Clubman of the Year

 

2017 – Nich Matthews

Nich is known for being one of the most dedicated individuals to this club. From organizing and running indoor practices, leading warm-ups, transporting equipment, favors and tasks with no questions asked… right down to the massive Wolves logo tattooed on his calf. He leads by example by being first on the pitch and taking hard hits with a smile and as such, players at all levels are reminded of the kind of passion and perseverance it takes to play this wonderful game.

2016 – Jackson Eyres

Jackson is one of the friendliest faces you will come across at any Wolves Event. He is always quick to volunteer, and even when he is injured he will be at practice on the sidelines dolling out ice packs and fun anecdotes.  He has twice been recognized for his athletic feats in 2013 for "rookie of the year", and in 2015 as "most valuable forward".

2015 – Kim Stewart

Kim Stewart keeps bringing her amazing attitude to every practice, every event and every party.  Recipient of the Most Improved Forward award in 2013, her skills have kept developing non stop over time, and Kim has become a force of nature on the pitch.  Vice-president of the club for the same year, it is difficult to imagine a practice or Wolves event without her bright personality shining through.

2014 – Mary Jeffries

Mary has had a great impact on our team as our coach, a player on the women's side and vice-president of our club. Her contributions have been noticed not only by our entire club but also our international rugby family.  Mary has a talent in getting the best out of each of us and worked tirelessly to make us all better players, be it teaching us new skills, giving us the talk that would inspire us, or at times giving us the kick in the butt we needed to improve our game. Her contributions extend beyond the pitch, as a strong member of our board, she worked beyond the scenes and spent countless hours organizing our schedules, referees, and ensuring we were truly ready for our game days. Mary dedicated a lot of heart and soul to the advancement of our club this year.

2013 – Sylvain Roussel

Sylvain had been making exemplary commitment to the Wolves organization since joining the club. In addition to finding the inner strength and resolve to demonstrate constant improvement on the pitch, Sylvain joined the Board of the club taking on the Events portfolio. As a club known for stellar and successful events, this was a big role for a rookie board member. Sylvain has proven a masterful organizer with a vision for popular events and his hard work and accomplishment has caught the attention of the membership as well as the community at large.

2012 – Dave Rose

Dave had been an important contributor the club since inception and he found his niche taking on coaching, fixtures and team management in our fourth year. It was an growth year for the Wolves and Dave was crucial in making sure the club's roots took hold. He brought much needed organization and management to the team while ensuring stability in coaching during a transition period and beyond.  He even found time to ref matches and organize our Awards banquet all while juggling a full-time job and a family.

2011 – Johnny Festarini

In a critical year following the overseas posting of the club's founders, Johnny quickly became the glue that held the team together. While that's expected of a President, Johnny went beyond expectations in ensuring that all the club's functions were executed well. Did we mention he did all this while planning and celebrating his own wedding? While the wedding was held in July, the honeymoon was planned for the post-season: The award was accepted via video link from Australia.

2010 – Dan Ziemkiewicz

As the creative powerhouse and chief photographer behind the Wolves' wildly successful first calendar, Dan transformed the communications and events portfolios into a driving force for recognition and recruitment. As a result of his efforts, the club was published in print and electronic media on three continents.

2009 – Jay Smidt

As defacto Team Mom, Jay Smidt went out of his way to make sure that kit, water, tape and medical supplies made it to practices and games ensuring that the team ran smoothly right through the season. Jay was also responsible for the Wolves incorporation as a not-for-profit entity in the Province of Ontario and paved the way for formal recognition of the club. He also makes tasty cupcakes!

Check out past winners of our Athletic awards.