COCHRANE— Cochrane’s own Jacob Mate has won the Calgary Booster Club’s prestigious John Mayell Memorial Award and scholarship, for his outstanding record as an athlete and his giving spirit.
Each year, the Calgary Booster Club hands out the John Mayell Memorial Award, recognizing an outstanding athlete in the province for their contributions to sport and community.
Jacob, 17, has made a name for himself as a St. Timothy High School football player and his contributions to the community. Jacob has been involved with Helping Hands Society of Cochrane and Area food drives, volunteered through the local Scouts chapter for several programs like the Pacific Jamboree and donated his time to coach and instruct at his taekwondo club.
“I’m really blessed and grateful to have had all of these opportunities to be involved with the community and feel like I’m giving something back while learning new things and new skills at the same time,” he said.
John Mayell, the awards namesake, played a significant part in shaping high school athletics into what it is today in Alberta.
As a high school physical education teacher at Western Canada High School, where he coached basketball, Mayell won two consecutive City Championships.
After five years at Western, he was offered the job of director of high school athletics for the City of Calgary, which he accepted and held for 25 years. Under his leadership, Calgary’s athletic program expanded in scope and quality, becoming the envy of neighbouring municipalities.
Mayell was instrumental in bringing together the Calgary Board of Education and the Calgary Separate School District’s athletic programs together under one umbrella organization.
On a national level, Mayell was part of the committee which created the Canadian Federation of Provincial Schools Athletic Association, which now exists as School Sport Canada.
In 2007, Mayell was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame.
Jacob was shocked to learn he was the recipient of the John Mayell Memorial Award.
“When I found out I had been named the recipient of this award it was a big surprise. I was shocked. I was extremely excited. I have a lot to be grateful for,” he said.
Jacob said he feels “a deep sense of gratitude” for the strong sense of community in Cochrane and the people who have offered him guidance and pushed him to reach his full potential. Volunteering, he said, is his way of paying that help forward.
“A lot of it is giving back. I’ve received so much from Cochrane as a community and as a whole. Things like Scouts and my school, I credit them with a lot of what I’ve received over the years, and all of the skills and abilities that I’ve had a chance to develop and everything I’ve learned,” he said. “I just see it as a chance to give back to them for everything they’re done for me and let them know just how much I appreciate it.”
Jacob has been involved in various athletic programs throughout his life and credits many of his coaches and teachers at St. Timothy School for helping him grow and learn, and always giving him positive reinforcement and affirmation.
St. Timothy School, he said, feels like a small community, which has helped foster the sense of support he feels from the faculty.
“They’ve pushed me to do my best, and they’ve pushed me further and further along and encouraged me to give my all in everything I do,” he said.
His family has always supported his volunteer efforts as well, he said, graciously donating their time to drive him around collecting bottles for bottle drives and food for donations to the food bank.
In October, 2020, Jacob signed his commitment to the University of Calgary Dinos football program.
The 6’5” defensive end is all set to begin training with the Dinos later this summer.
Football, he said, imparted many lessons on him about community and character.
“Football really helped develop my character through helping me to develop discipline and things,” he said. “One thing it taught me was a sense of teamwork, doing your part. When you’re on the field with 11 other players … They rely on you to do your job, and in the same way, it’s the same with a community. Everybody needs to do their part, and I feel a sense of duty, as well, toward my community.”
Jacob said a formal ceremony to honour the recipients of its awards is being planned by the Calgary Booster Club for next year.
