Lethbridge Sport Council announce Achievement Awards recipients

By Lethbridge Herald on March 13, 2025.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Lethbridge Sport Council Achievement Awards recipients pose for a picture on Thursday.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

Lethbridge Sport Council announced its list of Achievement Awards winners in recognition of athlete and coaching efforts in the sport community for 2024 on Thursday.

LCI football player Nathan Morris was announced as the recipient of the Junior Male Athlete of the Year for what he has accomplished in the program.

Morris was named the 2024 MVP, an All-Star running back and top LCI’s football charts in rushing yards and touchdowns.

He made it through the selection process via the Alberta International Selects Program and was identified as a player that could possibly receive a scholarship offer to a National Collegiate Athletic Association school.

“I appreciate it a lot,” said Morris.

Morris felt he was worthy of this award because of his hard working approach and a willingness to compete.

“Always like to beat whoever’s in front of me,” said Morris.

Morris focuses on being a role model for others.

“Like all the people that back up my position, I like to teach them things that I know that they probably don’t know,” said Morris.

The Dr. Gary Bowie Sports Event Excellence Award recipient went to LCI’s Green and Gold Wrestling Tournament, which celebrated 40 years in 2024, and over the years has allowed for growth and beneficial developmental opportunities.

“For 40 years of running the tournament, it’s been with the support of all our coaches, staff, administration and the number (of) kids that (have) gone through the program is tremendous,” said Alan Hansen, LCI wrestling head coach.

Hansen was asked how the tournament improved the sport over the years.

“The whole idea is good quality wrestlers, meaningful mat time and minutes on the mat wrestling, said Hansen.

University of Lethbridge and former LCI wrestler Peyton Shields was named Junior Female Athlete of the Year, U of L swimmer Delaney Lehman was nominated as Senior Female Athlete of the Year, Senior Male Athlete of Year went to racquetball player Coby Iwaasa, LCI’s senior varsity girls volleyball team won Amateur Team of the Year, U of L Rugby coach Graeme Moffat was the winner of the Coaching Excellence High Performance Award, Lethbridge Badminton Club coach Lexi Zeeb took home the Community Coaching Excellence award, Local ringette coach Chris McIntyre was the recipient of Volunteer in Sport, the Sport Organization award went to Lethbridge Roller Hockey, U of L Pronghorn athletics employee Taylor Penney won the Sport Administrator Award, The Knud Petersen Spirit in Sport went to Tyler Swag for his healthy lifestyle initiatives in sport and Brooklyn Lynch won the Servus Credit Union Outstanding Sports Citizen Award for her efforts in the Lethbridge Ringette Association.

“When we first started these awards, we really had to recruit nominations for females and women in sport and now we got an equal number of nominations,” said Susan Eymann, Lethbridge Sport Council executive director.

The awards ceremony is on April 9 at VisitLethbridge.com Arena’s Canadian Western Bank Lounge beginning at 6 p.m.