Boulet named recipient of top ASAA award

By Lethbridge Herald on April 23, 2025.

Herald File photo by Alejandra Pulido-Guzman Bernadine Boulet alongside her daughter Mariko Boulet-Couture and husband Toby Boulet talk to reporters about Green Shirt Day 2025 last month. Toby was nominated for the Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association Routledge Award for his time as an athletic director at Winston Churchill High School.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

Retired Winston Churchill High School teacher and athletic director Toby Boulet has been named the recipient of the Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association’s  Routledge Award winner for his efforts in displaying exceptional character and  sportsmanship and being a role model  during his time at the school.

Boulet was also a South Zone president.

Boulet is honoured to be receiving ASAA’s top award.

“It shows longevity in the program, and longevity in schools and longevity of giving back to kids,” said Boulet.

Boulet says it’s pretty easy, when he showed character and sportsmanship at Winston Churchill High School

“It  just didn’t seem to matter what it was; the Churchill kids were caring and they wanted to give back and they wanted to work hard,” said Boulet.

“So it’s pretty easy to be the leader of those kids and those teachers that are coaching and the out-of-school coaches when everybody’s on the same page.”

Boulet was able to bring the first-ever provincial championship to WCHS in the start of what was a string of seven more championships  that were co-hosted at the school in his time as athletic director.

“Which was pretty meaningful and it brought other schools to our building, to our city and it showcased Lethbridge,” said Boulet.

“I kind of built that bridge with other schools, so that we would  work together on championships … That shows camaraderie, team work and building (of) programs.”

Boulet spoke about what he felt he accomplished as  athletic director in terms of bringing a different aspect and making it better at WCHS.

“I’m a conciliator,” said Boulet.

“I like to make everybody happy, so it’s a win-win-win situation.”

Boulet co-coordinated a Unified Sports Bocce Ball Festival for inclusivity in athletics at WCHS.

“Inclusive everything is important to me,” said Boulet.

“There’s students out there that just wanna participate and they wanna be recognized and they wanna do things. And so, there was an opportunity with the ASAA to have inclusive sports and I  had saw they had a bocce tournament. I thought well we can do that.”

“The Routledge Award in Toby Boulet’s name serves as a powerful and enduring testament to an individual who truly embodied the spirit of high school athletics,” as read in ASAA’s social media post.

“He remains an inspiration to all who strive to make a difference in the lives of young people through sport.”

Boulet was also a South Zone president.

Athletic director highlights for Boulet included taking teams on  international rugby tours.

Boulet taught at WCHS for 24 years of his career, with 16 of those being the athletic director, before retiring in 2019.

Boulet will receive the award in June at the ASAA banquet in Edmonton.