Sport Yukon welcomed athletes, parents and the community to the 43rd Annual Sport Yukon Awards Night at the Yukon Convention Centre, Thursday.

Athletes, coaches, volunteers, and officials from across a variety of disciplines were recognized for their contributions to their respective sport.

The Master of Ceremony for the evening was Kate White. Twenty-two sport organizations in total handed out awards.

At the midway point of the ceremony, all in attendance were treated to a speech given by guest speaker the Honourable John Streicker, Minister of Community Services.

“It is not easy to excel at sports,” said Streicker in his speech. “It takes a lot of dedication and commitment to compete at a high level. It’s not easy to get out of bed in the morning. It’s not easy to go to practice or miss hanging out with your friends to perfect that running form, that swim stroke, that volleyball serve. But it’s all worth it.”

Dave Mindanao won the Wolf Pack Basketball Male Player of the Year award.

He says that his award is a testament to the hard work he has put into his game.

“First of all it’s a really great accomplishment for all that I did,” said Mindanao.

“Playing for Yukon five-years, playing against big people, seven-foot guys, guys taller than me, stronger than me. It’s an awesome experience because I get to show my ability, all the hard work that I did. Making my family, making my home happy. I think this is the best accomplishment I’ve done for the Yukon.”

Mindanao, who moved from the Philippines to the Yukon, says he has always aspired to have basketball, as part of his life and that getting involved in basketball, and volleyball, helped him adjust to his new community.

“That was my dream when I was a child in the Philippines,” said Mindanao.

“Moving from a poor country to here was a big adjustment, but it is great that I showed my commitment to sport. There are people in this community that would help us fundraise that’s a good thing about this community. They help athletes to play.”

Having recently graduated Mindanao says he has been offered scholarships to colleges and universities, but would like to take a year off to travel and try some other things.

The awards given out were based on performance from the previous season.

Some award recipients like Snowboard Yukon Male Athlete of the Year, Ethan Davy are just beginning their new season.

“This award is good, it’s good to be back,” said Davy. “This brings up the hype for next year. You got to build to every year so this is a good starting point. They’re (Snowboard Yukon) kind of like a family, I’ve been with them for six years now going on seven, so this award is special.”

Kendra Peters, who won the Volleyball Yukon Most Dedicated Female Player award, says she could always count on sports and that she hopes to continue her volleyball career into post-secondary.

“The award means a lot, I’ve been playing volleyball since Grade 7, so to finally get an award in my last year is great,” said Peters. “Sports have always been a driver for me to just keep going. They have just always been there, and I always enjoyed the trips. Hopefully, I can take it to university or college.”

Many athletes were recognized for their achievements last night, but sport is much more than what you accomplish during gameplay. As Streicker said in his speech, sports teach everyone involved valuable life lessons.

“We get into sports with big dreams, you strive,” said Streicker. “It’s great to aspire, but it’s not all about the glory or making it big. It’s about the sweat; it’s about the effort. It’s the friendships you make. It’s about the relationship you build with your coaches and the inspiration you draw from them. It’s about recognizing the contributions of trainers, volunteers, supporters and even your parents, and seeing how selfless people are when they dedicate their time and expertise to sports. …

“The lessons and skills you learn in sports, the responsibility to your team and accountability to yourself, you will find that you carry this with you on and off the field, rink, the track, wherever it is that you are. It will make you a better friend, a better son or daughter, a better community member.”

Congratulations to all the athletes who were recognized for their hard work and dedication to their sport. May your skills continue to develop as you head into your new season.