BC boosts milk production
Baby lives after stroller hit
U.S. authorities find body
UN workers charged 
Trudeau in Saskatoon 
Doctors protest tax change
$620 million for Ukraine 
5 die crossing channel
Jury finds railway at fault 
Tourism operators struggle 
Nude Beverages sells line
Wealth gap widening
Leafs even series
Cristall gets pro look
Warriors even series in OT
Hozier surprised by #1
Trainor to replace Perry?
Swift breaks Spotify record
The best in sports were recognized Wednesday night in Vernon at the 2016 Tim Hortons North Okanagan Athlete, Team and Leadership of the Year awards.
Kevin Hill's gold medal win at the Canadian snowboard cross championship in Quebec in March earned him the top athlete award.
Hill has competed at the Olympics and had entered the national finals off a silver medal finish at a World Cup event in Spain.
“I love competition. It's in my blood,” said Hill, 29, from France where he is in training.
“The adreline rush you get from racing down the hill at 50 to 90 km/h, hitting the big jumps and turns, being airborne is definitely my favourite part of snowboarding.”
The team of the year award went to the Watkin Motors Mustangs after a stellar year on the ice.
The team won the Coca-Cola Classic Pee Wee Invitational Hockey Tournament in February before going on to become the tier two Pee Wee provincial champions in March.
“It was cool to win (the Classic) at home here in Vernon but winning the provincials was very cool,” said team captain Jacob Boden.
“I really liked the way our coach helped us out and encouraged us. We really stuck together as a team.”
The leadership award went to Ann Holmes who has spent 25 years in Vernon promoting sports.
Holmes has organized softball, fastball, volleyball, curling and lacrosse. She is also the funding allocator for KidSport in Greater Vernon, which raises and distributes money for children in need to get involved in sports.
“I'm a background person,” said Holmes, stating that she gets satisfaction from helping people.
“I think sports is really important in people's lives. It keeps kids off the streets.”
“She's amazing,” said Doug Ross, head of Vernon Recreation Services and a member of the KidSport board.
“She really is KidSport. She does all the heavy lifting. I have to say that Ann has handed out every single penny that KidSport has raised in the last 15 years.”
Ross said the amount handed out topped $250,000.
