Jim Thomas
Zhaklin King accepts Courtney Trempe Stouffville softball trophy from Carson Trempe and Donna Trempe (right) as her coach Jane Ramer looks on.
Sports
October 04, 2008 12:32 AM
By: Jim Thomas
An eight-year-old Russian-born girl is this year’s recipient of the Courtney Trempe Memorial Award.
The trophy, symbolizing sportsmanship on and off the field, was presented to Zhaklin King, a player with Independent Planning Group Inc., of the Whitchurch-Stouffville five-pitch advanced league.
Association president June Doner made the presentation.
The award, now in its 11th year, is sponsored by the Stouffville Rotary Club, honouring Courtney Trempe, who was killed in a dog attack in 1998. Courtney was eight at the time.
Born in Perm, Russia, Zhaklin accompanied her parents, Phil and Lucie King, and brothers Jeff and Chris to Canada in 2000.
She’s in Grade 3 at Whitchurch Highlands Public School. Other interests include soccer and trampoline.
“It was a complete surprise,” Zhaklin said, “I knew nothing about it.”
Her coach, Jane Ramer, described Zhaklin as a player who’s always smiling, never gives up and is “an all-round great kid”.
Other winners included: Michael Sooley, 1998; Kimberly Cuozzo, 1999; Brandon Hailey, 2000; Robert Spencer, 2001; Bradley Taylor, 2002; Kaidin MacDonald, 2003; Dale Holmes, 2004; Rebecca Ramer, 2005; James McCurdy, 2006 and Adam Bain, 2007.