Members of the BCWBS Community Receive CWSA Awards

 Congratulations to the BC Wheelchair Basketball Society members who were honoured at the 2014 Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association Annual Awards. These include:

2014 CWSA Female Athlete of the Year: Janet McLachlan: Vancouver native Janet McLachlan is arguably the best female wheelchair basketball player in the world. This June, she proved it by leading Team Canada to a gold medal at the 2014 IWBF Women’s World Championships. Mclachlan led Team Canada in minutes played (more than 36 minutes per game), had a double-double in points and rebounds in all games, averaged 21.5 points per game and collected 133 rebounds (40 more than her next closest competitor). She also sunk the game-winning shot in the semi-finals against the Netherlands while being double-teamed with 0.9 seconds on the clock. For her performance, McLachlan was named to the World Championship All Star team. This year, she also steered the BC Breakers to a gold medal performance with a game-high 33 points in the final game and was once again named to the All Star team.

2014 CWSA Barb Montemurro Award: Kathy Newman: Kathy Newman has long been known as one of the brightest lights in the Canadian parasport system. Since retiring as Executive Director of BC Wheelchair Sports Association, however, she has escalated her volunteer involvement. This year, she was a key force on the Wheelchair Basketball Canada and CWSA board of directors, served as the Sport Chair for Wheelchair Rugby at the 2015 Para Pan Am Games and was also an important member of the 2014 Women’s Wheelchair Basketball World Championship organizing committee.

2014 Dr. Robert W. Jackson Memorial Award: Pat Harris: For over 30 years, Pat Harris has been an active athlete, coach, mentor and administrator. Along with his wife Nancy, he has fought for the rights of people with disabilities using sport as a vehicle for social change. While Harris is a long-time board member for BC Wheelchair Sports Association and a coach of several Canada Games and CWBL teams, his biggest impact has been felt in Northern BC. Pat has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of people with disabilities living in the North by founding (and coaching) the Prince George Titans wheelchair basketball equipment, conducting wheelchair basketball demonstrations, recruiting wheelchair basketball players (including mentoring Paralympians Bo Hedges and Elisha Williams), and developing several accessibility councils and initiatives, including Measuring Up the North.