Surrey Stars players raise aloft the Jayden Memorial Cup, the team beat Rewa 3-0 in the final at the Bear Creek Park in Surrey
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Local Sports
RUGBY player Sapna Deo has been named Sportsone Sports Personality of the Year.
The 18-year old also becomes the first Canadian Fijian women to be named the award recipient, one that had been male dominated in the last 8 years’ running of the award.
The award is cherry on her rugby career after having being named both the BC High School Girls Rugby Provincials MVP, and Senior Female of the Year.
She was a member of the Yale Secondary School of Abbotsford rugby t
Sapna rode a wave of online public votes to etch her name among the elite athletes since the inception of the award in 2011.
“I’m extremely honored to be receiving the Sportsone Personality of the Year award, especially considering that I have become the first woman to have done so”, she said.
“This award is not about myself, it reflects my family, culture, and community.
“It is a tremendous feeling to be able to play the sport that I love and represent something bigger than just myself”.
Sapna says her advice for upcoming and current rugby players is to stay committed to the course.
“It’s easy to quit or get distracted along the way but stay focused”.
She said she always found it useful to create a goal, added keep it in mind that when times get tough never back down.
“Often you’ll be put into a situation where things do not look to be in your favor, however, self-disciple is the key to success”.
Sapna thanked her parents for being her best support that anyone could ever ask for, adds they constantly drove her around and were her personal bank.
She also praised her coaches, grandparents, who unfortunately aren’t here today, but they had always been her biggest fans.
“And lastly my brother, for being my rock, constantly pushing me to be better even when I didn’t see it in myself”.
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