Canadian LDS athlete garners university honors

WATERLOO, Ontario — A Mormon football player from Ontario has been recognized as an outstanding athlete at Wilfred Laurier University, garnering a quarter of the school's major awards.Dillon Heap, of the Kitchener 3rd (YSA) Branch, Kitchener Ontario Stake, a wide receiver and kick returner for the Golden Hawks, was honored with the President's Award for most outstanding athletic male performance, the Luke Fusco Academic Athletic Achievement Award, and team MVP for football on April 5.__IMAGE1__"It's an honor to be recognized by the university in both academics and athletics.," Heap said. "It's something I'll remember for the rest of my life. It comes with a great sense of accomplishment."The 5-foot-10, 175-pound Heap, a third-year business student, was named to the First-team All-Canadian team, and is a two-time Ontario University Athletics all-star for both receiving and special teams. Heap led the country in all-purpose yards with 2,157 and set a CIS record for punt return yardage, totaling 962 in nine games. He caught 32 passes for 619 yards — a 19.3 yard per catch average — and three touchdowns as a receiver.As a student, the returned missionary, who served in the Chile Concepcion South Mission, earned a 10.13 (out of 12.0) grade point average. He serves as the elders quorum president in his young single adult branch.Heap plans to graduate next year and is hopeful that a career in the Canadian Football League works out, but if it doesn't, he'll move on to business. He credited putting the gospel first in life and listening to what the general authorities have to say as a major factor in his collegiate success."It's true what the general authorities say. If you put the Lord first, he can make more out of your life than you can alone and just by obedience to him, you shall prosper," Heap said. "The gospel demands work ethic, discipline and honesty. All those things contribute to success."