Steve started with the GMFA when his son Dylan entered Tykes over 10 years ago.  He has been a steady force of influence within the GMFA organization ever since, coaching through all the ranks. He will be going back to Peewee this coming year to coach his next son coming through the ranks.  Steve has been a contributor for many years, at multiple levels and it is time he be recognized for his commitment, passion, dedication and most of all to his consistency of excellence through the past decade.

Steve ensures his drills and coaches are focused on individual player development and he is very good at ensuring the spirit of Fair Play exists within his practices and game decisions.  He has been committed to Safe Contact, teaching it since its inception and ensuring his players and coaches adhere to the philosophy.  A large reason for his players success is due to the organizational excellence of Steve's practice plans, ensuring that players get exposed to all facets of the game of football.  He also provides constructive feedback to his athletes and uses opportunities within practices and games to promote a culture of learning.  Steve is a very committed family man and this personality shines through to football with him promoting the game as a family to his players.  Football is and always will be more than just a game to coach Waugh.

On top of his very busy coaching schedule, Steve was able to find time for the atom program where he coached at this fall, assisting with the program in any capacity asked of him by the program HC.

Steve started with the GMFA when his son Dylan entered Tykes over 10 years ago.  He has been a steady force of influence within the GMFA organization ever since, coaching through all the ranks. He will be going back to Peewee this coming year to coach his next son coming through the ranks.  Steve has been a contributor for many years, at multiple levels and it is time he be recognized for his commitment, passion, dedication and most of all to his consistency of excellence through the past decade.

Steve ensures his drills and coaches are focused on individual player development and he is very good at ensuring the spirit of Fair Play exists within his practices and game decisions.  He has been committed to Safe Contact, teaching it since its inception and ensuring his players and coaches adhere to the philosophy.  A large reason for his players success is due to the organizational excellence of Steve's practice plans, ensuring that players get exposed to all facets of the game of football.  He also provides constructive feedback to his athletes and uses opportunities within practices and games to promote a culture of learning.  Steve is a very committed family man and this personality shines through to football with him promoting the game as a family to his players.  Football is and always will be more than just a game to coach Waugh.

On top of his very busy coaching schedule, Steve was able to find time for the atom program where he coached at this fall, assisting with the program in any capacity asked of him by the program HC.

Dale first got involved with CAMFA in 2011 when his two sons began playing. Since then he coaches at least one team every year and oftentimes coaches both of his sons’ teams.

In 2015 Dale took over as head coach of the PeeWee Nordics and promptly lead them to the CAMFA championship. The Nordics bowed out in the provincial semis that year.

In 2016 the Nordics once again were CAMFA champions. This time they were not to be denied, winning the provincial semi on home turf and then the provincial championship in Saint John.

Jason Murphy is the ideal “football” volunteer.  Jason is such because he places player development and betterment of “team” before all else.  Coaches realised this quality around ten years ago - from the moment he was coaxed from the sidelines after showing positive interest with his son’s Mosquito (now Timbit division) football team.  Jason, very much a “Football Dad” at the time, took interest in how the coaches of the day were instructing and developing his son’s team.  Jason was constantly asking questions in an effort to increase his knowledge of teaching the sport of football.  This, to many coaches would seem an unwelcome distraction but Jason was (and is) always positive in his inquiries, feedback and critique.  It was this positive outlook that made it easy for coaches to welcome him to the fold.  It was also that trait from which Jason drew as he began to hone his skill in the craft of coaching.

Continuing with his coaching development, Jason is often first to sign up for Football NB, NCCP and other training clinics to make him a better coach.  Last season, Jason signed up and participated in NBFOA official’s clinic as an additional avenue to build his football acumen – I’m sure it’s just a matter of time before we see Jason wearing stripes!

Jason is consistently one of the first to step in where help is needed, whether it be lugging practice equipment on and off the field, fitting gear, fundraising or coaching at every level of GMFA programs. One of Jason’s’ strengths is the ability to recognise where help is needed then he is simply ‘there’ - unasked.  Jason has proved this time and again, not only with coaching his son, Trenton’s teams from Timbit to Bantam but also with coaching any team that needed help – this he continues, even after Trenton moved on to high school football.

Jason’s most valuable asset as a volunteer coach is his ability to effectively communicate with today’s youth.  Jason has an uncanny ability to quickly identify and build on player’s strengths to place them in positions to succeed– often when the players do not quite yet realise they have these strengths.  Jason’s calm demeanor and clear delivery on the practice field and game situations is a valuable asset in any given situation.  Jason has earned the respect of his fellow coaches but most importantly he has earned the respect and fondness of the players that he has helped develop into young men over his 10 + years with GMFA. 

