VSS football, Marchand, win North Okanagan Athletic Awards

It was the year of football and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) in the North Okanagan for 2023. 

Trophies for winners at the annual North Okanagan Athletic Awards were given out on Wednesday, June 19, with Lillian Marchand, Vernon Secondary School (VSS) junior and senior Panthers football, along with senior Panthers football head coach Sean Smith, taking home the honours. 

Marchand, a 17-year-old BJJ athlete, was selected as the Tim Hortons North Okanagan Athlete of the Year, for her numerous successes across the world in the sport of BJJ.

“I just really want to thank my family for coming to support me,” she said in her acceptance speech. “You guys are the backbone of what I do.”

Marchand has won gold at four major global events, including two in April at the 2024 BJJ Championships. In 2022, she won the Grand Slam, nabbing a gold in all four major worldwide events (World Championships, Brasileiro, European and Pan Championships) in her last year as a junior athlete. 

The North Okanagan Team of the Year award went to not one, but both football programs at VSS, as the senior and junior team eagerly shared the trophy. 

Both teams won their respective provincial championships in late 2023, with the junior team winning 61-22 and the seniors eking out a 23-22 victory. Both games were played, back-to-back at B.C. Place in Vancouver. 

Coach of the senior team, Smith, was the last individual to be honoured, as he claimed the Leadership in Sport award.

His senior football program has won three provincial titles in the past five years. 

“I’m super proud of what these teams accomplished,” Smith said. “I’m most proud that they bought in to our process. All in means you are all in on everything. Morning workouts, film, etc, they all bought in.”

Smith said he was “very honoured” to receive the leadership award, as he thanked the countless individuals who helped him throughout the year.

“Building this program takes a lot of people,” he said. “Thanks to my assistant coaches, managers, trainers, parents and students so young men like this can play and succeed.”

The winners were chosen by a group of sporting reps and sports reporters following nominations from the public.