VCDS Command winner for the 2023 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Sports Achievement Awards in the category of Female Athlete of the Year

Congratulations to Cpl Cassandra McNichol, VCDS Command winner for the 2023 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Sports Achievement Awards in the category of Female Athlete of the Year. Cpl. McNichol has been a key member of our base slo-pitch  and hockey team. Learn more about her journey as an athlete in the NCR in her own words.

"I have been posted to Ottawa since 2020. I have had the luxury of spending three seasons on the female CAF hockey team and two seasons on the CAF female Slo-Pitch team. On the CAF hockey team, I play goalie. The first year I was part of the CAF hockey team, there were no Regionals due to the COVID restrictions. In the second season, we won silver at Regionals and won in the playoffs. I am hoping that after this season, the CAF hockey team can add a gold medal at regionals with an additional medal in nationals.

On the CAF Slo-Pitch team, I play a variety of positions. The first year, I was on 3rd base, and this past year, I played 1st base. My stretchy goalie ways have proven valuable as a first base, according to coaches, and I would have to agree based on the number of times I was in some tricky stretches. The first year, I was part of the CAF Slo-Pitch team, and we were able to gain a silver medal in Regionals. This season, we won Gold at Regionals and were lucky to bring home Gold at Nationals in CFB Borden.

This year, I was lucky enough to join the CAF Soccer team, which houses a great group of very talented women. As it is my first year playing Soccer, I'm happy to say I brought morale and a positive competitive nature. I played with the CAF team in the local league and was placed as an alternate in case required for regionals. Though I was not selected for regionals, I am incredibly honoured to be learning a new sport  with the Quebec League Regional Gold medalists, Ottawa Nationals!