Sports Writing

 

Winner: Cory Smith, Stratford Beacon Herald 

Superb sports writing can come in many different forms and in this particular case Cory Smith of the Stratford Beacon Herald succeeded in turning a dense topic — data and analytics — into an interesting, insightful and easily digestible feature. It painted a true picture of how teams in the lower levels of junior hockey have implemented the use of analytics in their systems despite having fewer volunteers and resources at their disposal and how it has transformed the way they look at the game and teach the game. The piece was well researched, full of voices from all corners, but not overly reliant on data, appealing both to hockey and non-hockey readers alike.

 

Runner-up: Trevor Wilhelm, Windsor Star 

Recounting a story from a century ago in rich detail is no easy task, but Trevor Wilhelm of the Windsor Star managed to put a spotlight on a unique aspect of his city’s cultural history that had largely been forgotten, while impressively navigating details big and small to set the backdrop of the significance of horse racing’s Race of the Century and the role Windsor played in its running.

 

Runner-up: Josh Brown, Waterloo Region Record 

Josh Brown of the Waterloo Region Record showed an incredible ability to find fun and unique stories worth telling, whether it was the married junior-age goaltender or the aptly named “Aud couple” at Kitchener Rangers games and the origin of the relationship, but also his strength in reporting on the hockey teen who took to social media to make serious claims of hazing and abuse, stories that ultimately led to organizational changes.

 

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