VICTORIA - Castaway Wanderers product and Glenlyon Norfolk graduate Fergus Hall has been announced as a finalist for the Sport BC High School Male Athlete of the Year Award. A standout in soccer and rugby, Hall was named one of three top male athletes along with Vancouver's Pharmvir Dhesi (Wrestling) and Kelowna's Braxton Bunce (Basketball) for his accomplishments during the 2011-12 season.
Hall excelled on the rugby pitch in 2012 with both the provincial XVs and Sevens programs. A standout in the BC Rugby Academy, Hall was instrumental in seeing British Columbia's U18 XVs side defend their title at nationals in Sherbrooke, Quebec this past August. With the BC Elite Youth Sevens program, Hall was a key figure in the U18s going undefeated to lift three youth international titles in Las Vegas, Hong Kong and Victoria. During the Las Vegas cup final against national side High School All-Americans, Hall produced a flawless kicking performance going 5-for-5 in conversion attempts to see off the Americans 35-14.
Sport BC Media Release
The Athlete of the Year Awards ceremony and gala dinner, set for March 7, 2013 at the River Rock Show Theatre in Richmond BC, recognizes BC’s best amateur athletes, coaches, and officials in 17 categories. Each finalist was nominated by their Provincial Sport Organization, high school or university, and selected by a committee of BC sportswriters, broadcasters, athletes and amateur sport experts.
“A significant number of very strong nominations were received this year,” said Sport BC’s President and CEO, Rob Newman. “The Athlete of the Year Awards provides a great opportunity to recognize these talented and deserving athletes, coaches and officials. This year’s nominees are certainly a testament to the strength and depth of sport in our province.”
The 47th Annual Athlete of the Year Award Finalists:
Athlete with a Disability
Josh Dueck (Vernon, BC) – Alpine Ski
Trevor Hirschfield (Vancouver, BC) – Wheelchair Rugby
Michelle Stilwell (Parksville, BC) – Wheelchair Athletics
Coach of the Year
Randy Bennett (Victoria, BC) – Swimming
Rob Kober (Penticton, BC) – Freestyle Moguls
Peter Lawless (Victoria, BC) – Wheelchair Sports
College Athlete of the Year
Kayla Bruce (Abbotsford, BC) – Volleyball
Jenna Ralston (Mission, BC) – Basketball
Jen Woods (Kelowna, BC) – Golf
High School Female Athlete of the Year
Maddie Secco (Victoria, BC) – Field Hockey, Soccer, Cross Country and Track & Field
Chelsea Strandlund (Victoria, BC) – Volleyball, Soccer, Basketball, Softball
Emma Wolfram (Kamloops, BC) – Basketball
High School Male Athlete of the Year
Braxton Bunce (Kelowna, BC) – Basketball
Pharmvir Dhesi (Vancouver, BC) – Wrestling
Fergus Hall (Victoria, BC) – Rugby, Soccer
Junior Female Athlete of the Year
Shallon Olsen (Surrey, BC) – Gymnastics
Julia Ransom (Kelowna, BC) – Biathlon
Haley Stradling (Langley, BC) – Equestrian
Junior Male Athlete of the Year
Filip Peliwo (North Vancouver, BC) – Tennis
Sam Reinhart (Vancouver, BC) – Hockey
Adam Svensson (Surrey, BC) - Golf
Master Athlete of the Year
Christa Bortignon (West Vancouver, BC) – Athletics
Sandra Hewson (Surrey, BC) – Judo
Stephanie Kieffer (Vancouver, BC) – Triathlon
Official of the Year
Len Kirby (Nanaimo, BC) – Equestrian
Terry Mosdell (Surrey, BC) – Lacrosse
Pat Smith (Kamloops, BC) – Hockey
Senior Female Athlete of the Year
Christine Girard (White Rock, BC) – Weightlifting
Christine Sinclair (Burnaby, BC) – Soccer
Marielle Thompson (Whistler, BC) – Ski-Cross
Senior Male Athlete of the Year
Ryan Cochrane (Victoria, BC) – Swimming
Ryder Hsejedal (Victoria, BC) – Cycling
Denny Morrison (Fort St. John, BC) – Speed Skating
Team of the Year
Penticton Vees (Penticton, BC) – Hockey
TWU Men’s Volleyball Team (Abbotsford, BC) – Volleyball
UBC Women’s Swim Team (Vancouver, BC) – Swimming
University Athlete of the Year
Ben Ball (Abbotsford, BC) – Volleyball
Savannah King (Kamloops, BC) – Swimming
Kyla Richey (Vancouver, BC) – Volleyball
Other awards presented at the ceremony include Best of BC, Community Champion, Harry Jerome Comeback ,and the Daryl Thompson Lifetime Achievement Award.
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