Today we’re honouring those who help our student-athletes and teams succeed.

 

Dalhousie is very fortunate to have many volunteers working to help our coaches, administrators and student-athletes. We would like to thank them for their outstanding support and recognize a few of our very special volunteers for their contributions this year.   

 

In her seventh-consecutive year as team manager for the men’s basketball team, Andrea is the backbone of the program, allowing Coach Plato to focus on coaching.  

 

Andrea is involved in all aspects of the men’s basketball program. In addition to her important role on the bench during games, she spends hours behind the scenes to ensure the team has everything it needs and more.

 

She arranges pre- and post-game meals, birthday celebrations, team-building activities, travel arrangements and hotel reservations. She also spends hours doing laundry in the wee hours of the morning.

 

Andrea also plays a vital role in the team’s fundraising initiatives and camp programs.

 

A surrogate mom to the players, Andrea takes great pride in making sure ‘her boys’ have everything they could possibly need and does an amazing job coordinating senior’s night and all of the celebratory elements that make it special and memorable for them.

 

Greg has been a volunteer goalkeeper coach with the men’s soccer team for the last 10 seasons.

 

He not only attends all home games and practices, but he also travels with the team, often at his own expense to show his support.

 

Greg also spends time with the goalkeepers in the off-season, keeping their training fresh outside of the university season.

 

A four-time national medallist with the Tigers track and field team, Simon has been a volunteer jumps coach with the program for the last six seasons.

 

He spends an average of six hours per week working with Tigers jumpers in practice, in addition to attending meets and competitions.

 

U SPORTS long jump gold medallist Lorena Heubach’s primary coach, he has been an instrumental part of her growth and success over the last couple of years.

 

Dave has been behind the scenes of the women’s hockey program for 15 years. He always goes above and beyond for the team and is a pleasure to work with.

 

He has filled many roles over the years from managing equipment to running out to pick up supplies for other coaches and players.

 

He assists on-ice during practice and is an eye in the sky during games and shares his view with the team during intermissions.

 

This year, we’re pleased to recognize former Tigers standout Reika Santilli for her five years as an assistant coach with the women’s soccer team.

 

We’d like to thank all of our trainers for their time and efforts in keeping our student-athletes healthy and assisting in their recovery.

 

 

Aaron truly became apart of the men’s basketball team this year. He showed an enormous amount of growth and leadership in his role as head trainer with a nationally ranked team. He showed effective adaptability when dealing with any challenges that came his way and was quick on his feet while staying in constant contact with the Dalhousie Physiotherapy team. He built trust with the team’s coaches and athletes by demonstrating his skills and knowledge in his decision-making.

 

Dean took on the huge challenge of transitioning from an assistant role last year to becoming a head trainer this season. He built a foundation of trust with his team by showing a tremendous amount of professionalism, commitment, knowledge, inclusivity and leadership. He really stepped up when the training staff was short-staffed in the beginning of the season and did a great job of building a strong team of trainers the women’s volleyball team and coaches could count on to keep them healthy.

 

The trophy that celebrates the manager of the year award was donated by the Yarr family in memory of Steven Yarr, Al's son, who was a dedicated manager of the Dalhousie basketball program. Although Steven is no longer with us, the essence of his work ethic remains with this annual award.