Siblings dominate Junior Athlete category at CBS sports awards
By Mark Squibb/March 31, 2022
Last week was a glimpse into the new normal as the Town of Conception Bay South held the annual Sports Awards Ceremony and Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in front of a full house for the first time since 2019.
With masks recommended but not enforced, and folks standing shoulder-to-shoulder to present awards, moments from the night looked pretty pre-pandemic. But an announcement off the top that some people could not attend due to COVID isolation requirements, and an e-mail sent out the following day informing attendees that an individual who attended the ceremony has since tested positive for COVID-19, were reminders the virus is still prevalent in the community.
The Town honoured a number of athletes, coaches, volunteers, and other members of the sports community. This year’s line-up introduced two new award categories, Team of the Year, and Executive of the Year.
Calvin Randell, the lone nominee in the latter category, was named the first ever Executive of The Year.
Randell, the leading fund manager with ScotiaMcLeod, served as treasurer of the Conception Bay South Soccer Association for a number of years, including the pandemic years. The Club’s good financial position is credited in part to Randell’s expertise and experience.
The Baymen Senior Rugby Team, meanwhile, is the first team to add its name to the Team of the Year Plaque. The squad went undefeated last year, and won the Goodyear Cup, the equivalent to hockey’s Herder Cup or soccer’s Challenge Cup. The team also won the George Street 7’s Tournament in 2021, and members of the team were part of the Rock Senior Team, which won the Atlantic championship.
The Junior Female Athlete of the Year, which had six nominees, went to Adele Martin. She had a successful year both on the ice and on the turf. Martin earned silver at both the Skate Canada NL Summer Skate competition in the U13 category and at the Sectional championships. She was named to the Skate Canada NL Provincial Team for 2021-2022, and qualified to compete at the Skate Canada NL Provincial Championships and the Atlantic Canada Championships. She also plays for the CBS Strikers Girls U13 premier team, which won gold at the SunSplash Tournament and bronze in the league championships. Martin was also selected to the NLSA Provincial Girls U12 team for the 2020-2021 season, and the U13 team for the 2021-2022 season. She also tried her hand at hockey this year, joining the CBS Minor Hockey Association, where she plays defense for the girls Cougars team.
In a possible first for the sports awards, The Junior Male Athlete of the Year award went to Martin’s brother, Daniel Martin, meaning the Junior category was swept by a pair of siblings. And their brother Nolan Martin was also a nominee in the Junior Male division. Three other athletes were also nominated in the Junior Male category.
Like his sister, Martin represents CBS both on the ice and on the soccer field. Daniel played with the CBR Renegades U15 A Team in the Don Johnson League and the Frank Roberts Junior High hockey team. He was a member of the U18 CBR Devils, and was named as an alternate player for the Queen Elizabeth Regional High hockey team. On the soccer turf, Daniel played between the poles for the NLSA U15 Provincial Team, for the U16 Provincial Team, two teams in the Premier Youth League – the CBS Strikers U15 and the U17 teams, the latter of which won a bronze medal at the league championships – and the Queen Elizabeth Regional High School Soccer Team.
The Senior Female Athlete of the Year, for which there were four candidates, was awarded to Lauren Rowe. The alternate member of Team Canada U20 Women’s National Team is currently on the list for the upcoming Concacaf U20 Tournament. She played with the Queen Elizabeth soccer team, which earned a AAAA Provincial Banner in 2021. She was in the Canada Games pool for Volleyball, but had to bow out due to a conflict with her soccer schedule. She captains the Queen Elizabeth AAAA Volleyball Team that won the 2021 Volleyfest, the SSNL AAAA Provincial Championship and the Burger King Classic. She has won multiple awards including the Golden Boot as an underage player, the Premier’s Athletic Award, and Youth Female Player of the Year for three years running. Rowe also plays softball, hockey, basketball, frisbee, badminton, and runs cross country.
