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| Alan Shaver, vice president academic and provost, congratulations Matthew Keuken on joining AV俱乐部's academic all-Canadians. (Nick Pearce Photo) |
You want to get top marks and play on a varsity team? Then you better work on your time management.
鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to keep a good schedule,鈥� says Leanne Huck, the captain of both women鈥檚 soccer and track-and-field teams who made AV俱乐部鈥檚 academic all-Canadian list for the third time.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 make the list during my first year,鈥� she continues. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 until my time-management skills improved that it happened.鈥�
Ms. Huck was among 62 varsity athletes recognized for their academic accomplishments at Wednesday鈥檚 celebratory lunch held at the McInnes Room in the SUB.
To qualify as an academic all-Canadian, a student-athlete must maintain a grade point average (GPA) of 80 per cent or better over the academic year, while competing in a varsity sport. AV俱乐部 leads the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) conference with the most academic all-Canadians and the Tigers鈥� swimming program leads AV俱乐部鈥檚 varsity pack with 15 academic all-Canadians on its roster.
Swimmer Magda Gawlik, who just graduated with a degree in Community Design, is back at AV俱乐部鈥檚 Faculty of Architecture and Planning, this time in the Environmental Design program. She agrees that time management is the key to achieving a great GPA: 鈥淟uckily, I think it comes naturally to me. You definitely can鈥檛 procrastinate.鈥�
The aspiring architect says the trick is finding the right balance between academics and athletics.
鈥淚鈥檓 always busy 鈥� I鈥檝e just had to cutback on my normal lazing around,鈥� she says with a laugh. 鈥淏ut I really enjoy my studies and swimming. I鈥檓 passionate about both.鈥�
Swimmer Matthew Keuken is in the pool working on his back stroke every day by 6 a.m. He says being an athlete makes him a better student, and vice-versa: 鈥淲hen you鈥檝e got to train every single day for five hours a day, it means you鈥檝e got to be organized. It forces you to get everything done.鈥�
The commerce student was pleased to ask Bette Tetreault, his teacher for the first-year class Business Communications, to join him at lunch as a way of thanking her for her support. Mrs. Tetreault, for her part, was delighted: 鈥淚 was knocked away 鈥� I鈥檓 flattered by all measure.
鈥淚鈥檓 so impressed with the things these student-athletes can accomplish at the same time: to do so beautifully in class and still find time for athletics 鈥� I give them enormous credit.鈥�
For the complete list of AV俱乐部鈥檚 academic all-Canadians, see: Giving all you can