We're here to tell the stories, not the opinions! Send us your story or results to info@wcblog2.com You control the story, help shape it!

Live WEBCASTING : www.ustream.tv/channel/wcblog2 Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WCcurlingblog2

Translate to your required language

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Team Armstrong Finalists for 39th Canadian Sports Awards

Finalists Announced for 39th Canadian Sport Awards

Winners of Canada's Top 2011 Sporting Honours to be Announced January 17, 2012
Official Recognition for Canada's Top Athletes, Leaders, Volunteers, Coaches & Corporations
OTTAWA, Jan. 13, 2012 /CNW/ - The True Sport Foundation today announced the finalists for the 39th Canadian Sport Awards which honour and recognize the sporting achievements of Canada's finest athletes and the contributions of others in 2011.

"Once again, we are pleased to recognize the passion, dedication and spirit of our tremendous Canadian athletes, sport leaders, volunteers and corporations who support our athletes throughout the year," notes Peter Leyser, Executive Director, True Sport Foundation. "These finalists are extremely well deserving of the recognition for their strength and accomplishments."

Winners will be announced on January 17, 2012.

2011 Canadian Sport Awards Finalists
The Athletic Performance Awards recognize outstanding athletic performance. Finalists include:
Male Athlete of the Year:
  1. Patrick Chan, Figure Skating
  2. Erik Guay, Downhill Ski
  3. Adam Van Koeverden, Kayak
Female Athlete of the Year:
  1. Jennifer Heil, Freestyle Ski
  2. Christine Nesbitt, Speed Skating
  3. Catharine Pendrel, Cycling
Junior Athlete of the Year:
  1. Alex Harvey, Cross Country Ski
  2. Brittany MacLean, Swimming
  3. Andrei Rogozine, Figure Skating
Team of the Year:
  1. Jeff Stoughton (skip), Jonathan Mead (3rd), Reid Carruthers (2nd), Steve Gould (lead), Garth Smith (alternate), Curling - Men's Team

2. James Armstrong (skip), Darryl Neighbour (3rd), Ina Forrest (2nd), Sonja Gaudet (lead), Bruno Yizek (alternate), Curling - Open Team Wheelchair

3. Amber Holland (skip), Kim Schneider (3rd), Tammy Schneider (2nd), Heather Kalenchuk (lead), Jolene Campbell (alternate), Curling - Women's Team

Partners of the Year:
  1. Alex Harvey & Devon Kershaw, Cross Country Ski, Men's Team Sprint
  2. Robbi Weldon & Lyne Bessette, Cycling, Women's Road Time Trial
  3. Michael Gilday, Olivier Jean, François Hamelin, Charles Hamelin, Speed Skating, Men's Short Track Relay
The Leadership Awards recognize and celebrate an individual's outstanding contribution to the betterment of sport. Finalists include:
Leadership in Sport Award:
  1. Tom Quinn
  2. Ozzie Sawicki
  3. Richard Way
Volunteer Achievement Award:
  1. Syed Ghazanfar
  2. Sue Neill
  3. Judith Tutty
The Corporate Excellence Award recognizes and celebrates a corporation who provides outstanding support to Canadian sport. Finalists include:
  1. Canada Post Corporation
  2. Forzani Group
  3. Royal Canadian Legion
The Spirit of Sport Story of the Year category recognizes and celebrates Canadian heroes. Finalists include:
  1. Ottawa Senators Women's Bantam AA hockey team
  2. Crystal Phillips
  3. Michael Robertson
Nomination Eligibility

Any Canadian citizen can nominate an individual, team or corporation for the Canadian Sport Awards. Individuals and corporations can also self-nominate. Eligible entries were for performances or contributions from January 1, 2011 through to November 30, 2011.

