Brantford Sports Council 2020 Sportsperson of the Year Award Winner

The Brantford Sports Council is pleased to announce that Alison Purkiss is the recipient of the Frank Tomlin Memorial Award for the 2020 Sportsperson of the Year. Alison joins an exclusive group of past recipients who have significantly contributed to sport in Brantford and area. The award named after Frank Tomlin is sponsored by the Brantford Bisons Alumni and has been presented annually since its inception in 1976. Rick Mannen, Chair of the Selection Committee, presented the award in a virtual recorded presentation hosted by the Brantford Sports Council event committee. Normally the Tomlin Award would be presented at the annual Brantford Sports Council Sports Recognition Banquet however due to Covid-19 the banquet will unfortunately not take place this year.

Alison grew up in Brantford and learned to skate at the Brant Skating Club where she was immediately hooked on the sport. She excelled in the sport and competed at national and international competitions beginning at the early age of 11. In her late teens Alison suffered an injury that forced her to retire from competition. Throughout university Alison kept busy on the ice as a choreographer and eventually moved into working with television broadcasts of international figure skating events. She began her coaching career as a full-time coach and choreographer in 2006. During the next 10 years she earned her national level coaching certification with Skate Canada. In 2017 Alison returned to Brantford and began Coaching and mentoring to all those at the Brant Skating Club. She continues to be dedicated to the beginners as she is to the future Olympians.

As a testament to her coaching, prior to the pandemic becoming evident her pair teams in novice, junior and senior divisions were crowned national champions at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships. Both the senior pair teams earned the only two spots to compete at the World Championships that were subsequently cancelled due to Covid. Alison may be the only coach who has trained the champions in every category in the pairs discipline. Her success at coaching and commitment to the athletes has attracted top-level competitors to Brantford as well as support and development of all the young skaters of the Brant Skating Club. A true testament to Alison’s coaching and continued engagements locally.

Please join us in congratulating Alison Purkiss as the 2020 Sportsperson of the Year. For more information contact brantfordsports@gmail.com. The award presentation can be viewed below.