Woods wins pair of Mohawk awards

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Abi Woods of Paris recently picked up a pair of major awards from Mohawk College following an outstanding soccer season with the Mountaineers.

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Woods was honoured with the Athletic Director Award at the school’s annual athletics banquet and prior to that she was awarded the Outstanding Varsity Athlete Award during Mohawk’s Celebration of Learning Awards ceremony.

“It’s something that’s an honour and it’s something I can look back on and be thankful and grateful for,” said Woods. “I was developing both on and off the field.”

For those who maybe haven’t spoken to Woods for a couple of years, the fact she won the awards at Mohawk and for soccer may come as a bit of a shock.

Woods started playing soccer in Paris before she entered elementary school, eventually joining Paris FC. She then moved on to play for the Brantford City Soccer Club and Brantford Galaxy Youth Soccer Club.

However, a couple of years ago the centre back stopped playing soccer because she was on her way to Laurentian University to play another sport.

The Paris District High School graduate was not only a standout soccer player in her youth but she also played goalie in the Brantford Girls Hockey Association and for the Cambridge Rivulettes.

Although Woods went to Laurentian, she never got a chance to play hockey for the Voyageurs. During her first year there was no hockey due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the following season there was no hockey for another reason.

“The school I went to for hockey ended up cutting the hockey program so I ended up transferring to Mohawk,” said the daughter of Laurie and Jeff, who didn’t expect to play a varsity sport at Mohawk.

“I kind of accepted the fact I wasn’t going to play sports at a high level ever again. Once I was able to play on the soccer team, I was able to be more grateful for it and take in the experience.”

The 20-year-old second-year nursing student joined the Mountaineers and after a tough first season for the team, things turned around this season.

“This season was a complete change around,” Woods said. “We ended up going undefeated in (regular) season play, only to lose in the quarter-finals.”

Despite the playoff loss, Woods said going undefeated in the regular season was a huge achievement for the program

“It took a special group of us to go undefeated,” she said.

“There were a lot of exciting games. We were all committed and every time we played we were playing for each other and we were always eager to win.”

Woods was named an Ontario Colleges Athletic Association first-team all-star and she was also awarded the 2023 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association’s Academic All-Canadian Award.

That helped her earn the Varsity Athlete Award and the Athletic Director Award, which was given out for the first time to five Mohawk athletes across different sports who made significant contributions to their team while showing an outstanding attitude, level of effort and spirit of a true competitor.

“The individual awards showcase how our program is progressing positively,” said Woods, who was also nominated for the school’s female athlete of the year award.

“We always want to be top competitors so it shows positive direction in our program.”

The Varsity Athlete Award was given to a member of the varsity sports program who showed commitment to sport and the community while being active in various volunteer and leadership roles.

Woods was a co-captain of the women’s soccer team and she also volunteered at a local church with youths starting out in soccer.

Woods will play in the Ontario Women’s Soccer League this summer and then will be back at Mohawk to play one more season of soccer while finishing her schooling.

“(This) wasn’t the original plan I had envisioned for myself but I think in the end it was the right path and I am blessed for the opportunity to be able to play soccer and gain an education in the process,” she said.

“If it wasn’t for my family, teammates, coaches, athletic department and school, I wouldn’t be in the position I am today.”

Also at the Mohawk banquet, Brantford’s Brian Jonker was named Mountaineer coach of the year for his work with the men’s basketball team while Maegan Dorris, also from Brantford and a member of the women’s basketball team, was one of two recipients of the Kelly Dunham Memorial Scholarship Award.