The Robbie Wilcox Honorarium Award

Instead of spending money on a celebrity guest, where that money could go straight to the Foundation we have chosen to honour a survivor or fallen friend as a representative of the loved ones we've lost and the ones who are still with us. To be honest first year, this was more because we had no money and therefore no choice, but last year something interesting happened. We mistakenly booked FFTC 2009 one week after the Canadian National Tournament which means that most boxing clubs either had no fighters to send or their coaching team simply weren't free. Eric Belanger, Final Round's Head Coach, was in charge of the match making and he himself attended the nationals with our competitors. It was two days before the event and prospects were grim. Eric took a chance and called a coach/friend from Hamilton, Bob Wilcox. The Wilcox's is a boxing family with six children; Jessie, Steve, Sheldon, Bradley, Spencer and Amber. All five sons either compete or are interested in boxing and took part in the national tournament so it was a long shot that they would be able to drive all the way from Hamilton, Ontario to fight in a one night fight night one week after flying to Edmonton for the Nationals. Eric explained the situation and Bob’s answer was a quick "We're in!" Surprised, Eric said thank you and we were all set. We came to find out that the Wilcox family had another little boy. Robbie was 7 when he passed away from cancer and when Bob heard the event was to benefit the Cancer Foundation it was an immediate yes. Eric went to trophy store to get one more plaque which he himself paid for to present to the Wilcox family. We have since decided to honour someone at our event which will be embody the ones we love who have been affected with the disease and award them with the Robbie Wilcox Honorarium Award. We feel this is a great way to bring the community just a little bit closer.