Beaver Valley Nitehawks captain Angus Amadio was honoured with the inaugural Grant Sheridan Memorial Scholarship.
The ‘Remembering Grant Sheridan scholarship’ is awarded to a KIJHL player that best exhibits academic excellence, community involvement, and leadership qualities.
Amadio, a talented forward, played three seasons with the Nitehawks and was co-captain this year, leading the Nitehawks to another Neil Murdoch Division title.
“I am very grateful and humbled to receive the Grant Sheridan scholarship,” said Amadio in a release. “His beliefs and lifestyle on and off the ice are a great inspiration to young hockey players to carry out his example in everything you do.”
Amadio competed every night and was an offensive threat as much as a solid two-way player, averageing a point a game. The 20-year-old tallied 37 points in 37 games this season, and 34 in 35 games last year.
“He was one of the many character guys we had on our team,” said Nitehawks head coach Terry Jones. “Angus, as an 18-year-old, he came here and he had to make the team and battle for his spot. And after that he earned everything he got by working hard every single day.”
The Calgary native is the recipient of a $1,500 scholarship, and will return home to study business at the University of Calgary.
Amadio was key to the Nitehawks run to the Kootenay Conference final last season, and was in the midst of a Neil Murdoch Division playoff final when the season was suddenly cancelled due to coronavirus.
The 20-year-old centre emulated the characterisics of the award’s namesake, and like Grant he worked as tirelessly off the ice, volunteering for a number of non-profit groups, interacting with students and Special Olympians or helping out on the Toy Drive.
“Angus is a tremendous leader, he leads by example, demonstrating leadership in his actions, efforts, and through his quiet resilience,” added Jones. “Him and Morgan (Peace) were just terrific captains. One of the things I’ve always appreciated is when your captains are great quality people and work hard. Your life as a coach is that much easier.”
The scholarship fund was created by MindRight for Athletes Society in partnership with the KIJHL.
Kelowna Chiefs captain Miles Mattila is the founder of MindRight, a not-for-profit society, that helps provide resources for hockey players and young individuals with mental health issues.
He introduced the Grant Sheridan Scholarship at the beginning of the season in honour of the Chiefs’ former president and GM, who past away in July last year after contracting bacterial meningitis.
For Mattila and KIJHL commissioner Jeff Dubois, Amadio is an eminently deserving recipient of the award.
“Angus has proven himself to be a key player and leader for the Beaver Valley Nitehawks and a tremendous ambassador for the KIJHL over the past three seasons,” Dubois said in a release. “He exemplifies the qualities as a student athlete that this scholarship was created to recognize, and he’s very deserving of this honour. I’d also like to thank Myles Mattila and MindRight for making this scholarship possible and helping to preserve Grant’s memory in such a meaningful way.”