2020 Bursary Recipients Announced
The Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the recipients of the PDSHOF Bursary. The bursary is awarded annually to 4 graduating students who are pursuing post secondary education – however this year as a result of the extra-ordinary final semester senior students faced due to COVID -19 there are 6 recipients.
Each of the 6 recipients – Abby Hiltz, Tristen Jones, Jack Moloney, Austin Murray, Marisha Thompson and Allison Westbroek, is receiving a $2000.00 bursary.
A short biography of each student athlete follows:
Abby attended Holy Cross Secondary School where she was the captain of the basketball team for 3 years and lacrosse team for 2 years. She also participated on the track and field and volleyball team for 2 years. Abby was a member of the Holly Cross Athletic Council for 4 years, was the MVP for basketball for 3 years and as well won the Holy Cross Female Athletic Leadership Award. Her high school coach describes her as a strong leader who always strives to do her best and make others better.
In community athletics, Abby was a member of the Peterborough Power U15 basketball for 2 years and a member of the Oshawa Blue Knights lacrosse team for 3 years. Abby was named the City of Peterborough Jr. Athlete of the Year in 2016. In 2019 she was the MVP of the U19 Women’s Field Lacrosse Nationals held in Peterborough. Abby has also been very actively involved in the Ontario Women’s Field lacrosse as an official and timekeeper, Peterborough Youth Basketball as an official, timekeeper and supervisor and was coach of the Oshawa Baby Blue Knights lacrosse as well as camp instructor for the Kawartha Women’s Field lacrosse, Peterborough Lakers lacrosse and Raiders Basketball Camp. She has volunteered at the Ontario Lacrosse Provincials since 2012. Abby says “ I have played lacrosse since I was 4 years old and have had one focus since I picked up a women’s field lacrosse stick for the first time. I set my sights on gaining a lacrosse scholarship to attend a school in which I could not just play the game at a highly competitive level, but achieve a first class education. This September I am heading to St. Bonaventure University to study Physical Education and play Division 1 NCAA lacrosse”.
Tristen is a graduate of St. Peter Catholic SS.
His teacher and coach Tricia Donald says “Tristen is a student who has made his mark both within the school community and at the local, regional, Provincial, National and International levels. Tristen demonstrates a focus and dedication to sport that I have not witnessed before in a student athlete”
During his high school years Tristen participated 4 years on the track and field and cross country running teams and 3 years on the Nordic ski team. He was the recipient of the Male Athlete of the Year for 3 years and won the MVP in cross country running 3 times and track and field 4 times. Tristen competed in a total of 11 OFSAA championships as a high school athlete.
Tristen was a member of the Canadian Cross Training Club for 4 years where he was named C3 Junior male athlete of the year in 2017 and C3 Elite Athlete of the Year in 2018 and 2019. In 2019 he won the Indoor Triathlon Provincial championship, Junior Provincial Champion and Ontario Junior Triathlete of the Year.
During his senior year of high school Tristen assisted with training the distance athletes on the school track and field team. He also volunteered as a summer camp counsellor for 3 years for his triathlon club and was a participant in local clothing and food drives.
This fall Tristen will be attending Queen’s University of Charlotte where he will be studying Exercise Science and will compete on their Triathlon team.
Jack is a graduate of Adam Scott CVI.
He captained his football and basketball teams for four years, baseball team for 3 years and was a member of the badminton team for 2 years and golf and track and field for one.
Jack was the recipient of the Junior Male Athlete of the Year at Adam Scott and as well won the MVP and coaches awards in football, track and field and senior basketball.
His football coach Ted LaCarte says “Jack’s leadership skills are off the charts. He has so much respect from his coaches and teammates as he will always go the extra mile and put his body on the line to win games”.
Jack played 1 year of hockey each for the major bantam A Petes and the minor midget A Petes. He also played in the U17/19 Durham Jr. golf tour for 4 years.
Jack is an Ontario Baseball association umpire and an Ontario minor hockey association referee and as well has volunteered at the Kinsmen minor football camp and as a forecaddie at the Wildfire and Kawartha Invitational tournaments.