About the Canadian Sport Awards

Established in 1972, the Canadian Sport Awards brings together leaders from the sporting and corporate communities who represent the pinnacle of commitment and competition: Canadian amateur athletes, coaches, sport leaders and volunteers. The annual awards promote sporting excellence across Canada and remind Canadians how sport lifts the human spirit. It is a tribute to the hard work, dedication and victories of our country's finest athletes. Managed by the True Sport Foundation, the Canadian Sport Awards boasts a strong relationship with its modern day founding partners, which include AthletesCAN, Canada Games, Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport, and the Commonwealth Games Association of Canada. For more information about the Canadian Sport Awards, please visit www.canadiansportawards.ca.

About the True Sport Foundation

The True Sport Foundation is a national charitable organization that promotes values-driven sport. As a leader in the True Sport Movement, the Foundation is focused on building and enriching communities and the lives of individuals by providing a safe, welcoming, and rewarding environment for all participants, at all levels of sport. The True Sport Foundation is committed to ensuring that sport makes a positive contribution to Canadian society, to our athletes, and to the physical and moral development of Canada's youth. The Foundation also plays a pivotal role in the Canadian sport system by bringing together leading sport organizations to promote, celebrate and recognize sporting excellence. For more information about the True Sport Foundation, please visit www.truesportfoundation.ca.

For complete nomination rules and guidelines, and more information about the Canadian Sport Awards, please visit www.canadiansportawards.ca.

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a f----- joke. Hope he does not win the rest of the team may deserve it but if they give it to a criminal what a slap in the face.

Does does a convicted criminal be nominated for these things and be allowed to represent our country. What stings does he pull to even be allowed to travel???

How the hell is he going to Korea?

I know that most criminals can not travel what strings has he pulled?

Gerry D. said...

You know, this has really run its course.

The CCA reviewed the entire saga as it happened. They are pure beaurocrats that HAVE to cover their own ass. They have to answer to their funding partners, as well as Sport Canada and the Federal Government.

In this situation the politically safe decision was to throw Jim under the bus, and stay safe.

They held a full review, I am sure in full concert with ALL of the partners, and the decision, AFTER REVIEWING ALL THE FACTS, was to support Jim.

The entire WC staff and team, whom I am sure are aware of all aspects, seem to be very comfortable with the decision.

Perhaps we should be as well.....



Do you not think that PERHAPS there was more to this than has hit the press?

Anonymous said...

I think you have answered your own question...........

He cannot possibly pull the strings of all the governing bodies.

He cannot possibly be the criminal you want him to be, since he has been able to travel, even before the sentencing bs....remember, he went to Scotland in January, and to complete things, he travelled immediately AFTER he and his son were sentenced, to Prague.

Hate to think there is another side to this.

Go back under your rock.

Anonymous said...

I think it is perhaps you who should climb back under your rock! Don't think for 1 minute Jim or the CCA can not pull stings. They have had a major history of it. This is ----- ------ keeping his buddy going as he does for all his friends.

Give me a break, let true people who need a chance in this sport play the game and get washed up AB players out of it! Jim had never who a major event prior to joining wheelchair curling and now look at how many true wheelchair curlers suffer. Not only here in Canada about around the world.

Look who needs to climb out from under the rock!

Anonymous said...

So this has only to do with the fact that Jim does not have a spinal cord injury......at least that identifies your issue.

You have to remember that the WCF had the final say on eligibility.

Refer back to the comments that are now about four years old.

I suspect that the problem was the ASSUMPTION that this sport was the domain of spinal cord injury players only. If so, the majority of Europeans (amputees, etc.) WOULD NEVER HAVE PARTICIPATED, AND THERE WOULD BE NO SPORT TODAY.

Anonymous said...

Actually, we are revisiting old stories here.

Jim has been the face of this sport since Chris retired.

The sport has improved, and mainly as a result of the Canadian Program, of which Team Canada is the flagship.

Good on Team Canada, and good on the sport......

BUT let's see either Norway or Scotland upset them and make the world more interesting, with a realignment of the top teams.

GO SCOTLAND!

Anonymous said...

Actually; let me remind you of the facts. This sport was developed for everyday wheelchair users. To the fact that not long ago only back in 2008 President of the WCF Les Harrison found at this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-iX50cQaAU told us that even amputee should not be playing this sport. Then under pressure by the CCA to the WCF jim went from being not clissifed to classified.

