Wadena principal honoured with SHSAA Merit Award

Jul 16, 2026 | 9:42 AM

The principal at Wadena Composite School has won a prestigious provincial award.

Darin Faubert was named one of two people to receive the 2026 Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association (SHSAA) Merit Award.

“It was an unbelievable surprise when I first found out. The staff at our school started the nomination process, so that meant a lot to me too. In the same fashion, it means a lot to my family and me because high school athletics has always been at the forefront for us. This is honestly the best honour I’ve ever received in my life,” Faubert told northeastNOW.

“For lack of a better term, it’s just been a fun life and a really enjoyable experience getting to be a part of so many different sports for so long. I always had the idea that there is so much that can be learned outside the classroom as well. Athletics can be such a great thing not only for physical activity, but also for mental and emotional activity and health. High school athletics definitely needs to be kept at the forefront for our students.”

Faubert’s impact on the Wadena sports scene includes 32 years of coaching volleyball, golf, badminton, archery, softball and track and field.

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He’s also worked for 34 years as a volleyball official, which has included eight provincial championships.

On top of that, Faubert has organized 61 outdoor education trips, served as district president and executive member with SHSAA, and helped build Softball Saskatchewan through years on its board, which included a silver medal run with Team Saskatchewan at the 2019 Western Canada Summer Games.

“What stands out to me is what his colleagues say…that kids join a team or sign up for a trip simply because Darin is the one running it. That’s the kind of quiet, decades-long commitment that shapes a school’s whole culture, and it’s exactly the kind of volunteerism that keeps small-town Saskatchewan sport alive,” added MLA for Kelvington-Wadena, Chris Beaudry, in a Facebook post.

“Wadena, and all of our constituency, is fortunate to have someone who has put this much into our students for this long. Congratulations, Darin. This is well earned.”

The SHSAA Merit Award is the highest honour bestowed by the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association, recognizing individuals for their outstanding leadership, service, and promotion of high school athletics.

The award honours coaches, administrators, and teachers who go above and beyond to offer student-athletes opportunities to grow and learn through sport.

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BenTompkins@pattisonmedia.com

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by Ben Tompkins

Wadena principal honoured with SHSAA Merit Award

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