Congratulations to Mabel Weddell for being this year’s recipient of the Athlete of the Year Award!
Mabel was nominated as the Female Athlete of the Year but will be the sole athlete recognized for this edition of Community Awards.
Mabel Weddell is an extraordinary young woman who embodies what a true athlete is. At the age of 12, Mabel holds herself to a high standard in her own life and in the community. Mabel is currently enrolled at St. Marguerite’s here in Innisfail. A multi-sport athlete, Mabel has pushed herself to excel in hockey, volleyball and cross-country. Committing to 3 consecutive sports is an extreme challenge for an athlete regardless of level; however, according to her nominator, Mabel made it look easy.
While practicing hockey and volleyball, she found it hard to make the cross-country running teams’ practices. Like so many of us during the pandemic, Mabel took it upon herself to train and devise her own plan. Mabel demonstrated her strength, determination, and grit by earning a silver medal in the CENNA (Chinook’s Edge North Athletic Association) cross-country finals. She continued to prove her abilities at the next stage, finishing fifth out of 51 runners at the CWAJHAA (Central West Alberta Junior High Athletic Association). Mabel was one of four Grade 7 girls to make the Sr. volleyball team in 2021, which is an accomplishment on its own, as she has never played volleyball before. She showed her coachability and determination as she started in the middle hitter position, then adapted and grew into a starting setter, filling a pivotal role in the team. This team was made up of grade 7-9 students making Mabel one of the youngest players on the team. Mabel earned a starting spot and a leadership role on the team. Under Mabel’s positivity and leadership, Mabel and the team earned a playoff at CWAJHAA, competing with the best teams in central Alberta under Mabel’s positivity and leadership.
Currently, Mabel is a center with the U13 A Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs girls’ hockey team. She decided in 2021 to play for the Red Deer team as there was no local female-only team to join. Mabel is a dedicated two-way center who can create offense and is very responsible defensively – she excels in her own zone and on face-offs. The Chiefs have done incredible things this year; they have gone the entire season without a defeat. Through tiering, regular season play, tournaments and even into playoffs – they have not lost a game. They will be representing Central Alberta at the Provincials later this spring. We will be cheering them on!
A fun fact – Mabel was part of the Atom B Flyers team that won the team of the year award in 2020, so this award, in some ways, is Mabel’s second time receiving a community award. Her father, Jon, was recognized in 2020 as the Coach of the Year.
According to a nominator – Mabel is a powerful, young athlete who already knows what it looks like to work hard behind the scenes so she can shine when it comes to game time. Her love and passion for sports drive her to not only be successful at them but to ensure that others around her are succeeding. Mabel has an exciting and long athletic career ahead of her, but she has laid a solid foundation of integrity, work ethic, and skill.
