The Tri-Cities were front and centre when the B.C. Lacrosse Association handed out the hardware at its AGM last weekend in Whistler.
Karen Nichol of the Coquitlam Senior Adanacs was presented the Dal Martin Merit Award for trainer of the year.
"I'm not surprised she won. She looks after everybody," said Adanacs head coach Bob Salt. "The old Bellies team have had a guy named Stevie Mah over there for years, he's one of the best in the business. Well, Karen is our Stevie Mah."
He said it's her dedication that sets Nichol apart, devoting countless hours to the team and organizing all the other trainers and physiotherapists.
"The players don't think about it until they get an injury, and then it's 'Oh, I better go see Karen,'" said Salt.
"The team honestly would not function without Karen, and I'm not just saying that."
Nichol said it's the love of the sport that keeps her coming back to the arena day after day and year after year.
"As much as I try to get away, I do love the competitive aspect of lacrosse and the physical aspect more than anything, and the guys are a great group of guys to work with," said Nichol, who is in her 10th year with the Adanacs.
"Having Bob Salt with us the last few years has been phenomenal. It's fun to be around and he's super supportive of myself and the new clinic."
Nichol is also the head therapist with the National Lacrosse League's Washington Stealth and served as chief therapist for Team Canada's lacrosse team during both the 2007 and 2011 World Indoor Lacrosse Championships.
Nichol, who operates Royal City Physio out of New Westminster, said she never feels out of place being involved in a man's game and estimates about half of the trainers in the sport are female.
Peter Thomasen, head coach of the Port Moody Thunder of the West Coast Senior Lacrosse Association, scooped up the John Cavallin Merit Award for senior coach of the year.
"We are delighted to see Peter win the senior coach of the year award from BCLA, as it is well deserved for his long dedicated passion for the game and his innate ability to teach others," said Jed Sigfusson, president of the Port Moody Lacrosse Association.
Sigfusson said he was first contacted by Thomasen while he was still in high school, asking if he could coach a lacrosse team in Port Moody.
"He wanted to give back to the association he played for and help promote the sport he loves," said Sigfusson. "In the past 14 years, Peter has coached from novice through to our senior level with consistent success, winning numerous provincial banners and league championships with the teams he's coached for Port Moody."
Dan Stroup, who coaches women's field lacrosse for Port Coquitlam and Team B.C., was named field coach of the year.
Stroup has been an integral part of BCLA's high-performance Team B.C. Female Box Lacrosse program the past few years, winning a 2012 national title. He also helped lead B.C.'s U19 squad to its first national title in July. Stroup starred in the WLA for Burnaby and Coquitlam, winning the 2001 Mann Cup with the Adanacs. He played for several teams over a 13-season NLL career which included winning the Champion's Cup four times. He was also a member of the Team Canada box and field lacrosse programs, winning two World Indoor Box Championships in 2003 and 2007.
The Port Coquitlam Minor Lacrosse Association was awarded the Leon Hall Merit Award for box lacrosse association of the year.
BCLA Presidents Awards were presented to a number of individuals who demonstrated outstanding dedication and commitment to lacrosse within their organization. The local winners were: Angela Del Bianco of the Coquitlam Minor Lacrosse Association; Jody di Paola of the Port Moody Minor Lacrosse Association; Glenn McLoughlin of the Port Coquitlam Minor Lacrosse Association; and Myron Sywak with the Coquitlam Senior Adanacs.
