2026 Awards Program
Awards & Recognition
Honouring the athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, administrators, and organizations building the future of football in Ontario: tackle and flag, grassroots through high performance.
Awards presented by Nothers The Award Store, Official Awards Partner of Football Ontario.
Nominations are open. Deadline: November 27, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Coach of the Year and Volunteer of the Year nominees must first win the equivalent award at the league, association, or club level. Official of the Year nominees must first be recognized by their officials’ association. Check what you’ll need before you start.
Before you nominate
Have these ready before you open a form. Incomplete nominations aren’t considered.
What you’ll need
- A written statement (max. 750 words) that addresses the category criteria
- Proof of the local award, where the category requires it: a certificate, an announcement, a link to either, or a written letter from the president of the club or organization confirming the award. If the league, association, or club doesn’t run that award, a letter of endorsement from its president or board is accepted instead.
- Up to five supporting items: letters of support, statistics, links, photos, or video
- For self-nominations: at least one letter of support from an unrelated FO member
Who’s eligible
- Registered members in good standing with Football Ontario or a recognized FO member organization
- No active discipline or Safe Sport complaints, and no findings of misconduct in the past 24 months
- Family members of a nominee can’t submit that nomination
- Self-nominations are accepted in open categories: Athlete of the Year, Administrator of the Year, and Organizational Awards
Key dates
Questions? Email amckenna@footballontario.net
Individual Annual Awards
For athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, and administrators
Nominate · Open category
Athlete of the Year
- U15–U18 Male Athlete of the Year (Tackle)
- U15–U18 Female Athlete of the Year (Tackle)
- U15–U18 Male Athlete of the Year (Flag)
- U15–U18 Female Athlete of the Year (Flag)
- Senior Male Athlete of the Year (Tackle)
- Senior Female Athlete of the Year (Tackle)
- Senior Male Athlete of the Year (Flag)
- Senior Female Athlete of the Year (Flag)
- Youth Athlete of the Year, Tackle (U14 & under)
- Youth Athlete of the Year, Flag (U14 & under)
- High Performance Female Athlete (Team Ontario)
- High Performance Male Athlete (Team Ontario)
Age groups: U15–U18 · Senior 18+ · Youth U14 and under
Requirements
Open category. Direct nominations accepted from leagues, associations, clubs, coaches, and FO staff. League-level recognition encouraged, not required.
Criteria
Competitive performance and results this year; leadership, sportsmanship, and conduct; contribution to team success and community; representation of Ontario at regional, national, or international levels.
Nominate · Local award required first
Coach of the Year
- Coach of the Year (Grassroots Tackle)
- Coach of the Year (Grassroots Flag)
- Coach of the Year (High Performance)
- Developing Coach of the Year (first 3 years)
Requirements
Nominee must first be recognized as Coach of the Year (or equivalent) at the league, association, or club level in the same year. Proof can be a certificate, an announcement, a link to either, or a written letter from the president of the club or organization confirming the award. If the league, association, or club doesn’t run this award, a letter of endorsement from its president or board is accepted instead.
Criteria
Player development outcomes; ethical leadership and mentorship; innovation in coaching practice or pathway development; competitive results (High Performance); certification and ongoing development.
Nominate · Association recognition required first
Official of the Year
- Official of the Year (Tackle)
- Official of the Year (Flag)
- Developing Official of the Year (first 3 years)
Requirements
Nominee must first be recognized as Official of the Year (or equivalent) by their officials’ association in the same year. Proof can be a certificate, an announcement, a link to either, or a written letter from the president of the club or organization confirming the award.
Criteria
Consistency, fairness, and professionalism; contribution to officials’ education, mentorship, or recruitment; assignment participation; standing within their association.
Nominate · Local award required first
Volunteer of the Year
For unpaid volunteers who give their time to a club, league, association, or FO event.
Requirements
Nominee must first be recognized as Volunteer of the Year (or equivalent) at the league, association, or club level in the same year. Proof can be a certificate, an announcement, a link to either, or a written letter from the president of the club or organization confirming the award. If the league, association, or club doesn’t run this award, a letter of endorsement from its president or board is accepted instead.
Criteria
Time, effort, and impact on programming, events, or operations; consistency of involvement; positive impact on club, region, or province.
Nominate · Open category
Administrator of the Year
For paid staff who run the operations of a club, league, or association.
Requirements
Open category. Direct nomination accepted from any FO member organization or staff.
Criteria
Excellence in planning, communication, and program delivery; improvement to the football operating environment; leadership coordinating people, partners, or programs.
Organizational Awards
For clubs, associations, leagues, and officials’ associations
Nominate · Self-nomination welcome
Club / Association / League & Officials’ Association Categories
- Most Growth
- Most Retention
- Programming Excellence
- Marketing & Social Media Excellence
- Volunteerism Excellence
- Safe Sport & Inclusion Award
- Coach Development Award
- Flag Program of the Year
- Tackle Program of the Year
- Club / Association of the Year
Requirements
Open. Self-nomination by clubs, associations, leagues, and officials’ associations is permitted and encouraged. An organization can enter more than one category, with one nomination per category. Submit a separate form for each category. Officials’ associations can enter Most Growth, Most Retention, Programming Excellence, Marketing & Social Media Excellence, Volunteerism Excellence, and Safe Sport & Inclusion.
Legacy & Special Recognition
Hall of Fame, special awards, and service milestones
Nominate
Hall of Fame & Lifetime Achievement
Governed by the FO Hall of Fame Policy. Open to nominations from any FO member organization, individual, or Committee member. To nominate: visit the Hall of Fame page for nomination details.
Selected by FO
Special Recognition Award
Selected by the FO Board or CEO for outstanding service, innovation, or one-time contributions outside the regular categories. Members are welcome to suggest someone for consideration by emailing amckenna@footballontario.net.
Automatic
All-Ontarian Certificates
Automatically awarded to players and coaches from gold-medal-winning teams at FO-sanctioned Provincial Championships.
Automatic · Apply for earlier service
Legacy Service Recognition
Milestone recognition at 5, 10, 20, and 25+ years for long-serving volunteers, staff, coaches, officials, and administrators. Most recipients are identified automatically; service predating FO’s systems may be submitted for review.
How nominations are reviewed
The Awards & Recognition Committee reviews every nomination against the published criteria for its category. The more complete and specific the nomination, the better the Committee can assess your candidate. Only complete nominations are considered.
Eligibility rules and the checklist of what to include are in Before you nominate. Winners are announced online in January and presented at the Football Ontario Mega Clinic in March. Awards are presented by Nothers The Award Store, our Official Awards Partner. Only award recipients are contacted.
Official Awards Partner
Nothers The Award Store
Football Ontario’s awards are presented by Nothers The Award Store, our Official Awards Partner.
Tips for a strong nomination
A few things that help the Committee assess your candidate.
1
Do your research
Consult knowledgeable people for accurate information about the candidate’s contributions, results, and involvement.
2
Add support
Compile supporting materials (letters of support, statistics, links, photos, or video, max. five items) with the nomination form.
3
Check the details
Fill in all information accurately to avoid errors on certificates and awards.
4
Make your case
Write a clear, specific nomination statement explaining why this individual or organization is a worthy candidate.
Football Ontario Awards & Recognition Program