Phibbs, Irvine recipients of OHF scholarship

By Darryl G. Smart

Travis Phibbs and Alastair Irvine are showing that it is just as important to be a star in the classroom, as it does on the ice.

 Irvine, who played for the Provincial Junior Hockey League’s Hagersville Hawks, and Phibbs, a standout on the Hagersville Jr. Hawks midget team, were two of 30 hockey players chosen throughout the province for the Ontario Hockey Federation Scholarship.

“The OHF is very proud to offer the OHF Scholarship Program to provide support to individuals who have excelled in both their academics and within our hockey programming,” said Tony Foresi, chairman of the OHF board of directors. “We had an exceptional group of applicants this year and we look forward to seeing their success in the future.”

Each year, the OHF awards scholarships to outstanding young people who display an incredible amount of commitment both at the arena and in the classroom. The recipients are determined on the basis of academic achievements, hockey involvement and community involvement.

While Phibbs was a standout with the Jr. Hawks midget team this past season, Irvine, posted five goals and 13 assists in 42 games for the junior C Hawks. The rookie defencemen was also named the PJHL Bloomfield Division’s top defencemen for September/October. He also played in the PJHL Prospects Game.

This year, the OHF Scholarship Committee received over 150 candidates’ applications to consider for the scholarship. To be eligible to receive a scholarship, a candidate must have been registered for three years within the OHF in any capacity – player, trainer, coach, official, be registered with the OHF during their application season, be a registrant in good standing with the OHF and be enrolling in post-secondary full-time studies in Canada for the first time.