Addison Trail senior named Blackhawks and BMO Harris Bank Youth Hockey Player of the Month

Top left: Pictured is Addison Trail senior Gillian Ward (who is part of the School Association for Special Education in DuPage (SASED) program at the school), who has been named as the Blackhawks and BMO Harris Bank Youth Hockey Player of the Month for November. Top right: Ward and the other November youth hockey award winners are recognized on the jumbotron during the Nov. 30 Blackhawks game. Bottom: Ward, who is a member of Blackhawks Blind Hockey, poses with her coach, Mike Svac. Ward was nominated by Svac for the Player of the Month award. Photos provided by the Ward family

Addison Trail senior Gillian Ward, who is part of the School Association for Special Education in DuPage (SASED) program at the school, has been named as the Blackhawks and BMO Harris Bank Youth Hockey Player of the Month for November.

As a Player of the Month, Gillian received a $100 Visa gift card, a plaque and four tickets to the Nov. 30 Blackhawks game against the Dallas Stars, where she was recognized with the other youth hockey award winners. A video of the Nov. 30 presentation can be viewed at www.dupage88.net/BlackhawksAward2017.

Ward is a member of Blackhawks Blind Hockey and was nominated as Player of the Month by her coach, Mike Svac. She was honored because of her efforts on the team, as well as her commitment inside the classroom and beyond. At Addison Trail, Ward is part of the National Honor Society and the Tri-M (Modern Music Masters) Honor Society.

According to the Blackhawks website, the Blackhawks and BMO Harris Bank honor members of the hockey community each month during the regular season to recognize the excellence of a youth hockey player, coach and volunteer. Recipients are selected based on several criteria, including on-ice accomplishments, off-ice community involvement and passion for the game.

For more information about hockey in Chicago for players with visual impairments, go to www.ChicagoBlackhawksBlindHockey.com.