Richmond Jets Bantam A1 forward Kaz Soda is among three players awarded $1,000 Canucks Alumni scholarships as a participant in the 2018 Pat Quinn Classic tournament in Burnaby.
The scholarships, provided by the Vancouver Canucks Alumni Association, were awarded to players who demonstrated leadership on the ice, strong academic performance and who are committed to giving back to their community.
Soda is a Grade 9 student in A.R. MacNeill Secondary’s Incentive Program.
“Hockey has helped me develop into not only a better player, but a better person. It helped develop my personality and my social skills,” he said.
Soda volunteers every week at St. Albans Church providing community meals for the homeless.
The other winners were Adam Leitch from the Burnaby Winter Club Academy’s Bantam Prep team and Victoria Jeske who plays for the South Island Royals Pee Wee Girls Team.
The tournament received 32 applications which selected the recipients on behalf of the Vancouver Canucks Alumni. Members of the selection committee are 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.”
