Kali Leary of Norway House was recognized as one of the winners of the Manitoba Aboriginal Sport and Recreation Council's 2011 Manitoba Aboriginal Coaching Awards at a banquet honouring Manitoba coaches in Winnipeg on April 15.

Leary, who has a master's degree in biomedical technology and works for CancerCare Manitoba, received the award in February for her contributions to youth hockey, which included coaching and holding the safety and trainer positions for her nephew's peewee hockey team in the Winnipeg Minor Hockey Association, as well as serving as an assistant coach for Manitoba's female team at the 2011 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships.

The male aboriginal coaching award went to William Hudson of Winnipeg, the coach of the Norquay Knights atom hockey team in the North End Hockey Program.

The banquet was held to announce the winners of the Coaching Manitoba Excellence Awards, including Brigitte Smutny of Winnipeg, who won the Vince Leah Memorial Award for mentoring sailors, Winnipeg athletics coach Andy Tough who won the Dr. Jack Hunt Memorial Award, wheelchair basketball coach Bill Johnson of Winnipeg, who won the Peter Williamson Memorial Award, and Brandon's Don Thomson, who won the Peter Dick Award for his work coaching high school basketball.

Also recognized at the banquet were coaches with 25 years of service and who participated in an international event in 2011.