Baron® Celebrating Excellence at the 19th Annual WESPY Awards

April 23, 2026, Caboto Club, Windsor, Ontario — The Caboto Club was alive with excitement on the evening of April 21st, 2026, as Windsor-Essex County gathered for the 19th annual Windsor/Essex County Sports Persons of the Year (WESPY) Awards.

Baron® Championship Rings was proud to be part of this wonderful event along with dedicated sponsors, coaches, athletes, parents, and athletic staff from the community.

From the nomination press conference at Caesars Windsor to the main event, Baron® and the sports community from Windsor-Essex County honoured the best athletes, coaches, volunteers, and community members.

Founder Dominic Papa and his committee delivered a spectacular evening featuring over 36 award categories, standout local athletes, and a keynote appearance by World Cup Champion and Italian soccer legend Alessandro Del Piero.

This year marks the first WESPY featuring soccer as its main theme, which is fitting given the FIFA World Cup coming to North America this summer.

The 2026 Leave No One Behind’s bursary recipients were:

• Max Milinkovic-Gene (Male Recipient): Currently an IB Diploma student at Riverside Secondary High School. Max has already been accepted into the Biomedical Program at the University of Windsor, where he will also join the track and field (pole vault) team. Max is the definition of what this bursary celebrates: commitment, ambition, and the drive to push beyond limits.
• Ella Steel-Douglas (Female Recipient): A standout track and field athlete who is already making her mark in her freshman year at Coastal Carolina University. She is earning academic All-American honours in her very first semester while continuing to pursue athletic All-American recognition. Though Ella was away competing and unable to attend in person, her mother, Sasha, accepted the award on her behalf with tremendous pride.

1. The WESPY Legacy Award was officially renamed the Domenic Papa Founders Award in a surprise tribute to the event’s founder. A deeply emotional recognition of his decades-long dedication to sports in Windsor-Essex.
2. The Sasho Cirovski Soccer Award was unveiled, honouring the Windsor-born University of Maryland head coach who has led his men’s team to three NCAA national titles.
3. Alessandro Del Piero was awarded a white gold WESPY Championship Ring designed by Baron that he put on and smiled as pictures were taken. It is a pleasure to create a ring for a World Cup Champion.
4. Joe Barile from Essex Community Soccer Association recognized the Coboto Soccer Club for their 75th anniversary.

Other notable award winners on the night included:

• Matt Guenette from St. Clair College Football (Mickey Renaud Captain’s Leadership Award)
• Brady Lidster from the University of Windsor (Gino Fracas Football Award)
• Mazin Tiea from St. Clair College and Maya Tate from St. Joes HS (Mike Burkovich Basketball Awards)
• Anieu Chan and Ben Tilson (Dennis Fairall Track and Field Awards)
• Frank Jeney from the University of Windsor Lancers baseball team (Ken Dryden Executive of the Year Award)
• and many more outstanding local athletes.

Leave No One Behind™

What are the WESPY Awards, and how is Baron® Championship Rings involved?

The Windsor/Essex County Sports Persons of the Year (WESPY) Awards are an annual celebration honouring the best athletes, coaches, volunteers, and teams across Windsor-Essex. Baron® Championship Rings is a proud presenting sponsor of the event and the founder of the Leave No One Behind™ initiative, which awards bursaries to deserving local athletes each year at the ceremony.

What does the Leave No One Behind™ initiative stand for?
Leave No One Behind™ is Baron® Championship Rings’ commitment to ensuring that no athlete is sidelined by financial barriers. Through bursaries, scholarships, equipment donations, and community partnerships, the program works to give every athlete, regardless of their financial position, access to the resources, opportunities, and recognition they deserve.