A Maple Ridge player is one of three recipients of the first Pat Quinn Classic scholarships.
All competed in the 2018 Pat Quinn Classic hockey tournament and earned a $1,000 scholarship.
They are provided by the Vancouver Canucks Alumni Association and were awarded to players who demonstrated leadership on the ice, strong academic performance and who are committed to giving back to their community.
Adam Leitch is from Maple Ridge and was one of the scholarship recipients.
Leitch is currently a Grade 9 student at Burnaby Central secondary and competes in the bantam male elite division with the Burnaby Winter Club academy prep team.
“Hockey is shaping me to be the person I want to be,” Leitch said. “What I mean is that all of the demands on my time aren’t hard, because no matter what, I get to play a game that I am proud of.”
He regularly participates in fundraising activities for the less fortunate in the community.
The Patt Quinn tournament, named after the late Vancouver Canucks head coach and general manager, received 32 applications.
Recipients were selected on behalf of the Vancouver Canucks alumni. Members of the selection committee: Cliff Ronning, honourary chair of the Pat Quinn Classic; Kalli Quinn, daughter of Pat Quinn; and Jennifer Scott, event director of the annual tournament.
“We are so impressed with the exceptional calibre of scholarship applications from these young hockey players,” said Ronning. “In addition to exhibiting their strong skills on the ice, these scholarship recipients are great team players, excellent students and volunteers who make valuable contributions to their communities.”
Held annually at the end of December, the Pat Quinn Classic attracts top minor hockey teams from western Canada and the United States. The 2018 edition featured 47 teams in four divisions.
