Patrick Jarvis named Calgary Booster Club’s sportsperson of the year

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Patrick Jarvis was buying running shoes when he got the celebrated call from the Calgary Booster Club.

“Because I still think I can run,” said the 65-year-old Calgarian, with a confident smile.

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Likely can — and very well — given he’s already accomplished plenty in sport, which is what’s made him the 2024 Calgary Booster Club sportsperson of the year.

The longtime promoter and builder of sports in the city, nation and world headlines this year’s class of major award winners — along with Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf, ski-jumper Alexandria Loutitt and powerlifter David Nicholson — for the decorated club, which has celebrated individuals whose achievements have made a significant impact on local sport since way back in 1952.

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“I’m humbled and honoured,” said Jarvis, of the club’s flagship honour. “Humbled by the terms of the people that have gone before me and the people whose shoulders I stand on and many of us stand on in sport, and just honoured to be considered as a recipient of this.

“It’s that recognition that you looked up and always been sort of in awe of the giants in the sport,” continued Jarvis, who is about to offer a report on the status of sport for Paralympic athletes to the Canadian Olympic Committee and the Canadian Paralympic Committee in Montreal and is set to become a 2024 inductee into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame. “And when I say giants, it’s the people at the community level and the city level — not the people that are on our national TV every night, but the people who are making a difference in average citizens lives. So that’s what I’m perhaps most honoured and grateful for is to be considered in the same breath as some of those individuals.”

Jarvis has done that by representing Canada at numerous international Paralympic sporting events as an athlete before embracing a wide range of leadership roles.

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He has served as the CPC president (1998-2006) and as a board member of the International Paralympic Committee and worked on the COC and 2010 Vancouver organizing committee for the Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games.

More recently, Jarvis was the executive director at Canada Snowboard. And just last year, he was named the interim chief executive officer of Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton.

He was also the director of the Calgary Booster Club, won the club’s 1976 Harry Hood Memorial Award as the high school athlete for displaying outstanding football ability, sportsmanship and scholastic excellence and made a member of the Order of Canada in 2011.

“Fascinating journey,” said Jarvis, who lost his left arm at age eight when falling into a meat grinder while working for 35 cents an hour at a butcher shop.

“We never talked philosophy around the table,” recalling his time growing up in Morrin, Alta. “But mom and dad made it pretty clear that in life you should just be useful. And I think that’s been sort of what’s driven me. It seems very simple — innocuous — but I’ve always just looked around at what needs to be done, and if I can play a role, that’s what I lean into.”

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The club’s other award winners for 2024 are:

• Dustin Wolf — Scott-Mamini Memorial Award for male athlete of the year

“It means a lot,” said Wolf, who turned 23 Tuesday. “Former Flames like (Jarome) Iginla and (Mark) Gio (Giordano), and Cale Makar, who won it last year … they’re pretty exceptional hockey players (who’ve won this award). To add yourself to a list of recipients like that is certainly a big honour.”

Wolf had an award-winning 2022-23 season for the Calgary Wranglers in the American Hockey League.

The California native and league MVP played in 55 games to lead the circuit, and finished with a 42-10-2 record, ranking first in the loop in wins, goals-against average (2.09), save percentage (.932) and shutouts (7).

“This is only my second year full-time in the city of Calgary,” added Wolf, who has taken the crease 16 times for the NHL’s Flames this season. “And you can tell just from being out in the public and being around the arena that people care a lot about their players and their city and hockey.”

Other nominees for the male athlete-of-the-year award were: Micah Awe (football); Ted-Jan Bloemen (speed skating); Brendan Bottcher (curling); Stephen Calkins (swimming); Stefan Daniel (triathlete); and Wes Heffernan (golf).

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• Alexandria Loutitt — Henry Viney Trophy for female athlete of the year

“It has been a long, difficult road for our (ski-jumping) athletes,” said Tracy McKay, speaking on behalf of her daughter who is currently competing in Europe. “And Alexandria has really demonstrated a lot of grit and determination to get to where she is today.”

Loutitt made her Olympic debut in the 2022 Beijing Winter Games and made Canadian history there with her compatriots in capturing the bronze medal in mixed-team ski jumping.

She later became the first Canadian woman to win a FIS Ski Jumping World Cup event and two world championship titles.

The 20-year-old holds the Canadian ski-jumping mark of 225 metres, set while becoming the first Canadian to win the women’s large hill event at the 2023 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships.

“When she left home at 15 to move to Germany to pursue her dream of getting to the Olympics, thank goodness for the National Sports School and Ski Jumping Canada for supporting her,” McKay said. “That launched Alexandria off into a trajectory that I don’t think we expected. And she’s got big goals for the future.”

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Other nominees for the female athlete-of-the-year award were: Ivanie Blondin (speed skating); Caeli McKay (diving); Sarah Orban (cycling); and Hannah Schmidt (freestyle skiing).

• David Nicholson, Jack Gregory Award for Special Olympics Calgary athlete of the year

“I’m really excited,” said Nicholson, an accomplished athlete in several sports. During his involvement with Special Olympics, the 28-year-old has participated in five-pin bowling, basketball, golf, soccer, snowshoeing, athletics and floor hockey.

And his powerlifting excellence was on display last year in Berlin, where Nicholson captured three gold medals and one silver in the M5 division of the 2023 Special Olympics.

“I’m really happy, really honoured to be receiving this award,” Nicholson said. “Sports keeps me happy and keeps me active. I train five times a week.”

• Also saluted Wednesday were the Calgary Booster Club’s HALs — or honoured athletic leaders — in Al Coates (Flames executive, 2012 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship); Art O’Dwyer (volleyball, SAIT); Catriona Le May Doan (speedskating, Sport Calgary); Celeste Bazinet (Calgary Senior High School Athletic Association athletic director, coach); Cody Ehrmann (high school football, basketball and track and field); Ian Gordon (sprinter, Calgary Track West, Athletics Canada); Lisa Schott (artistic swimming, Aquatics Canada president); Martyn Bentley (Calgary Canucks rugby player, coach and president); Murray Sigler (Sport Calgary, Sport For Calgary Foundation); Pamela Young (Calgary Rowing Club director and president); Theresa Garagan (Special Olympics Calgary alpine skiing and track and field); Todd Richards (high school track and field, basketball, hockey and football coach); and Wade Buteau (high school football, wrestling, rugby and track and field coach).

All winners will be recognized at the 70th Calgary Booster Club sports gala dinner on April 28 at the Grey Eagle Resort.

tsaelhof@postmedia.com

http://www.x.com/ToddSaelhofPM

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