UFV Cascades Alexa McCarthy selected CIS Sylvia Sweeney Award Recipient

Second Cascade to earn a major CIS Award in school’s seven years affiliation with league

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzBFM2qbgoo

Regina. Saskatchewan…..The University of the Fraser Valley Cascades Alexa McCarthy, Chilliwack, BC, has been selected the 2013 CIS Sylvia Sweeney Award recipient for outstanding community service.  McCarthy becomes the school’s second student-athlete to receive a major CIS award in the seven years affiliated with the league. The award is presented to reward excellence in the student-athlete, and is named in honour of Sylvia Sweeney, a past player at McGill, Concordia and Laurentian who excelled both on the court and in the classroom.

McCarthy is active in several community service initiatives and takes on a key leadership role in UFV athletics as a whole. She has battled through an unfathomable number of injuries over the years to become a significant contributor to the team in 2012-13. Through all of her adversity she has always lead the team in reaching out to the community.

She has initiated, organized, and driven what has become a major UFV athletics community outreach initiative. The ‘Walk and Knock food bank drive’ is an event where UFV athletes walk the community on Halloween evening collecting food for the Abbotsford food bank. In recent years, McCarthy has been participating in the Fraser Valley’s chapter of the ’Operation Red Nose’ program and has led UFV’s CIS “Shoot for the Cure” drive at UFV. She is a three-time winner of the UFV athletics community service award and has thrice been recognized by the University of the Fraser Valley for her outstanding contribution and leadership with the community service she provides in our communities.

“Alexa has been a major contributor to UFV, the Athletics program and the Fraser Valley communities,” said Rocky Olfert, Fraser Valley Athletic Director. She has had a significant impact on the culture we are trying to create. Her efforts to continually put others before herself and model this as a student-athlete has been an inspiration to all of us.”  McCarthy becomes the second Cascade to earn the CIS Sylvia Sweeney award, Michelle Buhler was selected in 2007-08.

The Kinesiology major does the majority of the ground work, organization, recruitment of helpers and guest speakers for all the fund raising events for non-profit organizations involving the Cascades.  She markets the event around campus, community and has been the major reason UFV have been able to increase our contribution to this cause in the three years she has been at UFV.

“I am very proud of Alexa’s contributions to our program and the community.  She is a true student-athlete playing, practicing, studying and contributing to the needs of others without asking for anything in return.  Alexa is a role model for our program,” said UFV women’s basketball head coach Al Tuchscherer. 

Outstanding student-athlete community service award  (Sylvia Sweeney Award)

The award is presented to reward excellence in the student-athlete, and is named in honour of Sylvia Sweeney, a past player at McGill, Concordia and Laurentian who excelled both on the court and in the classroom. Sweeney played on three Olympic teams and continues to support university basketball. The recipient exhibits outstanding achievement in three areas: basketball, academics and community involvement. The selection is made by the CIS Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.

Championship website: http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/wbkb/index

Online Webcasting: www.CIS-SIC.tv

Photo Credit:  J Mah