northeast Region. The Awards were presented by Gordon Hogg, Parliamentary Secretary for Youth Sport during a formal celebration held at the Prince George Native Friendship Centre. The Northeast is the first of the Aboriginal Sport, Recreation and Physical Activity Partners Council’s six regions to honour Aboriginal athletes through this prestigious province-wide awards program.
The Aboriginal Sport, Recreation and Physical Activity Partners Council, in collaboration with the Province of British Columbia, launched the regional nomination process in September 2016, receiving more than 130 nominations from across the province for Aboriginal athletes under 25 years of age who have achieved excellence in performance sport, are regarded for their leadership qualities, committed to higher education, and recognized as community role models both on and off the field of play.
A total of 47 recipients were chosen within the Partners Council’s six regions – Northeast, Northwest, Interior, Fraser, Vancouver Coastal, and Vancouver Island.
The 2016 Premier’s Awards for Aboriginal Youth Excellence in Sport – Northeast Regional Recipients
- Amanda Geernaert, age 15, Volleyball, Soccer, Snowboarding, Takla First Nation
- Camryn Scully, age 16, Hockey, Metis Nation BC
- Cheona Edzerza, age 22, Soccer, Tahltan First Nation
- Jarin Davison, age 16, Badminton, Metis Nation BC
- Kyra Buchan, age 17, Softball, Bear Skin Lake First Nation
- Landen Niemi, age 14, Golf, Hockey, Metis Nation BC
- Summer Supernant, age 17, Volleyball, Metis Nation BC
- Tristan Tom, 13, Hockey, Skin Tyee First Nation
“On behalf of the Government of B.C., congratulations to the 2016 recipients of the Premier’s Awards for Aboriginal Youth Excellence in Sport for the Northeast region,” said Gordon Hogg, Parliamentary Secretary for Youth Sport to the Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development. “The success of our young athletes is a source of pride for their communities and the province as a whole. I commend these exceptional athletes whose hard work, dedication and achievement in their sports inspire us all to strive for our very best in all that we do.”
“This is an important evening for the Northeast,” said Ken Edzerza, Northeast Regional Lead for the Aboriginal Sport, Recreation and Physical Activity Partners Council. “It marks the first time we have gathered our communities to honour our youth athletes and celebrate their successes. The Premier’s Awards recognize our young people who are leading by example and giving back in a big way to their sport and communities.”
These Regional recipients automatically serve as nominees for the Provincial Awards. A total of 12 Provincial Awards (six male and six female) will be selected in January. Provincial recipients will be presented with their award at Gathering our Voices National Aboriginal Youth Conference in Kelowna March 21 – 24, 2017.
Throughout November the five remaining regions will host formal celebrations to honour their 2016 Regional Premier’s Awards recipients.
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About the Aboriginal Sport, Recreation and Physical Activity Partners Council
The Partners Council is a consortium of the BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres, the First Nations Health Authority, and the Métis Nation BC. As the stewards of BC’s Aboriginal Sport, Recreation and Physical Activity Strategy, the Partners Council works with First Nations, Aboriginal communities and other sport and physical activity stakeholders to deliver community-based programs designed to promote active lifestyles and support the desire for transformative change in the health and well-being of Aboriginal communities, families and individuals across BC. For more information, please visit www.aboriginalsportbc.ca.
Media Contact
Felicia Greekas
Manager, Premier’s Awards and Communications
(250) 388-5522 ext. 226
fgreekas@bcaafc.com
