By Troy Gillard

RDC ATHLETICS

Best, Klassen receive Student-Athlete Leadership Awards

Apr 10, 2019 | 11:16 AM

Two student-athletes were celebrated for their leadership and contributions throughout 2018-19 at the 16th Annual Kings & Queens Scholarship Breakfast on Tuesday.

Shae Best of Queens Basketball and Spencer Klassen from Kings Basketball were announced as this year’s recipients of the Nexus Energy Technologies Student-Athlete Leadership Awards.

An Occupational and Physical Therapist Assistant (OPTA) Diploma student, Best connected on 44.4 per cent of her shots from the field this season, 50 per cent from three-point range, and 100 per cent from the free throw line.

Her coach says Best perhaps made an even larger impact off the court.

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“Shae is one of the most community minded people who has played for Queens Basketball during my tenure here,” says Ken King, Queens Head Coach. “She is constantly volunteering in the community through coaching and other activities. Shae is always putting others first and has continued to build the Queens Basketball legacy of community being at the centre of what we do.”

Best contributed many hours as a volunteer at the Polyclinic on RDC’s main campus during the 2019 Canada Winter Games. This past year, she was also a head club basketball coach and volunteered her time with residents at Bethany CollegeSide. Best was also a student representative for the OPTA program.

“Seeing Shae win this award is very meaningful to me. Shae and her family were some of the first people I met when I arrived in Red Deer,” says King. “She is a part of the inaugural group of club athletes that went through and now play for RDC. I am very proud of her and what she has accomplished, and I appreciate the chance to have known her and her family.”

Klassen had an outstanding campaign in 2018-19 for Kings Basketball. The fourth-year Bachelor of Education Elementary student led Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) in scoring and was a South All-Conference First Team selection. After the playoffs in Lloydminster, Klassen was chosen as an ACAC Men’s Basketball Championship Second Team All-Star.

“Spencer’s season was nothing short of spectacular. During the off-season, he dedicated countless hours honing his craft and then he took the league by storm,” says Clayton Pottinger, Kings Head Coach. “He increased his scoring average from 8.7 points per game last year to 25.6 this season. In 10 games, he scored 30 or more points.”

The Red Deer guard exemplified strong leadership skills on and off the court.

“Spencer spearheaded all of Kings Basketball’s community efforts again this year. He led his teammates out in the community to run clinics with local basketball children,” says Pottinger. “Spencer is in his third year as a coach for the Central Alberta Basketball Club, and he volunteered for the RDC Children’s Christmas Party in December. His roots in the community and his progressive outlook make Spencer a future leader in our region.”

Klassen takes time from his busy schedule to help local farmers during their calving season in the winter. Upon completion of his Education degree, Klassen plans to teach, coach, and farm in central Alberta.

The announcements were made at the Kings & Queens Scholarship Breakfast at the Pidherney Curling Centre.

The event featured guest speaker Cheryl Bernard, Olympic silver medalist and Scotties champion.

Her message focused on the power of choice and writing one’s own story.

“We all have choices on how to deal with situations in life, and our attitude is what is going to get us through,” she said. “Surround yourself with good people. Relationships will be critical all through your life, in business, in sport, at home. I think those are priorities we forget at times.”

Bernard also reinforced the power of sport to enrich people’s lives.

“Now you’re starting to look at (athletes) and what they give back to the community. So if we support athletes up to the podium, what they give us will be 20 times what we gave to them.”