Joakim Noah Defensive Player of the Year. Noah was born in New York City, to French singer and former world No. 3 tennis player Yannick Noah, winner of the French Open in 1983, and Cécilia Rodhe, Miss Sweden and fourth runner-up at Miss Universe 1978. His grandfather Zacharie Noah was a Cameroonian professional football player, winner of the Coupe de France in 1961. Noah lived in Paris, France from 1988 to 1998 and returned to New York City at age 13. He played high school basketball for the United Nations International School, Poly Prep Country Day School and Lawrenceville School. Considered a
Yannick Gingras Yannick Gingras Yannick Gingras (born August 4, 1979 in Sorel, Quebec, Canada) is a Champion driver of Standardbred horses in the sport of harness racing. Gingras drove in his native Canada until 2001 when he moved to Yonkers Raceway in New York where he enjoyed immediate success, winning that fall's driving title. Following a 426 win year in 2003 that earned him the Dan Patch Rising Star Award, he relocated to Meadowlands Racetrack in 2004 which he continues to maintain as his home base. In 2014, Yannick Gingras was voted American harness racing's Dan Patch Driver of the Year Award,