North Star coach, athletes win awards from WECSSAA

By Ron Giofu

The Windsor-Essex County Secondary School Athletic Association (WECSSAA) presented its awards last week and North Star High School was well represented.

Jeff Miller won the Wayne Curtin Award as WECSSAA coach of the year, with Miller helping to guide the school’s senior girls volleyball team to a fourth place finish at OFSAA. By his winning the award, it meant he got to award a $250 scholarship to a student, with Miller choosing Afften Essenpreis.

“I’m very honoured and thankful for the recognition,” said Miller. “Teaching and coaching can be a thankless job at time. To get this recognition is nice.”

The award was first presented to a coach in the 2009-10 season, and it was another familiar face to the school community. Basketball coach Dom Silvaggio from General Amherst High School won it that season.

“It’s also nice to be on a plaque with all of the coaches in WECSSAA, from all of the different sports, in WECSSAA,” said Miller.

Miller also stated the award recognizes coaches who have not just had a successful season, but have built successful programs as well. He said winning the Wayne Curtin Award this year is an honour not just for him but for the volleyball program at General Amherst and now North Star. He said it is recognition of it being one of the elite programs in WECSSAA.

Essenpreis said she was surprised to be the one chose to receive the scholarship.

“It was a very nice surprise,” she said. “When I found out, I was pleasantly surprised.”

Lily Mulder also won a major award at the WECSSAA meeting, as she was named the Royal Arcanum Award recipient. Her award was as female athlete of the year for small schools, the latter meaning 950 students or fewer The Royal Arcanum Award comes with a $1,500 cash prize as well.

“It’s an honour,” said Mulder. “I was actually really surprised.” Mulder said she was approached by Miller before the school year about her chances of winning the award this year.

“I looked into it and I said ‘I’ll do my sports this year and see what happens’,” said Mulder. “It’s definitely an honour and a privilege. I thank everyone who voted for me.”

Mulder, also the top female athlete at North Star, played basketball, volleyball, slo-pitch and track and field during the 2022-23 school year.

Miller added Mulder joins a list of winners from Amherstburg.

Owen Harris received the volunteer of the year award from WECSSAA. Though still a student, Harris stepped up to coach the Wolves’ junior boys volleyball team. He also helped run a badminton tournament this year.

“I was surprised for sure,” he said of his award victory.

Harris said he was told by teacher Lisa Voakes that he won and “it was all unexpected.”

Noting he had coached young children in hockey and was the assistant junior boys volleyball coach last year, Harris said he stepped up to be the head coach to ensure there would be a team this season.

“This year, they needed someone to step up and be the head coach or there wouldn’t have been a team this year,” he said.

The junior boys started slow but improved throughout the year, Harris added, and the Wolves advanced to the WECSSAA semi-finals.

“The improvement was phenomenal,” he said. “I was proud of them for sure.”