This year, in addition to our Annual Team Awards, we are celebrating our team achievements on and off the field. From our players to our fans, embracing what it means to be a Warrior, battling for our team, our communities, and our province. We’re excited to recognize these three MVPs within our communities for their acts of kindness and generosity towards others.
Nick Kojima
Nick has highly contributed to various lacrosse programs in BC over the past 19 years. He has coached for the Victoria-Esquimalt Lacrosse Association, the Saanich Lacrosse Association, the Chilliwack Minor Lacrosse Association and the Abbotsford Lacrosse Association, both in box lacrosse and field lacrosse, bringing teams and players at different levels to provincial championships more than once and even bringing a team all the way to the Gold medal at provincials as a head coach. He has also coached and started lacrosse programs in different high schools across BC and Manitoba.
When Nick is not volunteering his time coaching various community lacrosse teams, he also volunteers his time to grow the game by running a drop-in after school Spirit Lacrosse program in Chilliwack, BC for Aboriginal youth, a program that he has ran for 6 years now.
Nick has also highly contributed to growing the sport of lacrosse in the Chilliwack School District by visiting up to 30 elementary schools in Chilliwack a year and coaching the lacrosse units in physical education classes at all of these schools. Thousands of elementary school students have had Nick introduce them to the sport and the history of lacrosse in physical education classes across the Chilliwack School District. Nick is often called out by random elementary kids in Chilliwack as being “the lacrosse guy”.
Beyond his call of duty, Nick has written grants and requested funding to provide various elementary schools with their own sets of real lacrosse sticks. This has resulted in over 180 lacrosse sticks to be readily available for lacrosse units in PE classes across the district. Nick has also led district-wide professional development sessions for Chilliwack Teachers to better understand and teach the sport of lacrosse in schools. Nick is also a regular presenter at First Nations Indigenous People’s Day events across the Chilliwack School District, regularly setting up a lacrosse station for kids and families to enjoy.
Moreover, Nick has also worked with local First Nations communities to connect them with major lacrosse companies which has resulted in these First Nations communities receiving sets of lacrosse sticks. Nick has also ran lacrosse camps in the Fraser Valley region in various First Nations communities.
Ashley Van Kranlingen
Ashley is a high school teacher who goes above and beyond for her students. In only her second-year post-graduation, she has coached a team almost every season, giving students the opportunity to play sports and create friendships they will never forget. She has also almost single-handedly created the leadership program at her school which gives students the opportunity to involve themselves in their education, learn critical leadership skills, and organize conferences for their peers. Ashley has shown incredible determination and work ethic making this all happen while simultaneously completing her master’s degree in leadership and education and for that, she deserves recognition.
Sean Reid
Sean has given so much of his time and energy to the community in general, and youth in lacrosse in particular. As the President of Surrey Lacrosse Association, he volunteers countless hours making sure everything is running properly, as well as growing the game. He is always looking for things he can do to bring the game of lacrosse to more youth, and ensuring that anyone interested in playing is able to. He works hard to help remove obstacles for those wanting to play but who may not have the financial means. He also works extremely hard to ensure it is fun and rewarding for all players.
On top of all of the volunteer work he does, he is also a “Healthcare Hero”, working as an RN in emergency department at Ridge Meadows Hospital.
He is a Warrior in our Healthcare field fighting against COVID-19, as well as a Warrior in our community for our youth, helping ensuring that all youth have the opportunity to learn and play the game of lacrosse.
Congratulations to this year’s Community Warrior Award winners!
