• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Local Hero

CRM

  • Home
  • Sponsors
    • Event Sponsors
  • COMMUNITY PARTNERS
  • Rules and Categories
    • ANIMAL ADVOCATE
    • ARTS ADVOCATE
    • COACH
    • COMMUNITY BUILDER
    • COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER
    • COURAGE & BRAVERY
    • DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION ADVOCATE
    • EDUCATOR
    • EMERGENCY SERVICES
    • ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP
    • Health Care Hero
    • HERO OF THE YEAR
    • MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE
    • SENIORS’ CHAMPION
    • YOUTH VOLUNTEER
  • Submit Nomination
  • Top Honour

Coach

2019 Finalist Coach of the Year: Hugh Gurney

May 31, 2019 By susan Leave a Comment

Often, new teams struggle, but that wasn’t the case for the North Island Cubs in their first season.

Joining AAA midget baseball in 2018, the team is made up of kids generally aged 15 to 17 from around the region, including several from Campbell River.

On the field, the Cubs, with coach Hugh Gurney at the helm, exceeded what anyone would’ve expected, placing second to the North Fraser Nationals. 

“We went right to the finals of the provincials,” Hugh says. “It was a good start for us.”

Hugh credits a strong parent group and the community for helping pull the baseball team together.

“We got some good support and some good backing,” he says. “I haven’t done it all by myself.”

Several players earned all-star honours, and a few played with the provincial team and signed letters of intent to play college baseball.

“It’s nice to see,” he says. “There’s a lot of good talent.”

Hugh, who also coaches ice hockey, credits the coaching he got in both sports growing up, and he is more than happy to take his turn as a leader and example for young athletes now.

“It’s fun. It’s really rewarding,” he says.

Filed Under: Coach, Finalists

2019 Finalist Coach of the Year: Bryce Cockburn

May 31, 2019 By susan Leave a Comment

Bryce Cockburn started playing hockey in Campbell River before moving on to play junior A hockey, in the NCAA and professionally.

Now back home, he is giving back to local minor hockey players and coaches through Next Level Training, started almost a decade ago as a way to share his love of hockey. 

“This is our ninth year,” he says.

He ran hockey camps through Next Level part-time for several years while continuing to work a regular job, but for the last two years he’s been doing this work full-time. At present, he is the only Hockey Canada-certified skills coach on Vancouver Island. A couple of years ago, he was chosen for one of 24 spots to go to Calgary to be Hockey Canada certified level three skills coach. His next step is training as an advanced skills coach.

“I just got accepted to do that this year,” he says.

In March he was among a select group of dozen or so coaches chosen for the Hockey Canada Advanced Coaching Program — a group that included NHL skills coaches from the Vegas Golden Knights and Toronto Maple Leafs. “I was very happy and honoured to get selected,” he says.

Filed Under: Coach, Finalists

Primary Sidebar

Browse Nominations by Category

  • Arts Advocate (2)
  • Coach (2)
  • Community Builder (2)
  • Community Volunteer (2)
  • Courage/Bravery (2)
  • Educator (2)
  • Emergency Services (2)
  • Environmental Leadership (2)
  • Finalists (18)
  • Healthcare Hero (1)
  • Hero Of The Year (2)
  • Multimedia (1)
  • Seniors' Champion (1)
  • Top Honour (25)
  • Youth Volunteer (1)

Recent Nominations:

  • 2019 Finalist Hero of the Year: Tara Jordan
  • 2019 Finalist Hero of the Year: Greenways Land Trust
  • 2019 Finalist Youth Volunteer: Carihi Fly Fishing
  • 2019 Finalist Seniors’ Champion: Danny Brown
  • 2019 Finalist Healthcare Hero: CR Hospice Build Team
  • 2019 Finalist Environmental Leadership: Dave Cunning
  • 2019 Finalist Environmental Leadership: Cheryl Freeman
  • 2019 Finalist Emergency Service: Grant Cromer
  • 2019 Finalist Emergency Services: Amanda & Barry Glickman
  • 2019 Finalist Educator: Peter Ubriaco
  • 2019 Finalist Educator: Lisa Walls
  • 2019 Finalist Diversity & Inclusion: John Hollywood
  • 2019 Finalist Courage & Bravery: Jesse Huffman
  • 2019 Finalist Courage & Bravery: Janny Bird

Copyright © 2022 · LOCAL HERO · COMOX VALLEY RECORD