With almost 100 participants, the 2018 Canada Artistic Swimming Annual Meeting and Convention was a productive and motivational experience. Gathering in Calgary, Alberta, September 13-16, the weekend was filled with an atmosphere of great camaraderie and collaboration as the whole CAS team worked together to plan for the future growth in the sport – and to celebrate the successes of the past year. Everyone left challenged to imagine a future emphasizing the new Canada Artistic Swimming brand attributes: Powerful, Dynamic, Creative, Inclusive, and Collaborative, and always reflecting the organizational values.
Under the theme of TOGETHER WE ARE CANADA ARTISTIC SWIMMING, members worked together to find common ground and define roles and responsibilities for optimum efficiencies, share best practices and reinforce goals outlined in the 2016-2024 Strategic plan. Workshop topics included putting conduct policy to work, understanding conflict of interest, insurance realities, competition restructuring and the coach as a professional. As testament to the work done at the grassroots level, a brand new entry-level aquatic literacy program, AquaGO!, was formally delivered to the members and coaches in attendance.
Important decisions were made including bylaw changes to increase the size of the board and to lengthen the term limits of Directors to three years. Two highly respected members, Gail Donohue and Joel Sanders, retired from the board and were thanked for their immense contributions to the organization. Two new well-qualified and enthusiastic members have joined the board, Florence Klein (QC) and Shannon Higgins (BC).
To support the organizational focus on coaching development, two NCCP coaching certification courses were held in conjunction with the Convention, allowing coaches to increase their certification and also attend the convention workshops as professional development at the same time.
“Throughout the weekend I felt a renewed sense of purpose and a united direction – centering around the opportunities our new brand is providing us to move the organization to new heights. There was a theme of alignment throughout the sessions that was incredibly motivating and rewarding. The sport and the organization are both in a really great place as we chart an exciting future together” said Judi Enns Bradette, President and chair of the national board.
2018 Volunteer, Athlete & Coach Awards
Volunteer, coach and athlete accomplishments were celebrated at the Saturday night Gala Awards Dinner. The award winners are listed below:
| Award Name | Award Winner | |
|---|---|---|
| Synchro Alberta National Stream Athletes of the Year | Jaime Czarkowski, Calgary Aquabelles (13-15) Cassandra Winkelaar, Calgary Aquabelles (Junior) Halle Pratt, Calgary Aquabelles (Senior) |
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| CAS Officials 5 Year Recognition Certificate | Erinn Bartsch (SK) Carol Chernishenko (SK) Bonnie Creighton (SK) Angele Gaulin-Marchand (ON) Suzanne Hohmann (NB) Suzanne Kostron (ON) Mélanie Lacroix (ON) |
Valérie Larose (QC) Erika Lindner (ON) Ted Smith (ON) Danielle Sorgo (ON) Miranda Spensley (AB) Pam Wylie (MB) Wendy Yule (ON) |
| Synchro Alberta Official of the Year Award | Miranda Spensley |
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| CAS Silver Pin Award (10 Years) | Carly Abraham (AB) Lesley Ahara (ON) Penny Hermann (ON) Catrine Klein (ON) Jane Mahon (AB) |
Kari McKnight (AB) Maureen O’Donoghue (AB) Jennifer Saunders (ON) Lianna Sottile (ON) |
| CAS President’s Award (15 Years) | Louise Newburry (AB) |
Sandy Holmquist (AB) |
| CAS Officials 20 Year Recognition Certificate | Lisa Balcombe (BC) Pat McCann(ON) Janice McLaughlin (ON) |
Nancy Reed (QC) Pat Taylor (SK) |
| CAS Board of Directors Pin (25 Years) | Josée Daudelin (QC) |
Sharon Devana (BC) |
| Synchro Alberta Large Club of the Year | Calgary Aquabelles | |
| Synchro Alberta Small Club of the Year | Edmonton Auroras | |
| Synchro Alberta Provincial Athletes of Year | Mika Boldt Steen, Edmonton Auroras (10U) Simone Radom, Calgary Aquabelles (11-12) |
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| Provincial Athlete of the Year | Jessica Landry, Atlantis Synchro (Synchro Nova Scotia) Carolyn Currie, Winnipeg Synchro (Synchro Swim Manitoba) |
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| CAS Athlete of the Year | 2018 SENIOR NATIONAL TEAM Gabrielle Boisvert (QC) Andrée-Anne Côté (QC) Camille Fiola-Dion (QC) Rebecca Harrower (AB) Claudia Holzner (AB) |
Audrey Joly (QC) Sion Ormond (ON) Halle Pratt (AB) Jacqueline Simoneau (QC) Laurence Vézina (QC) |
| Synchro Alberta Coaches of the Year | Jennifer Tregale, Calgary Aquabelles (National Stream Coach) Jennifer Defoy, Calgary Aquabelles & Calgary Winter Club (Provincial Stream Coach) Ava Neely, Calgary Elite Synchro (Most Promising Coach) |
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| Synchro Alberta DIVA Award | Sara Kindt (Lethbridge Synchrobelles) | |
| Synchro Alberta Volunteer of the Year Award | Theresa McGuire (Excel Synchro) | |
| Synchro Alberta President’s Award | Kaila Risling (Red Deer Synchro Club) | |
| Provincial Volunteers of the Year | Emily Dempsey (Synchro Nova Scotia) Sharon Trevena (Synchro Swim Manitoba) Stéphanie St-Gélais (Synchro Québec) |
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| CAS Volunteer of the Year Award | RaeAnne Rose (Synchro BC) | |
| CAS Lifetime Achievement Awards | Audrey Sribney (AB) |
Dot Padget (AB) |