2014 Hall of Fame

Athlete

  • Esther Sieben-Medema
    Esther Sieben-Medema

    Esther graduated from Ecole Mallaig Community School in 1989 where she participated in track & field, cross country running, volleyball, soccer and softball. As a track and field athlete she won a gold medal in long jump during her grade 10 year. In her grade 12 year, she won a silver medal in hurdles and 3 gold medals, one in the 100m , one in the 200m , and one in long jump. Esther still holds the senior girl’s long jump record at 5.80 m, after 25 years!.

    Esther went on to have a very successful career as a post secondary and amateur athlete. Some of her accolades include bronze medal at the 1993 Canadian Track & Field Championships, gold medal at 1996 Canadian Track & Field Championships, and bronze at 1998 Canadian Track & Field Championships. Competed at the 1989 and 1993 Canada Games where she won gold in the Heptathlon, competed at the 1995 Pan Am Games in Argentina where she placed 4th in the Heptathlon. Esther attended Washington State University and won a silver medal at the Pac 10 Championships, attended University of Alberta where she set the school’s 60 m hurdle record at 8.48 s and the heptathlon record at 2360 pts. Most recently Esther competed at the World Masters in Toronto in 2013 and won a silver medal in the heptathlon.

    Some of Esther’s other achievements include being the recipient of the 1995-96 Bakewell Trophy, which is awarded to the most outstanding female athlete at the University of Alberta; recipient of the Lies Vanderstram Trophy for the most valuable track athlete at U of A for 1993-95. Esther was also awarded the Outstanding Female Athlete Award at the Canada West University Athletics Association (CWUAA) level in 1994-1996.

    Esther continues to be an amazing role model for her student athletes at Cochrane High School where she coaches and teaches and continues to advocate for high school sport and education.

  • Jenny Ciochetti
    Jenny Ciochetti

    Jenny Ciochetti attended Strathcona High School in Edmonton where she competed on the Track & Field team in 2000- 2002. Not only did Jenny attend Track & Field Provincials all three years with the team, she medaled each year. In 2000 and 2001 Jenny was part of the Gold Medal 4 x 100 m Relay teams, and in 2002 she branched out and won the Gold Medal in the Senior Girls 100 m sprint.

    Her post-secondary career led her to the University of Hawaii and the University of Alberta where she continued to compete in athletics. Jenny won gold in the 4x200m relay at Canada West and CIS Championships in 2006 and finished sixth in the 60m sprint at the 2006 CIS Championships. After a bobsleigh coach noticed her size, her track coach encouraged her to try the new sport and soon her bobsleigh career began.

    Jenny was recruited to the Canadian bobsleigh team in the summer of 2006 and made her World Cup debut in December of that year as a brakeman for pilot Helen Upperton. In the following season, Jenny decided to become a pilot after taking driver’s school and spent the 2012-13 season competing on America’s Cup development circuit before moving to the Europa Cup circuit the same year. As a pilot she made her first two World Cup starts before taking a step back to be the brakeman for Kaillie Humphries at the final World Cup of season as well as at the 2012 World Championships. Jenny and Kaillie won gold at both events with Jenny being credited as one of the best pushers in the country.

    In 2012-13 Ciochetti returned to the World Cup circuit as the pilot of Canada’s second sled. The year was highlighted by a sixth place finish on the 2014 Olympic track at the Sanki Sliding Centre and an 18th finish in her world championship debut as a pilot.

    Jenny continued on the Canadian Women’s Bobsleigh team where she puts her sprinting skills and pure leg power to work in her Olympic Debut. As pilot of the two women bobsled at the Sochi 2014 Olympics, Jenny and teammate, Chelsea Valois, finished 13th.

Athletic Administrator

  • Dean Rook
    Dean Rook

    Dean was involved in education for almost forty years and in his time has fulfilled many roles including colleague, teacher, coach, administrator, and Executive member of the ASAA. Throughout his career he has supported the ASAA in various capacities such as school coach, administrator, zone secretary, zone president, ASAA basketball commissioner and ASAA President (twice!). In 1983, he was the recipient of the ASAA’s Routledge Award.

    At the school level, as an administrator, Dean ensured his coaches adhered to the ASAA processes and did things right. At the zone level, Dean made sure that the zone’s activities always connected and were in sync with the provincial activities. He always made himself available to assist new coaches and athletic directors in the zone. Dean also led by example by coaching, hosting zone tournaments and provincial competitions including co-hosting a Provincial Track and Field meet on a six lane shale track in Fairview. All his events were exceptionally well run.

    Under Dean’s leadership on the ASAA Executive, the ASAA underwent two significant changes in eligibility, the 19 yr old policy (his first term), the 3 year eligibility policy (his 2nd term); contentious but well supported changes. Throughout the eligibility transition and other trying issues, Dean continuously demonstrated a high level of integrity and respect for process, keeping the ASAA’s values at a high level. His high respect for process, held the association in good stead.

    “In all the years I have known Dean; he has been a proud member of the ASAA and been a stellar representative. He truly reflects the values of integrity, ethics and sportsmanship and is respected by all who have met and worked with him.” ~Marg McCuaig-Boyd

Coach

  • Ian MacGillivray
    Ian MacGillivray

    While teaching in the North East for over 30 years, primarily at Ecole Mallaig School, Ian has coached over 200 teams at the elementary, junior high and senior high school levels. The teams span from cross country, volleyball, basketball, curling, badminton, team handball, track & field and even non ASAA sports, fastball and soccer. During this time, Ian has coached over 100 teams to district, zone and provincial championships including six consecutive ASAA Cross Country Provincial Championships. Not only has Ian brought Championship Banners back to his home gym, but his commitment to sportsmanship is evident in the several Sportsmanship Banners his teams have earned at provincials. Not many coaches, if any, can boast of winning provincials in four different sports.

    Ian’s commitment and passion for coaching is evident in everything he does and in the stories students share. Many of his former athletes have gone on to pursue teaching and coaching careers and fondly recall lessons learned from “Mr. M”. It is evident that the schools and teams in which Ian was a part of have adopted his inclusive approach to sport. Many of Ian’s athletes have gone on to great things, but one in particular, after participating in Ian’s volleyball program, went on to represent Canada in sitting volleyball at the Para-Pan Am Games in Brazil (with Ian and his wife Cathy there as self-funded supporters).

    “Over time Ian developed an inclusive athletic program at Ecole Mallaig Community School. The “no cut” philosophy has had a lifelong impact on countless individuals who have witnessed or have been a part of the program.” ~ Luc Gratton, Assistant Principal, Ecole Mallaig Community School

    “Ian has always coached with good sportsmanship in mind, always maintaining the integrity of the sport and dignity of his players as his top priority.” Denis Jodoin, Former Principal, Ecole Mallaig Community School.