Leadership in sport is about more than what happens during a game. It can be seen in the teammates who encourage others, the volunteers who make community events possible and the student-athletes who use their time and talents to help people around them. At the University of Waterloo, Yemi Oladipo and Riley Webster are demonstrating that kind of leadership every day.

Yemi and Riley have been named the inaugural University of Waterloo recipients of the Western Communities Foundation Athlete Leaders Award for the 2026–2027 academic year. The new award, made possible through the Western Communities Foundation, recognizes varsity student-athletes who demonstrate leadership, resilience and strong character while making meaningful contributions on campus and in their wider communities.

Each year, two student-athletes at each of six partner post-secondary institutions will receive a $1,000 award. Recipients are selected by their university’s athletics and recreation department, with particular consideration given to students who lead within their teams, support others and give back beyond their sport.

Yemi Oladipo: leading, advocating and creating community

Yemi Oladipo is a fourth-year Health Sciences student from St. Catharines, Ontario, and a 5-foot-8 guard with the Waterloo Warriors women’s basketball team. Alongside the discipline required to balance varsity athletics and her studies, she has built a strong record of leadership and involvement within the University of Waterloo community.

For several years, Yemi has been part of the women’s basketball leadership group, helping to support her teammates and contribute to the team’s culture. During the 2026–2027 academic year, she will also represent women’s basketball on the Interuniversity Council, an internal group of student-athletes that advocates on behalf of approximately 950 student-athletes across the university’s athletics department.

Her involvement also extends to the Warrior Women of Waterloo committee, a campus community that empowers, supports and celebrates female-identifying student-athletes and leaders. Through these roles, Yemi is helping ensure student-athletes have a voice, a sense of belonging and opportunities to support one another. Her example reflects the award’s focus on character and service: leadership that strengthens a team while also contributing to a more inclusive campus community.

Riley Webster: bringing sport and community together

Riley Webster is a second-year Sport and Recreation Management student from Waterloo, Ontario, and a 6-foot-3 receiver with the Warriors football team. His volunteer work shows how sport can create connections, welcome young people and bring a community together.

Riley served as a co-lead volunteer for community outreach programming connected with the Miller Waste U SPORTS Women’s Hockey Championships, hosted by the University of Waterloo in each of the past two years. His responsibilities included helping lead a team of volunteers during the preparation for and delivery of activities such as clinics, flag-bearer experiences and intermission scrimmages. These opportunities helped make the tournament engaging for young participants.

He also volunteers as a coach with the Waterloo Jr. Warriors minor football organization. By sharing his experience with younger athletes, Riley is contributing to their development both on and off the field. Coaching requires patience, preparation and the ability to bring out the best in others—qualities that also make a positive difference within a varsity team and in the community.

Recognizing leaders beyond the field of play

Yemi and Riley bring different experiences to their sports and studies, but both show that leadership is built through consistent actions. Whether advocating for fellow student-athletes, helping create a more supportive campus environment, coordinating volunteers or coaching the next generation, they are using sport as a way to make a wider impact.

The Western Communities Foundation Athlete Leaders Award was created to celebrate exactly this kind of contribution. Across its university partnerships, the program supports student-athletes who lead with resilience, teamwork and a commitment to giving back, qualities that can continue to shape their teams, careers and communities long after their varsity seasons have ended.

Congratulations to Yemi and Riley on being selected as the award’s first University of Waterloo recipients. Their involvement is a strong reminder that some of the most meaningful wins happen when people step forward to support others.