I consider Jason one of the better coaches in youth football today. Given his knowledge of positional play, football strategy, game-time management, relationships with other coaches and the all important development of players – imagine the surprise when he disclosed off the cuff one day that he has never played organised tackle football in his life!  Simply put, the GMFA, its players, coaches and football community are far better because of Jason's involvement - football communities need more individuals like him.

Merab Klein is the Head Coach of the Hampton Hurricanes. She played football for 10 years as a key member of the Saint John Storm Women’s Football team. Merab started coaching as an assistant coach with Ed O’Neil in 2011 and took over as Head Coach in 2013. When Merab took over as head coach she had to re-build the team from the ground up. In 2016, after many years of ups and downs along with a lot of hard work on and off the field, she finally saw her team come together and they were the first team to score a touchdown on the dominant Simonds Stomp and also made it back to the Provincial Finals after a few absent years.

Merab had no ties to football in her family. She truly developed a love for the game over the years and words like dedication, team player, perseverance and determination have made Merab successful in our sport. As a teacher, she works with the local schools in her area to recruit players and truly invests in her players on and off the field to ensure that they are not only growing as football players but as teenagers. As a true advocate for female football, she is always looking at ways for us to improve our sport and invests in her own learning during the offseason.

Merab is married and has a 2 year old daughter Torunn who has been around the field since she was a week old. Football has truly become a family event for her family. Merab is looking forward to many years of developing and growing female football.

Michelle Harrison has been a dedicated member of CAMFA and is very deserving of this award.

The past couple of years she has coordinated CAMFA's flag football leagues (Squirt & Mite). She organizes the training camps, makes sure that we have coaches for all the teams, looks after dividing players up among the various teams, makes sure that she carries registration forms for new players, fields the many questions from coaches & parents. You can see her on any game day at the field to make sure things run smoothly and under her direction things do.

Along side of her looking after our flag leagues she also looks after organizing teams & our association photographer for individual & team photos. She also collects team jersey rosters to that as an association we can make sure that every player is registered. She has coached & managed the Junior Girls tackle team as well as the Senior Lady Glads. Over the years she has faithfully attended CAMFA executive meetings, registration, gear fittings and gear returns. Michelle has also organized our entry at Fredkid Fair the past few years. This is an event where we are able to promote minor football to the citizens of Fredericton/Oromocto. In her spare time she also sits on the Board of Directors for Football NB attending meetings & conference calls.

Although her son hasn't been involved with minor football for the past 6 years she is still a strong advocate, fan and volunteer for CAMFA. When she says that she will look after something we as an association can rest easy that it will be taken care of.

During 2016 Dan played a huge role in adult football in Fredericton.

He was the head coach and also a player for the Capital Area Gladiators of the summer Maritime Football League. He guided the team to a second place finish in the regular season before losing a controversial semi final game. Dan was also selected as the MFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Lineman.

In the Fall he was once again head coach for the UNB Red Bombers of the Atlantic Football League. The Bombers finished second in the league and hosted their first playoff game since 2012.

In 2014 Football New Brunswick began efforts to establish a minor football program in Miramichi. From the start it was Claude LaBerge who stepped up to do the considerable behind the scenes work required. It was Claude who formed the Miramichi Football Association (MIRFA) in 2015 and became its first president.

In 2016 it was agreed the high school football needed to be started in Miramichi in order for the game to prosper in the area. While FNB provided the financing and support for the project, it was Claude’s reputation and integrity that gained the confidence of the two area high schools and thus led to both schools fielding teams in the Fall of 2016.

Claude recruited coaching staffs for both teams and acted as the general manager for the programs. He spent countless hours making sure everything was running smoothly.

Dennis Ronan began his football life as a player in 1976.  In 1985-1986, Dennis started coaching minor teams in Riverview. He coached at every level of minor from Timbit to Bantam. About 10 years ago, he got involved representing the Riverview area as a coordinator. This gave Dennis a seat and a vote on the GMFA board of Directors.

Living in Riverview where he had many contacts, he was instrumental in recruiting all Riverview coaches, players and arranging all logistics for that area. This gave the GMFA a much needed boost, since as we all know, good volunteers are hard to find. The Riverview Royals home field is Dobson Field in Riverview. Dennis worked very diligently to develop this field and raised money for a score clock and a storage facility at the field in conjunction with the GMFA.

In 2015 Dennis joined the GMFA executive counsel as the Vice President. He remained VP in 2016 and 2017. He also continues to be the Riverview coordinator.

Whenever Dennis is needed, he is there to help: equipment handout, equipment return, registration and fundraising.

Dennis has two boys, Ben and Nate. They have gone through the GMFA programs and are also involved in giving of their time back to the GMFA. Ben and Nate are also good baseball players, somehow Dennis finds time to help minor baseball also.

Dennis’ wife Michelle is also very supportive. Dennis won the volunteer award in 2015 from the Town of Riverview.

Dennis is a unique individual who has sacrificed many hours to football.