Young athletes at the Ponoka Secondary Campus (PSC) celebrated a year of accomplishments June 9 and thanked coaches for guiding them along the way in their sport.
This was also a good time to recognize the school’s highest athletic awards, Bronc and Athlete of the Year for each grade. Athletic director Scotty MacGregor tried to describe what the honour means.
“What does it mean to be a Bronc? Sometimes it’s hard to describe in words,” said MacGregor.
He likened the two athletic awards to quotes from coaches painted on the new gym wall. MacGregor said there are currently 12 quotes from coaches but not one of them relate the individual coach, rather they describe lessons learned in their careers. “It’s not about the sport.”
MacGregor feels the Bronc and Athlete of the Year awards recognize perseverance, growth and becoming a better person. This year is also the first year PSC took on junior high school students, which changed the awards banquet format.
He also thanked young athletes for their patience over the last year as they did not have their own gym where they could play home games. “It took a lot of patience for our athletes and I commend them in this regard.”
Students from many of the different athletic programs at the school came to speak and recognize coaches for being leaders in their respective sport. Young athletes spoke on football, track and field, volleyball, basketball, cross country athletics, curling and badminton.
Jared Nicolls spoke on the golf program led by teacher Ron Labrie. Despite the team not winning at provincials, Labrie has helped build the program up.
“I just hope that the golf program can continue to be as strong as it has in the past few years,” said Nicolls.
MacGregor acknowledged Nicolls who played as a Bronc at four different provincials competitions: golf, badminton, basketball and volleyball. The latter was the only sport Nicolls did not compete in a provincials challenge.
Another area that regularly sees Broncs athletes in a provincial challenge is in badminton. MacGregor said coach Jim Lank has had a strong record with his team. “Jim’s been able to send someone to provincials every year.”
Team captain for the Broncs senior boys basketball team Brandt Seibel took some time to thank coach Blaine Haines for bringing the team up over the years. Seibel said a few years ago the Broncs were not a strong team but Haines’s patience and desire to coach the young athletes brought them in contention for zones and provincials.
Seibel said Haines’s approach was not so much about winning but more developing the individuals on the team to become united. He feels this was a factor in earning the team a perfect regular season record.
“The team, not the individual, is the champion,” concluded Seibel.
MacGregor closed by saying coaches were consulted on students to be awarded. He said if the coach was a parent to the athlete then they removed themselves from the decision making process.
Young athletes were awarded points for their athletic efforts. The points ranged from 30 to 120 at the highest.
Broncs of the Year (girls, then boys):
Grade 7: Shayla Ennis, Owen Feragen
Grade 8: Chloe Labrie, Sean Rowland
Grade 9: Regan Corkery, Jayden Hageman
Grade 10: Lisa van der Westhuizen, Darcy Hoogers
Grade 11: Shaye Leidenus, Keenan Haines
Grade 12: Samantha Jensen, Davis Labrie and Brandt Seibel
Athletes of the year:
Grades 7 and 8 did not have Athlete of Year awards this year.
Grade 9: Tess Pearman, Cameron Walsh
Grade 10: Samira Rowland, Ashton Soosay
Grade 11: Daria Leidenus, Tavis Lee
Grade 12: Maddison Pearman, Jared Nicolls