This sport is not for bad knees or bad backs or even knee replacements; it was intended for wheelchair users who for the majority of there lifes need to use a wheelchair and who do not have the choice. Unlike Jim whom can choice when it wants to get up at any point and walk.

Well pal I can't and he takes 1 more chance away from me from make Team Canada and that in itself is bulls---!

I don't get to pick when I want to be disabled, that was taken away from me, fact is that was taken away from alot of people. Not for Jim who picks when he wants to be disabled. Why the f----- do you think the WCF is look at classifcation. BEcuase the IPC said that this is bulls--- and needs to be fixed. The IPC ruls say he should not be playing and the WCF must follow those rules. So go back under your rock understand the issues or is that to hard for an AB or are you chossing to be disabled at this point. Ask Jim for help he knows how.

Hey, may next week Colleen Jones or Ferby or Russ Howard will have knee replacements ask Gerry for another chance and then well f--- none of us will every get a chance.

Understand the real issue and climb under your rock.

and Chris, looks good, good job on the blog so far but try handling so real issues and make a point on here about this stuff. I for one would love your take on Jim particpating since he ran you out of the sport!

Anonymous said...

With respect to Jim, the true story has never been told and never will. Who is he accountable to? He has never appologized to anyone in the wheelchair curling circles and never will. He once told Eric that he would tell his side of the story. Have we heard anything yet. No and it is not likely. For me, I have no respect for this man and never will. He is a disgrace to not only wheelchair curlers, but to all curlers. He should not be wearing Canada's colours and misrepresenting Canada, at home or abroad. Anyone else would have resigned but he is too arrogant. Why hasn't the C.C.A. done anything about him? The reason, he has friends in high places. If you ask the C.C.A. on how the situation with Jim was handled, their only reply was "we have dealt with the matter", but have never given the true expanation of what penalty he was given, if any. As for travelling, Jim will go anywhere except to the U.S. I could go on but personally, I am tired of hearing people placing him on a pedestal. He is just not worth it. His actions speak for themselves.

Chris Daw said...

Good Day everyone;

Well, who would have thought that an article of celebration would be so controversial?

I need to make a small statement on the few blogs items which have be going back and forward between a few readers. I would like to remind people that the statements made here are to allow you to “vent” should you wish or to share your thoughts on the sport and its happenings. I also allow everyone whom wishes to post under “anonymous” to allow for free speech and all that HOWEVER; I must remind you that statements being made are very close to slander and we need to be careful in our wordings. I am in full support and welcome everyone to post but to some extent we need to remember to “play nice in the sandbox”. I will continue to allow anonymous statements without any issue and just filter the foul language but if a statement is made which I feel crosses the line I MUST and will be forced to remove the statement or not post it so I can protect myself and the people whom the statement is about to be protected. This is a place to allow those who wish to share thoughts, vent, etc. and I do encourage it but let’s be a little more thoughtful in regards to how we make our statements so the point gets across without being on the verge of slander.

As for me weighing in on pieces or statements; in my own best interest; as I said before this place is not for me to do that. Regardless of my own personal opinions; as a publisher of a blog which is meant for an information sharing tool, I have to give up my right to opinion and allow the outside world to state theirs. Be that said and based a little on my personality; I will from time to time perhaps defend myself or as I stated I will always answer a question. So, taking that into consideration and reformulating a couple of statements into questions, I shall now answer a couple of questions.

Did Jim run me out of the sport?

Hell NO! I took a leave of absence long before Jim was ever in the picture and with that the CCA had a spot to fill. They recruited Jim and Jim was able to meet the standards to which all Team Canada players are required to meet as do all the players on Team Canada including JACK SMART.

Why is Jim allowed to travel and represent Team Canada?

Ok a little more difficult one to answer and to be frank it is not of my business. The CCA and Jim have had to cover this problem based on what has occurred with Jim. They MUST have because Jim is and does travel so that being said Jim travels and that really is all we need to now.

