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Gunning gets Robyn Muir Award as inspiration to athletes and coaches

Cam Gunning receives Pen High Lakers' Robyn Muir Award for being inspirational
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CAM GUNNING WATCHES his putt during AAA Okanagan Valley High school action at Penticton Golf and Country Club. Gunning is the recipient of the Robyn Muir Award for the Pen High Lakers.

The Robyn Muir Award recognizes an athlete who is an inspiration to athletes and coaches.

They don’t just do it off  the playing field, but on.

Cam Gunning was that to the Pen High Lakers volleyball, basketball, golf and tennis teams he played on.

During the banquet in late May, as the winner was being described, that’s what it hit Gunning that he was the recipient.

“It was kind of surreal,” said Gunning. “It was awesome.”

Knowing the person Muir was and her parents, Gunning said “it was awesome to get that award in honour of her.”

Being the recipient of the award wasn’t something that crossed Gunning’s mind, though he has received other Laker awards in the past as he either won himself or shared top male athlete awards in Grades 9 through 11.

He has never thought what he has done is  special compared to others.

“The inspirational aspect of it didn’t really cross my mind,” said Gunning.

Playing for four teams while keeping up with a touch academic schedule kept Gunning busy as he will pursue engineering at the University of Victoria.


The highlights of his Lakers career includes provincial appearances in volleyball and golf this season.

“It was such a cool experience. Having so many good golfers in one spot,” he said. “I have never really, most of the guys on my team are golfers and they go to tournaments. This was kind of the only golf that I do competitively. It was awesome to go there and see so many good golfers.”

Other athletes were also given the Kevin Wager Award, Stiopu and Ewart Award. Hannah Clarke and Samuel Lasinski won the Wager award for Grade 9 to 11 athletes that are coachable, display a positive attitude to teammates and show passion and dedication to their sport.

Payton Nackoney was given the Stiopu Award for demonstrating sportsmanship, ability and leadership towards others and being dedicated to improve her skills as an athlete.


Anika Holowaty, Ella Pasin and Nykaila Wheeler earned the Ewart Award as they demonstrated sportsmanship, leadership, and dedication on behalf of others.

Top Grade Athletes – These awards are given to athletes considered to be the top overall for their grade and are often multi-sport individuals who achieve high levels at all their chosen sport(s).

Grade 9 female athlete: Brooklyn Boerner and Kali Loewen. Grade 9 male athlete: Ross Millar. Grade 10 female athlete: Chloe Brydon and Britney Young. Grade 10 male athlete: Daniel Everton and David Paisley. Grade 11 female athlete: Lyndzie Caron and Celine Francisco. Grade 11 male athlete: Nicholas Everton and Jacob Stokker. Grade 12 female athlete: Annmarie Lang-Hodge. Grade 12 male athlete: Cameron Gunning, Kieran Loewen and Jordan Simpson.

Major Athletic Awards

Lakers Athletic Medals - These are handed out to athletes in recognition of their contributions and participation towards sports at Pen-High.  The medals are awarded based on a point system involving the number of teams and sports an athlete participates on.

Bronze Medal Recipients:

Mark Anthony Haley Berrisford Bjorn Borren

Chloe Brydon Hannah Clarke Sam Clarke

Alyk Coombes Jayden Doell Eric Doroshuk

Ashley Evanoff Spencer Finlayson Celine Francisco

Matthew Haukaas Brayden Jones Taylor Kanke

Dante Kilian Ashley Kiss Tayedra Koppe

Kobe Loewen Liam McHale Dylan Moorman

Payton Nackoney Xavier Nadeau Wynn Nordlund

David Paisley Ella Pasin Grayson Perrier

Jollee Perrier Emma Schneider Kendall Singleton Cameron Speirs  Ali Vandermey Riley Wall Mackenzie Wallich Jacob Weaver Jerry Xiang Britney Young Matt Young 

Silver Medal Recipients:

Nathan Bendig Sydney Clarke Jackson Coates

Jaimy Coates Nicholas Everton Josh Gowe

Jean Grakul Keaton Hauschild Mitchell Head Joshua Holland Honor Hollman Annmarie Lang-Hodge Kieran Loewen Alex Neenan

Lakers Inspirational Award – These awards are given to grade 9 – 11 athletes who demonstrate sportsmanship, motivation, and leadership towards others both on and off the “playing field”, and who also volunteers their time to assist teammates, coaches and other athletes.

Grade 9:

Kayley Davies, Mackenzie Dunham and Alexis Walker

Grade 10:

Liam McHale, Kenzie Tarbet, Montgomery Tebbutt and Mackenzie Wallich

Grade 11:

Jayden Doell and Jean Grakul