Hockey Humanitarian Award Foundation

Sarah Carlson
2005 HUMANITARIAN AWARD WINNER
Boston College

Columbus, Ohio – The Hockey Humanitarian Foundation today named Boston College senior Sarah Carlson the recipient of the 2005 Hockey Humanitarian Award. The ceremony was held at Nationwide Arena in Columbus in conjunction with the NCAA Frozen Four hockey championships.

Carlson is the 10th recipient of the award which annually recognizes “college hockey’s finest citizen.” She was chosen from a group of five finalists including Quinnipiac University senior Gillian Gallagher, Dartmouth College senior John Ostapyk, Canisius College senior Mark Persick and University of Massachusetts senior Peter Trovato.

Carlson is a native of Kenny Lake, Alaska where her first home had no running water. Her family lived off the land and Sarah learned how to hunt, fish and grow a vegetable garden in harsh conditions. Despite these challenges her parents instilled values at an early age that ‘those who give of him or herself will experience the most happiness in life’.

Carlson was the only female on her high school hockey team yet motivated her teammates to visit nursing homes in the Anchorage area. At her high school alma mater, Carlson worked with members of the community to build a hockey rink where she and others – often with temperatures dipping to 30 below and with faces lathered in Vaseline - would resurface the rink using a hot mop and garden hose. Carlson boasts that what made her feel tough was when she would shoot the puck and it would hit the crossbar and split in half.

Although her distinguished list of humanitarian endeavors began long before her arrival at Boston College, the nursing major has made an indelible mark during her four years in Chestnut Hill.

Carlson is a four-year member of the Dean’s List, and has extended herself beyond the classroom. She has excelled on the ice where she was voted a two-time co-captain by her teammates. During her career the defenseman picked up 23 career points and in her senior season she was named to the Hockey East First Team.

During her four years at BC Carlson has dedicated herself to improving the lives of others through community service. In the summer of 2004, she traveled to Mexico where she assisted building a church and running a vacation bible school. In 2004 Carlson also volunteered at a handicap camp and worked with children, organized a sled hockey game fundraiser for disabled children, helped raise money for Boston Children’s Hospital through a dance marathon and was the recipient of the Pollack Family Scholarship for Women’s Athletics.

Carlson spent her spring break in 2003 on an Urban Plunge, a mission trip to inner city Boston to help with an after-school program. That season she was recognized with the American Women’s Coaches Association Scholar All-America Award, in addition to receiving the first of her two Leadership Awards for the BC Women’s Hockey Team. While at the Heights, Carlson has also participated in food and clothing drives, led Bible Study groups, and volunteered as a camp counselor.