Nomination Eligibility and Criteria

The Waterloo Region Athlete of the Year and Outstanding Athletic Achievement awards recognizes athletes for exceptional athletic achievements taking place during the prior calendar year.

The Nominations and Selection Committees oversee the Athlete of the Year awards process.

The Nominations Committee compiles and tracks a list of eligible athletes and evaluates eligible athletes against the award criteria. From this list, a shortlist of nominees is proposed for each award category.

The Selection Committee reviews the shortlisted nominees using a scoring system to assess accomplishments and to determine the final award recipients.

Eligibility Criteria – Athlete of the Year

The annual Waterloo Region Athlete of the Year Award recognizes a Waterloo Region athlete competing at the highest level of
their sport, and represents Waterloo Region on an international stage.

• Nominees must be participating in a professional athletic or international amateur
  capacity as opposed to coaching or managing
• Nominees must participate in the highest level of competition in their sport:
  o In a Games year, amateur athletes competing in the Olympics, Paralympics, Commonwealth Games or PanAmerican
  Games will be considered
  o In a non-Games year, amateur athletes competing in world cups, world championships, or other international competitions will be considered
• Nominees must currently reside in Waterloo Region or have represented the Region of Waterloo in their athletic endeavours
• There will be no restriction on age, nor discrimination between genders
• “Sport” will include all sport activities recognized by Sport Canada via a
  sanctioned National Sport Organization (NSO)
• The degree of involvement in more than one sport is to be considered
• Sportsmanship, behaviour, and deportment are to be considered
• Individual athlete awards are to be considered

Eligibility Criteria – Outstanding Athletic Achievement

The annual Waterloo Region Outstanding Athletic Achievement award recognizes an athlete competing in various levels of sport
across a broader level of competition, including high school, collegiate, amateur, or masters events.

• Nominees must be participating in an athletic capacity, as opposed to coaching or
  managing
• Nomination is restricted to athletes of amateur status only; professional athletes are ineligible
• Nominees must currently reside in Waterloo Region or have represented the Region of Waterloo in their athletic endeavours.
• There will be no restriction on age, nor discrimination between genders
• “Sport” will include all sports activities recognized by Sport Canada via a
  sanctioned National Sport Organization (NSO)
• There will be no restriction on caliber or level of competition
• The degree of involvement in more than one sport is to be considered
• Sportsmanship, behaviour, and deportment are to be considered
• Individual athlete awards are to be considered