For today's feature on our 2020-21 Purple Blanket Award Winners we are shining the spotlight on Erin Alizadeh, Western Mustangs Women's Rowing.
Video Interview with Winner Erin Alizadeh
To view a video interview with Erin Alizadeh, and her Head Coach Dr. Matthew Waddell, please click below. For closed captioning options, please view video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/xszSQJxUdZw
Purple Blanket Awards are granted to students who, often in their graduating year, are nominated by their coaches and chosen by members of the Selection Committee. Nominated individuals must have been a Western Mustangs student athlete for a minimum of three (3) years, have received a minimum of three (3) First Colour Awards throughout their career, and have been an active participant in their respective sport at the time of recommendation.
Erin Alizadeh is a member of the Western Mustangs Rowing team, where she holds the role of the coxswain – the individual who steers the boat, encourages the team to perform their best, and implements the team's race plan.
"Erin is a natural organizer, administrator and leader, and has taken to that position with great success." said Women's Rowing Team Head Coach Dr. Matthew Waddell. "As a coxswain, she has been integral to the success of multiple OUA Championship teams, with an undefeated record across her provincial championship appearances."
Alizadeh has won four (4) First Colour Awards, one for each season of her career at Western. She had been part of the OUA All-Star teams in the 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons and was a Canadian University Rowing Championship All Star in the 2019-20 season. She contributed to the Rowing Team's success in winning OUA Gold in the 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons and had individually won gold in the OUA Heavyweight Women's 8 competitions in all of her four seasons as a Mustang. Alizadeh was also a nominee for the 2020-21 F.W.P. Jones Trophy Award (awarded April 7th, 2021).
Alizadeh is the team's president and has been captain of the team's coxswain group for the past two seasons. "Being elected president during the COVID-19 pandemic has imposed unique leadership burdens on [Alizadeh], and she has risen to the task. She has been instrumental in communicating and enforcing new safety protocols for training, and creating mentorship programs for incoming novice and first year athletes during a year where traditional in-person contact between newcomers and veterans hasn't been available as usual." said Coach Waddell.
Alizadeh is finishing up her undergraduate studies in Western University's Kinesiology program.
On behalf of the Western Mustangs, we congratulate Erin Alizadeh for this outstanding accomplishment, and wish her the best in her future endeavors.
