CKSS Golden Hawks Hand Out Hardware to Top Athletes
CKSS Major Award Winners (L to R) - Drew Medd, Laine Poirier, Tyler Harwood - Submitted Photo
Bednarik, who is committed to the University of Western Ontario Track and Field program is a multi sport athlete including volleyball, soccer, and track and field, making an OFSAA appearance for track and volleyball this year.
Houston, who will be attending Wilfrid Laurier University next year, is another multi sport athlete who lead her teams in sports including soccer, basketball, volleyball, and badminton.
Other major CKSS award winners on the evening included Antwaine Baker and Elizabeth Vandenborn who took home the Mark Lindeman Memorial Award, for most sportsmanlike male and female athletes. Laine Poirier and Brittany Renaud were presented with the Greg Way Award for Most Dedicated Athletes.
The Joe Garcia Award was presented to Hannah Kennedy. Kennedy is another multi sport athlete at CKSS who excelled in hockey, soccer, and basketball. The Joe Garcia Award, however, is presented specifically to an athlete who excels in soccer and basketball in the same year.
Junior Athlete of the Year honours went to Sydney Holmes and Jake Lindley. Lindley, of particular note was a grade 9 athlete presented with this award which is typically given to grade 10 athletes. Lindley was a started in junior basketball, football, and volleyball as a grade 9 exhibiting strong leadership skills in all sports.
Rookie of the Year honours, for top grade 9 athletes went to Alicia Huckle and Christian Bechard. SAA awards went to Cassie Kamarlingos, Jake Lindley, Brittany Poirier, Hope Olexa, Jillian Hamaguchi, and teacher Marc Poirier.
Ben Lawton, another CKSS teacher received the OFSAA Colin Hood Award for his contributions and leadership within the school.
Laine Poirier picked up his second major award of the evening winning the Earl Grant Memorial Bursary as a player who acted as a cohesive force and exuded leadership and confidence to their teammates. Poirier will be attending the University of Windsor next year as a recruit to their boys volleyball program.
Sam Cormier received the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame Bursary awarded to a student who served school activities as a “builder.” For the top student-athletes, Sarah MacFarlane and Dylan Medd took home the Robert Bye Academic Athlete award.
Carolyn Alexander-Hoglund won the Brandon Markham Memorial Award given to the most dedicated member of the cross country team. Also from the cross country team, long time coach Bob O’Neil, who has won 55 Kent titles while coaching at CKSS, was honoured as a retiring coach. John Corrente, the school’s basketball coach from last season was also honoured as a retiring coach.
Tyler Harwood was given the Jon McCubbin Memorial Award as the football player who has given the most to the CKSS football program over their career. Harwood was also presented with his jersey from this past season, a jersey which was sewn back together after it was cut off of Harwood following a serious head injury during his senior football season.
Joining the CKSS James Dean Hall of Fame, were former athletes Hokey Langan, Sean McLaughlin, Ryan Hamm, and Jordan McTavish, each of whom graduated CKSS and went on to have excellent sporting careers following their high school athletics.
In the final award of the evening, Kailey Houston and Thomas Bednarik were again recognized as this years CKSS nominees for the Dr. Jack Parry award, give each year to the top male and female athletes from all schools in Chatham-Kent.
The Jack Parry Award ceremony will take place Thursday, June 9 at the UCC Ampitheatre.