Noble named Sportswoman of the Year
Nordic skier is studing veterinary medicine
Celeste Noble knew this would be her final year of university skiing so she put everything she had into it.
Her fourth year proved to be her most successful on the Nordic ski circuit. The icing on the cake for the Young’s Point native was receiving the University of Guelph Gryphons W.F. Mitchell Sportswoman of the Year Award. It is awarded annually to a graduating athlete who excelled in sport and demonstrate leadership and involvement in Guelph athletics. She was also named MVP of the women’s Nordic Ski team.
After three years of biomedical sciences, Noble, 21, is taking doctor of veterinary medicine courses. On top of an intensive academic program, she was captain of the Nordic ski team and belonged to the Gryphons’ Leadership Academy.
Individually, she won her first Ontario Cup medal this season, a bronze at a race in Sudbury in January, and helped Guelph to a silver medal at the OUA championships. She also competed for the second time at the national championships last month in Thunder Bay. She finished in the top 25 individually and led Guelph to a fifth-place finish.
She is a prominent figure on campus, having co-founded Team Unbreakable – Guelph Chapter. It’s a group dedicated to improving student mental health through running and fostering new friendships.
Noble also played in or captained more than 10 intramural teams.
Through all of this, she battled a chronic hip problem which has affected her skiing since high school. This year, intensive physiotherapy helped her persevere to her best results in four years.
So, it was pretty rewarding when at Wednesday’s athletics banquet she heard her name called.
It was a special moment she shared with her boyfriend. David Laurie, also a member of the Guelph ski team, who she began dating when they met at a high school competition.
Noble is a graduate of Lakefield District Secondary School and Laurie is a St. Peter’s Catholic Secondary School alumnus.
Also at the banquet were two of her LDSS teammates, Shayla Larson, who was named MVP of the women’s lacrosse team, and Nicole Gastle.
“I was so thrilled to be nominated,” said Noble, the daughter of Brian Noble and Nora Fortune.
Noble has one year of OUA eligibility left but decided going into this season it would be her last so she can dedicate herself to the final three years of veterinary studies.
“I went into it wanting to give my all,” Noble said. “Last summer and this fall I trained a lot more and I definitely made more sacrifices of my education than previous years because I really wanted to be fully committed to varsity for one season. It was amazing. I definitely saw the results. I hadn’t medalled at any races since high school.”
The award completed her athletic experience, she said.
“It is fulfilling to have my accomplishment and dedication to this season, my education and my team, recognized,” said Noble. “I am so grateful to be able to share that feeling of success with my peers.”
The veterinary studies are intense with five to eight hours of class daily but it’s now her focus.
“This is exactly what I want and need to be successful in the career I have always dreamed of,” she said.
Jon Grimwood first convinced Noble to try competitive skiing at LDSS. He continues to be a mentor and accompanied Guelph to nationals. Noble says she owes him a lot.
“He was not only my high school coach but my club coach at Kawartha Nordic Ski Club. We’re seeing a huge development of that program. They have 35 skiers now. When I went through we had seven or eight. It’s really cool to see how he’s developed that program. They have super successful skiers coming up who are going to be way better than me,” said Noble.