Lori Musselman of Elora received the Russell Division Community Service Award from Ontario University Athletics (OUA)on Oct. 19 for her dedication to rugby both on and off the field.
Musselman is a fourth-year kinesiology student at Wilfrid Laurier University and captain of the Golden Hawks women’s rugby team.
“It means a lot to me because being in my fourth year, I’ve done a lot at Laurier and it’s kind of nice to know that it’s gotten recognized,” said Musselman of receiving the award.
“I was very surprised.”
The award announcement states that Musselman “truly puts her heart and soul into everything the team does.
“She has put a great deal of time and effort into the program, not only helping to support the rookies and younger players, but also in terms of organizing events.
“She is a true leader in every sense of the word, something that is reflected in her award-winning efforts.”
The Golden Hawks finished its regular season 2-2. The team won its quarterfinal game against University of Waterloo, the first playoff win for the team since 2003, but lost in the semi-finals.
Musselman said the rugby program at Laurier has slowly progressed since joining in her first year. She started playing rugby in Grade 9 at Centre Wellington District High School in Fergus.
Musselman said she is dedicated to bringing her team together through bonding, events and training.
“A team does well when they are all really close, so I’ve just tried over the last couple of years to make our team bond and make sure every body feels comfortable and close and welcome on the team,” she said.
Musselman also earned a spot on the 2017 OUA All-Star team.
