The University of Toronto honoured 23 Varsity Blues student-athletes with Silver T awards at the 12th annual President's Reception on March 28 at the Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport. The prestigious Silver T is awarded to student athletes in their graduating year for exceptional athletic performance.
“It’s great to be here celebrating our outstanding Varsity Blues athletes,” said President Meric Gertler, calling this another spectacular year for the Blues. “You’ve each carried our colours with such talent and amazing dedication.”
The President congratulated the Blues on a slew of individual and collective victories and achievements in a season that saw nine teams crowned provincial champions and one a national champion, 414 athletes named the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) athletes and 31 U Sports all-Canadians.
“We admire your commitment, your talent and your ability to balance your academics with the demands of highly competitive athletics,” said Gertler. “These are the kinds of attributes and abilities that will serve you well in the future whatever career you decide to pursue.”
The President commended the entire varsity athletics community, the faculty, coaches, trainers and volunteers, as well as those who raise funds to support the teams.
“Thank you for supporting the amazing young women and men who are gathered here this afternoon. You enrich our students’ education in the broadest sense, by enriching their lives outside the classroom and the library,” said Gertler. “U of T is dedicated to ensure that we support some of this country’s very finest competitive student athletes. That’s why we build such cutting edge facilities as the Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport. It’s an investment that I think is already paying off.”
Recalling the excitement of seeing so many members of the U of T community participating in the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Gertler spoke of the broader impact of facilities such as Goldring, which give all U of T students, faculty and staff, as well as the broader community, vital access to world class athletics and recreational experience.
“Being part of this special community allowed us to be surrounded by the best students, athletes, coaches and faculty,” said track and field athlete Danielle Delage. “These people supported and mentored us throughout our time at U of T, constantly challenging us to go beyond our comfort zones and promising to catch us if we ever fell.”
But, those weren’t the only perks of being a Varsity Blue, added Delage. “It made it possible for me to wake up later and still make it to my classes on time in my incredible sprint time. And, I was able to get away with endless eating in class, because my professors understood that I needed to replenish my energy.”
Delage’s teammate Ekua Cujo said she felt truly privileged and honoured to be competing in sport at the intercollegiate level. “We are an inclusive community. Regardless of our race, gender, sexual orientation or religion, we are able to reach our full potential at the Faculty. With such an embracing community, why not be the best you can be? Our coach (Carl Georgevski) always says, why not you?”
In his address to the audience, Professor Ira Jacobs, dean of KPE, claimed to have discovered the secret of how student athletes are able to sacrifice and balance academics with their training.
“You know that it’s not really a sacrifice, that it actually contributes to your identity, your confidence, and your literacy about the human body, about what you are and aren’t capable of doing,” he said. “You are able to receive constructive criticism from your co-athletes and coaches, work with that and make improvements. That will be of value to you today, and it will be of value to you when you leave the University for many more years,” he said.
Rounding up the speeches, Executive Director of Athletics and Physical Activity Beth Ali thanked all University staff and faculty for their support of the Varsity Blues.
“From the registrars to the deans, vice presidents to Student Life, the Provost to the Health and Well Being staff, you all make a significant contribution to the Varsity Blues.”
Below is the complete list of the 2016-17 Silver T recipients:
Deanna Caldwell - Curling
Ekua Cujo - Track & Field
Taylor Day - Hockey
Danielle Delage - Track & Field
Sarah Dunning - Golf
Sasha Gollish - Track & Field
Devin Johnson - Basketball
Alison Lee - Field Hockey
Edward Liu - Swimming
Kaitlyn Liu - Figure skating
Natalia Londono - Squash
Madelyn Mandryk - Volleyball
Evelyn Moorhouse - Squash
Nikolay Saveliev - Soccer
Sasha Smart - Track & Field
Bethany So - Badminton
Truman Tai - Golf
Emre Tali - Water Polo
Honor Walmsley - Track & Field
Madeline Warren - Track & Field
Andrew Wilkinson - Badminton
Emma Wingrave - Field Hockey
And Jackie Yeung - Badminton