As for Jim representing Team Canada; Jim is a friend of mine and Jim has made a difference for Team Canada. Look at the track record, kind of speaks for itself. Jim represents Team Canada because the coaches believe Jim has met the standards to which All Team Canada members must rise to. Jim is Skip of the team because he has the most experience for this position. Should a day come that Jim cannot meet these standards then he will move down the line or be replaced. Enough said!

Jim stated to Eric that when possible he would make a statement and tell his side of the story. When Possible! I for one must say this on the point. If I had a son serving a jail sentence in a foreign country I would not say a damn word until my son was done serving and was safe at home. We need to remember that anything which maybe said could be held or cause issue for Greg. As a father of 4; I would never do anything or say anything that could begin additional hardship to my child. I would think this is the primary reason why Jim has not spoken on the issue and should he or Greg wish; when things are done and clear; they MAY make a statement. Until that point, let's move on!

So, let’s all play nice, continue to make our points in a respectful manner and continue to deal with the hard topics, the soft topics and new ideas to build our sport together for the better

Anonymous said...

CHris,

You have summed it up so well.

I have seen you with Jim on a couple of occasions, and heard of many others. I have no doubt that if there were any truth to the old, old rumour that he was responsible for your departure, you would not be so open minded towards him.

Your leaving the problem seemed to certainly be on your terms....I am sure you had your own reasons, and I have always suspected there was some anamosity between you and some of the staff, either you not likng them or vice versa, and WHO CARES? It was your decision, and you made it. No one has contradicted that. No part of the CCA staff has ever questioned it.

So now I wonder, if you have remained competitive, is there some chance you and whomever the potential issue is with, can get b it, and give you a real shot, or has our interest waned?

It always intrigued me that you played with Jim in Provincials last year. Seems to fly n the face of you or he having any issues with each other.

I now hear that Jim is traveling around Ontario helping out competitive players to develop. Sounds exactly what you did a couple of years ago with the Give it a Go Campaign.

I guess, further, I have particularly followed your sport history with interest, and as any old timer would know, your disability took you from arm and leg braces to a chair for convenience and safety, NOT a spinal cord injury.

Keep up the good work on this blog, Chris. Your ability to objectify the comments will keep interest here, rather than simply banning anonymous posts.

I do wish, though, if any one has particularly polarized comments, they would provide their name.

Chris Daw said...

Hello Blogger;

I thank you for you kind words and interest in the blog. Joking - I am going to have to watch out now as someone is following me LOL.

I left the program on my own terms and for reasons at the time which was in the best interest of everyone at the time. I was given the opportunity post Team Canada, to work with the CCA as a development Coordinator and have great words for all the staff. They mentored me and help develop me into a solid business professional.

My time in the sport was without a candy coating it, not always easy. I thought I knew allot and I didn't. I had some talent and was honoured to be a member of Team Canada in this sport.

I made mistakes and I have learned from them. Have I remained competitive? Well I must have as I did live up to a standard of play which was and is acceptable for Jim as a member of his team and a few other teams I have played on.

I have done allot of coaching over the last few years including an opportunity to be a coaching consultant to the Korean teams.

I have had a chance to work with and be considered for a few other coaching opportunities and who know where that may take me.

As for a return to Team Canada someday, who knows, I don't know what tomorrow may bring much less 3 or 4 years from now.

I continue to try and find way to contribute the best way possible, I have a few hills to climb but that is life in general.

Thank you for the support!

Anonymous said...

To the reader who quotes Les Harrison.

Unfortunately, Mr. Harrison was caught unprepared by a sportswriter, Al Cameron (Bruce Cameron's nephew).

Les was uninformed, and unknowingly theoretically banned the majority of Team Usa at that time.

The Sport was in transition then....it was new, and only the first draft of rules, including eligibility had been formed.

As with all sports, rules and theories transition, (no free guard zone to three rock to four rock, and probably on to the five rock rule), and ours is no different.

