Reviving a valued tradition after several years, the Burlington Sports Hall of Fame hosted its High School Athletes of the Year BBQ to honour the 2025 female and male athletes of the year at the city’s eight high schools.
A welcome message from Burlington Central grad (and Burlington Sports Hall of Fame inductee) Tony Gabriel captured the importance of the achievements of these athletes, congratulating them on what they have accomplished and wishing them well with any future athletic and academic endeavours their life’s journeys may take them on.
Burlington Sports Hall of Fame executive emeritus Ron MacVinnie, himself an A.J. Dunn award winner for Burlington Sportsman of the Year, spearheaded the event. He had some volunteers work the BBQ and serve the food. He assembled a team of longtime sport leaders who have dedicated much of their adult lives to athletics. Their experience in playing, coaching, officiating, and organizing across Burlington and Halton gave them perspective on just how strong the high school sports scene is — and they were excited to get involved.
Such a hotbed produces great athletes, and this year’s group of athletes fits the bill. Looking over the years, many Halton high school athletes went on to do great things at the post-secondary level and at the professional or Olympic level. For a student to be selected the best athlete at their school is an honour and an achievement, an achievement recognized by the City of Burlington and the Province of Ontario.
Halton high school sports convenor Darrin Curtis worked with the school’s athletic directors to get the list of athletes. He also had each athlete complete a profile to support a live Q&A session. All this had to happen literally within days, as school athletic banquets where these athletes were honoured were just happening. Curtis’s communication and the respect he has in the high school community got the roster information together in time. In the invitation to the Athlete of the Year BBQ, the parents were encouraged to come share the afternoon with their children; it was great to see so many parents in attendance. Lots of proud smiles, lots of great pictures.
Steve Foxcroft was the emcee of the event and brought his usual humour and empathy while interviewing each athlete about this past year and where their futures are headed. The confident, thoughtful responses from these accomplished teens were impressive to hear. Foxcroft reminded the students at M.M. Robinson to check the Wall of Fame to see the names Steve Foxcroft and Dave Foxcroft, both former Athletes of the Year at the school.
In the personal interviews, the athletes displayed to the audience the poise that obviously is a part of their success. Many spoke of the value of playing multiple sports while maintaining the academic standards needed to be able to pursue schooling and sport at the post-secondary level. Foxcroft commented that for him to achieve such high marks, he’d have to add in his absences.
Fox 40 International got involved through the leadership of Dave Foxcroft. They showed their support and love of sport as they kindly contributed a scholarship to each athlete. Each athlete received a certificate of achievement from the City of Burlington, presented by Ward 6 Councillor and Deputy Mayor for Recreation Angelo Bentivegna on behalf of Mayor Marianne Meed Ward. Each athlete also received a certificate of achievement from the Province of Ontario, presented by current A.J. Dunn award winner and OUA referee-in-chief Murray Drinkwalter on behalf of Minister of Sport Neil Lumsden.
As is his way, Foxcroft brought out the best in each athlete, and the results were impressive. These young people have their feet on the ground and are excitedly looking to the future.
Best of luck to all these great examples of high school sport as they take on further challenges at the next level. Your experiences in Halton high schools have given you a great start. Take advantage.
The 2024–25 High School Athletes of the Year
Aldershot School: Georgia Bordignon, Evan Rebane
Assumption Catholic Secondary School: Kayla O’Keefe, Frankie Perri
Burlington Central High School: Emma Canivet, Brayden Wong
Corpus Christi Catholic Secondary School: Gracie Harvey, Nick Honchar
Dr. Frank J. Hayden Secondary School: Natalie Wahlgren, Owen Gladwish
M.M. Robinson High School: Nyah Davies, Craig Ferrin
Nelson High School: Claire Mallett, Simon Garratt
Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School: Miya Nobrega, Davis Ferguson
