Zoe Nelson and Jack Hewlett earned the Danny Paskal Memorial Award as the athletes of the year at F.P. Walshe school. The award was presented Wednesday during Blue and White Night.
A hard-throwing southpaw and an extremely coachable player are the athletes of the year at F.P. Walshe school.
Jack Hewlett and Zoe Nelson earned the Danny Paskal Memorial Award.
“This award is presented each year to a student or students who best exemplify the spirit of Danny Paskal,” F.P. Walshe school athletic director Aimee Sandham said. “Each recipient has a true love of sports, shows a deep desire to improve, learn new skills and strives to reach the highest level of competency possible.”
The award was presented during the school’s annual Blue and White Night.
The award is presented each year in memory of Danny Paskal, an F.P. Walshe school student-athlete who 29 years ago was killed in a car crash.
“The Danny Paskal award recipients also demonstrate a healthy lifestyle, befitting an athlete,” Sandham said.
A Grade 12 student, Nelson competed in senior girls volleyball and basketball as well as track and field in the past year.
Nelson was named to the Chinook Basketball League all-star team, and on Wednesday received the Spirit of Walshe Award from the Flyers.
“Zoe is an amazing human,” Flyers basketball coach and F.P. Walshe school athletic director Aimee Sandham said.
“She is selfless, puts her team first and has a positive attitude. Zoe is a leader who leads by example, and always thinks of others first.”
Aidan Kidd, head coach of the Flyers senior girls volleyball team, had similar comments.
“Zoe is one of the kindest people I have ever coached,” Kidd said. “She came into the season with a big learning curve but she had a desire to get better and improved immensely.”
When not on the court, Nelson was supportive of her teammates, cheering them on from the bench.
“Zoe is the person who sets a positive team culture by her actions on and off the court,” Kidd said. “She has a strong foundation of athleticism and skills.”
Nelson’s strongest attribute, Kidd added, is her desire to lead and “bring good vibes” to the team.
“The intangibles she brings are what sets Zoe apart and what made her a pleasure to coach,” Kidd said.
Jack Hewlett, who is in Grade 10, played baseball and basketball for the Flyers and competed in track and field.
Hewlett excelled as a lefthanded pitcher for the F.P. Walshe Flyers baseball team.
“Jack is a talented baseball player who has been working hard to improve his skills even furthur,” Flyers coach Ben Paskal said. “He has a passion for the game, a good work ethic and really understands the intricacies of the game.” Pitching is his speciality with an arsenal of pitches and great command of the zone.”
When he wasn’t on the mound, Hewlett patrolled the outfield, using his strong arm to keep opposition base runners on their toes.
Hewlett also brought offensive power to the lineup with his bat.
“He was a vital part of our high school team not only with his pitching, but his hitting and defence as well,” Paskal said. “He has an extremely high ceiling and I look forward to seeing his continued growth.”
At Blue and White Night, Hewlett shared the baseball Flyers most valuable player honours with teammate Nathan Coast.
The Flyers basketball team named Hewlett the Rookie of the Year.
Hewlett is involved with baseball year-round through the Longhorns program in Lethbridge and with the American Legion Fort Macleod Royals.
