Two of Lethbridge’s top athletes added another award to their trophy case over the weekend.
NHL hockey forward Kris Versteeg and swimmer Rachel Nicol won the Kinsmen of Lethbridge Sportsman and Sportswoman of the year awards.
Nicol won two medals at the Pan Am Games last summer and is a member of the Canadian swim team headed to the upcoming Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Versteeg is a two-time Stanley Cup champion and has piled up over 300 points in his National Hockey League career.
“Yeah, it seems like a pretty obvious decision,” Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame Kinsmen representative Ryan Cook said. “An athlete heading to Rio for the Olympics , and of course a two-time Stanley Cup champion, makes it a pretty easy selection in that case.”
Along with being tremendous athletes, Versteeg and Nicol have each made efforts to improve sport in the community. Nicol trains with the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns and helps younger swimmers at the Lethbridge Swim Club. Versteeg donates his time at the annual Ver-Set hockey camp in Taber with fellow NHL hockey player Devin Setoguchi. Versteeg has also brought the Stanley Cup to Lethbridge on two separate occasions for fans to see.
“It’s really highlighting our community as a whole,” Cook said. “You see we have Lethbridge athletes on the international stage, it brings attention to our city and the programs and facilities within it.”
It’s a big summer for both athletes: Versteeg is a free agent and will be looking to sign with a team while Nicol prepares for the Olympics, which start Aug. 5 In Rio de Janeiro.
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