Drew Sheppard was named Senior Male Athlete of the Year, for which there were three nominees. Sheppard is Assistant Captain on the Major Midget U18 Growlers AAA Hockey Team. He was invited to attend the Amherst Ramblers Junior A Hockey Team Training Camp, and was ranked fourth defenseman in Atlantic Canada for the Monctonian AAA U18 Tournament. He captains the Queen Elizabeth boy’s hockey team and won the Daryl Reid Trophy for Most Spirited QE Boys hockey player. Sheppard was also selected for the Team Canada Ball Hockey Team, which won the U19 and U17 Ball Hockey Provincials. He has won multiple Premier’s Athletic Awards. He also plays golf, ultimate frisbee and softball.
Three men were nominated for Coach of the Year, which was awarded to rugby’s Robert Nugent. He is the head coach of the Baymen Rookie Rugby Program aimed at youth ages four to 14. He also coaches the Queen Elizabeth boys and girls teams, and is co-head coach for the Baymen Junior and Senior Women’s teams, which both won 2021 championships. He is currently working toward creating a senior women’s provincial team.
Hall of Fame Inductees
Five community-minded sports volunteers were inducted into the Hall of Fame – Thomas Kieley, Michelle Porter, Steve Batten, John Baldwin, and Jack Mercer.
Kieley was involved in a number of sports and committees since moving to CBS in the 1960’s. He was president of Holy Spirit School Hockey, which later became the Conception Bay South Minor Hockey League, from 1973 to 1979, during which time, he also coached the Juvenile “B” and the Midget “C” Hockey teams. Outside of this, he spent endless hours volunteering on committees that were set up for local and provincial minor hockey tournaments, as well as hosting an International Midget Hockey team from Sweden. Kieley was involved with arranging registration, finding accommodations, providing transportation, hiring referees, and organizing banquets and social events, and always did so at 100 per cent of his ability.
Michelle Porter, a self-proclaimed “Daughter of Foxtrap,” is a Certified Fitness Professional who has helped raise funds for recreation in CBS, in addition to her involvement with community programs such as Girls Guides and Scouts. She has established youth running clubs at local schools, and offers free yoga and Zumba classes to seniors. A provincial coach with the Newfoundland and Labrador Soccer Association, she has coached teams from 2007-2016, and is an accomplished athlete herself, having completed 16 marathons across the globe, amongst other races.
Steve Batten is known in his CBS for his impact on the sport of volleyball. He began coaching for the Queen Elizabeth Regional High Junior Boys Volleyball Team in 1992, while also playing and coaching with the CBS Raiders Juvenile Team. From 1993 to 1995, he captained the Cabot College Volleyball Team, who won the Senior Men’s B Division Provincial Tournament, and he was awarded the Tournament MVP. In the 2000’s he played on and coached numerous teams. Currently, he coaches and plays with the Eastern Demolition Senior Men’s Team, and is co-coach of the Senior B Under-17 and Under-16 Holy Spirit Girls Teams.
John Baldwin has been a leader in hockey and soccer communities on a local, national, and world stage. Baldwin has coached numerous hockey teams to success, including the CBR PeeWee AA team, CBR Bantam AA, Holy Spirit High School hockey team, the Newfoundland and Labrador Male Under 15 Hockey Team, and many others. He has also coached the Junior Renegades for years, including to the league championship’s President’s Cup.
On the softball field, Baldwin, was an umpire in the CBS Senior Men’s Softball League from 1983 to 1989, and officiated in a number of softball leagues up until 2001. During those 12 years he umpired 36 provincial softball championships, and was also selected as an umpire for the 1988, 1992, and 1996 NL Summer Games. After umpiring national games, he received the highest level of certification in 1996, and in 1997 was chosen as an umpire at the Junior Men’s International Softball Federation World Championship.
Finally, Jack Mercer was posthumously inducted. His granddaughter, Krista Bishop, who nominated him for the induction, accepted on his behalf. Mercer was involved in bowling, hockey and softball in equal measure. Beginning in 1958, he bowled with numerous leagues. Of note, he bowled in the Heart and Stroke Bowling Tournament for 20 consecutive years, winning first place in 1991, recording the highest single in 2003, leading the first place team in 2005, and maintaining a 200 average in 2009. Mercer also played hockey from 1964 up until 2007, plating on numerous teams. He was 72 years old when he finally hung up his skates. Mercer also played on numerous softball teams over the years.