A local athlete has received special recognition from the Windsor-Essex County Secondary Schools Athletic Association (WECSSAA).
Lily Mulder of North Star High School in Amherstburg captured the WECSSAA Female Athlete of the Year for small schools at the recent WECSSAA banquet. It is the second consecutive year that Mulder has won the award.
“I’m proud of it. It’s a proud moment,” said Mulder.
Mulder said she was proud to win in her Grade 11 year last year but is equally proud, if not more, to win the award in her Grade 12 year this year.
“I feel it is a big accomplishment,” Mulder stated. “I’m very thankful they picked me.”Adding she is grateful to the coaches who nominated her and presented her candidacy for the award on her behalf, Mulder said she was one of four North Star athletes that were nominated for awards. Kyle Jones was nominated for Male Athlete of the Year, Rhys Sharman was nominated for Male Student-Athlete of the Year and Emily Beauregard was up for Female Student-Athlete of the Year.
Mulder said they were informed by teacher/coach Jeff Miller they were nominated for their awards with teacher/coach Lisa Voakes informing her that she won in her category.
“All of us were sitting together when (Miller) told us,” she said.
The four nominated athletes all play a mix of sports, with Mulder excelling in track and field, basketball and volleyball.
“All four of us from Grade 9-12 have being doing it and we stuck together and kept doing what we’re doing,” said Mulder.
Mulder also plays on a travel fastpitch team in the United States.
This award is one of many recent awards won by Mulder, but she slowly is taking it all in. Her mother Dawn said her daughter is humbled by the awards.
Mulder credited the people around her, including her parents and family, and it hasn’t “clicked yet” about all the honours she’s received.
“It’s humbling,” she said.
“She’s been to OFSAA five times in two different sports,” said Dawn.
Mulder added her mother does work a lot of people don’t see, such as driving her to games and practices and making sure she eats correctly.
“I don’t think she gets enough credit for this,” said Mulder.
Mulder is heading to West Texas A&M on a softball scholarship and she is both nervous and excited to attend.
“I love softball. It’s where my heart and head is at,” she said.
Her freshman goal is to see action on the field, as only nine women can play at a time on a 22-person team.
Thanks were also given to the staff at North Star High School and her coaches in the U.S.
“There’s a lot of people to thank,” she said. “My adventure has been all over the place.”
Mulder also won the Baron Rings Athletic Bursary at the recent WESPY Awards, with that being valued at $2,500. It also earned her a trip to their facility and to be able to meet the team at Baron Rings.
The WECSSAA Female Athlete of the Year Award has been won by General Amherst and North Star athletes in the past, including the first winner Jasmine Hurst. Hurst is Mulder’s cousin.
North Star athlete wins WECSSAA Female Athlete of the Year By Ron Giofu
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