It’s official – the 2017 Jim Wagdin Bell Warriors Scholarship winners have been announced and this year’s winners are Jack Rabb of Richmond and Stefano Napolitano of Stittsville!
 
Jack Rabb said of his experience with the Warriors, “I played football with the Bell Warriors for 6 years, from Mosquito to Bantam. I am extremely grateful for the values this organization has instilled in me as a person, and for the fundamentals I developed as a player. In being given so many opportunities to lead my teammates, try new positions, and be taught advanced concepts, I was incredibly enriched. The leadership skills I gained spilled over into my school life, where I became the co-president of my school and organized a camp dedicated to teaching my peers the same leadership skills I had been taught by my coaches. The athletic skills I honed allowed me to sign on to Queen’s to continue my football career. I am very appreciative of the Warriors for encouraging both of these facets of my life to improve.”
 
Jack is currently in his second year at Queens University where he is a member of the Gaels football club.  Since graduating from the Warriors organization, Jack has spent time volunteering with Motionball, a charity that hosts Marathons of Sport.  These events group together student athletes and Special Olympic athletes for a day dedicated to competing in a variety of sports, with funds raised going towards supporting Canada’s Special Athletes.  Further, Jack participated in Gaels Care, a community outreach initiative that consisted of spending time talking to and playing sports with children from low-income neighborhoods.   Most recently, Jack volunteered assisting with the Warriors Winter Workouts and the Warrior’s newly-revived flag football program.  CONGRATS JACK!!!

L to R: Jack Rabb (2017 Jim Wagdin Scholarship Winner); Paul Stewart (Bantam Head Coach and CLub President)

Stefano Napolitano says of his time with the Warriors, “I attribute much of this success to the Bell Warriors Football Club as I learned many, many skills and characteristic in my 7 years there which has helped me along every step of the way.  Each and every year I seem to notice more and more that all of those years were so much more than just football.  Football was a big part of it, and I really do miss those days, but the intangibles that we were taught every single day at practice and at games are simply invaluable.  As I think about these intangibles, 3 main things stick out to me.  Those 3 things are teamwork, discipline and perseverance.  I have tried to keep and improve on these qualities in my time at Carleton, and I will never stop to improve them as they can be applied to almost everything in life.  I am so thankful for the little things I learned from 2005-2011 with the Warriors.”
 
Stefano’s list of community service is impressive to say the very least and he is going into his fifth and final year of eligibility with the Carleton Ravens.  He is also unique in that he has been a team captain in all five years of with the Ravens.  Stef is trying to use these qualities that I have acquired with the Warriors and from other chapters of his life to help lead his team to a conference and national championship this year.   CONGRATS STEFANO!!!
 
For more information about the Warriors scholarship program, go to our Scholarship page.