SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — The P.E.I. School Athletic Association (PEISAA) recently announced its five major award winners for 2020.
John Bowness was presented with the Charlie Ballem Builders Award.
Bowness, who retired in November 2002 after 30-plus years as Kensington Intermediate-Senior High School (KISH) athletic director and physical education teacher, was a tireless supporter of the PEISAA. He spent his entire career at KISH, where in addition to his teaching responsibilities, he volunteered as a coach for numerous sports. The only sport KISH offered during his career that he never coached was rugby.
Bowness had a love for all sports but his legacy is the senior AAA girls' volleyball program, which was always ranked as one of the best in Atlantic Canada.
Bowness’s commitment to school sport and his student-athletes was always school first, sport second.
Official
Robert St. Pierre received the officials award.
He has been the top official for flag football since the sport was added to the PEISAA schedule in 2010. That year there were only seven teams. Last season, 87 teams – both boys and girls – participated.
This would not have been possible without St. Pierre’s leadership in developing new officials. He has also been one of the top flag football referees in Canada and has officiated at the world championships.
St. Pierre has an outstanding ability in ensuring that games are played fairly and safely while working with student-athletes to foster the values of school sport.
Administrator
Harvey Mazerolle is this year’s recipient of the administrator’s award.
Mazerolle has been the PEISAA intermediate volleyball commissioner since the fall of 1996. He has put an unbelievable amount of time into the sport, including creating schedules, compiling results and overseeing provincial championships.
Mazerolle is in regular contact with member schools to ensure everything is running smoothly throughout the season.
Merit Award
The merit award was presented to CJ Studer. He is a dedicated physical education teacher, athletic director and multiple-sport coach at Athena Consolidated School in Summerside.
Studer has served the PEISAA as a tournament manager for many provincial championships. He is also one of the individuals responsible for introducing the sport of triathlon to the PEISAA in 2012 and has served as the commissioner.
Coach of the year
Lynn Boudreau is the coach of the year.
The longtime volleyball coach at Bluefield High School continues to develop not only players but exceptional student-athletes in their school and communities and promoting the values of the PEISAA. Boudreau does not just focus on skill development or tactics as her athletes learn many components of respect – for themselves, toward teammates, their opponents, the game and officials – fair play, sportsmanship and opportunities for personal development as well as team development.
