Team captain takes home President’s Cup, other awards
After two years without in-person events and ceremonies of recognition, the Vikes athletics department was finally able to honour outstanding athletes with the 2022 Celebration of Champions.
The event saw such awards as Male and Female Athletes of the Year, Rookies of the Year, and the all-important President’s Cup. A number of student-athletes were recognized for their accomplishments in the CARSA gym on the evening of April 5.
Among the outstanding individuals who were recognized, one individual graced the stage a number of times, receiving several different recognitions for their excellence. Fourth-year member of the women’s soccer team, Trinity Kettyls, was recognized for three separate awards.
Sporting number six on the field, Kettyls is co-captain of the Vikes women’s soccer team, and a true team player. Kettyls played in all 13 games with the Vikes this past season where she scored three goals and one assist.
Balancing academics with any sort of other responsibility is admirable, but excelling in academics, athletics, leadership, and community engagement is a combination of qualities that would not go unrecognized. Kettyls was recognized in various capacities for her ability to manage all these responsibilities and then some.
In an interview with the Martlet, Kettyls was quick to take the opportunity to thank those who have supported her along the way. “I want to attribute my success to the support I have around me, like my family, friends, teammates and coaches,” said Kettyls. It has been a difficult year, she explained, despite the accomplishments she has achieved. She spent much of the year supporting her boyfriend in his battle with cancer.
Kettyls first received the Varsity Highlight Award, a peer-voted award presented to a member of each team, acknowledging outstanding attitude and leadership. These individuals demonstrate exceptional community engagement. The Vikes website describes this award, saying it “Recognizes the unsung hero on each squad, peer selected for leadership, dedication, community involvement and positive attitude.” The recipients are voted on by their teammates, meaning the recognition comes from within the team.
Kettyls additionally stood out as one of three winners of the Provost award, an award given to the student-athletes with the highest academic achievements. Currently in her fourth-year of nursing, Kettyls obtained a 9.0 GPA in the previous academic year.
On top of the Varsity Highlight Award and the Provost Award, Kettyls was chosen as the recipient of the prestigious President’s Cup. This award is given annually to the outstanding student-athlete in the senior years of their degree who demonstrates excellence in both academics and athletic ability.
In an interview with the Martlet, Kettyls expressed that this award is her proudest accomplishment thus far in her student-athlete career. “I feel very grateful that they chose me,” she said.
In a news release, Vikes Athletics praised Kettyls for her commitment to fundraising with the women’s soccer team, as well as her involvement in community service events.
Kettyls was heavily involved in the Vikes Kick Cancer initiative, which raises money for brain cancer research. In the past two years, the campaign has raised over $100 000.
When the Martlet asked Kettyls about her experience as a captain on the Vikes soccer team, she expressed eagerness about being a leader.
“We’ve focused on trying to make the young [athletes] feel involved and incorporated in the team,” she explained. Rather than talking about her own accomplishments, Kettyls directed the conversation towards the team culture, and the way she has strived to help make an inclusive environment for her peers.
Soccer coach, Tracy David, said to the Vikes that Kettyls is a “captain and a leader on and off the field.” David went on to describe Kettyls as being the “type of person who makes an impact on everyone she meets.”
In referencing Kettyls’s efforts in the Vikes Kick Cancer initiative, David emphasized the way Kettyls makes an effort to get involved with her community, “When Trinity graduates, she will make an immediate impact on whatever community she ends up in,” said David.
“I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today without everyone in my life,” said Kettyls.
