Among this year's inductees into the Collingwood Collegiate Institute (CCI) Black and Gold Society is Stacey Van Boxmeer Gillham, who played on Canada’s national soccer team.
The Black and Gold Society started in 1998 as a way to recognize graduates who had exceptional high school athletic careers and went on to achieve great things in sports after high school. The society also honours those who have worked to pioneer and build CCI athletics in their careers as athletes, coaches and teachers at CCI.
Gillham (Van Boxmeer at the time) played on several sports teams during her time at CCI. She was junior athlete of the year and played and played forward to help her team win three Georgian Bay Secondary School Association Championships. She played for Team Ontario U15 and U17 and both teams won the Canadian Championships. From 1999 to 2002 she was a member of the U17 national team.
After graduating from CCI she became goalie for the University of Indiana from 2003 to 2007 and the team achieved great success at the National College Athletic Association (NCAA) championships. Gillham was goalie for Canada’s U19 team at the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) 2004 championships. She was named top tournament goalkeeper.
Gillham had 16 caps and seven shutouts in her U19 career. She played soccer professionally with the Montreal Extreme, Toronto Lady Lynx and the Hamilton Avalanche.
Gilham, 10 other athletes, and three builders will be inducted into the Black and Gold Society during a ceremony on Sept. 21 as part of the CCI 160th anniversary reunion.
