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Achievements from North Bay Figure Skating Club

This weekend the North Bay Figure Skating Club held its annual Awards night and honoured skaters, coaches and volunteers for their excellence and skating achievements throughout the year.


This weekend the North Bay Figure Skating Club held its annual Awards night and honoured skaters, coaches and volunteers for their excellence and skating achievements throughout the year.

A highlight of the night was the presentation to Chad Mathieu the Skate Canada Northern Ontario Section Program Assistant of the Year Award recipient. Chad was the North Bay club’s nominee for this award which is awarded to a Program Assistant from a club within the Northern Ontario Section as chosen from the list of candidates submitted to the Skate Canada Northern Ontario Board of Directors. This award is presented in each of the 13 Sections across Canada. Chad was the deserving recipient of this award in recognition for his Spirit of Skating and commitment to the skaters of the North Bay club as having made a significant contribution to the club in helping skaters of all ages, assisting coaches, being a good role model for other skaters and as someone who it is felt will make a long-term contribution to the sport of figure skating in a coaching or volunteer role.

Wendy St. Denis, a long time volunteer with the North Bay Figure Skating Club, Northern Ontario Section and Skate Canada was the North Bay Figure Skating Club’s nominee for the Skate Canada Volunteer Award of Excellence for the Skate Canada Northern Ontario Section and is deserving recipient of this award. Wendy has been a dedicated volunteer and has been on the Board of Directors at the Club, Section and National level and has been the Chair or member of numerous committees, competitions and events. This is a national award presented to an individual in each of the 13 Sections across Canada and will be presented to her at the Skate Canada Achievement Awards Gala in Winnipeg in June. Wendy is the recipient of this award as an adult volunteer whose efforts have produced specific and positive results within and outside the Northern Ontario Section, who leads by example and is an exemplary role model for other volunteers, skaters, coaches and whose contributions reflect passion for the sport and its participants.

Other notable awards, which were presented by BMO Financial Group local Representative Trevor Reid, were CanSkater of the Year Award- Avery Servos and CanSkate Champions-Spirit Awards- Sammi Ricci-Bonzey and Antonio Selk. BMO Financial Group is a Skate Canada National sponsor of the CanSkate program.

The Junior Program’s Most Improved Skaters this year were Marie Pier Giroux, Mackenzie Wolfe, Kelsey Stockill, and Meghan Clout.

Rhonda Fraser Memorial CanSkate Program Assistant of the Year Award winner was Chad Mathieu and honourable mentions awarded to Amanda Kraft and Amber Rioux.

Eight Gold Level Tests were passed this year by North Bay skaters. Skate Canada Gold Certificates and Pins were awarded to the following skaters: Gold Dance- Melissa Tennant, Gold Creative Dance- Kadrienne Montcalm, Gold Interpretive- Rachel Beaton, Melissa Newton, Jessica Tod, Gold Skills- Tara McKay, Gold Freeskate- Melissa Newton, and Jessica Tod. Beaton, Newton and Tod were also recognized for achieving Quadruple Gold status in Skills, Dance, Freeskate and Interpretive skating.

Jennifer Allison, Melissa Newton and Jessica Tod were recognized for their invitations to audition for “Disney on Ice”.

Skaters who qualified for Provincial and National level events during the past year were also recognized: Alice Graham and partner Andrew Poje- Junior Dance Bronze Medalists at the Canadian Championships, Chad Mathieu- Novice Men’s Northern Ontario Champion and Western Challenge Competitor, Matthew Giles- Novice Men’s Northern Ontario Bronze Medalist and Western Challenge Competitor, Patrick Therrien and partner Yang Zhang- Western Challenge competitors in Novice Dance, Erin Bros & Rachel Beaton-Novice Ladies competitors Skate Ontario Trillium Cup Competitors, Kaitlin Smith- PreNovice Ladies competitor Skate Ontario Trillium Cup, Monica Mullin- Juvenile Ladies Skate Ontario Competitor Trillium Cup and Katelyn Megginson- Ontario Trillium STARSkate Championship Junior Silver Ladies competitor.

Excellence in coaching achievements were also awarded by the North Bay FSC. They include: Debbie Cottrill-Olivier recognizing her achievements in coaching three skaters this past season who qualified for national level or provincial level events, Sharon Lajeunesse as part of the coaching team with skaters qualifying for national and provincial events and for her attendance to development camps for competitive skaters and her volunteer efforts with the club, Tim White- part of the coaching team for skaters qualifying for national and provincial level events, Joan Wilkes for her achievements in having a skater qualify for provincial level events and also recognizing her dedication and volunteer efforts for the NBFSC, coaches Susan Dell and Nancy Bryant for each having skaters qualify for provincial level events and Judy Miron who had a skater qualify for a national level event.

The NBFSC also recognized the many dedicated and committed volunteer members who give up countless hours to ensure the club’s programs and skaters continue to be successful!

Submitted to BayToday.ca

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Chris Dawson

About the Author: Chris Dawson

Chris Dawson has been with BayToday.ca since 2004. He has provided up-to-the-minute sports coverage and has become a key member of the BayToday news team.
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