Last night, I had the privileged of receiving the award for Ottawa Male Athlete of the year at the Ottawa Sport Awards. For the last 6 years I have attended the awards held annually at Algonquin College, and every year I have left the evenings festivities with a deep desire to one day win the over all athlete of the year award. I was taken by surprise last evening when my name was called for the award. As is common with many athletes, I am often guilty of looking critically at my own performances and trying to find ways to improve, instead of patting my self on the back. When they started reading out the description of the winner and I realized that I had won, I was pretty emotional. I know it is a strange 'dream' goal to have, to win an award that is decided to by a selection committee, but it really was one of the things I wanted to do before I hung up my paddle. There is no one else I would have rather received the trophy from than Mike Scott and there he was with the serious hardware on stage. When I looked down at the trophy I immediately saw my plaque right next to Angus' name from last year. It made me immensely proud to see our two names side by side, I doubt that our mathematician parents ever dreamed their two sons would both end up winning Ottawa Athlete of the year back to back! After a moments emotion up at the podium, I realized that my brief speech was a chance for thank you's that rarely comes along in life. I let Mikey hang on to the trophy while I made a quick speech, trying to get my thoughts together. I wanted to thank all of those who have been 100% supporters of me since the day I took my first stroke on the Rideau. During the 2 years I missed due to injury my family, freinds and teammates never once even let me consider not coming back full strength, and I will always remember that feeling of confidence they lent me. I ended my speech pointing out that Mikey, who was still holding the trophy, truly deserved the honour not me. After 60 years pouring his heart into the RCC he really is the reason there was such a great club for my brother and I to join and grown up in. Thank you Mike, and thank you to everyone who has called, emailed, texted and tweeted me today.

Rideau has held down this award the last two years.....who is going to make it a three peat?