WINNIPEG, MB - Winnipeg Blue Bombers fullback Jon Oosterhuis has been named the 2009 winner of the Ed Kotowich Good Guy Award. The annual award recognizes a Blue Bomber player for their excellence in combining football ability, team camaraderie and extraordinary effort in the community and honours former Blue Bomber offensive lineman Ed Kotowich.Oosterhuis is an eight-year CFL veteran who has played all eight seasons with the Blue Bombers. He has given numerous hours to various charity and non-profit events over the years. Some of these include Blue Bomber programs I Love to Read Month and the Stay in School partnership with the Winnipeg Police Service. As well, Big Brothers, the Never Alone Foundation and this year he was on the organizational committee for the 1st Annual Lee Goren and Friends Autism Golf Tournament.
"I am very honored and humbled to be the recipient of the Ed Kotowich award. I enjoy living in Winnipeg year-round and being apart of this great community", said Oosterhuis.
Ed Kotowich was a member of the Blue Bombers for seven seasons between 1955 and 1961. He played in three Grey Cups during that time (1958, '59 and '61) and earned individual recognition as a Western All-Star and as a recipient of the Tommy Lumsden Award as the Bombers' outstanding Canadian player.
After retiring as a player, Kotowich worked with the Winnipeg Rods as an offensive line coach and later with minor football programs at Winakwa and Windsor Park Community clubs. He also served as an alderman for the City of St. Boniface between 1968 and 1977 and worked on a number of community boards including the St. Boniface Parks Board, the St. Boniface Museum and the Knights of Columbus. He was also an ardent supporter of the Festival du Voyageaur and the Boni-Vital pool complex.
A complete list of former Ed Kotowich Award winners is included below.
YEAR PLAYER
1987 Vernon Pahl 1988 Trevor Kennerd
1989 Perry Tuttle
1990 Rod Hill
1991 Matt Pearce
1992 Darryl Sampson
1993 Matt Dunigan
1994 Matt Pearce
1995 Miles Gorrell
1996 Wade Miller
1997 Wade Miller
1998 Glen Scrivener
1999 Dave Vankoughnett
2000 Troy Westwood
2001 Brett MacNeil
2002 Dave Mudge
2003 Moe Elewonibi 2004 Matt Sheridan
2005 Milt Stegall
2006 Chris Cvetkovic
2007 Milt Stegall
2008 Ibrahim Khan
2009 Jon Oosterhuis
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