Three one-time members of the Ontario Varsity Football League team are nominated for Canadian Interuniversity Sport football awards during the All-Canadian Awards Gala at the Hamilton Convention Centre.
University of Toronto quarterback David Hamilton has been nominated for the Russ Jackson Award, St. Mary’s University wide receiver Jahmeek Murray is up for the Rookie of the Year Award, and Queen’s defensive end Osie Ukwuoma is a finalist for the J.P. Metras Award.
“It’s definitely a great organization,” said Hamilton of the Warriors. “Every year, in at least half the games, I’m playing against ex-Warriors.”
While Hamilton and Ukwuoma were Warriors teammates, Murray came along a few years later.
“We’ve always talked before and after games we played,” said Hamilton of Ukwuoma. “He’s a good guy and he definitely has a career ahead of him in pro football.”
As a Canadian quarterback, Hamilton realizes his future does not lie in football.
Instead, the Lorne Park Secondary School graduate has his eye on becoming a doctor.
The Russ Jackson Award is annually awarded to the person who best combines athletic ability, academic achievement and citizenship.
After quarterbacking the Varsity Blues to their first victory in 50 games, Hamilton should qualify for the athletic achievement portion of the award by default. But, the five-year signal caller also finished the season sixth in the nation in passing yards (2,139 yards), seventh in completion percentage (59 percent), sixth in touchdown passes (12), sixth in passing yards per game (267), and fourth in completions (164).
Off the gridiron, Hamilton is among the top of his class in a challenging and competitive Human Biology program. In 2007, he was named a CIS Academic All-Canadian for maintaining a 3.8 grade point average. Hamilton has written his MCAT’s and is awaiting entry to Medical School following his graduation in July.
Hamilton does extensive volunteer work within the community, specifically the pediatric department at Toronto East General Hospital, Evergreen Youth Shelter and Athletes in Action. He was also the Varsity Blues top fundraiser for Athletes in Africa.
It’s because of the nature of the award that Hamilton is most excited.
“It’s pretty cool. definitely an honour given the criteria for the award,” said Hamilton. “It breaks the traditional stereotype for football players.”
Hamilton makes a habit of visiting Toronto East General weekly to either play video games with the children, or familiarize family members with the upcoming surgical procedure.
“I come from a big family,” said Hamilton. “I’ve always been comfortable around kids.”
Being “athletically blessed,” Hamilton added he enjoys visiting youngsters who may not be as fortunate.
And with this being his last season, Hamilton says the recognition is that much sweeter.
“I once won athlete of the year at Lorne Park,” said Hamilton. “It’s a neat award. I still have it in a dresser at home.”
A CIS award may end up in a sock drawer, but it would be nice to look at now and then to help reflect on his career.
“It’s different (now) knowing there’s not to be another next season,” said Hamilton. “It will be even tougher next fall to watch. But the void in my life will be filled with coaching and flag football with my buddies.
“Some who are involved in the game don’t want to let it go. They live on vicariously through their football playing days. I’m not losing sleep over it.”
Not when he can look ahead to becoming a paediatrician, or being involved in sports medicine.
Ukwuoma, meanwhile, is a graduate of Mount Carmel Secondary School. Along with being the Ontario nominee for the J.P. Metras Award as the top lineman in Canada, the fourth-year player was also named a first-team Ontario all-star after leading the league with 9.5 sacks.
Ukwuoma participated in the CIS East West Bowl in 2008, and was named one of the top 10 prospects for the CFL Canadian Draft in 2009. He is blessed with the tools to be an elite player, benching 225 pounds 18 times during fall testing, while running a 4.73 in the 40-yard dash.
Murray is a graduate of St. Aloysius Gonzaga. The 5-foot-9, 165-pound speedster doubled as a receiver and kick return specialist this season, culminating in being named the Atlantic University Sport rookie of the year and special teams player of the year.
While Ukwuoma, Murray and Hamilton have no shot at the Vanier Cup, fellow Mississaugans Jonathan Hood, Richard Lewis and Christopher Greaves, do. They are all members of the University of Western Ontario Mustangs, who will take on Laval.
dwiner@mississauga.net
