The Jack Patrick and Nick Mathers Awards were established by the James Bay Athletic Association to honour two of its finest who passed away while still active with the club. Once separate Awards and Funds when they were established, the Funds were merged in 2021.<\/p>\n
Subsequently, the Fund was augmented with the addition of a donation in 2022 from the memorial for\u00a0Tillman Briggs, resulting in the updated Fund name in January 2023.<\/p>\n
The Fund supports junior rugby development within the James Bay Athletic Association.<\/p>\n
Jack Patrick was one of the James Bay pioneers that helped rebuild the Club after the Second World War. He played for the Club as a young man but stayed on in his senior years to mentor young athletes, coaching and playing. He died while playing in a Third division men\u2019s game up at Wallace field. Jack\u2019s friends and family set up the fund to help Junior James Bay members with their education while they were playing rugby.<\/p>\n
When he was just 19 and an up-and-comer with our youth team, Nick Mathers was killed by a hit-and-run driver. It was and still is a very difficult time for the family and it had a real effect on James Bay members as well. Many of our young Firsts and Premier players were friends and teammates of Nick. The fund was set up to help aspiring and deserving junior players with their educational needs while representing the James Bay Athletic Association.<\/p>\n