Augie Ciancone Memorial Award - Young Male Athlete

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Augie Ciancone Memorial Award - Male High School Athlete of the Year 2023 - Finalists

The 49th annual Civic & Community Awards finalists will be celebrated on April 24 at the Civic & Community Awards Gala, taking place at the Laurel Packinghouse.

Matthew Harris 

A multi-sport athlete, Matthew Harris has played basketball, football, soccer, rugby and track during his time at Rutland Senior Secondary. His primary focus, however, has been on rugby and basketball where his coaches say he leads by example and is a great communicator. In addition to school sports, Matt also plays club basketball and rugby. He’s an integral part of the FYBA club basketball team and plays rugby for both the Thompson Okanagan team and the Junior Crows. Academically, Matt has a 3.7 GPA, is a lead member of the Grad Council and volunteers doing scorekeeping as well as coaching grade 7 basketball. 

Nash Semeniuk 

A multiple MVP and all-star winning captain for both KSS Senior Basketball and Volleyball teams, Nash Semeniuk has helped lead the volleyball team to back-to-back provincial championships and the basketball team to 5th and 4th place finishes. Additionally, he won his age group in the Volleyball BC Beach Championship two years in a row. In addition to playing several club sports, Nash represented BC on the Provincial Basketball Team with consecutive third place finishes at the National level. A recipient of the 2023 Sport Hero Award and 2023 Sport BC Male Highschool Athlete of the Year Award, Nash somehow still has time to volunteer and maintain a 3.2 GPA. 

Tristan McFee 

Playing on Immaculata’s basketball team since 2019, Tristan McFee was the natural choice as this year’s captain. He shares his love of basketball by helping coach the grade 8 boys’ team. However, his main sport is rugby, where Tristan has played on the Thompson Okanagan U16 and U18 teams as well as the Junior Crows U18 teams and hopes to join the UBCO Heat. Academically, Tristan has maintained a 3.8 GPA, scoring a 97% in Sports Medicine, and volunteers in and out of school.  

About the Augie Ciancone Memorial Award for Youth Male Athlete

Augie Ciancone was instrumental in setting up Kelowna's first formal sports and recreation program for youth. He was an all-around athlete, excelling in gymnastics, lacrosse, boxing and horsemanship.

Augie's greatest gift was his ability and personal desire to encourage the young people of Kelowna to get involved in sports. He also challenged them to achieve their personal best. His goal was to turn their lives around by instilling the desire to challenge and achieve personal satisfaction through sports.  

Augie passed away in January of 1952.

Award Criteria

  • Awarded to the most outstanding male high school athlete in the area of the Central Okanagan.
  • Winner is chosen by the Okanagan Central Schools Athletic Association. 

Nominations for the 49th annual Civic & Community Awards are now closed. Check back in fall 2024 for information about the 50th annual awards nomination period.

Past Recipients of the Award
  • 2022 - Walker Sodaro
  • 2020-2021 - Everett Schmuland & Nathan Loo (tie)
  • 2019 - Roan McCarthy
  • 2018 - Brandon Frechette
  • 2017 - Clarke Larsen
  • 2016 - Fynn McCarthy
  • 2015 - Parker Simson
  • 2014 - Jeff Tubbs
  • 2013 - Josiah Joseph
  • 2012 - Ryan Linttell
  • 2011 - Mitchell Goodwin
  • 2010 - Devin Spence
  • 2009 - Conner Clerke 
  • 2008 - Adam Schwarz
  • 2007 - Lukas Bonnett
  • 2006 - Zack Frehlick
  • 2005 - Quinten Dreger
  • 2004 - Will Dean
  • 2003 - Kyle Murphy
  • 2002 - Jeff Barth
  • 2001 - Dallas Weller
  • 2000 - Troy Doell
  • 1999 - John Rowe
  • 1998 - Eric Neilson 
  • 1997 - B.J. Grenda / Tyler Manning
  • 1996 - Brian Kroshinski
  • 1995 - Kyle Recsky
  • 1994 - Jim Douglas
  • 1993 - Josh Yeske
  • 1992 - Mark Cooper
  • 1991 - Jamie Bennett
  • 1990 - Brady Ibbetson 
  • 1989 - Cory Bishop / Marc Semeniuk
  • 1988 - Dave Robson
  • 1978 - Cary Gatzke
  • 1975 - Russ Krasniuk
  • 1973 - Tim Murphy
  • 1970 - Dennis Zahara
  • 1967 - Ivars Dravinskis
  • 1966 - Perry Stang 
  • 1965 - Wayne Taiji
  • 1963 - Joe Uyeyama
  • 1962 - Gordon Brow
  • 1961 - Vincent Jarvis
  • 1960 - Tun Wong
  • 1958 - Jerry Jantz 
  • 1956 - Stan Turner 
  • 1954 - Gary Puder
  • 1953 - L.B. Butcher
  • 1952 - Bob Campbell