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Skilled Grade 10s share Robyn Muir Memorial award

Mustangs Kyle Conquergood, Alyse Kohler-Mergel earn Robyn Muir Memorial Award
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Maggie Mustangs athletic director John Buckley, left, presented the Senior Above and Beyond Award to Liam Brown and Jivraj Grewal. This award is based on a range of criteria, when compiled reflect athletes who truly go above and beyond standard athletic excellence in their chosen sports. Submitted photo

Alyse Kohler-Mergel and Kyle Conquergood, recipients of the Maggie Mustangs Robyn Muir Memorial Award, shared a characteristic — a desire to get better.

Kohler-Mergel and Conquergood, both in Grade 10, were among the top Maggie Mustang athletes recognized for their successful sporting seasons.

The award exemplifies commitment to academics and athletics as well as being an inspiration to fellow athletes and coaches, on and off the playing field.

Kohler-Mergel credited the Super Fit class, which helps with conditioning and weight lifting, in helping her focus on being a better athlete. Cross-country is her favourite and she competed at provincials, placing 38th among 200 junior girls. Kohler-Mergel was also named the top Grade 10 female athlete with Vanessa Edis.

“It’s been a really good year for me so I was really pleased to get it,” said Kohler-Mergel, who competed in cross-country running, field hockey, basketball and soccer. “It was really good. It was definitely a year where I improved as an athlete and an overall person.”

“I think this award is probably the most meaningful one out of all the awards that I could possibly win,” said Conquergood. “It was really an honour to get it.”

Conquergood played on the junior and senior boys volleyball team as well as tennis, which operated as a club since there was not enough competitive players to participate in the AA Okanagan Valley league. Conquergood followed the encouragement of friends to try school sports and gave volleyball a shot.

“I never played before and turns out I was half decent at it,” he said.

His strong play earned him a chance to train and play with the senior squad. That was his favourite part of the season.

“To see that calibre of playing, it improved me as an athlete,” he said. “Being able to train with people better than me.”

The top Grade 9 athletes were Taylor Reeder, Cassidy McCafferty, Rowan Brown and Jordan Edis; for Grade 10 it is Nate MacLennan; Grade 11 is Max Smeltzer and Bleranda Vrenzi; Grade 12 is Reece Haberstock, Joycelyn Legary and Farnaaz Johal.

The Above and Beyond Award went to Liam Brown and Jivraj Grewal. This award is based on athletes who truly go above and beyond standard athletic excellence in their chosen sports. Criteria includes, but is not limited to, athlete performance in games, commitment to team practices, development beyond practice, respectful of coaches, officials and staff, volunteers leadership roles in sport, school and community. This athlete displays true Mustang spirit and school pride.

Mustangs athletics director John Buckley said Brown and Grewal are “outstanding young citizens of the school and community.” Both showed commitment outside the seasons of their chosen sports and practice schedules. Grewal played volleyball and basketball, while Brown is a high-level volleyball player. Both train regularly in the weight room, participate in school spirit and leadership special events and volunteer in the community.

“They are exceptional student athletes that are top achieving students academically and are also excellent role models for their peers, they volunteer to work with younger students in sports,” said Buckley.

The Jay Guindon Memorial Award for pride inside school spirit was given to Cassidy Lindsay.

The award is given to a senior studentwho exhibits the characteristics and qualities of a former Maggie teacher, Jay Guindon. Guindon was a teacher at Princess Margaret whogave a tremendous amount of energy, effort and time to the students and school. His leadership and spirit in school activities wasexemplary. The term ‘Live Your Dreams’ was coined to describe the way that Guindon carried out activities both in and out of theschool. Tragically, in the summer of 1998, he was killed in an automobile accident, living his dream of watching a game in every majorleague baseball stadium.

This major award is given to a student who demonstrates outstanding school spirit. In addition, the recipient of this award shouldexhibit the qualities of strong participation, leadership and pride of effort in school activities. Lindsay embodies the purpose of thisaward.

“She is a remarkable citizen of our school, a well-rounded, thoughtful person who has been involved in almost every major leadershipevent or activity our school has put on over the last four years,” said Maggie vice-principal Sandra Richardson. “She lead the Grade fiveleadership conference this year as well as western week activities. She has been involved in Maggie fit breakfast program for a numberof years. She is this year’s valedictorian and participated in the humanitarian trip to Tanzania. She has overcome significant challenges in her life and is just one incredible person.


 

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