Three athletes and a coach from Vernon, Kelowna, Salmon Arm, and Revelstoke are finalists for the 58th annual Sport BC Athlete of the Year Awards.
The honours will be announced Thursday, March 5, in Vancouver.
The event recognizes the province’s best in amateur sport including athletes, coaches, teams, and officials for outstanding performances in their sport in the 2025 season.
Each finalist was nominated by their provincial or multi-sport organization and the selection committee, led by long-serving chair Bernie Pascall, included a diverse group of highly experienced British Columbia amateur sport leaders and media members.
“Congratulations to all the finalists of the 2025 Athlete of the Year Awards. This is the moment we celebrate your positive contribution to sport and community,” said Anne Kang, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. “Your commitment inspires those around you and demonstrates the importance of sport in bringing people together to build a stronger, more inclusive future for everyone.”
Vernon’s Michelle Webster is a finalist for Female Coach of the Year. The award-winning softball bench boss is joined as a finalist by a pair of university program heads, Victoria Vikes cross-country running coach Hilary Stellingwerff, a two-time Olympian, and Gina Schmidt, head coach of the Simon Fraser University Red Leafs’ women’s volleyball team.
Maggie Manning from Salmon Arm, who plays Para Ice Hockey, is one of three finalists for the Female Athlete with a Disability honour. Manning is up against wheelchair basketball player Elise Froese of Victoria, and Para Athletics Seated Throw champion Julia Hanes of Vancouver.
Revelstoke’s Yorke Parkin, who competes in alpine skiing in Special Olympics, is a finalist for Male Athlete with a Disability, along with track and field athlete Nate Tucker of Victoria, and wheelchair tennis player Thomas Venos of Anmore, near Coquitlam.
Kelowna track and field athlete Lily Stroda will be up against cheerleader Adelayde Broadbent of Burnaby, and golfer Anna Huang from Vancouver, for the Youth Female Athlete of the Year honour.
An additional six awards will be presented at the ceremony including the Best of BC, KidSport BC Community Champion, Harry Jerome Comeback, Daryl Thompson Lifetime Achievement Award, In Her Footsteps Honourees and the Bobbie Steen Legacy Foundation Award recipient.