One of the most prestigious awards presented at the annual RDC Awards Night Monday at the RDC Arts Centre was handed out to long-time supporter Rocky Beekhan.
Beekhan received the Major Volunteer Contributor Award.
Beekhan played a major role in the development and continued support for RDC athletics through her work with the athletic alumni. She spent numerous hours going through historical documentation, organizing and locating alumni. She was instrumental in bringing many of the alumni back to participate in a number of events, such as the 2016 ACAC women`s volleyball championships.
She was also a major force behind a successful alumni social and helped secure an alumni guest speaker.
Meanwhile the ACAC Minor Officials Award went to Marissa Morrison and Karyn Anthony.
Morrison worked as a statistician at the basketball and volleyball games and missed only one night all season.
Anthony has done everything except announce during the basketball and volleyball games.
Soccer keeper Lauren Good received the Al Ferchuk Athletic Leadership Scholarship.
The award is presented to a student athlete who is a member of any RDC athletic team and has demonstrated excellent leadership qualities through the community, team and school involvement.
The recipient must also be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credits per semester and maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0.
Good was a key leader of the Queens soccer team.
Her mental and physical toughness helped lead the Queens to an 8-2 season record. She was an ACAC All-star and a CCAA All-Canadian. She also volunteers with the Red Deer Renegades soccer program.
Meanwhile Ashley Graf and Ben Williams received the Al Ferchuk Hockey Leadership Scholarships.
Graf achieved excellent grades in her nursing program and was one of the leaders on the hockey Queens. She was also an excellent role model and mentor for the first-year members of the Queens, showing them how to balance school work and athletics. Besides the hockey team she was also involved in minor soccer as a coach.
Williams, a highly sought after recruit from the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, was team captain of his junior team and one of the top scorers in the Manitoba League before joining the Kings.
He began the season as a fourth line centre with the RDC squad and quickly became a spark plug, penalty killer and power play contributor.
Meanwhile, the Jon Walsh Memorial Kings and Queens Volleyball Scholarship in Search of Excellence was presented to Queens first-year right side McKenna Barthel and Kings first-year middle Ty Moorman.
The award is presented annually to a member of the volleyball teams who exemplifies a strong commitment, perseverance and love of the game and who has the potential to use their skills developed from playing experience at RDC in the future.
Barthel made an impression in her first season with the Queens and while she excels on the court she works hard academically and also volunteers as a coach with high school and club teams.
Moorman came a long way this season and by the end of the year was one of the more dominant middles in the ACAC and CCAA.
He is physically imposing, but also has an excellent work ethic and his lighthearted nature was contagious with the group.
Volleyball fifth-year middle Tom Lyon received the Inglis Family Kings Volleyball Athletic Excellence Scholarship while libero Michael Sumner received the Henry`s Eavestroughing Kings Volleyball Scholarship.