Mugford and Simms take top spots at Bay Roberts athletic awards

By Olivia Bradbury / Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A large group of young dancers swirled away with the Team of the Year Award when the Town of Bay Roberts hosted its annual athletic awards and Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony last month at the Wilbur Sparkes Complex.
Catherine’s Dance Studio’s competitive dance team consists of 82 members. In the last competitive season, they attended four competitions with 72 entries in various styles winning many individual and group awards. Catherine’s Dance Studio has been active in the community for 23 years.
There were also five individual awards handed out.
Bridget Hawe was named the Junior Female Athlete of the Year. Hawe is active in hockey, ball hockey, soccer, and swimming, winning gold medals in all four sports. She is especially involved in hockey, having served as assistant captain or captain on various teams. This fall, Hawe will play for the Bourget College Voltigeurs U18 Female Prep Hockey Team in Rigaud, Quebec. Hawe was described as a natural leader and a role model to her teammates.
The Junior Male Athlete of the Year is Austin Morgan, an accomplished swimmer with over a dozen medals to his name, both in individual swimming and relay. In the 2024 Newfoundland and Labrador Summer Games he was meant to swim in the Junior Division as he was only 14, but was asked to “swim up” and competed in the Senior Division against males aged 17 and older. At those Games, the Bay Roberts host team won eight medals across all sports — four of them by Morgan. He has also broken many records. Morgan was described as a gym and fitness enthusiast who is committed to athletics all year and is passionate about mentoring younger swimmers.
The Senior Female Athlete of the Year is Emma Mugford. She competes in dancing, cheerleading, and car racing. She was a member of the Ascension Collegiate cheerleading team that won 1st place in the Grand Champion in the Big Bite division and second place in the Provincials. As part of the team, Mugford was also named rookie of the year.
In car racing, Mugford is a driver in the Bandolero Division at the Eastbound racetrack in Avondale. So far this season, she has won two checkered flags for first place finishes. Mugford is also involved in the community, volunteering with the NL Summer Games, Ronald McDonald’s Walk for Families, Salvation Army youth groups, the Light the Lamp ball hockey tournament, and Girl Guides of Canada.
Ryan Simms is the Senior Male Athlete of the Year. Successful in basketball, soccer, hockey, ball hockey, and softball, Simms was captain of the Ascension Astros Senior Boys basketball team, 4A Boys ball hockey team, and slo-pitch softball team. He was also assistant captain of the Bay Arena Rovers Rep 1 hockey team. He has won medals in various tournaments with his teams, including gold in the ball hockey provincials with both the Ascension Collegiate 4A Boys and the CBN ball hockey teams, and has received multiple Player of the Game and MVP awards. Simms made the U19 Team NL ball hockey squad this year, which is playing in the men’s league in St. John’s, and competed in the men’s provincials this summer, and in Mississauga, Ontario at the Nationals. Simms was described as a great leader and teammate who demonstrates good sportsmanship
The Sports Volunteer of the Year is Angela Morgan. She serves as the U11 Rep 2 Assistant Coach, U13 Rep 1 Trainer, and Female Director of the Bay Roberts Minor Hockey Association. Morgan is also the U11 Female CTP Devils Assistant Coach in Minor Hockey. Morgan was described as having worked hard to develop female hockey in the TriPen region, establishing teams in U11, U15 and U18 girls divisions by combining with other associations. She also led the first shift program that introduced girls to the sport, and a female hockey elite program where older female players worked with younger players to teach them about and help them enjoy the game. She was a coach for the Light the Lamp team, as well as a committee member and scheduler for the event. Morgan also served as Director of Facilities for the 2024 NL Summer Games. If she is not involved with teams directly, Morgan is often helping them indirectly by drawing up schedules, keeping statistics, ordering jerseys and handling other tasks.
This year’s inductee into the Bay Roberts Sports Hall of Fame is the Bay Arena Association Board of Directors. Established in 1981, the group was also presented with the Kevin and Langdon Critch Sports Builders Award. The directors include Lewis Gosse, Wesley Gosse, Bill Saunders, Max Hussey, Ed Neil, Jim Street, Walter Baggs, Randy Collins, Claude Barrett, Corbett Newman, Ralph Trickett, George Jerrett, Gary Roach, Tolson Ralph, Bryan Ryan, Edwin Fradsham, Harvey Piercey, Bob Bishop, Duncan Snow and Bruce Sheppard.
Mayor Geoff Seymour congratulated the inductees and commended their work. “Your contribution continues to provide sport opportunities for all members of our communities,” he said.
Harbour Grace – Port de Grave MHA Pam Parsons said the awards winners’ dedication to sport inspires the next generation of athletes. “From the early days of community baseball games and spirited hockey rivalries to today’s diverse and dynamic sports programs, this town has fostered a legacy of determination, teamwork and community pride,” she said.
“To every nominee and award recipient I say thank you for inspiring us,” added Avalon MP Paul Connors, “and for building a stronger, healthier, and more connected community through sport.”