QUINN STEVENSON MEMORIAL
SMHA REFEREE OF THE YEAR AWARD

presented by

AL ANDERSON'S SOURCE FOR SPORTS

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PAST WINNERS:

2023-24
SAWYER HARASYMCHUK

2022-23
DALTON VAN DER NEST

2021-22
AUSTIN NORMAND

2020-21
BROOKE SANDS

2019-20
JUSTIN PRIMEAU

2018-19
HAYDEN McGOWAN

2017-18
BRAYDEN GLYNN

2016-17
DAWSON HOLM

2015-2016
TYLER SCHLICHEMEYER

2014-2015
AIDAN PENNER

2013-2014
JOEL BERESH & AYDON BROWN
This award was established in 2013-2014 to recognize the memory of Quinn Stevenson, one of SMHA's most up and coming referees at the time of his untimely death.

About Quinn:

QUINN STEVENSON
September 7, 1995 - August 3, 2013

Quinn was taken from us suddenly on August 3, 2013 in a tragic car accident caused by a drunk driver.

Quinn was a son who was always making us proud or trying to convince us why we should be proud of him.  We have received so many notes regarding Quinn since the accident.  Quinn was a leader, true friend, happy, joker, sportsman, driven, stand-up guy, the list goes on.  These notes speak to his character and will be cherished in our hearts forever.

The best part of Quinn’s character was his personality and his easy going nature.  He was loved by all and considered a best friend by many, which we believe is the greatest compliment anyone could receive.

On June 25th of 2013, Quinn graduated from Centennial Collegiate, a school he was incredibly proud of.  He wore the Charger colors with a lot of pride.  In his senior year, he was elected as Senior Watch with the Student Representative Council.  Quinn participated in many sports at school, which included football, curling, badminton, and floor hockey.  Quinn had the opportunity to participate in the History Study Tour Program in in his senior year.  He saw a lot of Eastern Europe during the tour, fortified many deep friendships, and had great stories to share with us when he got home.

Quinn lived life to the fullest.  He was very active in many sports and truly enjoyed what sport gave to him.  Quinn was a hockey player with the Saskatoon Redwings and then with the ASHL Bruins.  Quinn’s baseball team, the Saskatoon Blue Jay Slow Trains, with Quinn on the mound for the last pitch, had just won the Midget AA City Championship two weeks before the accident.  Quinn was an enthusiastic curler for about 7 years, with his last year of curling in Grade 11 culminating in a City High School championship for his team.  Quinn loved spending time at the many golf courses during the summer months.  He was employed by Saskatoon Golf and Country Club, a job he loved.  Quinn could be found at the hockey rink in the winter months wearing the stripes.  He was a confident, take-charge referee that was respected by his fellow referees and many coaches in Saskatoon.  In 2013, he had begun to referee higher levels of hockey.  Quinn was invited to the Sask First Camp in April, 2013 as a referee and was invited to another referee camp at Notre Dame in July, 2013.  He had a bright future as a hockey official.  Additionally, Quinn umpired baseball for 4 years.  Not unlike hockey refereeing, Quinn’s confidence and engaging personality allowed him to be a successful and respected umpire.

Quinn wanted to become a TSN Sportscaster since Grade 8.  He was about to make that dream come true.  He was enrolled in the Western Academy of Broadcasting and was to begin his course a month after his passing.  Along with his broadcasting future career, he also wanted to take his referee career to a much higher level.  There is no doubt that he would have accomplished all of these because if
Quinn wanted something he went out and got it.

Immediately after the accident we set up an account to receive donations towards a scholarship to be awarded at Centennial Collegiate in Quinn’s name.  We received an overwhelming amount of support from family, friends, and our community.  We knew that we had to find a way to give back considering the tremendous financial support we received for the scholarship.  Therefore, we proceeded to set up The Quinn Stevenson Memorial Scholarship at Centennial Collegiate.  This legacy scholarship fund was trusted to the Saskatoon Community Foundation to administer.  The $1,500.00 scholarship was one way for us to give back to future students that encapsulated what Quinn was about at a school that was a very important part of Quinn’s life.  The scholarship also allowed us to honor his life and keep his memories of Quinn alive forever.
With the leftover donations The Quinn Stevenson Memorial Athletic and Spirit Trust also was set up.  The Trust has allowed and will continue to allow us to find other ways to give back to the community in Quinn’s name.  Here are the things we have done so far:
  • Created a Saskatoon Referee of the Year Award of $200.00
  • Replaced the Zone 6 Bantam Selects (Quinn played on this baseball team in 2010) jerseys branded with a QS16 logo
  • Purchased Midget AA Slow Train jerseys branded with a Slow Train logo and a QS16 logo.  They are the jerseys that Quinn and his buddies on the original Slow Train wanted, but never were able to organize.  The team receiving the jerseys was made up Shea (our younger son) and his friends that have never played ball or have not played since Pee Wee.  They decided to play ball last year (2nd year Midget) to honor Quinn and allow us (Craig and Bonny) to continue being involved in the great game of baseball
  • A quote describing Quinn’s character was put across the gym wall at Dr. John G Egnatoff Elementary School – the elementary school Quinn attended
“Life and Sports…good things will happen when you work hard, have fun with friends, and enjoy every moment”
  • Purchased a Smart Board for Dr. John G. Egnatoff Elementary School
  • Donated $1500.00 donation to the Turf It Campaign for Saskatoon Minor Football Field
  • Purchased Redwing jackets for the Midget Hockey Team that Shea played on in 2014-2015 and added a QS6 crest to all jackets upon the request from the players
  • Purchased a 3D Printer for Centennial Collegiate
  • Provided extra cash prizes for The Quinn Stevenson Memorial Midget AA Baseball Tournament Finalist – we asked the teams to use the cash to pay it forward in their Baseball Community
  • Will be donating to the Toasty Toes Campaign of the Erindale Arbor Creek Community Association to provide better warm up facilities at the outdoor rink behind Dr. John G. Egnatoff Elementary School
  • Purchased Referee helmet stickers, Blue Jay helmet stickers, ASHL helmet stickers, Redwing helmet stickers, Bumper Stickers, Yellow Pray for Quinn Bracelets, pong balls, key chains, phone cases that have been distributed to many people in Saskatoon and abroad - the Bumper Stickers have been taken by friends on trips and have been place in many parts of the world.
We will continue to look for other ways and places that were important to Quinn to give back.
Our community has helped provide these funds to do these things.  Also, The Saskatoon Redwings, and The Saskatoon Blue Jay have been especially supportive and have also built beautiful Shadow Boxes with Quinn’s Hockey and Baseball memorabilia.  The Redwing have put Quinn’s QS6 on all Redwing jerseys, QS6 stickers on every Redwing player helmet, and organized a Quinn Stevenson Memorial Hockey Day on Thanksgiving weekend to kick off our hockey season.  The Saskatoon Blue Jays have put a QS16 ticker on every Blue Jay player helmet and embroidered the back of all Blue Jay hats with QS16.  On August 14th, 2015, 2nd Annual Quinn Stevenson Golf Tournament, organized by Darrin and Shelley Johnson, was held at the Willows.

Unfortunately we have lost Quinn forever, but his bright personality, and love for sports and his community will live on by giving back through the Scholarship and Trust.  Quinn had his life mapped out, and he was focused and determined to achieve his life goals.  We hope the Scholarship and Trust will help other young people to achieve their dreams and goals.