Sport Manitoba and Manitoba Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association (MSSA) are partnering to celebrate the best athletes in Manitoba.
For the past 30 years, Sport Manitoba has been selecting the top youth athletes in the province. For the past 60 years, the MSSA has selected the top athletes (all ages) in Manitoba. Previously, these awards have been presented at separate events. This year, Sport Manitoba and MSSA will be combining their efforts and partnering to have one cohesive event that celebrates sport in Manitoba. To reflect this sentiment, MSSA will be integrating their award presentations into the annual Night of Champions, presented by Manitoba Chicken. Sport Manitoba and MSSA want to recognize accomplishments in sport across the spectrum and feel that doing so in one event creates stronger bonds throughout the sport community.
Highlights:
- Award Categories: Youth Athlete (Male & Female), Adult Athlete (Male & Female), Youth Team, Adult Team, Official, Adult Volunteer, Youth Volunteer, Coach (Male & Female).
- Age cut-off for Youth Categories will be 18 years of age. Those 18 and over will be nominated in the adult categories.
- Nominations in each will continue to be sought from the Provincial Sport Organizations. The MSSA will conduct voting by the Manitoba Sports Media to select winners for the following categories: Youth Athletes, Adult Athletes, Youth Team and Adult Team. A committee will select winners for Volunteer, Youth Volunteer and Official awards. Coaching Manitoba’s selection committee will select the Coaches of the Year. The Selection Committee has the ability to nominate in case of oversight.
- The MSSA Cactus Jack Wells Memorial Impact Award will be presented at Night of Champions.
- MSSA’s Roll of Honour will now be presented in November at the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame Induction Dinner.
- The MSSA Jack Matheson Memorial Scholarship will now be presented at a media conference in conjunction with Sport Manitoba’s Manitoba Foundation for Sports Scholarships.
The 2017 Night of Champions presented by Manitoba Chicken will be April 22, 2017. Tickets go on sale March 2017.
Pictured above is the 2014 Gold Medal Manitoba Provincial Team who were named a finalist as MSSA Team of the Year.