The Saskatchewan Sport Awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of individuals in the province’s amateur sport community.
Multiple awards are handed out yearly in two categories – Excellence and Recognition.
Since 1984, the Excellence Awards have acknowledged top performances and results for athletes, coaches and teams in the province. The Recognition Awards honour long-time service as a volunteer or coach, as well as share stories of courage and determination.
Excellence Awards Athlete of the Year – Male/Female Youth Athlete of the Year – Male/Female Coach of the Year Team of the Year
Recognition Awards Coach Dedication Volunteer Dedication Inspire Through Sport
Nominations and Deadlines
Nomination forms are accepted year-round for all categories. To be considered for current awards cycle nominations must be received by:
November 1 at 11:59 p.m. annually for Recognition Awards categories
December 20 at 11:59 p.m. annually for Excellence Awards
All nominations received after these dates will be held for the next awards cycle.
Nominations are accepted by Sask Sport members, sport community groups, media or the general public.
Three finalists are selected in each Excellence category with the recipient announced at the Saskatchewan Sport Awards Gala. Multiple recipients are selected in the Recognition categories. An awards committee selects the recipients and finalists.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION The purpose of the Excellence Awards is to recognize and celebrate outstanding event performances or a series of performances a Saskatchewan athlete, coach or team has achieved within a given calendar year (January – December).
AWARDS CATEGORIES There are six Excellence categories:
Male: A male who participates in either an individual or team sport who does not fall within the Youth-Male category.
Female: A female who participates in either an individual or team sport who does not fall within the Youth-Female category.
Youth Male: A male, born in 2004 or later, who participates in either an individual or team sport.
Youth Female: A female, born in 2004 or later, who participates in either an individual or team sport.
Team: A team as defined as several Saskatchewan athletes associated together in the same event, as a number of persons selected to contend on one side in a match (as in hockey, football, or rowing). The team members may be of any age or level. The team must have won or had a strong finish at a national championship or highest level of competition.
Coach: A Saskatchewan-based coach who achieved outstanding performances with Saskatchewan athlete(s) in a calendar year. This award is not meant to be long-standing success but in the course of one calendar year (January – December).
NOMINATION CRITERIA
Male, Female and Youth Athlete of the Year
Nominations must be for amateur athletes who participate in a sport which is a recognized active member of Sask Sport. a. An athlete who is the product of the sport development system in Saskatchewan and participates in a sport that does not have a recognized PSO in Saskatchewan (Ex. Luge, Skeleton or Bobsled) can be nominated by the Canadian Sport Centre Saskatchewan. b. Athletes who turn professional part way through the year in which they are being nominated are still eligible for nomination as long as they have achieved their accomplishments during the time period when they were still an amateur. The athlete’s professional success will not be considered and should not be included in the nomination. Due to the fact that the definition of amateur varies from sport to sport; for the purpose of these awards amateur will mean whatever the specific sport defines as an amateur athlete or team.
The nominee must be a member in good standing with an active member of Sask Sport or their National Sport Organization. Note: If the athlete is a product of the Saskatchewan sport development system but is not a member of their Saskatchewan Provincial Sport Organization, the nominating organization can request that the nomination be considered as a special circumstance. (Ex. an athlete who is on a National Team and training at a National Training Centre outside of the province and is not required by the National Sport Organization to maintain a provincial membership.)
The award is open to athletes who make their primary residence in Saskatchewan or are deemed products of the sport development system in Saskatchewan. Athletes who live in other locations for education or training purposes are also eligible for nomination, as are athletes who originally came from other provinces, provided their primary residence is declared as being in Saskatchewan.
Athlete of the Month Award winners are eligible, but nominations are not limited to the recipients of Athlete of the Month Awards.
Team
Nominations must be for amateur teams who participate in a sport which is a recognized active member of Sask Sport.
The nominated team must be a member in good standing with an active member of Sask Sport. Note: If a team, who is comprised of athletes who are products of the sport development system in Saskatchewan and participate in a sport that does not have a recognized PSO in Saskatchewan (Ex. two-man Bobsled) the team can be nominated by the Canadian Sport Centre Saskatchewan.
For a team to be eligible, the majority of team members must be Saskatchewan athletes.
Individual squads such as relay teams, pairs, and fours are eligible as a team.
A contingent of athletes competing in individual disciplines in which there is a recognized team award (track and field, wrestling, skiing) may be considered under this category.
Athlete of the Month Award winners are eligible, but nominations are not limited to the recipients of Athlete of the Month Awards.
Members of the team can be any age.
Coach
Nominations must be for individuals coaching amateur athletes in a sport that is recognized as an active member and be in good standing with member of Sask Sport.
