For the first time ever, the Abbotsford Sports Hall of Fame is set to introduce two Coach of the Year awards.
This year will mark the debut of the School Coach of the Year and Community Coach of the Year honours.
These awards celebrate the outstanding achievements and significant contributions coaches have made to their athletes and their sport through coaching.
Selected Coaches of the Year will be honoured with a plaque on the newly created Coaching Wall of Fame.
The Community Coach award recognizes coaching excellence and accomplishments in grassroots, recreational and competitive community-based sports, at any age level.
The School Coach award recognizes coaching excellence and accomplishments in school-based sport at the elementary, middle, secondary or tertiary school level.
Nominees must be involved with a sport that is physical, competitive and adheres to a specific set of standard rules. The sport must also have an affiliation with a provincial or national sport federation.
Nominees should demonstrate a capacity to inspire and motivate athletes; possess a proven capacity to foster team/athlete advancement in a sport; encourage respect for athletes, officials and opponents; and embrace the philosophy of fair play and make use of commonly acceptable training theory and practice.
Other traits the ASHOF board is looking for in the coaching awards include: leadership, development of the sport, effectiveness as a coach and development of the players as athletes and people.
Nominations will be accepted from local sports organizations, current or former athlete, parents of current or former athletes, and community or school officials and coaches.
As in years past, the local sports historical society is seeking nominees for permanent induction into the Hall of Fame, which honours standouts in the categories of athlete, team, coach/builder and community sport builder.
To date, 55 distinguished inductees have been recognized with display cabinets at the Legacy Sports Centre at Exhibition Park.
Additionally, nominations are sought for the Wall of Fame – a one-year recognition for Abbotsford athletes from the ages of 14 to 25 who had outstanding individual or team performances in the 2019 calendar year.
Nominations for the Hall of Fame, Wall of Fame and Coach of the Year will be accepted until Jan. 31, and criteria and forms are available at abbysportshalloffame.ca. All successful candidates will be recognized at the ASHOF’s annual Celebration of Excellence on April 25 at the Legacy Sports Centre.
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