Dawson College student athletes who go above and beyond both at school and on the field/court/ice were honoured at the annual Athletics Awards evening on May 2.

Noteworthy award recipients include hockey player Noémie Bastien who received the Rob Springer Memorial Award, basketball players Isaiah Graham-Roache and Regan Cornford who each received the Adele Ivy McDonald Walton Award, basketball player and cross-country runner Mia Simpson who received Female Athlete of the Year, basketball player Raphael Joseph who was named Male Athlete of the Year, rower Nicole Motta who was named Female Academic Athlete of the Year and cross-country runner Tian Yi Xia who was named Male Academic Athlete of the Year.

The Communications Office interviewed some of the recipients about balancing athletics and academics, teamwork and more.

How have you balanced the demands of academics and athletics, and what strategies or habits have helped you succeed in both areas?

Noémie Bastien: Being a student athlete is not easy, especially when you play a demanding sport like hockey where you train and play all year long. Honestly, when you get used to the busy schedule it becomes manageable, especially when you find the right strategies that work for you. The key strategy for great success is discipline. My personal habits during my three years at Dawson was to do all my homework and assignments during the week, so that on the weekends I was putting all my focus on my hockey games. I was always planning to do no homework on game days. This allowed me to be productive during the week and have a free weekend. I had a day that I called a “reset day” with no sports and no school.

Isaiah Graham-Roache: I rely on time management, planning ahead, and staying organized. Setting priorities, and communicating with professors and coaches, have helped me stay balanced and focused.

Nicole Motta: I’ve actually found that academics and athletics complement each other more than they clash. As a student athlete dedicated to a sport that requires me to wake up every morning at 5 AM, I have to maintain a stable routine that keeps me healthy and strong for my sport and find time for my studies if I want to perform in both. My time management skills have really developed over the last couple of semesters, and I’ve learned to keep myself as organized as possible. Not procrastinating and maximizing learning time in class is a game-changer.

Mia Simpson: I balance the demands of athletics and academics by really making sure to be productive and time efficient. Moments like bus rides to games or breaks between classes can really add up if you make the most of them. Since I am almost always busy in the evenings with practice and training, I really rely on those moments throughout the day to get my work done.

Can you share a specific moment or experience during your college career that shaped your approach to leadership or teamwork?

Noémie Bastien: I have had many moments that helped me grow and shaped me into the person I am today. One specific moment that really impacted me is when some of my teammates supported me during a rough patch. They included me, supported me, and made me feel like I was part of the family. Playing sports can create amazing friendships, and I had the chance to play with amazing teammates. When the team spirit is good and everyone is supportive, you also want to be there for your teammates; it comes naturally. I remember cheering on some teammates when they were going through a rough patch too. In a team, everyone comes together and helps each other. I also grew my courage to get up in the room during games, something that I never did before but happened on multiple occasions this year specifically. Playing with Dawson really improved my leadership and teamwork.

Isaiah Graham-Roache: I had a teammate who struggled both on and off the court so checked in with him regularly, spent a lot more time with him, and encouraged him when he went on the court. This teaches you that being there for others builds stronger bonds and a more unified team. These small acts can make a big difference in someone’s confidence and well-being.

Nicole Motta: I’ve practiced a couple of sports in my life, and I have to say that rowing is the one that has taught me the most about teamwork and leadership. In the boat, whether you’re 2, 4, or 8, if you bring others down, you bring the whole boat, including yourself, down. I’ve come to understand that the team’s best performance will always be a product of the positive electric energy created when my teammates are uplifted, and we trust each other completely. In our regatta in Saratoga, New York last October, a couple of things hadn’t gone to plan before our race and, seeing that the energy was low, I kept up the positive encouragement throughout the whole race instead of letting myself get brought down. We cut down our personal best by a lot.

Mia Simpson: A moment that really shaped me this year was at the beginning of the semester when I was still new to the D1 team and not yet fully out of my shell. After one of our practices, one of the veterans on the team came up to me to tell me to keep shooting no matter what and that my hard work would pay off if I believed in myself. This moment really pushed me to do better during the rest of the season and inspired me to have the same impact on the rookies coming in this year. The simple act of looking out for your teammates can often go a very long way and push them to trust themselves more.