The top local athletes, teams and coaches are set to be honoured.
The 2025 North Okanagan Sports Awards have announced the nominees for the annual ceremony, hosted outside Vernon City Hall at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 11.
Three awards will be given out, the Leadership Award, Team of the Year Award and Athlete of the Year.
The Leadership Award honours those who have put countless hours into sports over the years to help others and the community.
Norm Crerar (Silver Star Resort and various sports), Steve Feedham (founder of Vernon and area senior slo-pitch league), Mike Grace (school administrator and coach of numerous teams), and Diana Wenzlaff (organizer of local running events) are this year's nominees.
For the Team of the Year Award, the Vernon Senior Secondary senior girls basketball team (who won bronze at the provincial championships) and Seaton Secondary girls gymnastics team (who won gold at provincials) are up against one another.
Cassandra Brown (national team basketball player), Shayla Flanagan (gymnastics), Shanda Hill (ultra athlete) and Sierra Monroe (rower/biathlete) are the nominees for the Athlete of the Year award.
The awards first started in 1993, when former NHL forward Brent Gilchrist was named the first Athlete of the Year. Winners are chosen by a selection committee made up of community members.
Attendance is free for the public and is sponsored by Dan Currie, owner of the Tim Hortons on Highway 6 in Vernon and Lumby.
The winners last year were Lillian Marchand (jiu-jitsu athlete), VSS junior and senior football teams (sharing Team of the Year award), and VSS football coach Sean Smith (Leadership award).
