ANTIGONISH, NS – The STFX Student-Athlete Leadership Academy recently wrapped up its 12th year with a celebratory breakfast banquet where 102 student-athletes received leadership certificates for their work completed over the 2023-24 academic year. A record number of twenty-one members also received Leader of Distinction honours.
Established in 2012, the STFX Athletics Leadership Academy strives to challenge, develop, and support STFX student-athletes through comprehensive leadership training and development.
Academy founder and director, STFX Director of Athletics & Recreation, Leo MacPherson comments, "It has been an absolute pleasure to work with these highly committed student-athletes and support them on their leadership journey. The leadership training is an investment in them, their teams and their future careers."
Along with MacPherson, associate director of the Academy and STFX Human Kinetics Professor Dr. Angie Kolen has been instrumental in guiding the leadership development programming of numerous student-athletes. "It is delightful to work with these highly committed student-athletes on their leadership journey. Each year, I learn with them and am inspired by their investment and willingness to apply what they learn with their teams, in the classroom and in the community", Kolen notes.
The Academy is comprised of three primary classifications, which are as follows:
Rising Leaders: Designed for a select group of high potential second and third year student-athletes (and select first year student-athletes). Through a number of ongoing workshops and interactive exercises, the Rising Leaders program provides a strong leadership by example foundation for student-athletes to develop into effective leaders.
Veteran Leaders: Designed for team captains and veteran student-athletes, this program focuses on leading with STFX Athletics and team values to effectively lead others. The program assists student-athletes in developing the skills and knowledge essential to be an effective vocal leader as they navigate the ongoing challenges and responsibilities of team leadership. The program also provides a strong focus on accountability and team standards to effectively build and enhance team culture.
Elite Leaders: Designed for senior leaders who have successfully completed both Rising and Veteran Leaders programs. The Elite Leaders program focuses on applying leadership skills to positively impact the team, athletic department, campus and community at large. A significant component of the Elite Leaders program is for each leader to undergo a 360 degree evaluation of their leadership skills. There is also a focus on life after sport and how to transition leadership skills from sport to career.
This year there were a record number of 21 student-athletes who received Leader of Distinction Awards, the highest honour bestowed by the STFX Athletics Leadership Academy following a rigorous evaluation process. These student-athletes have earned the utmost respect from their teammates, coaches and themselves. The 2023-24 recipients of the Leader of Distinction Awards are:
Sophie Beck (X-Women Rugby)
Thomas Bentley (X-Men Football)
Devaughn Blackwood (X-Men Football)
Thomas Brow (X-Men Football)
Conner Bruggen-Cate (X-Men Hockey)
Katherine Culligan (X-Women Rugby)
Liam Hawel (X-Men Hockey)
Jacob Hudson (X-Men Hockey)
Gatluak James (X-Men Basketball)
Elizabeth Kennedy (X-Women Basketball)
Hunter Lambert-Mousseau (X-Men Football)
Chris Lemoine (X-Men Football)
Anna MacCara (X-Women Hockey)
Emma MacDougall (X-Women Rugby)
Brandyn Martin (X-Men Football)
McKiya Mazur (X-Women Hockey)
Kendra McDonell (X-Women Rugby)
