Ms Linde Reference Letter
Ms Linde Reference Letter
Ms Linde Reference Letter
It is with great honour that I write this letter in support of BLAKE BALL’s application for the J. Norman Sharp
Midget AA Scholarship. During the past four years, I have had the distinct pleasure as Mr. Ball’s teacher and as
his coach to watch him mature into a strong and motivated young man.
As Mr. Ball’s teacher at Riverdale Collegiate Institute, I can attest to his consistent and impressive growth in
academic achievement. Mr. Ball has a quiet self-confidence, which becomes apparent during group work
opportunities as he functions effectively as both a leader and as a team player. Mr. Ball exhibited those same
qualities as a player on the school hockey and ball hockey teams where I have had the privilege to work with
him for four years. As Captain of the team and one of the top players, he always led by example. He was
incredibly focused and determined, on and off the ice, and always treated people - teammates, opponents and
officials - courteously, even when others began to get rough or unpleasant. He has shown himself to be a true
leader at Riverdale CI, a Toronto inner city school that is known for its diversity in culture, gender, race,
religion, class, and ability.
In summary, Mr. Ball is a mature young man with a great deal of determination and potential. What impresses
me most is his ability to effectively use his strong interpersonal skills to help others while avoiding the
potential difficulties that befall those who are not as sensitive to the subtleties of the “mentoring” process.
Furthermore, Mr. Ball extracts a great deal from his experiences. In my opinion, this ability to benefit from
exposure to new experiences and to recognize how an experience changes you is a very important one. These
are skills that I believe are crucial for any young leader.
I highly recommend Mr. Ball for this scholarship. The qualities, skills, and experiences identified above are but
a short list of positive attributes that Mr. Ball possesses. He is an outstanding athlete who maintains a high
academic average of 91% and would be a most worthy recipient of this GTHL honour. Should you require
further information in regards to Mr. Ball’s application, I invite you to contact me at [email protected] or
at 416-569-4783.
Sincerely,
Laima Linde
Laima Linde
Assistant Curriculum Leader
Canadian and World Studies Department