The 2001 Stacey Levitt Women and Sport Scholarships have been awarded to:
Bonnie Shepherd (Ontario);
Gillian Clayton (Nova Scotia);
Annie Hamel (Quebec);
Carmen Scott (Ontario); and
Ashlea McManus (British Columbia)
“We are so pleased to see the response from right across Canada,” said Cheryl Levitt, as she announced the names of the recipients. “We wish that each and every one could be recipients of Stacey’s scholarship. We can only imagine what activities Stacey would have been involved in today in her 24th year.” “The five winners truly exemplify Stacey’s love of and commitment to sports and physical activity,” Ms. Levitt added. “Congratulations to all and thank you for helping our family keep Stacey’s spirit alive.”
Bonnie Shepherd (Ontario)
A 4th year physical-education student at Queen’s University, this highly motivated young woman has participated in everything from mountain-bike racing, basketball and rowing to football, volleyball and soccer-all while at Queen’s! She is also the co-president of Queen’s University’s Physical Education Students Association. Her goals after she finishes school are just as ambitious. From January to June, 2002, Ms. Shepherd will be putting her newly acquired skills to the test: she will travel to South Africa where she will volunteer in a rural black community with SCORE (Sport Coaches Outreach). Her duties will include implementing physical-education programs and getting community sport events and leagues off the ground.
Gillian Clayton (Nova Scotia)
Although Gillian had been involved in a wide range of sports since she was very young, it soon became obvious that soccer was her sport of choice. But she didn’t just play. By the time she graduated from high school, she had developed her own personal fitness program and had devoted time to the study of soccer theory. This allowed her, she says, to better visualize the game and interpret the game’s theory and technique. It also boosted her level of play and confidence tremendously. When she moved to Halifax to attend Dalhousie University, Gillian made the varsity team on her first try despite the fact that this was a team that had won the CIAU National Gold Medal the previous year and had several returning players! Her hard work and determination leave her well deserving of this national recognition.
Annie Hamel (Quebec)
This coming fall, Ms. Hamel will be entering her second year in the physiotherapy program at the University of Ottawa. A dedicated and determined athlete, those around her speak highly of her perseverance and fighting spirit. And it was that spirit that brought her back after a seemingly minor injury almost took her life. In August 1999, Ms. Hamel suffered an injury to her knee that turned into a rare bacterial infection that took her close to death. She had to abandon her university program in administration and spend several months in rehabilitation. Now back at university, Ms. Hamel-an elite athlete with a resolute attitude-is a wonderful role model for those who need to give a better-than-average effort to reach their goals.
Carmen Scott (Ontario)
Despite twice-a-day training to become a world-class flatwater kayak racer, 17-year-old Carmen Scott maintains a high-school average of better than 80 percent. Recently named as the youngest member of the Canadian National Team, she is also ranked as the second fastest junior in Canada. Don’t think for a minute that her successes to date have come easily, however. A series of injuries-including a fractured tibia that kept her on crutches for many weeks-have made it a struggle, but a struggle that she is determined to win. Her attitude: injuries are obstacles that serve only to motivate and make her stronger.
Ashlea McManus (British Columbia)
Ms. McManus says that this scholarship will allow her to continue to pursue the sport she loves: wrestling. A strong, independent woman, she speaks with confidence when she says she “has what it takes to be a champion.” Nobody doubts it. By the time she had graduated from high school this year, she had already won provincial and national championships. All of this while maintaining a 80 percent average. In the longer term, she says she has her heart set on an Olympic gold medal. Her career goals are no less grand. Recently accepted into the four-year Bachelor of Science program at Simon Fraser University, she plans on a career as a pediatrician. There is no doubt she will do well.
