Local High School Coaches Win Provincial Award

Near the end of Wednesday’s South Central District Track-and-Field Championship at Gutheridge Field, Athletic Commissioner Leigh Pethick called everyone’s attention to the track for a special presentation.

Peacock teachers Blake Buettner and Renee Verge had gathered on the track and it was announced that they had both been selected as this year’s SHSAA Merit Award recipients.

The best part of the announcement was that Buettner and Verge had nominated the each other for the honour and were completely caught off guard.

“My principal called me in a while ago and asked me some things about Renee and said she was getting nominated for the Merit Award, I thought great, she deserves that award, so I’ve been waiting to hear if she won and that was a total surprise today, I’m shocked, that’s a very big honour, especially to be nominated with her,” said Buettner.

The Merit Award is presented by the Saskatchewan High School Athletic Association “to honour people who have given outstanding leadership and service to the promotion of high school athletics.” In Buettner and Verge, the SHSAA couldn’t have two more deserving recipients. They have both been integral parts of the local high school sports community for the past few decades, most recently at Peacock Collegiate, but also spending time at Riverview Collegiate.

Verge said this honour has a very special meaning to her.

“I just remember being at the AGM as a very young teacher and coach and listening to people who were now, like us, at the end of their career and all the things they contributed and I just remember thinking that I want to do that for kids and so now to be recognized for that, that’s a super fulfilling feeling,” she said.

Both Verge and Buettner have taken a step back from coaching over the past few years with Verge handing over the reigns of the Toilers senior girls basketball team two seasons ago and Buettner stepping off the sideline with the Tornadoes football team prior to the 2017 season.

While they’re no longer busy coaching, Verge and Buettner can still be seen at any sporting event that Peacock is competing in, especially the local track and field meets.

Verge said their focus has always been about helping the kids improve and learn the sports that they love.

“You never do anything for awards, you do it because you know how important it is for kids and what they get out of it,” she said. “Seeing kids be out here today, that’s what it’s all about.

“Every sport has really neat moments in them, I’m looking at the track here and being here as a young teacher when I was at Riverview and there’s so many cool memories from that school and then just going from sport-to-sport, there’s special moments, special kids, special championships, but just being out here day-to-day with the kids is the best part of it.”

Buettner added that it was special to have the announcement happen at Gutheridge Field, a place that he has many special memories.

“This field itself and all the facilities in Moose Jaw, whether its the Peacock gym or the other gyms or this field, it all holds a lot of special memories and thoughts of special athletes, coaches and referees and all the people that put in time for high school athletics,” he said.

Both joked that they don’t know how many more years that they have in them, but added that as long as they continue to enjoy helping at each event, they will be there.

The Merit Award will be presented at the SHSAA’s annual general meeting on June 20-22 in Moosomin.