Ultimate Canada is excited to announce Mark Lloyd as the 2014 Ultimate Canada Male Athlete of the Year. Call it a dynasty? Maybe. Lloyd is the first recipient to be given the award multiple times, and in consecutive years no less. The 2013 UC Male Athlete of the Year was back at it in 2014. Lloyd was undoubtedly among the world’s top players in 2014 building on his 2013 success.

Lloyd delivered another sterling season for the Toronto Rush in the fledgling American Ultimate Disc League. He was named to the league’s All Star team and led the Rush in goals, assists and plus/minus, en route to a second place finish. The Winnipeg native, who is only 25, reached back to his roots this summer and joined Winnipeg’s General Strike at WUCC in Lecco, Italy. Lloyd’s skill set and leadership immediately rejuvenated this youthful bunch and they cracked the top 10 at the world’s top club tournament.

Back in Toronto, Lloyd is the captain of Toronto’s top club team, GOAT. With Lloyd at the helm, GOAT had a terrific club season culminating in a semifinals-birth at the USAU Club Championships, a feat not accomplished by GOAT since 2007. Lloyd was named to Ultiworld's All-Club first team. Lloyd is living proof that hard work and dedication to the sport pay off. He says that he is lucky enough to have Ultimate as such a large part of his life.

“I think I am one of the rare people in the world who can say that currently 90% of my life is impacted by Ultimate,” Lloyd says. “The current work I do is Ultimate, the majority of my friends are Ultimate…Ultimate has given me tons of great opportunities especially travelling.”

Winning this award once is a no doubt a great honour but winning it twice is nothing short of amazing. Lloyd credits his teammates and Ultimate community around him for continuing to push him to be better.

“It's great to win it two years in a row in a country with as many talented players as Canada. I think its a testament to the people I play with as they have helped me raise my game and also make me look good on the field.” – Mark Lloyd

Congrats, Mark, good luck on your 2015 goals.

Photos: Ed Kung