Like it or not, Jim is with us. They decided to grandfather all players a couple of years ago, and the very healthy amps, and a few others Chris Daw, Chris Sobkowicz, Denis Thiesen, WITHOUT SPINAL CORD INJURY and others remain eligible.

This should be a game of INCLUSION, not EXCLUSION....we will get our numbers and profile up much faster

Anonymous said...

Prepared or not it was what Les said and was fact at the time.

As for who was grandfather, give me a break. Inclusion or exclusion again give me a break.

Chris D. Chris S. and Denis all have REAL disablities not a bad back and knee replacements. Don't confuse a real disabllity like a para, an amp or spina bif for a knee replacement.

Do you know anything about what consitiutes a real disability?

Give me a break!

Anonymous said...

Well it seems the professional medical assessors, with all the information available, as well as their objective expertise are not as well versed as you.....please make sure you contact them to inform them of their shortcomings.

Perhaps you could fix this poor outdated malinformed useless system.

I am sure we and the sport would all be better for your help.

Anonymous said...

To the ill-informed fellow who thinks he knows better than the professionals that do the medical assessments. Do you realize that virtually all members of the medical review panel have degrees in rehab medicine.....

Perhaps it IS time you returned to your rock....OR worked harder at throwing ther rocks so you will not be continually overlooked.

Anonymous said...

Well if you understood the rules as it pertaint to Wheelchair curlign classification you would know that 1 guy makes the ruling if you can play or not. NOT a panel. This is the same guy who declassified Jim then all of a sudden Jim was clissifiable.

No panel and I will also say, no way to disbute any ruling or postest a ruling. Do you really think other countries would allow Jim to play if they had a way to protest Jim and knew that his disablity was so small that he could not play nor would not be allowed in ANY other paralympic sport. Give me a break, understand classification before you quote on it. Read the rules of the IPC and understand why the WCF has had to form a classification panel and will have to fix the problems which exisits.

Chris Daw said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Chris Daw said...

We MUST remember that wheelchair curling although is played in the Paralympic Games is actually governed and run by the WCF in all ways including classification and player allowable.

The WCF is permitted to establish their own classification rules and govern those rules.

The sport is under the umbrella of the Paralympics but governed by WCF. Please remember that!

Anonymous said...

I think the dart thrower is wrong about classification. I am sure if you check the system that has been in place for a while (years), there is in fact a panel, and there are a team of classifiers. One of whom is Canadian (Dr. Emily Newell, from London, Ontario) who is very well respected in the International community.

So, my friend, get up to speed on the regulations, before you toss darts at a very fair system, which is very transparent.

The Jim Armstrong classification was an interesting topic years ago, and not so, now.

Anonymous said...

You know, Chris,

i knew you many years ago, when you were the kingpin of this program, and simply put, you were insufferable!

That said, you have alluded to your maturing, and outright concession that you thought you knew more than you did. I listened to a quick strategy session that Jim provided at the Richmond camp in September, and quite simply, we know nothing as compared to this guy. Further, he is enthusiastic, with a true love for the development of the sport, and I understand he stands available as his time permits to help anyone with a competitive passion for the game.

You are the guy that has obviously spent some time with him, and I sense you are also a fan of his.

Make peace with the program, and jump on the Armstrong train. He is not getting any younger, and you seem to have his ear.

Anonymous said...

Man, don't miss a couple of days on the new site.

to the blogger who is hung up on Jim's eligibility.....like it or not, he has now been declared eligible since the fall of 2008.

We are now in 2012. I would respectfully suggest that this has already been long beaten into the ground.

Perhaps you should contact him to mentor you and improve your game.....you MAY have a shot at
the National Team....BUT remember ATTITUDE is a factor.....

Anonymous said...

