Milden News: Skating coach honoured with provincial volunteer award

By Your Southwest Media Group

Local skating coach Holly Inverarity of Milden was awarded the Section Volunteer Coach Award at the Skate Saskatchewan annual meeting on the June 5-7 weekend.

The award recognizes volunteer work outside of regular coaching, said Inverarity.

The section "is actually just our province," she said. "Some provinces are combined together in a section but Saskatchewan is our own."

Her volunteer work has included helping other clubs in the province and sitting on various committees, she said.

Inverarity was voted onto the provincial coaching committee more than 10 years ago and later appointed to additional committees focused on competition and program development. She holds credentials as both a Skate Canada professional coach and a Skate Saskatchewan learning facilitator and coach evaluator.

"I was very surprised to receive this award. There are many coaches in our province that put in many hours of dedication to our skaters and it was very special to have it awarded to me this year. They do not announce it until the banquet, so it is a surprise to everyone as it is chosen by committee, not through club nomination," she said.

Inverarity had not previously received this award, though in 2016 she received the Saskatchewan Club Coach Award following a nomination from the Outlook Skating Club.

Her mother, Debbi Sparks, and sisters Penny Dawe and Julie Sparks surprised Inverarity at the banquet. She did not know she was receiving the award or that family members would be in attendance, Sparks noted in the June 16 Milden news.

Congratulations go to Milden’s grads: Ella Inverarity from Rosetown Central High School, Sam van Reeuwyk from LCBI and Iain St. John from Rosetown Central High. All the best for you in the future.