2006 Darren Lipinski Award Winners. October 2nd, 2006 MEDIA RELEASE September 26, 2006 SUBJECT: DARREN LIPINSKI MEMORIAL AWARD This media conference is to announce the winner of the 2006 Darren Lipinski Memorial Award. This award was established in 1975 by Peter and Ellen Lipinski to be awarded annually by the Saskatoon Amateur Softball Association to an individual(s) for outstanding contribution to softball in Saskatoon. Previous winners of this award were as follows: 1975 - John Newton 1977 - Glenn Reeve 1979 - Andy Lappas 1981 - Morris Smysnuik 1983 - Ray and Dot Pike 1985 - Keith McLean 1987 - Joe Gallagher 1989 - Irene Trimble-Barrett 1991 - John Haider 1993 - Ed Wright 1995 - Ed Bitz 1997 - Ernie Sorokowski 1999 - Dave Moore 2001 - George Storos 2003 - Ida Nerbas 2005 - Bob Revenko 1976 - Bob Van Impe 1978 - Ed Reimer 1980 - Dennis Beerling 1982 - Jim Shirley 1984 - Gail Hopkins-Cooper 1986 - Bob Stayner 1988 - Vic Loewen 1990 - Don Burfitt 1992 - Ken Gunn 1994 - Gaile Abel 1996 - Lisa Down 1998 - Eugene McWillie 2000 - Al McKay 2002 - Bernie Gurash 2004 - Gary MacDonald 2005 - Bob Revenko Past recipients of the award serve on the selection committee to choose the succeeding winners. SASKATOON AMATEUR SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION MEDIA RELEASE - SEPTEMBER 26, 2006 DARREN LIPINSKI MEMORIAL AWARD For the second time in its 32 year history, the Darren Lipinski Memorial Award will be presented to a husband and wife team. Together, both individuals have served the softball community in Saskatoon for many years. Beginning in the early 1980's, at a time when softball wasn' played very much in Sutherland-Forest Grove, this couple was instrumental in introducing and organizing softball in this area of Saskatoon. Because of the efforts of this couple, softball in this area grew from a humble beginning of six teams to thirty six teams by 1989. Our husband award recipient was a player in the Saskatoon Amateur Softball Association in the 1970's. Then, as their children started to play softball, he served as Community Co-ordinator for softball in the Sutherland-Forest Grove area. For a period of seven years either one of our two recipients served in the capacity of Community Co-ordinator and helped increase softball activity in all age groups. He was instrumental in setting up annual skill development and pitching clinics in their community. In addition, he was always available as a resource to other organizations that required assistance to set up softball clinics, or to help as a clinician in other city zones. In the mid 1980's, he served as the Zone 1 Commissioner. Later, in 1990 and 1991, she assumed the role of Zone 1 Commissioner. Throughout this time he was an active coach, while she assisted in all areas of management, and provided some assistance in coaching when required. He coached both boys and girls teams. His 1993 bantam Hustler girls team was the Saskatoon representative to the Saskatchewan Summer Games as well as representing Softball Saskatchewan at the Western Canadian Bantam Championship which was held here in Saskatoon. He continued his involvement with the girls program, coaching the Saskatoon Select Midget A team for a three year period in the mid 1990's. He was recognized by the provincial softball body by receiving the Softball Saskatchewan Outstanding Service Award in 1992. He has continued to serve in a volunteer capacity for various events in Saskatoon. Following her term as Zone 1 Commissioner, she took on a new role as a full time employee of the Saskatoon Minor Softball League (SMSL). This position involved all tasks associated with running a league that in some years numbered well over 500 teams. In addition to all the essential administrative duties and coordinating of leagues, games, diamonds and softball administrators, she was still an active volunteer at every championship held in Saskatoon. She volunteered for every President's Tournament during all those years, working diligently throughout the various softball diamonds, keeping score and ensuring that everything was running smoothly, sometimes into the wee morning hours. While working actively for many long hours in the SMSL office, she found time to volunteer and be on the organizing committees for various national and regional championships that were held in Saskatoon. This included the 1994 Senior Men's, 1995 Junior Ladies, 1996 Senior Ladies, 1998 Western Masters, 1999 Pee Wee Westerns, the 2000 Senior Men's and finally the 2002 World Women's. In 2002, following ten years of employment with SMSL, she made a career change and went to work for Handyman Connection, a firm she now owns as a franchisee. This did not, however, deter her from continuing to work and volunteer for softball events. When the Saskatoon Amateur Softball Association hosted the Western Masters in 2004 and the Junior Men's Championship in 2005, she was quick to volunteer and to chair the committee for the recruitment and selection of volunteers. This husband and wife team has one son, Clint, and one daughter, Jackie. They also have two grandsons that they diligently work at spoiling whenever possible. Ladies and gentlemen, it is indeed a pleasure for me to introduce to you today the recipients of the 32nd annual Darren Lipinski Memorial Award, a fine example of hard working, dedicated individuals who have both given greatly to the sport of softball in our city: MARLENE AND WAYNE PAUL