As the dart thrower; I am not wrong about classification I informed. Dr . Newell is only a classifier. She has been a top level classifier for various sports but has NOTHING to do with wheelchair curling.
If you understood the curling classification system you would know that is isn’t one. A person only has to go to a classifier to determine if they are classifiable. Jim has deem not classifiable in the beginning.
Dr. Andrew Burnt is th only classifier in the world for the WCF, there is no system and when asked for a copy of the rules they can not provide a set. No system, no protest system, no nothing.
Every player in the world should be worried about players like JIM!!!!!

Minimal disability has always plagued wheelchair sport and in this sport it seems to be the norm. What happens when Jim retires? Well, I can tell you. The CCA will go out and find someone else like Ferbey or Howard to take over. They will have a bad back, bad knees or something.
This is why the WCF has had to begin classification implementation. Chris you should know all about this. I know you submitted a complete book on classification some years ago.

Why don’t you speak up on this?

We are all just pawns to what the CCA wants to happen. If they don’t succeed then they will find someone to make that happen. Let’s just look at history because they have already done it.

When Chris left the program they tried for 1 year to go with what they had, and failed!!!!!!
So they went out and got Jim classified. You know this is the fact! Take you head out of the sand!.

Why, has Chris never come back to the program if he gets along so well with Jim? He curled provincials with him and yet you never came back.

You say ask a question. Well, I am asking; why have you never come back to the national program?

Anonymous said...

Poor Mr. Dart;

There is a pool of wheelchair assessors. Dr. Newell is one of them. She has assessed a number of us while at a Richmond tryout in September. Chris Daw even posted a blog about a WHEELCHAIR ASSESSOR MEETING IN KOREA.......sorry, Mr. Dart, you are long behind the times.

If you wish to appeal your assessment, it will be done by a panel. This was all posed on Eric's site.

Good bye, Dart

Anonymous said...

Well, despite Mr. Dart, I, for one would love to see the team win this award....highly unlikely, though, given the media attention given to the able bodied game and winners.....BUT great accomplishment as it is.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Dart here:

I never said the team should not win the awaqrd just not Jim. He should not be playing and if any of you really understood the classification process then you would agree with me.

There are players would can not play who are disabled and guys like him who need no not the game they can play the AB game or coach.

I will be fair and maybe JIM should be the coach of the team as I am sure he already does!

Anonymous said...

Hey,Mr. Dart;

Please check your facts about classification. As it was indicated, Dr. Newell is ONE of the classifiers. it USED TO BE just the Scottish doctor, but this has been gone for some time. Further, an athlete is allowed to be heard by a PANEL should they feel they want to appeal their decision.

Very objective, and fair.

Anonymous said...

We continually are arguing this point until we are blue in the face of whether Jim is rightfully due a position on the National team. A number of us feel that he was given this position but unless things change at the top, the status quo will remain. So, here are my thoughts of how we can possibly get things changed. We should approach our Provincial body, who then can go to the CCA to have the current National Team be allowed to compete in the National Championships. Should they win, then they would rightfully be the representative to compete in the Worlds or Paralympics. Provincial playdowns should be held in late November or early December with the Nationals taking place in early January, thus allowing the team to be named for the upcoming World or Paralympics Games. At the present time, we have a number of very good curlers who may never have a chance to compete in either of these competitions and for many of us, we are in our late stages of our curling careers with little or no opportunities of being selected to represent our country. So, why not give us the opportunity to play the best and if we happen to be the best, then we too, would play against the other nations and then have the opportunity of defending our title the following year. Even you Chris, would have the chance to re-enter into the National Program. I would be interested to hear others on their thoughts of this format.

Anonymous said...

I think no one will deny that Jim is the reason why Canada continues to win.

An interesting poll would be where Canada would place with and WITHOUT Jim.

I suggest that Canada has learned enough to possibly even win WITHOUT Jim.......

What say everyone?

Anonymous said...

The easrlier blogger has hit on a concept that has been floated for years, and has a ton of validity.....having some sort of challenge against Team Canad.

I DOUBT CCA will risk what has now become their most successful program with a one game playoff.....
BUT how about a best of five playoff, challenging Team Canada by the national winner.

I believe jim and Darryl both endorsed the concept....