For the years 2011 through 2017 inclusive, the recipient of the Athlete of the Year award and all nominees, as well as the Award of Excellence recipients, had the opportunity to direct a grant, provided by the Kitchener Sports Association to a charity or not-for-profit sports group. In the latter part of the period, the stipulation was that the beneficiaries had to have "local" connections and be authorized to receive such funds from KSA by the AGCO.
2017
Dan Benvenuti - (ultimate) - Kitchener (Waterloo Organization of Disc Sports)
Alec Elliot - (swimming) Waterloo(Region of Waterloo Swim Club)
Chris Ernst - (track cycling) - Kitchener (Waterloo Cycling Club)
Tim Grant - (adventure racing) - Waterloo (Stars Orienteering Club)
Brandon Horn - (fastpitch softball) - Waterloo (KW Minor Boys Softball Association)
Boris Katchouk - (ice hockey) - Waterloo (Waterloo Minor Hockey Association)
Alyssa Lagonia - (soccer) - Kitchener (Waterloo Minor Soccer)
Jamal Murray - (basketball) - Kitchener (KW Youth Basketball Association)
Paige Nosal - (ringette) - Waterloo (St Clements Ringette Association)
Jaimie Phelan - (track & field) - Waterloo (Laurel Creek Track Club)
Mike Poulin - (lacrosse) - Kitchener (KW Minor Lacrosse Association)
Garrett Rank - (golf) - Elmira (Woolwich Minor Hockey Association)
Individual - Barry Abelson, Waterloo (squash)- (House of Friendship)
Individual - Adele Couchman, Kitchener (Sports for Special Athletes) - (Sports for Special Athletes)
Organization - Waterloo Chippers Athletic Club - (Waterloo Chippers Athletic Club)
Organization - K-W Matmen (wrestling) - (Waterloo Regional Matmen Wrestling Club)
Team - KW Vipers U14 Girls (basketball) (KW Youth Basketball Association)
In recognition of each nominee for Athlete of the Year and each recipient of the Awards of Excellence, Kitchener Sports Association is pleased to make a financial donation to an appropriate local minor sports organization.
Alec Elliot – (swimming) – Waterloo – Region of Waterloo Swim Club
Darryl Fitzgerald – (lawn bowling) – Kitchener – Heritage Greens Lawn Bowling Club
Alyssa Lagonia – (soccer) – Kitchener – Kitchener Soccer Club
Jamal Murray – (basketball) - Kitchener – KW Youth Basketball Association & Waterloo Wildhawks
Garrett Rank – (golf) – Elmira – Woolwich Minor Hockey Association
Mark Scheifele – (ice hockey) – Kitchener – Kitchener Minor Hockey Association (Donna’s Kids)
Dhane Smith - (lacrosse) – Kitchener – Kitchener Minor Lacrosse Association
Kevin Sorley – (sledge hockey) – Petersburg – KW Sidewinders Sledge Hockey
Bruce Young (Waterloo) – K-W Minor Boys Softball Association
Waterloo Regional Boxing Academy - Waterloo Regional Boxing Academy
Kitchener Panthers Minor Baseball Bantam Tier 1 Team – Kitchener Minor Baseball Association
From Athlete of the Year program – Camp McGovern
Ryan Benesch – (lacrosse) – Kitchener – Kitchener Minor Lacrosse Association
Mandy Bujold - (boxing) – Kitchener – Waterloo regional Boxing Academy
Alec Elliot – (swimming) – Waterloo – Region of Waterloo Swim Club
Mike Hoffman – ice hockey) – Kitchener – Kitchener Minor Hockey Association (Donna’s Kids)
Brandon Horn – (fastpitch softball) – Kitchener – KW Minor Boys Softball Association
Jamal Murray – (basketball) - Kitchener – KW Youth Basketball & Waterloo Wildhawks
Sarah Pavan –(volleyball) – Kitchener - K-W Predators Volleyball Club
Leah Robinson – (track) = Mannheim – Laurel Creek Track & Field Club
Dhane Smith - (lacrosse) – Kitchener – Kitchener Minor Lacrosse Association
Tyler Varga – (football) – Kitchener – Twin City Minor Tackle Football Association
Gord Dearborn (Kitchener) – Stanley Park Optimist Club Ball
Civitan Sports – Waterloo Region – KSA Legacy Fund / K-W Community Foundation
Kitchener Minor Soccer Girls U15A Spirit Team – Kitchener Soccer Club
From Athlete of the Year program – Camp McGovern
Jessica Buttinger- (field hockey/athletics) Waterloo - Waterloo Ravens Minor Hockey Association
Alec Elliott - (swimming) Kitchener - Region of Waterloo Swim Club
