CJ Boyd Award
Subscribe to our NewsletterIN MEMORY OF
CJ BOYD
CJ Boyd #51
The CJ Boyd Memorial Fund was established to honor Plum Mustang hockey player,
CJ Boyd, a 16-year-old who died tragically in an automobile accident in July, 1995.
CJ was a fine, bright, young man who lived life to the fullest enjoying time spent with family and friends. His sense of humor was witty and infectious, leaving a lasting impression on each person he met. Truly, the greatest passion in his life was his love for the game of hockey. As a player, he was spirited, physical, and committed. He was respected equally by his teammates, coaches, and his opponents.
The Plum Hockey community first paid tribute to CJ on December 4, 1995, when they retired his jersey, #51, during a moving ceremony at the GoldenMileIceCenter. That evening marked the beginning of The CJ Boyd Memorial Fund, thanks to the hard work of individuals like Steve Eifert and Vince Piccolino. Monies donated to this Fund came from personal contributions in CJ's honor and, eventually, from a series of organized golf outings in the years to follow. In the past, generous contributions to Plum Hockey’s Player Assistance Fund have been made under the direction of Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Boyd. This money provided financial assistance to players who struggled to meet the financial obligations to play on the team. In 1999, monies were donated to a program that existed at that time named Plum Hockey’s “Learn to Play Hockey Program” (also known as the “Colt 51 Program”). To date, 12 monetary scholarships have been awarded to PlumHigh School senior hockey players. In addition, the CJ Boyd Player Award has been given to 9 players who embraced the game of hockey the way CJ did by showing their passion and commitment on and off the ice. In 2005, the CJ Boyd Scholarship and the CJ Boyd Player Award were officially combined into one award, the CJ Boyd Award.
The recipient of the CJ Boyd Award is:
- A player who continually demonstrates superior knowledge of the game when on the ice
- A player who is team oriented
- A player who has an aggressive, unabashed, and fearless style of play
- A coachable player who is willing to learn
- A resourceful player who can overcome a lack of ability and still get the job done again and again
- A player who does not know the word “quit”
- A player who knows when to have fun and when to be serious
