Ken Hall, Heather Hennigar, and Robin McKeever named Canadian Paralympic Sport Awards coaching winners

- Coaches recognized for their successes at the Tokyo and Beijing Paralympic Games as well as on the development track
- Winners will be celebrated at CAC's Sport Leadership Awards Gala

OTTAWA, ON, Nov. 2, 2023 /CNW/ - Three esteemed Paralympic sport coaches ? Ken Hall, Heather Hennigar, and Robin McKeever ? are set to receive Canadian Paralympic Sport Awards, the Canadian Paralympic Committee announced on Thursday.

The recipients will receive their awards at Friday's 2023 Petro-Canada Sport Leadership Awards Gala hosted by the Coaching Association of Canada in Calgary.

McKeever and Hennigar are being recognized for their leadership and success coaching athletes at the Beijing and Tokyo Paralympic Games, respectively, while Hall is being celebrated for his work developing athletes in the sport of Para athletics.

"Quality coaching is absolutely integral to the development, growth, and success of Paralympic sport, and all three coaching award recipients embody the best in leadership," said Karen O'Neill, CEO, Canadian Paralympic Committee. "They have made such a significant impact through their unwavering dedication to their athletes and the Paralympic Movement, delivering on excellence while providing the best environments for their athletes to thrive. Their recent successes exemplify this, and are added to a long list of contributions over many years. A huge congratulations to Ken, Heather, and Robin for this much-deserved recognition, and we are thrilled to celebrate your many accomplishments."

The Canadian Paralympic Sport Awards, first established by CPC following Vancouver 2010, recognizes outstanding athlete and team performances at the Paralympic Games as well as coaching excellence at both the high performance and development levels.

The athlete recipients for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games were announced in late August.

BEIJING WINNERS
TOKYO WINNERS

McKeever has been synonymous with Canada's Para nordic ski team for years. He was instrumental in the foundation of the team, which has been a powerhouse under his leadership and a beacon for what a flourishing national program can look like.

With his legacy already secured, his success continued at the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games. Head coach of Canada's Para nordic team, McKeever stewarded his athletes to another phenomenal slate of performances at the Games. Canada captured 14 medals (six gold, two silver, and six bronze) across Para cross country and Para biathlon in Beijing, the most of any sport.

"This award would not have been possible without the dedicated staff and team that put the stress and pressure of a pandemic behind them to maximize the support of the Para nordic athletes," said McKeever. "I dedicate this to the team behind the team."

As Athletic Canada's West Hub Lead, Hennigar has been credited with shaping a winning mindset and setting a world-class, safe, and supportive integrated training environment that has benefited all athletes. Leading into the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, she supported her athletes in having access to the best possible training conditions under challenging circumstances in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Her outstanding leadership as a Para athletics coach shined brightly in Tokyo. She coached three athletes at the Games, with Nate Riech winning a gold medal in Paralympic record time, Zachary Gingras taking home a bronze, and Thomas Normandeau achieving a Top 8 finish.

"I am honoured and grateful to be recognized with this award. It's really a symbol to me of the culmination of an entire team's tireless commitment and willingness to venture into the unfamiliar," said Hennigar. "Together we co-created an integrated environment bringing together Paralympic and Olympic athletes in the pursuit of some pretty big goals, all driven by the belief in some fundamental principles of high-performance sport.

"Success in coaching is never a solo endeavour, and I would like to express my gratitude to the athletes who have entrusted me with so much, and Athletics Canada and the entire West Hub team for the ongoing support leading into the Tokyo Paralympics."

Originally starting as a throws coach at Cruisers Sports in Ontario, Hall works at all levels of sport, from volunteering and lending his expertise at community try-it days and local meets to coaching world championships medallists on the national team. He always ensures athletes are having a positive experience, and his collaborative approach in working with athletes, coaches, officials, and other stakeholders has been central to his success in advancing Para sport across Canada.   

A valued member of the Paralympic community for decades, Hall's advocacy, passion, and commitment has had a lasting legacy on greater accessibility, equity, and opportunities for Para athletes.

"I am very excited and proud to be receiving this award," said Hall. "As always, there are many people in the background that have contributed to it ? the most prominent being my wife Lisa who has supported my adventures all along. Thank you for this honour."

For more information on the Canadian Paralympic Sport Awards, please visit Paralympic.ca/sport-awards.

About the Canadian Paralympic Committee: Paralympic.ca

SOURCE Canadian Paralympic Committee (Sponsorships)