Katie Harnock - (wheelchair basketball) Elmira - Twin City Spinners Wheelchair Basketball
Taveena Kum - (boxing) Kitchener - Kidsport Kitchener-Waterloo
Becky Pavan - (volleyball) Kitchener - Kitchener-Waterloo Predators Volleyball Club
Tanner Pearson - (ice hockey) Waterloo - Kitchener Minor Hockey Association
Andrew Poje/Kaitlyn Weaver - (figure skating ice dance) Waterloo Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club
Silvana Shamoun - (martial arts) Waterloo - Kitchener Sports Association Legacy Fund
Tyler Varga - (football) Kitchener - Twin City Minor Tackle Football Association
Amanda Woodcroft - (field hockey) Waterloo - Clarke Young Legacy Fund
Wilmot Aquatic Aces Swim Club - Wilmot Aquatic Aces Swim Club
New Hamburg Firebirds Hockey Club - New Hamburg Minor Hockey Association
Rob Way - Kitchener-Waterloo Minor Boys Softball Association
From Athlete of the Year Program – Camp McGovern
Jenna Blasman (snowboarding) Kitchener – K-W Sertoma Speed Skating Club
Emily Brown (soccer) Waterloo – Waterloo Minor Soccer Association
Maddie Buttinger (athletics/track & Field) Waterloo – Laurel Creek Track & Field Club
Javon Masters (basketball) Kitchener – K-W Wildhawk Baskleball Program
Kirsten Moore-Towers & Dylan Moscovitch (figure skating pairs) Waterloo – Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club
Andrew Poje & Kaitlyn Weaver (figure skating ice dance) Waterloo – Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club
Josh Williams (golf) Kitchener – Sports for Special Athletes
Amanda Woodcroft (field hockey) Waterloo – K-W Field Hockey Club
Carolyn Fedy, K-W Skating Club
Kitchener Minor Hockey Association – Donna’s Kids, KMHA
Kitchener Jr. Rangers Peewee Select Team – Donna’s Kids, KMHA
From Athlete of the Year Program – Camp McGovern
Chelsea Aubry (basketball) Kitchener – KW Youth Basketball
Maddie Buttinger (track & field) Waterloo – Laurel Creek Track & Field Club
Kory Lorentz (standing amputee hockey) Woolwich -Twin Centre Minor Hockey Association
Dustin Miller (long track speed skating) Kitchener – KW Sertoma Speed Skating Club
Tyler Miller (wheelchair basketball) Waterloo – Twin City Spinners Wheelchair Sports
Garrett Rank (golf) Elmira – Woolwich Minor Hockey Association
Leah Robinson (track & field) Mannheim – Laurel Creek Track & Field Club
Mark Scheifele (hockey) Kitchener – HeadStrong
From Athlete of the Year Program – Camp McGovern
Keely Brown (ringette) Kitchener – Kitchener Ringette Association
Mandy Bujold (boxing) Kitchener – Grand River Regional Cancer Centre (in memory of Murray Grose)
Dillon Heap (football) Waterloo – Twin City Minor Tackle Football Association
Jake Jagas (wrestling) Kitchener – Matmen Amateur Wrestling Club
Alyssa Lagonia (soccer) Kitchener – Wounded Warriors
Ian Logan (football) Waterloo – Cvet’s Pets
Sarah Pavan (volleyball) Kitchener – Kitchener Predators Volleyball Club
Miranda Ranieri (squash) Waterloo – Urban Squash
Garrett Rank (golf) Elmira – Grand River Regional Cancer Centre
Leah Robinson (track & field) Mannheim – Because I Am A Girl
Brienne Stairs (field hockey) Kitchener – Right to Play Canada
From Athlete of the Year Program – Camp McGovern (John MacTavish “Field of Dreams”)
Proceeds from the 6th to 13th annual events were directed to Camp McGovern. The camp was originally operated by the Big Brothers and then Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Kitchener-Waterloo. Subsequently, the camp became independent, operating under a local Board of Directors and continuing to provide summer camp experiences to more than 400 youth annually.
The first five years, the Athlete of the Year program was part of the annual Big Brothers, and then Big Brothers/Big Sisters Sports Celebrity Dinner. The dinner was a sporting highlight of the community from the 1960's, running for 30 years until 1997. In 1998 there was no dinner and it was resurrected for five more years form 1999 to 2003, with the Athlete of the Year program enjoying growing prominence each year.
