OFSAA’s Character Athlete Award celebrates the efforts of the exceptional student-athletes in Ontario who best exemplify the characteristics that OFSAA is founded on.
Nominations come to the OFSAA office detailing the exceptional character of student-athletes from across the province. This year’s recipients inspire those around them with their involvement on the playing field and in the classroom, in both school and community.
To learn more about the award and the process to apply please go to https://www.ofsaa.on.ca/recognition/scholarships/character-athlete-award
Selecting just one female and one male winner from the over 50 submissions is a difficult task, but these two individuals stood out for their commitment to OFSAA’s values of leadership, equity, respect and sportsmanship. Each winner will receive a $1,000 grant from Jostens and a commemorative plaque to recognize this outstanding achievement.
2017-18 Female Recipient:
CHLOE E. JAKOB
Chloe is a grade 11 student at Leamington District Secondary School in Leamington, Ontario.
In just her first three years in high school, Chloe’s accomplishments in the community and her school’s athletic program are extremely impressive. In early May, she won gold in the C Flight at OFSAA Badminton and she is a member of the school’s strong softball team this spring.
Chloe’s standout play on the Junior and Senior Volleyball team earned her the Rising Star Award in Grade 9 and Team Captain and Sportsmanship Award in Grade 10.
Chloe excels at badminton. She went undefeated in Girls Doubles in Grade 10 and won county ECSSAA/SWOSSAA in Grade’s 9 and 10. For her performance and dedication, she earned the MVP Award in both Grade 9 and 10 and she was also named the school’s Junior Female Athlete of the Year in 2017.
As a student on the honour roll, Chloe has the following certifications: Lifesaving Society Bronze Cross, Bronze Medallion, Standard First Aid, Emergency First Aid, High Five—Principals of Healthy Child Development, Pleasure Craft Operators (Boating), NCCP course coaching athletes with disabilities and Ontario Baseball Umpire Level 2.3.
Chloe currently serves on the Corporation of the Municipality of Leamington’s Mayor’s Youth Advisory Committee as the voice of youth and Youth Empowerment. Chloe volunteers weekly with the Special Olympics Ontario local swim team and she works part-time as a Youth Program staff member with the Corporation of the Town of Leamington. Chloe has also participated in the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada walk for several years.
A member of the NCCP, Chloe has completed the Coaching Athletes with Disability course and she serves as a volunteer coach for the Leamington-Essex Warriors Special Olympics swim team.
Congratulations on the OFSAA Character Athlete Award for 2017-18, Chloe!
2017-18 Male Recipient:
BEN ZWOLAK
Ben is a grade 12 student at Cardinal Newman Catholic Secondary School in Stoney Creek, Ontario.
Ben has been an active participant across several sports throughout his high school career.
After playing for the Midget basketball team, Ben would go on to play Junior and Senior football, basketball and badminton. His athletic prowess led him to a spot on the Varsity baseball and touch football squads as well.
In the community, Ben is a two-year member of a program called D.R.E.A.M.S. (Dominican Republic Educational and Medical Supplies). Ben and this student group made two trips to rural Dominican Republic and provided building supplies and helped in the building a home for a needy family.
Ben is an enthusiastic coach/manager of the Special Olympics program. Here he has forged friendships with the school’s students with developmental exceptionalities by attending events and coaching the school’s Special Olympians.
Ben takes time out to coach a youth house league team in the school’s Saturday Newman Youth Basketball program and he is also a Summer Camp Counsellor at Cardinal Newman. He also holds this role at two other local community summer camps.
Ben’s leadership was recognized in 2017 when he was the recipient of the Jeff Dickins Memorial Award. This distinction was earned from his excellence in sport, the classroom and in the community.
An honour roll student in each year of high school, Ben is a reliable volunteer as a referee for feeder school tournaments.
Congratulations on the OFSAA Character Athlete Award for 2017-18!
###
