BWC Academy student-athlete Nic Collins has been named as the recipient of the Nick Crosby Top Scholastic Athlete Award for the 2025/26 season.
“Burnaby Central is honored that Nic Collins is the recipient of the Nick Crosby Scholarship Award. Nic immersed himself in our school community and is recognized as a leader, especially for our young student athletes this year. Nic leads by example in his demeanor and respect for others,” said Burnaby Central Secondary School Principal Chris Sandor.
The Anmore, BC forward has spent the past five seasons in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL). He joined the North Shore Warriors in 2020/21 with their U15 team, before playing for their U15 Prep team the following season. Collins would then spend two seasons at the U17 Prep level with BWC Academy, before playing for their U18 Prep team this past year.
“Nic is a great, great kid on and off the ice. He is a hard worker, and he’s a guy that sets the tone on the ice and always puts his best effort forward in anything he does,” said BWC Academy U18 Prep Head Coach and Director of Development, Mike Santorelli. “It’s a big accomplishment for our club and we pride ourselves in trying to be the best, both academically and on the ice as well. So, it’s a huge complement for Nic and our program.”
The Nick Crosby Top Scholastic Athlete Award is awarded in Nick Crosby’s memory by the CSSHL to the U18 Prep player who is deemed the Top Academic student-athlete by a three-person independent committee.
The award was re-named in Crosby’s honour in July 2021, ten years after he passed away in a motor vehicle accident on July 5, 2011. Delta Hockey Academy’s Logan Joslin was the first ever recipient of the award during the 2021/22 season.
Originally from Ketchum, Idaho, Nick Crosby spent the inaugural 2009/10 season in the CSSHL as the captain of Banff Hockey Academy. He recorded 4 points in the 11 CSSHL games that were part of his 70 plus game grade 12 season.
That season Crosby was the very first winner of the CSSHL’s Student Athlete of the Year award while receiving the Banff Hockey Academy Most Valuable Player and Student Athlete of the Year awards.
Years later, Crosby still exemplifies what the CSSHL envisions student-athletes to strive for today. As an academic based hockey league, it is the CSSHL’s goal to have all of our student-athletes reach their academic potential and character growth as Crosby did.
“Wendy and I are truly grateful that Nick’s memory is being recognized in this way and we wish to thank the CSSHL for renaming this award in his honour. The tremendous evolution of Nick’s confidence and abilities both in the classroom and on the ice while participating in the CSSHL is a testament to the league’s ambitions for its players and the discipline required of its athletes to perform at a high level in all aspects of life,” said Nick’s father, Bob Crosby.
On top of his hockey related honours in 2009/10, Crosby was admitted into the Banff Community High School Lifetime Honors Society and was awarded the Banff Academy Prize for Physical Education.
Following his death Banff Hockey Academy renamed their Student Athlete of the Year Award to the Nick Crosby Student Athlete of the Year Award in 2012 and The Sun Valley Community School (Sun Valley, Idaho) awards the Nick Crosby Athlete of the Year award each year.
After his successful season with Banff Hockey Academy Crosby joined the Brooks Bandits in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL). Crosby has had his number retired by the Bandits, who have since created a Nick Crosby Memorial Award, which is presented to a Bandits player exemplifying Nick’s assets of determination, teamwork, loyalty and passion.
