Ali Gerba was named professional soccer player of the year at the annual awards gala hosted by the Fédération de soccer du Québec. Gerba, who finished the season with MK Dons in England, was named the 2008 award winner ahead of finalists Patrice Bernier and Nevio Pizzolito.
\u200b
\u200b
\u200b
\u200bGerba was one of a number of award winners on the night. Rhian Wilkinson (female) and Olivier Lacoste-Lebuis (male) were named senior players of excellence while Francesco Augustin (male) and Geneviève Richard (female) were named youth players of excellence. Karl Ouimette (male) and Sophie Thérien (female) were the two junior elite players.
\u200b
\u200b
\u200b
\u200bAlong with his professional duties, Gerba represented Canada’s national team on nine occasions in 2008. He became just the third player to score six goals in a season with the men’s national team, the first since John Catliff in 1993 and one goal off the Igor Vrablic record (7) set in 1985.
\u200b
\u200b
\u200b
\u200bWilkinson represented Canada at the 2008 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament, Canada’s first-ever appearance in that tournament. She played in 22 of Canada’s 24 international matches. Lacoste-Lebuis, meanwhile, played professionally in France with Racing Club Strasbourg’s U-18 team.
\u200b
\u200b
\u200b
\u200bOther 2008 winners were Daniel Belleau (referee – excellence), Richard Gamache (referee – elite), Marco Masucci (coach – elite), Tahar Boudjelal (coach – regional), and Darron Aucoin (volunteer).
\u200b
\u200b
\u200b
\u200bCorfinium St-Léonard (senior) was the men’s elite team of the year while Lakers du Lac St-louis (U-16 girls) was the women’s elite team of the year. The soccer festival in Outaouais was the event of the year, the Association régionale de soccer de Québec was the regional association of the year, and Chateauguay was the club of the year.