Gabe Mastromatteo, an exceptional swimmer, and Sarah Gates, a talented basketball player, have been honored as the U Sports athletes of the year
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Loading... - Eric Robert
- 25 May 2023
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Swimmer Gabriel Mastromatteo and basketball player Sarah Gates have been named the recipients of the prestigious Doug and Lois Mitchell Awards, recognizing them as the top U Sports athletes of the year. Mastromatteo, representing the University of Toronto, overcame illness to achieve remarkable success in the pool, while Gates, hailing from McMaster University, demonstrated exceptional leadership both on and off the court in Canadian university sports.
Mastromatteo's extraordinary performance included breaking U Sports records on his way to securing national titles in the men's 50-meter and 100-meter breaststroke events. This achievement was particularly remarkable considering his challenging journey to recovery following a severe battle with COVID-19.
Having lost three months of training in early 2022, Mastromatteo was unable to secure a spot on Canada's Commonwealth Games team, which was a significant setback for the 21-year-old athlete from Kenora, Ontario. However, his determination and perseverance paid off as he regained his form and returned to the pool in September.
Reflecting on his journey, Mastromatteo expressed gratitude for the recognition of his hard work during both the good and challenging times. He emphasized the importance of acknowledging the light at the end of a dark tunnel.
Gates, hailing from Newmarket, Ontario, concluded her illustrious basketball career at McMaster by leading the country in scoring, averaging an impressive 27.3 points per game. With a field goal percentage of 48.3 and a three-point shooting percentage of 37.7, Gates consistently demonstrated her exceptional skills on the court.
Additionally, she devoted herself to off-court endeavors, particularly during the pandemic-stricken 2020-21 U Sports season. Gates established the Women's Athletic Leadership Committee at McMaster, aiming to provide coaching apprenticeships to women interested in coaching at the varsity level.
By creating this initiative, Gates sought to empower women and open doors for their participation in sports leadership. She expressed her belief in the immense potential for growth and considered the establishment of the committee as only the beginning of an impactful journey.
In recognition of their outstanding achievements, Mastromatteo and Gates were presented with the Doug and Lois Mitchell Awards, along with a $5,000 scholarship each to support their post-graduate studies.
The awards ceremony took place in Calgary, where the two athletes received their well-deserved accolades. These awards, which have been granted since 1993, were founded by former CFL player, commissioner, and UBC football alumnus, Doug Mitchell.
Although Mitchell sadly passed away last year at the age of 83, his wife Lois Mitchell, who served as Alberta's lieutenant-governor from 2015 to 2020, has continued their joint sponsorship of the awards, which were previously known as the Howard Mackie Awards, BLG Awards, and Lieutenant Governor Athletics Awards.
It is important to note that the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the cancellation of the awards in 2021, making this year's recognition all the more significant. The 2022 recipients were Tre Ford, the quarterback for the Edmonton Elks (representing Waterloo), and Sophie de Goede, a rugby player for the Canadian women's team (representing Queen's University).
Previous recipients of these esteemed awards include CFL players Jesse Lumsden, Don Blair, and Andrew Buckley, as well as notable athletes such as Olympic swimmer Kylie Masse, heptathlete Jessica Zelinka, and hockey player Kim St. Pierre.
