Congratulations to Mari Ellery of the Balmy Beach Canoe Club in Toronto who has won the Canadian Paralympic Committee’s Development Coach of the Year Award. She proudly accepted the award at the Canadian Paralympic Committee 2014 Sport Awards Ceremony last Friday in Toronto with several of her athletes and staff from CanoeKayak Canada in attendance.

Mari Ellery accepted the award last Friday in Toronto with several of her athletes and staff from CanoeKayak Canada in attendance. Pictured: John Edwards, Mari Ellery, Draga Culjak, Julie Beaulieu and Suleiman Muse

Mari has been coaching Para-athletes since 1982 and has been an instrumental part of Balmy Beach’s PaddleALL program since 2010. Her work at the development level has translated into national and international success as three of her athletes represented Canada at the World Championships last year.

Mari’s attitude towards inclusion has encouraged many athletes to take an interest in Paracanoe. She has used the power of sport to break down barriers and continues to be an outstanding influence for many athletes. Mari is a teacher by profession and does much of her coaching work on a volunteer basis as Para-sport is something she is truly passionate about.

CanoeKayak Canada is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada. The organization’s vision is to be a Canadian sport for families, communities and champions. From supporting clubs to developing a competitive National Team, CanoeKayak Canada works to grow a sport which is a rich part of Canada’s heritage.

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Media Contact

Ian Miller

Communications and Marketing Officer, CanoeKayak Canada

613.314.1352

imiller@canoekayak.ca