On Tuesday, February 10, the 25th Community Sport Hero Awards took place at the Rotary Centre for the Arts. The Community Sport Hero Awards celebrate and showcase the immense talent, dedication, and passion that define our region's sporting spirit, and recognize local sport leaders and athletes for their outstanding contributionsto sport within our community, demonstrating innovation, leadership, and excellence within their sport. Over the past 25 years, PacificSport Okanagan and the City of Kelowna have proudly recognized more than 389 community sport leaders and athletes.
Sport Hosting Excellence Award
Tourism Kelowna was proud to present the Sport Hosting Excellence Award to Kelowna BMX for its outstanding delivery of the 2025 BMX Firestorm Nationals in June. Part of the Canadian National Series, the Firestorm Nationals welcomed athletes of all ages from across Canada and the United States to compete at the BMX Park at Rutland Arena.
The event showcased some of the country’s top riders in a high-energy racing format featuring timed events and heats organized by age and skill level. Competitors ranged from young riders as early as two years old racing on strider bikes to elite athletes competing for national titles.
Divisions spanned multiple age and skill levels, highlighted by the new Superclass divisions: Superclass 14+ Women, Superclass 14–29 Men, and Superclass 30+ Men. Superclass serves as an exciting national showcase for Canada’s fastest riders, where aspiring amateurs and Pro-Elite competitors battle for top honours and championship titles.
Sporting events of this nature increase Kelowna's profile as a premier destination and have a significant economic impact on our community. By recognizing individuals and clubs for their efforts to attract, bid on, and secure events, Tourism Kelowna can further encourage others to think big and work with us to enhance Kelowna’s sporting portfolio.
Athletic Excellence and Sport Leadership Awards
Congratulations to all the 2026 Award Winners in both the Athletic Excellence and Sport Leadership categories:
Athletic Excellence: Displaying innovation, excellence, and leadership in sport performance in 2025
- Annika Gross, Soccer
- Cheyenne Simicak, Softball
- Cassidy Bank, Ball Hockey
- Finley Cashin, Ski Cross
- Felix Bergeron, Weightlifting
- Noah Watters, Basketball
- Isobel Babcock, Ringette & Volleyball
Sport Leadership: Displaying innovation, excellence, and leadership in a sport leadership role in 2025.
- Darlyle Assman, Baseball
- Kyla Inaba, Golf
- Susan Griffiths, Multi-sport
- Kasey Wright, Softball
- Tannis Andersen, Track
- Ashtin Callaghan, Karate
- Sasha Carter, Tanya Stroinig, and Dave Stephensen, Curling
If you have any questions about how Tourism Kelowna can support sporting events or our Major Event Strategy, please contact me at sara@tourismkelowna.com.
