Since the start of his CIS career, Kyle Graves was 2011 AUS Most Valuable Player and CIS Hec Creighton nominee, as well as a 2011 AUS all-star (Quarterback and Punter) and 2011 AUS Loney Bowl Player of the Game.

The University of Acadia Axemen quarterback / punter is the AUS Football Most Valuable Player for a second straight year in 2012. He is also a second team All-Canadian quarterback and first-team All-Canadian punter.

Kyle led the AUS in total offense, touchdowns, yardage and completion percentage and was by far the best player in the conference during the 2012 season. He led his team to another 7-1 record and named as AUS All-Star and CIS All-Canadian as both quarterback and punter. He led the league in passing yards with 2012; 156 pass completions; passing for 14 touchdowns; a passing completion percentage of 57.1 percent and punting average of 40.3 yards per punt. Graves also rushed the ball 28 times for 167 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Kyle, who attended the Montreal Alouettes training camp this past summer, is now 6th in all-time passing yardage with 5,433 yards, 3rd in Acadia school history. He wraps up his 5 year career in the top ten of every career AUS passing list. He ranks 4th in career completions, 5th in attempts and his 39 career touchdown passes are 10th all-time.

Noted by head coach Jeff Cummins, “Kyle is the best Quarterback I have coached in my 12 years at Acadia. In my opinion, Kyle is quite simply the most athletic and versatile quarterback in the country. The skill set that Kyle brings to the table is rarely found at this level, is very unique and honestly I think we have taken it for granted now that he is finishing his final season. His ability to throw, run, punt and lead his team makes him a constant threat whenever he touches the field. His arm strength combined with accuracy and an ability to put touch on both the short and deep ball give Kyle the tools he needs to pick apart defences. We’re very excited to see him continue his football exploits in the CFL, as he has signed a free agent contract with the Montreal Alouettes.”

Other candidates for 2012 Athlete of the Year include:

In March of 2012, Sam Pedlow attended the National Beach Volleyball Team tryouts and once again became a proud member of our Canadian Senior Men’s National team where he had the opportunity to train with the Canadian Olympic team that represented Canada at the London Games.
Also in March, Sam participated in an eight team “invitation only” tournament at the National Training Centre to represent Canada at the World University (FISU) Games for beach volleyball. With a new partner, Grant O’Gorman, only 18 years old, they won the tournament and the right to represent Canada in Maceio Brazil later in September of that year. This was thought to be the highlight of their pending 2012 beach volleyball season. But really it was just the beginning.

There are no summers off school when you are in your Masters. What to do? Graduate or stay on the Beach National Team? He felt he could do both – athletics and academics. And he did just that.

Last summer Sam and Grant competed in the Ontario Volleyball Association (OVA) beach season, finishing consistently in the top 3 through 7 tournaments in the Senior Men’s Elite Division. At the OVA Beach Provincial Championships held in Toronto, Sam and Grant won a bronze medal in the same division. That earned them a berth to go to the Nationals. In August 2012 Sam and Grant travelled to Vancouver to play in Canada’s National Beach Volleyball Championships. They continued their showings by finishing 4th and being the only team to beat the Canadian Olympians who had just returned from the London Olympics. From Vancouver, Sam and Grant flew to Puerto Rico to compete for Canada in a Norceca Beach Volleyball event and finished in a remarkable 3rd place. This was their first international competition together.

One week later they were off to Brazil for the World University Games. Even as newcomers to this level of competition, Sam and Grant set their sights on a top 4 finish – something that had never been done by any other Canadian team. Although no Canadian team had ever finished in the top 10, Sam and Grant accomplished what they had set their sights on – a 4th place finish. They were the only team to beat the number 1 ranked German team (the eventual winners) and were only 1 set away from going to the gold medal game. In the bronze medal game, they played the number 1 Brazilian team and lost a tough 3 setter. In front of a packed stadium of Brazilian fans, they did Canada proud.

Since then, Sam once again attended the National Beach Volleyball tryouts and is now a fully carded member of the Senior Men’s National Beach Volleyball Team. Along with Grant, they are in the elite group of 3 teams that now train year round and compete to represent Canada in future international events during the 2013 season. Sam and Grant hope to represent Canada in the Pan American Games in Toronto 20105 and the Olympic Games in Brazil 2016. As well, they hope to represent Canada at the World University Games to be held in July 2013 in Kazan Russia. Sam and Grant are the number 1 ranked team in Canada for this competition.

Sam Pedlow completed the final leg of his Masters in November 2012. He has moved back to Barrie to practice as a physiotherapist in the clinical field of sports medicine. He is also giving back to the sport he loves by doing motivational speaking and providing instruction to young athletes in the Barrie area.

A graduate of Barrie Central Collegiate, Megan Gibbs began playing rugby because it was the cool thing to do.

Now the 27 year old plays for Canada’s National Senior Woman’s Rugby Team with the hope of being selected for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. The mentoring Megan received from her high school coaches helped her get noticed and be selected in her second year of University to the Junior National Team before eventually working her way onto the Senior Team.

Gibbs has played for the Senior Women’s Team for eight years making her one of the most accomplished female rugby players from Barrie.

2012 saw Megan working full time at the RVH in Barrie, while also training for a qualifying tournament to go to the Rugby World Cup in 2013. Having already played in 2 World Cups, she feels confident in making it to a third and having her sight firmly set on winning.

When not training elsewhere, Megan looks forward to returning to Barrie and enjoying her downtime relaxing.