SMITHERS, B.C. - This week Pasha Ormerod of the Durham College women's volleyball team was recognized as a recipient in her home province of British Columbia with a Premier's Award for Indigenous Youth Excellence in Sport.

The Premier's awards were presented to nine Indigenous youth athletes from British Columbia's northwest region during a formal celebration at the Dze L K'ant Friendship Centre Hall in Smithers, B.C.

This award is presented by the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council (I·SPARC) in collaboration with the Province of British Columbia. It recognizes Indigenous athletes under 25 years of age who are competing in performance sport and committed to living healthy, active lifestyles.

"I'm proud to have been selected for the Premier's Award, which is given in recognition of outstanding sport achievements, commitment and dedication to education, culture, leadership and community," said Ormerod. "These are some strong attributes to be recognized as having, I thought I was just having fun! But seriously, the commitment and dedication must be priority because you have others counting on you, on your team, in the community and at home. It is a team effort in all you do throughout life. Sport has helped me build the virtues I need to be a positive contributing member of my team, my community and my own future."

The northwest was the second of I·SPARC's six regions to honour these athletes through this province-wide awards program. Each regional award recipient will now serve as nominees for the provincial awards, which will be selected in January 2019 (six male and six female). They will then be presented at Gathering our Voices: Indigenous Youth Leadership Forum in Port Alberni from March 19-22, 2019.

Throughout November, the four remaining regions will host formal celebrations to honour their 2018 Regional Premier's Awards recipients.

Through five matches this season with the Lords she is averaging 2.3 points per set with 15 kills and nine aces.

Next week Ormerod and the Lords are back in action in Barrie against the Georgian Grizzlies. First serve is set for 6 p.m.

Source: Durham Lords

Photo Credit: Thomas Camus - Camus Photography