Calgary – Ron Robison, Commissioner of the Western Hockey League, announced today, on behalf of the WHL Board of Governors, the recipients of the WHL Distinguished Service Award. For the 2010 – 11 season.
The 2010 – 11 WHL Distinguished Service Award recipients are Lorne Frey, the current Assistant General Manager of Kelowna Rockets and Nella Rounsville, a longtime volunteer for the Kootenay Ice as their Education Advisor and Golf Tournament Chairperson.
Frey has been a member of the Kelowna Rockets since the Rockets inception in Tacoma in 1991-92. With the Rockets Frey has helped build teams that have gone to four Memorial Cup Championships, winning the crown in 2004. Prior to Kelowna, Frey also won a Memorial Cup in 1988-89 as the Assistant GM and Assistant Coach of the Swift Current Broncos. Frey has overseen such Rockets WHL Bantam Draft picks as NHLers Tyler Myers, Brandon McMillan, Luke Schenn, Scott Hannan, Cody Almond, Blake Comeau, Tyler Spurgeon, Todd Fedoruk and Scott Parker as well as listed players Shea Weber, Josh Gorges, Travis Moen and Kyle Cumiskey. In the past 10 years, with Frey at the helm of the scouting staff, the Rockets have had just one losing season.
Since their first season of play in Cranbrook back in 1998-99, Rounsville has been the Kootenay Ice Education Advisor. Being a former teacher and competitive athlete, she understands what it takes for the players to succeed on the ice and in the classroom. The Kootenay Ice created a yearly scholarship in her name which is handed out yearly to a Mount Baker High School student who best demonstrates classroom excellence and volunteerism in the community. Rounsville is also the chairperson of the Kootenay Ice’s Annual Golf Tournament which has raised over $320,000 in 12 years for the Kootenay Ice Education Fund.
The WHL Distinguished Service Award, which the WHL introduced during in 2004 – 05, is presented annually to an individual associated with the WHL who has made an extraordinary contribution over an extended period of time at the Club or League level.
WHL Commissioner Ron Robison will be in Kelowna tonight, Wednesday, March 9 to present Lorne Frey with the honor and at the Kootenay Ice game Friday, March 11 to acknowledge Nella Rounsville as part of the pre-game ceremonies.
Previous recipients of the WHL Distinguished Service Award include: Graham Tuer (Saskatchewan Hockey Association); Jann Boss (Portland Winterhawks); Ruth “Grams” Pollock (Prince Albert Raiders Biller Coordinator); Dr. Ian Hill (Regina Pats Team Doctor); Dr. Alfred Blue (Seattle Thunderbirds Team Doctor); Doris Rubel (Kamloops Blazers Billet Coordinator); Colleen MacBean (Swift Current Broncos Education Advisor); and Bob Ridley (Medicine Hat Tigers Play-By-Play Announcer).