Top Female Athlete

2012 LeRoy Washburn Awardee – Inaugural Year

 
2012 Recipient: Mariam Abdul-Rashid

Hometown: Oshawa, Ontario
Track Club: The Speed Academy Athletic Club
Mariam has been competing in track and field: since she was 6 years old (2004). 
Favourite event: 200m
In a short period of time she has accumulated numerous sport and academic awards:

• OFSAA 100m, 200m & 400m Champion (2012)
• U.S. High School Indoor National Champion - 60m and 400m (2012)
• Hershey North American Champion - 400m (2007), 400m (2009) and 200m (2011)
• Grade 9 Honour Roll (2012)
• Grade 8 Graduating Class Valedictorian and Honour Roll (2011)

 
What the Legion Championships mean to me: “Great honour to represent Ontario and meet other athletes from across the country AND hopefully someday represent Canada on the World stage.”


The LeRoy Washburn Award - Award Background

Since 2007 The Royal Canadian Legion has recognized a top female athlete at the Legion National Youth Track & Field Championships. In 2012 the top female award was named the Leroy Washburn Award in honour of one of the founders and ardent supporter of Legion sponsored athletics.
 
Raised in Miramichi, New Brunswick LeRoy Washburn has been involved with sport and youth all his life. He was the face of St. Thomas University (STU) athletics for 30 years. From 1969 to 1999 he coached varsity teams too numerous to mention, did more schedules than can be counted and served as the STU’s Atlantic University Athletic Association and Canadian Interuniversity Athletics Union representative. He changed the nature of STU athletics with the emergence of competitive women’s teams in volleyball, basketball, soccer and rugby.  As a sports champion, LeRoy made sure there were opportunities for students with passion (but not talent) to play at an elite level.
 
As a Legionnaire since 1972, LeRoy has been involved with the current Legion track and field program since 1975. Since 1996 he has been an official member of the Legion National Sports Committee and was awarded a Legion Life Membership in 1998 and the Meritorious Service medal in 2008.
 
In addition to the countless volunteer hours spent supporting Legion youth programs, LeRoy is one of Canada’s top officials. For over 60 years he has officiated, trained and led Canadian track and field official standardization and improvement.  A distinguished member of the Canadian sporting establishment, he officiated at the Pan American Games, Commonwealth Games, World Cup and the Olympics.  LeRoy was inducted to the New Brunswick Hall of Fame in 1988 as well as the Athletics New Brunswick Hall of Fame.
 
In his home province, LeRoy represented Oromocto Electoral District as the Member of the Legislative Assembly from 1974 to 1982.  He continues his support for the STU through his annual fund raising LeRoy Washburn Alumni Golf Tournament.  LeRoy is also involved with the New Brunswick Interscholastic Athletic Association as an overseer for league discipline and fair play.
 
LeRoy has been married to Loretta Goodine for 56 years and they have five children, Michael, Lori, Derek, Terri and Patrick.  He continues to work tirelessly on behalf of amateur sports with passion and commitment to the Legion National Youth Track & Field Championships.