Daniela Cardillo, an Oakville resident and graduate of St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School, received Mohawk College's Dr. Sam Mitminger award for athletic excellence. This award is the highest honour given by the college for sports, as it factors in the athlete's sports and academic successes throughout their tenure.
Daniela started playing soccer at the young age of four. She comes from a huge soccer family. Her two brothers grew up playing the game at a very young age, making her want to play.
Around the age of nine, Daniela started to play high-level rep soccer. She joined the Mississauga Soccer Club that year and hasn't looked back. She stayed with the Mississauga team until she went to Mohawk, where she played for the college's women's soccer team.
I asked Daniela what her reaction was to winning the award, and she said, “I was definitely a bit surprised. Obviously, I was very humbled in receiving the award. It wasn’t necessarily something that I was working for. I wasn't aware of the award until I was nominated."
After graduating this year, Daniela will move into a position with the Hamilton Police Service. When asking her why she decided to move into this role, she said, “I always want to be on my feet doing something different every day, knowing that it will be a challenge for me daily and something I will enjoy. So, that’s what really drew me to this profession.”