Must be actively coaching at the time of nomination.
Primary residence is in Saskatchewan.
Be an NCCP Certified coach or have an equivalent level of coaching education and experience, as determined by the Award Selection Committee.
Must have completed Respect in Sport for Activity Leaders.
Demonstrated the characteristics of honesty, integrity, a positive attitude, competitiveness, a love of sport and a commitment to the core principles of the NCCP Code of Ethics.
Positive role model for athletes and peers in the province.
NOMINATION PROCESS
Nominations must be received by midnight on December 20 annually. Late submissions will not be considered. Should an athlete have accomplishments to include after this date and before the end of the year, it can be noted for the selection committee to request and review.
Nominators can only submit one nomination per category.
Nominations can come from active and affiliate members of Sask Sport, amateur sport community clubs or organizations, as well as the general public.
Nominees can be submitted multiple years for consideration in the six athlete, team and coach of the year categories.
All nominations must include the required information requested in the nomination form and use true information.
All nominations must be submitted by utilizing the Sask Sport online nomination form. Handwritten or other submitted nominations will not be accepted.
When completing the online nomination forms, please do not use acronyms. Please spell out in full all competitions, events and awards on first reference.
The final decision regarding nominee eligibility will rest with Sask Sport. All decisions shall be final.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The Coach Dedication Awards are designed to honour the outstanding accomplishments and contributions that coaches have made to sport, athletes and community. Up to four Coach Dedication Awards will be given out yearly.
NOMINATION CRITERIA
To be eligible to receive a Coach Dedication Award, the coach must:
Be or have recently been coaching amateur athletes in a sport that is recognized as an active member of Sask Sport.
Be actively coaching for no less than 10 years or recently retired at the time of the nomination for no less than 10 years.
Be a member in good standing with the nominating organization.
Must have a primary residence in Saskatchewan.
Be an NCCP Certified coach or have an equivalent level of coaching education and experience, as determined by the Award Selection Committee.
Must have completed Respect in Sport for Activity Leaders.
Consent to the nomination.
If the nominee has received a Saskatchewan Sport Award for Volunteer Dedication in the past (in whole or in part for their coaching contributions) they are not eligible for nomination for the Coach Dedication Awards.
Not received the Coach Dedication Award in the past.
SELECTION CRITERIA This award is designed to recognize and honour the outstanding accomplishments and contributions that a coach has made to their sport, athletes and community. This award is dedicated to recognizing history and dedication to coaching.
The following attributes will be used to determine the selections:
Contribution to Sport
a. Total number of years the coach has been actively coaching.
b. Contributions to coaching development or coach education.
Personal Development and Success
a. Certification the coach has attained through the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP).
b. Other clinics, seminars or coaching education programs the coach has attended.
c. Past recognition (Ex. awards) the coach has received for his/her contributions to sport.
Coaching Effectiveness
a. Significant coaching accomplishments (Ex. placings, rankings, records) of the coach’s teams or athletes during his/her coaching career.
b. Demonstration of improvement of his/her athletes or teams.
c. Demonstration of concern for the all-round development of the athlete in assisting the individual in balancing sport, social and educational needs.
Leadership and Coaching Ethics
(taken from the Coaching Association of Canada – Code of Ethics)
a. Respect for Participants
b. Responsible Coaching
c. Integrity in Relationships
d. Honouring Sport
NOMINATION PROCESS
Nominations must be received by midnight on November 1 annually. Late submissions will not be considered.
Nominators can only submit one nomination per category.
Nominations can come from active and affiliate members of Sask Sport, amateur sport community clubs or organizations, as well as the general public.
All nominations must include the required information requested in the nomination form and use true information.
All nominations must be submitted by utilizing the Sask Sport online nomination form. Handwritten or other submitted nominations will not be accepted.
All previous unsuccessful nominations, for up to three years, must be resubmitted on the new online form.
When completing the online nomination forms, please do not use acronyms. Please spell out in full all competitions, events and awards on first reference.
The final decision regarding nominee eligibility will rest with Sask Sport. All decisions shall be final.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The Volunteer Dedication Awards are designed to honour individuals who devote their time and effort toward the development of sport. Up to six Volunteer Dedication Awards will be given out yearly.
NOMINATION CRITERIA To be eligible to receive a Volunteer Dedication Award:
Volunteers may be officials, administrator, builders in sport development or coach and/or a combination of all four.
Be or have recently been volunteering in a sport that is recognized as an active or affiliate member of Sask Sport.
The nominee may not derive primary income through an amateur sport organization.
Nominations can come from active and affiliate members of Sask Sport, amateur sport community clubs or organizations, as well as the general public.
