Alex Young of the Canmore Eagles is the recipient of the 2020 Stewy Stewart Memorial Award. The Stewy Stewart Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) player in the South Division that best exhibits the following attributes: character, dedication, perseverance, integrity and sportsmanship.
?The Canmore Eagles are proud to nominate Alex Young for the Stewy Stewart Memorial Award,? said Eagles General Manager and Head Coach Andrew Milne. ?Alex carries himself like a professional in all facets of his life, he is a role model, a mentor and a born leader.?
The 18 year-old forward led the Eagles in scoring during the 2019-20 regular season with 82 points and was a finalist for the League MVP Award. In his third and final AJHL season, Young was selected to represent the Eagles as a member of Team AJHL at the 2019 Junior Club World Cup on Russia. He also participated in the World Junior A Challenge with Team Canada West and was selected to compete in the 2020 CJHL Prospects Game, where he was named Player of the Game.
?The game of hockey has impacted me as an individual, not only through the challenges and adversities that are inevitable when playing the game, but also through the people that I have met and created friendships with along the way,? said Alex Young. ?Two years ago, I was sixteen years old and just starting my junior career. Along with being the youngest player on the team, I was somewhat immature. Luckily, I had many opportunities to learn from my teammates, who not only played hockey longer than I, but also had been through different life experiences I hadn?t yet experienced. The qualities I was able to take away from looking up to my veteran teammates were maturity and character. After seeing the way they handled themselves in the dressing room, in the community, and with their billets, I tried to replicate their character and respect everywhere I could.?
?There have been many losses along the way and it would have been easy to give up and lose faith in the game or the rest of the season, but every game I dedicated myself to giving my full effort no matter the opposition. I would continue to persevere through many forms of adversity and never threw in the towel no matter how challenging the situation seemed.?
Alex Young (Calgary, AB) has committed to attend Colgate University (NCAA Division I) in the 2020-21 season.
AJHL Commissioner Ryan Bartoshyk presented Young with the Stewy Stewart Memorial Award prior to Wednesday?s Inter Pipeline AJHL Playoff Game in Canmore. The Stewy Stewart Memorial Trophy is named in recognition of a long-time Calgary area fan who supported hockey at all levels. ?Stewy? died in 1997 and the award was created to honour his support and commitment to the game.