Tim Hortons 2023 Athlete of the Year co-winner Aimee Skinner (right) with selection committee member Ann Holmes. The other co-winner, Leah Goldstein, could not be present as she is competing in the Race Across America. (Vernon Matters photo)

By Pete McIntyre

30th annual Tim Hortons awards

North Okanagan’s best athletes, team and sports leader chosen for 2023

Jun 23, 2023 | 5:00 AM

The Tim Hortons North Okanagan Sports Awards celebrated its 30th year by handing out an extra award this year.

Due to the quality of the nominations, the selection committee decided on two winners for athlete of the year.

The awards were handed out Thursday, June 22, outside Vernon City Hall.

Ultra athlete Leah Goldstein, who is currently taking part in her fourth Race Across America cycling event, was one of the co-winner’s of the top athlete award.

Leah Goldstein in Race Across America She is a co-winner of 2023 Tim Hortons North Okanagan Athlete of the year. (Facebook photo)

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Goldstein made history in 2021 by becoming the first woman to win the overall title in the 4,800 km event’s 39-year history.

Born in Canada, Goldstein was raised in Israel, and at age 17, she won the world bantamweight kickboxing championship.

She started making gains in cycling at the Canadian Nationals in 1997, and by 2011, she was the top female in the Race Across America despite suffering Shermer’s neck, a condition where the neck muscles fail from fatigue and can no longer support the weight of the head.

Multi-sport standout Aimee Skinner is the other co-winner of athlete of the year for 2023. During the past year, the Coldstream resident helped the Kalamalka Secondary Lakers volleyball team win provincials and was named the tournament MVP. Skinner was also a member of the Zone 5 Venom ringette team that won the Western Canadian title where Aimee received an all-star award.

Skinner also played for the Under 18 Vernon Firehawks volleyball club that placed second at provincials and was named an all star, and excelled at basketball for the Kal Lakers senior girls team. She will be attending Vancouver Island University this fall.

Skinner also had a hand in the 2023 Tim Hortons team of the year winner, the Under 19 Zone 5 Venom ringette team, wich won not only the provincial title but also the Western Canadian championship.

Tim Hortons 2023 Team of the year award winners, members of the Under 19 Venom ringette team that won the provincial and Western Canadian titles, are presented with the trophy by Pete McIntyre of the selection committee. (Vernon Matters photo)

The team, coached by Darcy Quiring and Coralee Hamilton, beat Alberta 5-4 in overtime in the gold medal game in Winnipeg.

Lisa Quiring, who nominated the squad for the award, said the girls have been playing together for years and many, like Aimee Skinner, played other sports.

“They choose to attend 6 a.m. practices for three years so ringette would not interfere with their growth in other sports. They are committed athletes with committed parents. And more importantly, they are really nice humans. They are kind on and off the ice and play a clean, skilled game,” Quiring said.

This year’s leadership in sport award goes to a man well known by local, national and even international fans of curling.

Dave Merklinger has been the manager of the Vernon Curling Club since 2007. He is also one of the world’s best ice makers, having created the slick surfaces used at the Olympics, Worlds, Scotties and Briers.

Tim Hortons 2023 leadership in sports award winner Dave Merklinger is presented with the trophy by Danica Bergen of Tim Hortons. (Vernon Matters photo)

“Merk,” as he is known, recently retired from his chief ice technician duties and is now focusing on his full-time job as the VCC manager, where he does everything he can to grow the sport of curling.

“In a nutshell, Dave Merklinger has contributed at the club, regional, provincial, national and international levels of curling, all for the betterment of the sport,” said Merklinger’s nominator Heather Kyllo. “Dave’s favourite line to shout in a crowd is “I love curling.”.

Merklinger started curling in Winnipeg at the age of 12, then his family moved to Trenton Ont. in 1971 where he worked with legendary ice maker Shorty Jenkins. Merk then moved to Ottawa to work with local clubs and then to Vancouver in 2000 before settling into Vernon in 2007.

Also nominated for the leadership award were Cindy Masters, Stacy Roest and Rory Taber.

The other nominees for athlete of the year were Jacob Brayshaw, Colten Colmorgen, Landon Currie, Brea Duncan, Senna Entner, Makenna Jackson, Sierra Munroe and Eliana Stein.

The other teams nominated were Kalamalka senior girls volleyball, Okanagan para swim group, VSS junior varsity football, VSS grade 8 basketball and VSS grade 8 4×100 relay track team.

The winners were chosen by a panel of media and sports community representatives.