Antigonish hockey player Andrew Boyle receives national award for passion in the sport

ANTIGONISH, N.S. — Andrew Boyle’s phone has been blowing up this week.

And for good reason.

Messages of congratulations have been pouring in for the Antigonish man after he was awarded a national accolade for displaying passion for hockey and his community.

Boyle, captain of the Antigonish AA Munro Bulldogs junior B team, was named Hockey Canada Champion for November.

“It’s a pretty big honour,” said Boyle, 21. “I was really shocked, it was pretty unexpected and it’s really kind of left me without words. It was really nice to win something like that.”

As Hockey Canada Champion, Boyle received a Hockey Canada jersey, Scotiabank prize pack and was featured in a video that outlined his involvement in the game and community.

Boyle, a fourth-year student at St. F.X., has been involved with the local Challenger Baseball program for the past four years and is also a member of the St. F.X. MAX program. In both programs, he assists individuals with disabilities in baseball, skating, para-sledge hockey, swimming, and other activities.

“I really enjoy it, it’s probably my favourite thing to do, honestly,” Boyle said of his volunteer work.

Hockey Canada shot video of Boyle during the Bulldogs’ NSJHL game against the Strait Pirates last Sunday at the Antigonish Arena. That footage was part of a three-minute video posted online to honour his accomplishments.

The Hockey Canada recognition comes after Boyle received the Nova Scotia Junior Hockey League’s Kale Mason $500 memorial scholarship last season for exhibiting leadership qualities, academic achievement, and community involvement.

“I was never someone who thought I was doing more than anyone else was, I just enjoyed doing all the activities that I do,” he says. “So being recognized for it now … it’s been nice just to know that it makes a difference in the community.”

Hockey Nova Scotia president Arnie Farrell presented Boyle with his Hockey Canada Champion jersey on Wednesday at the Antigonish Arena.

"We’re very proud of Andrew and everything he has done to give back to the hockey community in Antigonish," said Farrell. "Despite his busy school and sport workload, he still finds time each week to help grow our game and promote inclusivity in hockey. He's a fantastic role model and a true ambassador of all the best parts of our game."

Boyle is playing in his fifth and final season for the junior Bulldogs, who jumped out to an undefeated 6-0 start before the NSJHL made the decision last week to cease operations until the new year because of COVID-19.