NEWS RELEASE
ONTARIO MINOR HOCKEY ASSOCIATION
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Owen Nichol has made an impact for countless children in York Region and is now being recognized for his academic achievements as well.
As a result of his excellence on and off the ice, Nichol was selected for the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) and Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) Bursary program. The program selects five high school graduates from across the province who have made a big impact in their schools and in their communities in the 2022-23 school year. Recognized for their roles as players, coaches and referees in the OMHA, as well as their grades and extracurricular work outside the rink, each winner will receive $8,000 to go towards their post-secondary education.
Nichol has been part of a host foster family for York Region Children’s Aid Society for over a decade and a valuable teammate throughout his years in minor hockey with the Newmarket Renegades. Along with a busy calendar of extracurriculars, he manages to intertwine his passion for sports with his role as a foster sibling.
The graduate of Sir William Mulock Secondary School will be enrolled in the recreation management program at Dalhousie University next year.
“I’m a big team person, especially with being a foster sibling. When they come into your household, they join your family, join your team,” said Nichol. “Bringing that over into the education and school system, it’s a very big part in succeeding.”
Along with providing a stable home life, Nichol would also be a reading buddy or lunchtime monitor at school. He’d bring his foster siblings to the rink to share his love of hockey.
“It’s not an easy thing to get kids to hockey and bringing another one into your life is something to be commended. Owen is just an amazing young man off the ice,” said his coach, Ted Harrison. “He’s so kind and was always the first in line to pick someone up or help them when they were down. He led on the ice all the time with his talent.”
His willingness to help out carried from the rink to the classroom.
“I noticed that right away Owen was willing to jump in and help people and was friendly to everyone. He really made everyone feel welcome,” said his construction teacher, Jesse Stephenson. “I had a couple of students in the class that were special needs, and Owen jumped right in and helped this girl sand her project. That was really special because I didn’t have to ask Owen; he just knew to get up and go do that.”
Nichol says he’s had 17 foster siblings over 10 years.
“On behalf of DFO and Ontario’s 3,273 dairy farmers, congratulations to this year’s OMHA-DFO Bursary program winners for their achievements as outstanding students and athletes,” said Cheryl Smith, chief executive officer of Dairy Farmers of Ontario. “In partnership with OMHA, the bursary program recognizes five youth with tremendous resilience, sportsmanship and leadership on and off the ice, and who have shown dedication to their studies and commitment to supporting their communities. We hope the $8,000 bursaries will help the recipients reach their post-secondary goals.”
“The OMHA and Dairy Farmers of Ontario share a goal of developing great people who will become the next generation of leaders,” said Ian Taylor, the executive director of the OMHA. “It’s impressive to see what our players are doing to make their communities a better place — whether on the ice, in the classroom or through their volunteerism. The five recipients chosen this year for the OMHA-Dairy Farmers of Ontario Bursary program are shining examples of what it means to be a student-athlete and good citizens.”
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