In typically tardy CSSC fashion the 2013 Awards gala got underway with the beginning of the 2014 season. It was worth the wait, however, as the red carpet was rolled out at CSSC founder Pete Hudson's house. No expense was spared as the squad threw in $100 in prize money beer and Pete chipped in with all the cold cuts and sausage anyone could reasonably consume. The atmosphere was so festive that not even an England loss to Italy in the World Cup game of the day, or CSSC's 6-0 drubbing at the hands of United Nova, could spoil the feel good vibe.
Nominees: Pete Hudson, John Loxley, James Veitch, Brooklyn Brown, Ed's Dad
Ed's Dad, and his commitment to attend virtually every game, narrowly beat out Sean's McNugget consuming daughter Brooklyn. Both Pete and John were deemed ineligible by most voters since they are not really fans so much as valued members of the coaching staff and don't have to pay any admission.
Nominees: Sean Brown, Mark Hudson, Mark Meuwese, Chris Aiken
The lowest moment in CSSC history was having to collect the fair play award one year. In an effort to avoid any wretched repeated of that sad occasion, an award for the toughest player was instituted this year. In a razor thin vote Mark Hudson got the nod over imposing center back Sean Brown because Sean voted for himself, which no real hard man should have to do. As one voter pointed out, Meuwese's tackles are more of the sneaky, sly variety, whereas Mark Hudson is a bit more blood and thunder.
Nominees: Lukas Pousset, Greg Chernomas, Wazoo Wazny, Curt Knudson, Ali Chioua, Zach Chioua
Named after famous stopwatch and slide rule obsessive Taylor, the efficiency expert gets the most results in the least time. Stef's cousin's four game stopover resulted in never before seen dribbling and scoring, most memorably the first and no doubt last successful Ardiles in Manitoba division 5 play. Greg Chernomas' late season goal exploits and Wazoo's feat of playing 10 minutes, scoring a goal and pulling a hamstring that ruled him out for most of the season were worthy runners' up.
Nominees: Stef Fischer, Ian Hudson, Eli Robinson, Nic Zifarelli, Matt Trendota, Charaf Charaoui
Awarded to the best performance by a player coming back from injury (Robinson, Hudson and Zifarelli), ill advised early retirement (Fischer), or weight increasing vacation (Trendota and Charaoui). Eli Robinson came back from knee surgery to lead the team in scoring, an accomplishment that topped Hudson's late career return from an ankle operation and Fischer's rock solid year at the back after taking a year off to rediscover his roots in Germany.
Nominees: Eli Robinson, Sean Brown, Matt Trendota
It's an indictment on the lack of commitment from most of the team that we could only find three real nominees for the player that made the greatest effort to turn up to most games. Matt was not only at every game, but his lock down play at left back meant that he was the first name on the manager's team sheet. His consistent dedication just edged out Brown's domestic sacrifices (but he never comes to practice) and Robinson's trip in from a drum circle at the Folk Festival for a crunch game.
Nominees: Colin Kinsella, Bruce Sewart, Andrew Woolford, Peyton Veitch
Awarded to the player that best embodies the "spirit of CSSC." Really the nominees are generally considered to the be nicest guys on the team. The sort you would be happy your sister was dating, with perhaps a bit of a social conscience thrown in for good measure. Colin Kinsella and his heroics in rescuing a child's colouring book in the middle of a game narrowly beat out Sewart (construction of electric car), Woolford (justice for residential schools) and Veitch (union and student activism). But since drinking is really the true spirit of CSSC and Kinsella missed the party for a visit with his parents in Alberta, Woolford was awarded the prize of a giant beer. And look at how happy he is at that turn of events.
Nominees Eli Robinson, Chris Aiken, Mark Hudson, Sean Brown, Matt Loxley, Ed Gonzales
If this was the Oscars, all those previous awards were Best Supporting Actor. This is the Best Picture. The nominees are the backbone of CSSC's 2nd place league finish, from Aiken in net to Robinson and Gonzales up front. Matt Loxley's performance driving CSSC from center midfield - a more slender, polite, less violent version of Roy Keane - made him the consensus pick.