After a year of hard work, athletes at Humboldt Collegiate Institute were recognized at HCI鈥檚 annual athletic banquet.
The June 5 banquet in the HCI Commons saw 22 different athletes collect 23 awards in a variety of age groups including junior, junior varsity, and senior awards in a variety of different sports including cross country, golf, soccer, volleyball, football, basketball, curling, badminton, track, and flag football.
In addition to handing out awards for individual sports, the Mohawks also handed out four Athlete of the Year awards for male and female junior and senior athletes.
Season Review
Between the hard work of the coaches, and that of the athletes, it was a banner year for HCI athletics, with the school claiming 11 provincial medals, including five gold, two silver, and four bronze.
Incredibly, the Mohawks staked claim to medals they had never won before in many sports winning their first cross country medal, first boys soccer and boys volleyball provincial titles, first badminton provincial medal since 1984, and three track medals for the first time.
Gardiner says the success of Mohawks athletics, particularly in sports they have not succeeded in before is a testament to a change in mentality amongst the athletes, noting they are starting to become more interested in typically less traditional sports.
鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to recognize that everybody has unique gifts and we鈥檙e trying to allow those opportunities for kids to explore those gifts.鈥�
It was also an excellent year record wise for the Mohawks, with the track team setting many school and district records.
鈥淚t just allows us to continue to reach toward excellence and I鈥檓 really proud. On a night like this for myself, that鈥檚 heavily involved, this is a pretty cool night,鈥� noted Gardiner.
While the success is nice, Gardiner notes just seeing the athletes participate is the most important part, because it allows kids the chance to use athletics as another classroom.
鈥淚f we can get the kids focused more in (athletics) we do find that their engagement levels in the classroom is higher, teachers find the relationships are better,鈥� he said.
鈥淪o it is about athletics tonight but it鈥檚 also the very close connection to school and sports and how the two of them function really well.鈥�
With the school聽 handing out athletic awards to distinguished athletes, Gardiner says it is an important part of the athletics season, because it gives recognition to not only the award winners, but everyone who has been involved in the athletics program during the year.
While the students play a large role in the athletics program, so too do the coaches, especially the community coaches.
The Mohawks are lucky to have a large amount of support from community coaches, with at least 15 coaching roles being filled up by members of the community, some serving on more than one team.
Gardiner says the efforts of the community coaches do not go unnoticed by the school, noting without those coaches they would not be able to offer the assortment of athletics programs they do.
鈥淥ur teaching staff is quite busy with their own teaching and things that go on in the school and if we didn鈥檛 have parents and community coaches step up, I don鈥檛 think we could offer as many sports as we do and keep programs alive鈥� so we鈥檙e really proud of the fact that people are stepping up.鈥�
Tyler Bieber and Brody Hinz Memorial Award
The Mohawks also added a new award this year to honour a pair of Mohawks who were lost in the April 6 collision involving the Humboldt Broncos.
The Football Reporters of Canada donated the Tyler Bieber and Brody Hinz Memorial Award, which was given to the best prepared athlete at HCI.
Mohawks athletic director Shaun Gardiner noted the award seemed like a perfect fit for the pair, who always worked to make sure the athletes had what they needed for practice.
鈥淚 do remember a lot of days when it was raining and cold and windy and there was Tyler. He was opening up our equipment shed, taking the equipment out, he was helping with statistics, he was filming games, he was helping players with first aid so he was always the guy that he鈥檇 do roles that a lot of people didn鈥檛 realize were being done,鈥� he said.
It was the same for Hinz, said Gardiner.
鈥淏rody last year took on the role as an equipment manager鈥� our last game in Kindersley I think it was -20C and there鈥檚 Brody pumping up helmets, and he鈥檚 helping pack medical supplies, he鈥檚 helping guys get prepared for the game.鈥�
Gardiner also noted that HCI and the athletics program miss both of them very much, with the award being a good opportunity to recognize them.
鈥淗aving both their families here tonight was very special and the award winner tonight I think he fit the criteria.鈥�
The first ever winner of the award was grade 12 student Dylan Larson.
鈥淚t was just an honour. Words can鈥檛 really express it. After the crash it was just nice to see everybody come together in the community but to receive that award out of all the distinguished athletes at our school was just such an honour,鈥� he said.
Larson admitted being the first recipient of the award made it extra special as well.
鈥淏eing a role model in a way for the future generations is pretty cool.鈥�
Larson was also in the unique position of knowing both Hinz and Bieber well, with Larson and Hinz attending school together since early elementary school, and Bieber having served as Larson鈥檚 basketball coach for at least the last three seasons.
When Larson reflects on the pair, he says he will always remember talking sports and having a good time with Hinz.
鈥淛ust him always being a kind person to anybody. He was always trying to create conversation, he was just a great kid all around.鈥�
Bieber was like a brother to Larson, he says.
As a coach he was quiet, but had the respect of his players, says Larson.
鈥淗e would barely whisper and everybody would just be like boom and listen to him, so a very kind of commanding aura about him. I really like that. It was pretty cool and he taught me well. Taught me not to get down and just try to keep your head up at all time.鈥�
With the athletics banquet now in the books Gardiner and the rest of the athletics program will enjoy a summer break, before returning to school in the fall looking to build on an excellent 2017-2018 athletics season.
