L to R: Karl Wiebe, Christine Rewniak, Evan Cox, Rick Waterman
The Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association presented their annual High Coaching and Volunteer Awards today at its annual general meeting, which is being held in Brandon.
The Nick Laping Leadership Award is in honor of a great friend of high school sports, Nick Laping. Nick started his teaching career at John Taylor Collegiate around 40 years ago and coached the John Taylor Pipers and St. Paul’s Crusaders in basketball. Nick left teaching and went into the business community working for Jr. Achievement and later as Vice President of Human Resources at the Birchwood Group. His was a real leader in sport and always cared about his high school sport roots.
Rick Waterman of Erickson Collegiate was presented with the Nick Laping Leadership Award.
He has been teaching for 27 years and has been coaching a variety of athletics programs for all those 27 years. Rick is currently the Zone convenor for badminton and has held that position for over 20 plus years. He hosts an early season badminton tournament at the school prior to Spring Break to “kick-off” the badminton season. Rick has coached both JV and varsity girls and boys volleyball. In addition, he also organizes two downhill ski trips a year for the school.
Rick was one of the founders of the Minnedosa Chancellors cooperative hockey program between Minnedosa and Erickson Collegiate in the late 90’s. He is an integral part of the success in the school in more ways than athletics, creating food and nutrition, photography and horticulture programs. He is a wealth of experience with high school athletics and this has made him a perfect mentor for other young coaches in the school and throughout the Zone.
The Frank L. McKinnon Award is presented to an outstanding contributor to high school athletics. The award is named in honour of the long time Principal of Carman Collegiate, Frank McKinnon, who was a past board member and President of the Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association.
Karl Wiebe of Westgate Mennonite Collegiate in Winnipeg was presented the Frank L. McKinnon Award for his outstanding volunteerism in high school sport.
Karl has coached varsity boys basketball, golf, badminton, and track & field for over 35 years. His achievements as a coach were great, in particular, on the basketball court. He guided many student athletes to become better players, but more importantly better people. Over a six-year period from 2008 – 2014 the Westgate varsity boys basketball team captured four gold, a silver and a consolation championship. Karl received the Mike Spack Award from Basketball Manitoba in 2016.
Karl was instrumental in building an incredibly strong overall program as a sport administrator at Westgate Mennonite Collegiate. He has been there as a support for many teams but also as mentor to both coaches and parents. Karl was a constant presence at games, tournament and Provincial Championships and the athletes, coaches and parents could always depend on his sport experience to help make their seasons as smooth as possible.
Each year the MHSAA selects the Female and Male High School Coaches of the Year. A $1,000 prize is awarded to each individual courtesy of the 1990 Grey Cup Legacy Fund.
The 2018 Grey Cup Legacy Female High School Coach of the Year was awarded to Christine Rewniak of St. Mary’s Academy in Winnipeg.
Christine has been coaching volleyball for over 24 years. She started coaching shortly after high school and was the assistant coach of the River East Kodiaks varsity girls team for three years. She then spent one year as assistant coach for the Miles Macdonell Buckeyes varsity girls team. She has coached club volleyball and has been the head volleyball coach for St. Mary’s Academy since 1997. She has coached two athletes that went on to play for Team Canada and numerous athletes that have gone on to University and College teams in both Canada and the USA.
She has coached two club teams to Provincial Championships and was selected as Volleyball Manitoba Coach of the Year in 2010. Christine has won numerous conference championships with St. Mary’s Academy as well as three AAAA high school Provincial Championships in 2011, 2015 and 2016. She led the 2015 team to an undefeated season.
Christine is not only a valuable coach but also a wonderful teacher and impeccable role model. There are no short cuts to success in volleyball and Christine exemplifies this year after year. She is an all-around role model both on and off the court and expects and receives nothing but the best from her athletes.
The 2018 Grey Cup Legacy Male High School Coach of the Year was awarded to Evan Cox of Collège Sturgeon Heights Collegiate in Winnipeg.
Evan began his basketball coaching career at Westdale Junior High in 2000 and was the assistant JV boys basketball coach at Silver Heights from 2003 – 2006. In 2006 he moved over to Kelvin High School where he was the head coach for the grade nine boys and assistant coach for the JV boys team. In 2008 he moved to Sturgeon Heights and started as assistant coach for JV boys and moved on to head coach in 2009. He was also the assistant coach for the varsity girls basketball team and head coach of the badminton and girls soccer teams.
Evan runs an open gym basketball skills development program at the school three to five days a week during the summer. He has coached his teams to Provincial, conference and Zone Championships. This year he coached his JV boys basketball team to an undefeated season. He has been named JV boys coach of the year twice by Basketball Manitoba, and High School Coach of the Month. He also organizes the Pro’s vs Joe’s charity event each year at the school to raise money for families in need each Christmas.
Receiving Certificates of Recognition from the MHSAA for their outstanding contribution to high school sport were: Corey Billaney of Boissevain School, Tim Brock of W.C. Miller Collegiate (Altona), Ralph Clark of Brandon School Division, Will Konrad of Kelvin High School (Winnipeg), Stacy Hawash of Vincent Massey Collegiate (Winnipeg), and Scott Martin of Shoal Lake School.
Over 130 teacher coaches and administrators are convening in Brandon on June 18 and 19 to attend the MHSAA’s annual general meeting to discuss policies and philosophies pertaining to high school sport in Manitoba.
The Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association is a voluntary not-for-profit organization which is comprised of nearly 200 Senior High Schools from across the Province. Over 30,000 student athletes and 2,900 plus volunteer coaches are involved with the association. The association receives funding through Sport Manitoba, our corporate partners, membership fees, and other general revenue.
