Mark Woolley, left, and Riley Piercey shake hands after 4-2 win for Flint over Owen Sound in Game 7 of OHL West Quarterfinal. (photo supplied by Firebirds)
Owen Sound Attack alumnus and captain of the team this past season, defenceman Mark Woolley has been named the 2021-22 recipient of the Mickey Renaud Captain’s Trophy.
The Ontario Hockey League made the announcement Monday. Woolley becomes the first Attack player to win the award, which is given out annually to the OHL team captain that best exemplifies leadership on and off the ice, with a passion and dedication to the game of hockey and community that Mickey demonstrated.
“As the proud parents of Mickey Renaud, we are pleased and honoured to congratulate Mark Woolley as this year’s recipient of the Mickey Renaud Captain’s Trophy,” say Mark and Jane Renaud in the OHL release. “Mark’s leadership with a young Owen Sound Attack team, and his tremendous work raising money for diabetes through Woolley’s Warriors, make him a very worthy recipient of this year’s award.”
Woolley, who also received the Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy as the OHL Humanitarian of the Year for 2021-22, is a diagnosed type 1 diabetic. His efforts to raise money and awareness through his foundation Woolley’s Warriors are well-documented. In all, Woolley’s Warriors has brought in more than $60,000 for Diabetes Canada during his time in the OHL, allow young kids with diabtes to attend d-camps.
During his overage season on the ice, the 6-foot-3, 226-pound blueliner regularly bruised opposing forwards and was voted as the top body checker and top shot blocker in the OHL’s western conference in the 2021-22 coaches poll. He recorded 12 points in 54 games for the Attack, his third season in Owen Sound since being traded from Guelph during the 2018-19 campaign.
“Mark Woolley has been a tremendous leader from the first moments he arrived from Guelph,” says Attack general manager Dale DeGray in an OHL release. “His dedication to the game both on and off the ice was evident especially coming out of Covid with such a young team this year. Being acknowledged with the Mickey Renaud Award is certainly fitting to the person and player that Mark has become.”