Phil Von Unruh was named a Capital News害羞草研究所� Community Leader of the Year winner in the coach category at the , held at Okanagan College, Oct. 23, 2017. The Community Leader Awards are given to local members of the community who demonstrate exceptional commitment and leadership.

A decade ago, with no hockey teams in Kelowna designed for special needs kids, Phil Von Unruh decided to take matters into his own hands.

So in 2006, Von Unruh rented ice time at Prospera Place and the Central Okanagan Wildcats special hockey program was born.

His oldest son, Kalen, who has autism, was one of six players to pull on hockey equipment for that first practise and Von Unruh害羞草研究所檚 vision has been evolving ever since.

Through his initiative, other special needs hockey programs in the B.C. interior are now operating in Vernon, Penticton and Kamloops.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 very satisfying, especially when you see all the teams we now have playing and the fact that we also have a year-end tournament,害羞草研究所� Phil said. 害羞草研究所淲hen you look at pictures of that first year, we didn害羞草研究所檛 even have jerseys, the kids were wearing hoodies.

害羞草研究所淚t was a pretty rudimentary start you could say,害羞草研究所� he added, 害羞草研究所渟o it害羞草研究所檚 nice to see the growth we害羞草研究所檝e had here and other parts of the province.害羞草研究所�

And last year, Von Unruh created an adult team害羞草研究所攖he Okanagan Wild害羞草研究所攆or players 16 years of age and older, most of whom have moved up from the Wildcats害羞草研究所� program.

Susan Noble, a parent of one of the Wildcats害羞草研究所� players, has praise for Von Unruh and his selfless contributions to amateur sport in Kelowna.

害羞草研究所淗is larger-than-life, kindhearted personality makes it possible for all the players to experience success and have fun at the same time,害羞草研究所� Noble said of Von Unruh害羞草研究所檚 impact. 害羞草研究所淲ithout Phil害羞草研究所檚 dedication, enthusiasm and hard work, the opportunity for many of Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 special needs children to play hockey and be part of a team would not exist.害羞草研究所�

In addition to coaching hockey in winter, Von Unruh remains busy year-round as a volunteer, coaching Special Olympics bowling, track and field and soccer.

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