Durham College recognized the ability of athletes to balance academics and sports at the fifth annual athletic academic award luncheon.
“This luncheon has been put in place to recognize all student athletes who are not only successful in their sport but also in the classroom,” said Ken Babcock, director of athletics. “It is important for these athletes to be recognized as they will be role models for current and future DC Lords.”
The luncheon took place on Tuesday, April 5 and honoured our athletes, commemorating their academic achievements.
The ceremony started with a lunch and then the students heard who had won within each category.
Some of the awards included the top GPA per sport, which included 23 students who won the OCAA All Academic award, the CCAA Academic All Canadian, Top Team and highest overall GPA.
Don Lovisa, president of Durham College, was invited up to the podium to say a few words before the ceremony. He ended his speech with a reminder to the award winners, “without coaching, mentorship and leadership you wouldn’t succeed.”
After the meal, Babcock began to call out the award winners. Students walked up to received their award and then made their way down a line of coaches and other teammates.
Cailey Giori, a midfield on the women’s soccer team and a student in the Police Foundations program, won the award for the highest overall GPA in the women’s category.
“It’s just good to feel accomplished from being able to be a varsity athlete, it is such a privilege as well as being able to keep my academics up and get recognized for it with these awards,” she said.
Other award winners included Alessio Del Gobbo, who won the highest overall GPA among male athletes, Nicholas Axhorn who won the CCAA Academic All Canadian award and the women’s softball team, which won Top Team.
The average GPA among all awards was 4.28. The GPAs for the students were not released publically.
“They were high though,” Babcock, said with a laugh.
The event was about recognizing achievement and celebrating successes that are important no matter what they might be.
“We really celebrate successes and find that important, whatever that success is. I think it is good advice to also remember to celebrate successes, birthdays, graduations, achievements, marks,” said Babcock. “This is just another great opportunity for our college to recognize those student who achieve provincial and national level honours.”
He says it’s important to recognize student achievement.
“I think any student at a campus it enriches their experience by getting involved in things whether it’s student clubs, it’s campus recreation, intramurals or an interest of any kind. This happens to be varsity athletics, it really enriches your experience to be involved into something extra,” said Babcock. “Students have to do all this and get good marks and represent the school.”
The award luncheon ended with the winners posing for one final picture to commemorate their achievements over the past year, with the students taking a great sense of pride in the way they performed.
