For two of Oilfields High School’s graduating athletes, their moment of recognition was surreal.
Grade 12 students Jessie Elliott and Coltin Berard were named as Oilfields High School’s senior Athletes of the Year at the Drillers’ annual awards on June 10 in Black Diamond.
“It’s really awesome,” Elliott said. “This is so nice having it in my senior year.”
As a condition of winning the Athlete of the Year honour, students must have played on a minimum of two school teams while displaying a positive attitude and sportsmanship on and off the field.
The winning student also had to demonstrate sound academic standing and leadership qualities within the classroom.
Both Elliott and Berard were solid citizens at Oilfields High School and worked hard on-and-off the field.
Elliott played basketball and rugby for the Drillers and had a remarkable season for both teams.
The Drillers’ senior girls basketball team placed third in the South Central Zone tournament and also managed to qualify for provincials for the first time in several seasons.
Elliott was also the most experienced member of the girls’ rugby team – which dropped only two games all season.
After such a successful year, Elliott said she was more than pleased to finish on a high note.
“It’s indescribable,” she said.
The Oilfields graduate said she plans to go to Mount Royal University next year to take general sciences. She will also continue to participate in club rugby.
Fellow senior winner Berard took the label of a ‘multi-sport’ athlete to the next level.
The Drillers’ athlete participated in golf, cross-country, volleyball, basketball, badminton and soccer during the academic year – all the while balancing his time to accommodate a considerable academic workload.
When questioned as to why he took on so many different sports, Berard said that he’s always been that way.
“I’m used to it,” he said, adding he’s been that way since Grade 9. “It’s just who I am as an athlete.”
Similar to Elliott, Berard accomplish several goals individually and as a team in every sport he participated in.
“Athletically, I thought I did really well. I even surprised myself in some moments,” he said.
Berard said he wouldn’t have had near the amount of success he did had it not been for the strong stable of coaches throughout the Driller family.
“I couldn’t do it without them,” he said.
With the school year winding down, Berard said he will treasure this award for a long while.
After all, he’s worked hard to earn it.
“Words can’t describe it. I’ve been waiting a long time to get this award,” he said.
The Oilfields athletic award winners were:
Athletes of the Year (girls and boys) – Grade 7: Nevada Nelson and Keidric Feil. Grade 8: Kamala Knight and Lane Ouellette. Junior Varsity: Jenna Thompson and Brandon Powell. Senior Varsity: Jessie Elliott and Coltin Berard.