Jack says that his proudest achievement to date was winning the AA COSSA basketball championship in his senior year. Jack will be attending St. Francis Xavier this coming year studying in the Business Administration program.
Austin is a graduate of Norwood District High School. He was very active during his high school years playing 4 years on the football and hockey teams and 3 years on the basketball, badminton, baseball and track and field teams. He was also a member of the Norwood high school athletic council for 4 years. During this time Austin won numerous COSSA medals in badminton, track and field and basketball and competed at OFSAA in basketball and track and field. He attended Ontario Athletic Leadership Camp in the summer of 2017. He was the recipient of the Junior Boys Athlete of the Year for 2 years and received his Jr. and Sr. Athletic Letter.
His coach Jeff Winslow says “Austin is a highly motivated individual who takes pride in doing his best. The characteristics I admire the most about Austin is his initiative. You never have to ask Austin to “get a move on” as he is already at practice, knowing what has to be done and doing it”.
Austin has also been a member of the Peterborough Tigers baseball team and the Norwood Hornets hockey team for 4 years.
Austin’s community volunteer and involvement include umpiring baseball and softball, time clock and scorekeeper in hockey as well as assisting with youth tryouts and practices with Peterborough Tigers baseball and Norwood Hornets hockey.
This fall Austin will attend Queen’s University in the Bachelor of Science Program.
Marisha is a graduate of Norwood District High School. For 3 years she was a member of the following high school teams: hockey, badminton, basketball, volleyball, track and field and cross-country running. Marisha won Junior and Senior Athlete of the Year as well as the NDHS Award of Merit for Outstanding Athletic Achievement.
In community athletics she was a goalie for the Peterborough Ice Kats for 2 years as well as a member of the Lightning Track team for 3 years.
Marisha excelled in the track and cross country running winning gold at COSSA in the 1500m and 3000m events 7 times as well as competing in OFSAA 5 times. In 2018-2019 she placed 2nd and 3rd respectively at the Ontario Cross Country championships. Marisha represented team Ontario at the National Cross Country Championships in 2018 and 2019 and placed 3rd in the Open women’s 1500 m race at the Ontario Indoor Championships.
Marisha says “running has opened my eyes to so much more than I even knew existed and offered me a chance to see the world”
She has been a volunteer coach in Norwood for both the Queen Bees hockey team as well as the high school youth basketball team.
The Kawartha Lakes Lightning coach Darl Sutherland says “Marisha is the first to show up at the workouts and often last to leave. She ensures her fellow teammates are taken care of and takes time with the newer, younger athletes to make sure they feel welcome. Marisha is our team captain, leading by example and she displays a work ethic that motivates everyone around her”
This fall Marisha will be attending Florida Atlantic University to study Exercise Science and compete on their cross country and track and field teams.
Allison is a graduate of Adam Scott CVI. She was a valued member of the cross country running, nordic skiing, track and field, badminton and soccer teams at Adam Scott participating in 11 OFSAA championships over 4 years. She earned numerous COSSA gold medals, team MVP awards as well as Junior Athlete of the Year.
Allison says “ From my earliest memories, sport has been a part of my life. My parents enrolled me in nordic ski and triathlon teams at age 4 and I started competing at age 5”. “My experience over the years have shaped me into the person that I am today and for that reason, I believe my greatest achievement has been in the area of sport.”
Outside school , Allison has been a longtime competitive member in both the Kawartha Nordic Ski club Athlete Development Program and the Peterborough Pirates Triathlon Club. She has competed in each of these sports at many Provincial level races and two National championships in triathlon. Allison has also competed in both the Ontario Summer Games in triathlon and the Winter Games in Nordic Skiing.
In addition to participating in sports, Allison has coached young athletes weekly for the past 4 years in both triathlon and nordic skiing.
She also volunteers in the Emergency department at PRHC and at a local veterinary clinic.
Her coach Patty Best says “She is a well rounded and dedicated student who has achieved outstanding academic success while making her contributions to her school and broader communities as a volunteer coach and volunteer assistant at PRHC”.
This fall, Allison will begin her Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Queen’s University.
Congratulations to each of these worthy student-athletes. We at the Hall of Fame wish you the best of luck in your future endeavours.