Matthew Philip (X-Men Hockey)
Matthew Struthers (X-Men Hockey)
Katie Upham (X-Women Basketball)
Dyan Vil (X-Men Soccer)
The 2023-24 Elite Leaders are as follows:
Tyler Baker (X-Men Cross Country/Track)
Sophie Beck (X-Women Rugby)
Thomas Bentley (X-Men Football)
Devaughn Blackwood (X-Men Football)
Thomas Brow (X-Men Football)
Conner Bruggen-Cate (X-Men Hockey)
Cassidy Byrne (X-Women Soccer)
Sam Caplice (X-Men Football)
Katherine Culligan (X-Women Rugby)
Deon Ejim (X-Men Basketball)
Ella-Skye Fodor (X-Women Rugby)
Bennett Grumbach (X-Men Basketball)
Fergus Hall (X-Men Soccer)
Liam Hawel (X-Men Hockey)
Jacob Hudson (X-Men Hockey)
Gatluak James (X-Men Basketball)
Elizabeth Kennedy (X-Women Basketball)
Chris Lemoine (X-Men Football)
Anna MacCara (X-Women Hockey)
Brandyn Martin (X-Men Football)
McKiya Mazur (X-Women Hockey)
Kendra McDonell (X-Women Rugby)
Matthew Philip (X-Men Hockey)
Jordyn Pratt (X-Women Soccer)
Taylor Rasmussen (X-Women Cross Country/Track)
Allie Sandluck (X- Women Cross Country/Track)
Matthew Struthers (X-Men Hockey)
Olivia Sutton (X-Women Hockey)
Katie Upham (X-Women Basketball)
Marcus Upshaw (X-Men Basketball)
Dyan Vil (X-Men Soccer)
Avery Walker (X-Women Basketball)
Jack Wierzbicki (X-Men Cross Country/Track)
The 2023-24 Veteran Leaders are as follows:
Julia Baniak (X-Women Rugby)
Eileen Benoit (X-Women Cross Country/Track)
Max Bodurtha (X-Men Soccer)
Ellie Brown (X-Women Hockey)
Colin Buffalo (X-Men Football)
Mairin Canning (X-Women Cross Country/Track)
Nathan Cayouette (X-Men Football)
Logan Chisholm (X-Men Hockey)
Caitlin Crichton (X-Women Soccer)
Jaya D'Souza (X-Women Basketball)
Joel Gallant (X-Men Cross Country/Track)
Ashlyn Garnett (X-Women Hockey)
Amaya Giraudier (X-Women Hockey)
Liam Gombrich (X-Men Football)
Brynn Hebert (X-Women Cross Country/Track)
Vivian Hinch (X-Women Hockey)
Tyler Ivany (X-Men Football)
Brynn Jurus (X-Women Soccer)
Janet Kennedy (X-Women Rugby)
Skye Koyote (X-Women Rugby)
David McGill (X-Men Football)
Matt Pennell (X-Men Basketball)
Lucas Pfeil (X-Men Hockey)
Landyn Pitts (X-Women Hockey)
Noah Proulx (X-Men Cross Country/Track)
Logan Rieck (X-Men Soccer)
Cameron Shaw (X-Men Soccer)
Abby Steen (X-Women Soccer)
Emma Steen (X-Women Soccer)
Jake Stewart (X-Men Hockey)
Kamdyn Switzer (X-Women Hockey)
Madelyn Weisshaar (X-Women Rugby)
Mark Woolley (X-Men Hockey)
Hannah Yantha (X-Women Soccer)
Curt Zimmerman (X-Women Rugby)
The 2023-24 Rising Leaders are as follows:
Akwaima Akpan (X-Women Rugby)
Caroline Ash (X-Women Cross Country/Track)
Samuel Barrowcliffe (X-Men Soccer)
Charlie Callaghan (X-Men Hockey)
Meghan Cole (X-Women Soccer)
Kristine Cooper (X-Women Basketball)
Damian DeDekker (X-Men Soccer)
Emily Dodge (X-Women Rugby)
Owen Flemming (X-Men Cross Country/Track)
Lauren Gautreau (X-Women Rugby)
Zachary Houde (X-Men Football)
Will Kubas (X-Men Football)
Caden Lee (X-Women Cross Country/Track)
Meghan Lineger (X-Women Soccer)
Rylin Matheson (X-Women Soccer)
Liam McCullagh (X-Men Cross Country/Track)
Aidan Miller (X-Women Soccer)
Kya Moss (X-Women Hockey)
Terryn Mozes (X-Women Hockey)
Katie Murphy (X-Women Rugby)
Lauren Neeve (X-Women Basketball)
Liam Patterson (X-Men Cross Country/Track
Gabriel Pelletier (X-Men Football)
Quincy Rotsaert-Smith (X-Women Cross Country/Track)
Megan Smith (X-Women Hockey)
Shawn Spearing (X-Men Hockey)
Mali Straker (X-Women Basketball)
Samuel Taylor (X-Men Football)
Maxwell Thomson (X-Men Football)
Tristan Watrych (X-Men Football)
Ella VandeSompel (X-Women Hockey)
Valerie Von Muehldorfer (X-Women Rugby)
Raegan Wiles (X-Men Hockey)
Sierra Wood (X-Women Rugby)
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