August 22, 2018 - The Lynda Garland "Award for Excellence" was presented for the tenth time at the Canadian Baton Twirling Championships in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The recipient of Lynda Garland's "Award for Excellence" was Lynda Boyd of Winnipeg, Manitoba.

At the 2008 Canadian Championships in Moncton, NB, the CBTF recognized Lynda Garland's years of service to Baton Twirling in Canada and around the world by creating the award that bears her name. Among Ms. Garland's many accomplishments, she was one of the founders of the Twirl Canada organization and was its first President from 1979 through 1983. Twirl Canada went on to become the Canadian Baton Twirling Federation (CBTF), which was a charter member of the World Baton Twirling Federation (WBTF) when it was formed. Lynda served as President of the World Baton Twirling Federation between 1983 and 2008.

Ms. Garland established the criteria for the new award. The Lynda Garland "Award For Excellence" is presented to a Canadian Baton Twirling Federation (CBTF) Coach who exemplifies excellent, progressive coaching, superior technical abilities and provides innovative ideas and programs.

In presenting the award, Ms. Garland touched on the many highlights of Mrs. Boyd's career: 

Linda has been coaching since 1950. She started off her career at the Windsor Community Club in St. Vital, Winnipeg. Linda ended up taking over the dance program as well when the Dance Teacher retired. So, she picked up Tap, Ballet, Jazz and Acrobatics. She has coached at the recreational level and at the competitive level and ran many summer baton workshops and camps. Many of her students have represented her club at the Manitoba Provincials, Canadians, WBTF International Cup and the World Baton Twirling Championships. She obviously wasn’t busy enough, so she acquired other coaching positions at Community Clubs in Transcona, Charleswood, Stanford and Southdale.

In 1983, Linda took a group of athletes to Italy for the World Baton Twirling Championships. Linda’s group who consisted of Heather Stappleton, Sherry Turner, Andrea Cacanindin, Sonia Stepic, Leslie Blahut, Lucinda McMaster and Monique Leger brought home the first, Gold Medal for groups in Canada. What a great accomplishment.

Over the years, Linda has worked with athletes of all ages and of course has won many many awards. This is present in the glass bookcase at Winakwa Community Center, too many to keep track of.

Back in 1999, Linda was nominated for Coach of the year by Sport Manitoba. In 2012, Linda was honored to receive the Queens Diamond Jubilee award, presented by Shelly Glover MLA for the St. Boniface Area of Winnipeg.

Linda has had so many students come and go throughout her career and some have moved on to become lawyers, police officers, Canadian Armed Forces and a Member of Parliament.

Yes, she is still teaching.

Not only has Linda dedicated her time and energy to coaching, she is also involved in the sport as a board member. She has served many years on the Manitoba Baton Twirling Sportive Association Board as the Judges Rep.

Linda has been an inspiration to many twirlers in Manitoba and elsewhere. She dedicates her time and energy to her students, encouraging them to be the best they can be while offering a shoulder to cry on when things don’t go as planned. She is an overall asset to the sport through her work and dedication.

Also, behind the scene is her honourable, supportive and loving husband, Fred.