In an era of ever-increasing ego display,
when so many of today's athletes are sending
the wrong message to our children and
when success often seems measured
solely by dollar signs and contract signings,
it is time to call attention to individuals who
embody all that is, and can be, right with
sport. While the media often seem preoccupied
with the antics of players after the
whistle or outside the game - all the while
decrying the absence of better role models
for our youth - the Hockey Humanitarians
want to put sports, and all of its participants,
in the proper perspective. And, while team
games, by definition, encompass both
teamwork and the contributions of the individual
to the success of the group as a
whole, we want to acknowledge the accomplishments
of personal character, scholarship,
and the giving of oneself off the ice to
the larger community as well. The Humanitarian
Award is meant to be seen as a true
measure of a person's worth, not just as an
athlete, but as someone who embodies
those values that merit our recognition.
It is our hope that in some small way such
a display will have a positive influence on
future generations of hockey players. We
feel an obligation to help our children find
the proper balance as they confront deciding
who their role models are and what values
they should embrace in this increasingly
complex world. Our foundation believes
there are Humanitarians to be found
in programs everywhere and that it is time
for many in the media to reconsider their
focus on the frequently destructive and selfish
behavior of those athletes who often
receive too much of our attention. We feel
that the great majority of us share the values
represented by The Humanitarian
Award and that the time has come for this
message to be more widely disseminated.
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(Hockey East winners in bold)
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1996-97 |
J.P. McKersie, Boston University |
1997-98 |
Erik Raygor, Wisconsin |
1998-99 |
Kristine Pierce, Rochester Inst. of Technology |
1999-00 |
Jim Leger, Maine |
|
(Finalist: Craig Brown, UMass Lowell) |
2000-01 |
Jason Cupp, Nebraska-Omaha |
2001-02 |
Rocky Ray Reeves, Buffalo State |
2002-03 |
Sam Paolini, Cornell |
|
(Finalist: Chanda Gunn, Northeastern) |
2003-04 |
Chanda Gunn, Northeastern |
|
(Finalist: Patrick Foley, New Hampshire) |
2004-05 |
Sarah Carlson, Boston College |
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(Finalist: Peter Trovato, Massachusetts) |
2005-06 |
Eric Leroux, Princeton |
2006-07 |
Kristin Savard, Yale |
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(Finalists: Janelle Armitage, Connecticut;
Jaime Sifers, Vermont) |
2007-08 |
William Bruce, Williams College |
|
(Finalists: Janelle Armitage, Connecticut; Missy Elumba, Northeastern) |
2008-09 |
Missy Elumba, Northeastern |
| |
Maine's Jim Leger was the second Hockey East player to win the Humanitarian Award, claiming it in 1999-2000 |
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