Only one nomination per member organization will be accepted per year. The individual nominated must have been active as a volunteer during the year leading up to the nomination and must have been a sport volunteer for a minimum of 10 years.
Volunteers may be nominated for service within the province and/or at the national/international level. Service to sport within the province will be the most important factor in the selection process.
If the individual has received a Coach Dedication Award, an Officials’ Award or Volunteer Dedication Award in the past, they are not eligible for nomination in this category.
SELECTION CRITERIA
This award is designed to recognize and honour the outstanding accomplishments and contributions that a volunteer has made to their sport, athletes, and community. This award is dedicated to recognizing history, dedication and achievement in the area of volunteering.
The following attributes will be used to determine the selection:
Contribution to Sport
a. Total number of years the volunteer has been actively volunteering at the community, provincial, national and/or international levels.
b. Contributions to sport development or sport education during the past year, as well as previous years.
Personal Development and Success
a. Other clinics, seminars or professional development the nominee has attended as part of their volunteer field.
b. Past recognition (Ex. awards) the nominee has received for his/her contributions to sport.
c. Significant accomplishments (Ex. key assignments, major competitions worked, etc.) the nominee has achieved during his/her officiating career.
Volunteering Ethics
a. How the nominee has shown respect for athletes, coaches, officials, integrity in relationships and honour to their sport.
NOMINATION PROCESS
Nominations must be received by midnight on November 1 annually. Late submissions will not be considered.
Nominators can only submit one nomination per category.
Nominations can come from active and affiliate members of Sask Sport, amateur sport community clubs or organizations, as well as the general public.
All nominations must include the required information requested in the nomination form and use true information.
All nominations must be submitted by utilizing the Sask Sport online nomination form. Handwritten or other submitted nominations will not be accepted.
All previous unsuccessful nominations, for up to three years, must be resubmitted on the new online form.
When completing the online nomination forms, please do not use acronyms. Please spell out in full all competitions, events and awards on first reference.
The final decision regarding nominee eligibility will rest with Sask Sport. All decisions shall be final.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The purpose of the Inspire Through Sport Awards is to recognize an athlete, coach, official, administrator or team who demonstrated courage, determination and/or perseverance and whose unwavering spirit serves to inspire others across the amateur sport community and beyond. This includes, but is not limited to:
Those who have overcome personal/physical adversity or a life-altering situation
Those whose pursuits and accomplishments have broken barriers, promoted inclusion or encouraged people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to participate.
NOMINATION CRITERIA To be eligible to receive an Inspire Through Sport Award:
Nominees may be an athlete, coach, official, administrator or team within or developed by the Saskatchewan amateur sport community.
Nominees cannot be nominated for an Excellence Award, Coach Dedication or Volunteer Dedication Award in the same year as the Inspire Through Sport Award.
Nominations can come from active and affiliate members of Sask Sport, amateur sport community clubs or organizations, as well as the general public.
The base of the nomination must have been within a reasonable amount of time from the nomination based on the adversity. Discretion is at the selection committee.
The nominee must be a member in good standing with an active member of Sask Sport or their National Sport Organization.
Officials, administrators or coaches can be volunteer or paid by the organization.
For a team to be eligible the basis of the nomination must have directly affected the team structure.
More than one award could be given out in a nomination cycle at the determination of the selection committee.
SELECTION CRITERIA
This award is designed to recognize courage, determination, perseverance and an unwavering spirit that serves to inspire others across the amateur sport community and beyond.
The following attributes will be used to determine the selection:
Contribution to Sport
a. Achievement and successes within sport including contributions to sport development or education (if applicable).
b. History of sport in Saskatchewan.
Personal Development and Growth a. How did the nominee grow as an individual, athlete, official, coach, administrator or team?
b. How did the nominee inspire through sport?
Ethics
a. How the nominee has shown respect for athletes, coaches, officials, integrity in relationships and honour to their sport.
NOMINATION PROCESS
Nominations must be received by midnight on November 1 annually. Late submissions will not be considered.
Nominators can only submit one nomination per category.
Nominations can come from active and affiliate members of Sask Sport, amateur sport community clubs or organizations, as well as the general public.
All nominations must include the required information requested in the nomination form and use true information.
Nominee has consented to the nomination.
All nominations must be submitted by utilizing the Sask Sport online nomination form. Handwritten or other submitted nominations will not be accepted.
All previous unsuccessful nominations, for up to three years, must be resubmitted on the new online form.
When completing the online nomination forms, please do not use acronyms. Please spell out in full all competitions, events and awards on first reference.
The final decision regarding nominee eligibility will rest with Sask Sport. All decisions shall be final.
