The Colette McAuley Award committee and the Canadian Rugby Foundation are pleased to announce Julie Foster of Saskatchewan as the 2010 award recipient.

Announced by Colette McAuley herself at this year’s NWL Finals in Toronto, ON, Foster was recognized for her years of loyalty and dedication to grassroots rugby in Saskatchewan.

McAuley acknowledged the impact her former teammate has had on younger players, while taking a playful shot at her age.

“Julie is an inspiring athlete with great speed and a full bag of tricks.  She's played every position in the back line and was successful at each position. At the age of 40ish, she is still among the top players in Saskatchewan. She not only is a remarkable player, she coaches high school teams, age grade teams and contributes by officiating at all levels. She is a role model to all that she meets.

“Foster, 41, has 47 caps for Canada with the first coming in 1996 in Edmonton against the Black Ferns (“lots of defense”, she quipped). Foster now works for the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region and is a proud parent with Darren Beaulac to son Wyatt.

True to her personality, the humble Foster was not even aware she had been nominated for the award until arriving at the NWL’s when her manager let her know.

“I was not expecting it at all. I did not know there was such an award. Many of the girls came up and congratulated and said I deserved it. I guess sometimes you don't realize how much a person does until you put it down on a piece of paper. All you really want is to teach someone else what someone has taught you to reach the same goal. So it is thanks to all those who have taught me and to all those that I have played with and against who really need the recognition.”

Special thanks to Matthuw Ronald Jones and the Canadian Rugby Foundation for making the financial aspect of this award possible. Beneficiaries of the CMA are given $1000 personal cheques, interest earned from the endowed Colette McAuley Fund through the CRF.

Last year’s CMA winner, Marlene Donaldson, was retroactively presented with $1000 cheque at the 2010 NWL Finals as the award was not yet paired with the grant when Donaldson was named.

Nominations for next year’s award will be accepted up until two weeks before next year’s NWL Finals. Players can be nominated more than once, as there were a lot of deserving candidates this year.

Thank you to all the provincial unions for your individual nominations.