Brian Maxwell was a successful distance runner and entrepreneur, as co-founder of Power Bar with his wife Jennifer. He attended Victoria Park Secondary School from 1968-72. As a distance runner, basketball guard and wrestler at Victoria Park, Brian had a determined focus and dedication to be the best at his chosen sport.
Brian excelled in Track & Field, long distance, and Cross-Country running. He was an OFSAA champion and Canadian junior, juvenile and senior champion. While on scholarship at University of Berkeley, Brian attained a degree in Architecture and Kinesiology. He was the winner of many international marathons (third place in Boston Marathon and twice at Ottawa) and a member of the 1980 Canadian Olympic Marathon team.
Later in life he found out that a defective heart valve had been robbing him the entire time of an estimated one to three per cent of aerobic power. This would have translated his best marathon at Seaside of 2:14.43 (fifth fastest ever Canadian) to a handicap of close to four minutes, thus making him a 2:10.43 marathoner (only Jerome Drayton was faster at 2:10.06).
Tragically, Brian suffered a heart attack in 2004 that took his life.
The Brian Maxwell Memorial Scholarship is awarded each year to two student athletes that will be continuing their post secondary education at a Canadian College or University. Starting 2015-16 there will now be first, second and third place scholarships awarded to each a male and female annually as follows:
- First place: $8,000
- Second place: $4,000
- Third place: $2,000
Preference shall be given to a student whose character is reflective of qualities that Brian Maxwell demonstrated in his life: honesty, integrity, compassion and an unwavering quest to accomplish the best he could academically and athletically while supporting his fellow team members.
Download the Application Form
Scholarship Recipients
Application Process
- Teacher-coaches are encouraged to nominate one male and one female from each school.
- Applications are submitted to the OFSAA office for distribution to committee. Application deadline is June 20, 2016.
- Scholarship and Bursary recipients are selected from shortlist.
- BMMS Directors will select a date for luncheon and scholarship winners are invited to attend ceremony along with two guests.
Short List Committee
- Teacher-coaches are utilized for the short-listing of the applications.
- OFSAA selects three male teachers for the boys’ applications and three female teachers for the girls’ application.
Post-Ceremony
- Bursary and scholarship recipients must provide proof of enrolment for each semester prior to receiving their installment.
- If for any reason, the recipient cannot attend school for that year they may request a suspension of the scholarship for one year upon approval from BMMS.
- If this is not possible, the remaining scholarship is transferred to the next eligible recipient.
