Karn is honoured by Laurier

KITCHENER — Waterloo native Julie Karn has been named the Outstanding Woman of Laurier.

The third-year soccer midfielder was presented with the award, which recognizes academic, athletic and community service excellence, at a dinner on Thursday.

“Julie encapsulates everything that this award represents and is a wonderful recipient,” said Peter Baxter, Laurier’s athletics director.

“She is an outstanding athlete who excels on the pitch for our women’s soccer team and is also an exceptional student in the classroom,” Baxter said.

“On top of all that, she has found so many ways to give back to her community.”

Karn, a kinesiology and physical education major and a Bluevale Collegiate grad, was a second-team conference all-star as her soccer Golden Hawks captured an Ontario silver medal in 2015.

Away from the pitch, Karn, a professional dancer since age 14, has taught young dancers at studios in Waterloo Region while also working with Education of the Next Generation to provide curriculum-based dance workshops to students in Toronto. She has also volunteered her time to canvass for the Canadian Cancer Society and the Heart and Stroke Foundation and is in the process of becoming an in-school mentor for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Waterloo.

Finalists for this year’s award included women’s hockey team captain Giuliana Pallotta, of Beeton, Ont. and lacrosse midfielder Jessie Lubert of Elmira.

Karina LeBlanc, a member of the 2012 Olympic bronze-medalwinning Canadian women’s soccer team, was the keynote speaker at Thursday’s dinner held at Bingemans.