Stillwater Area High School senior Tom Blair was awarded the 11th annual Ponies Touchdown Club Scholarship. The award ceremony took place on Monday, May 8, 2023 in the auditorium. Blair received an individual award and his name will be engraved on a plaque which hangs in the athletic hallway. Previous recipients include Aaron Romportl (2013), Jake Olson (2014), Nick Johnson (2015), Kevin Jones (2016 four-year) and Josh Wille (2016 two-year), Ben Peterson (2017), Charlie Richman (2018 four-year) and Carl Tomlinson (2018 two-year), Will Gleason (2019), Trey Kruse (2020), Ian Hanlon (2021), and Austin Buck (2022). In 11 years, the PTC has awarded $13,000 to college-bound alumni.

The Ponies Touchdown Club Scholarship, created in 2012, recognizes superior, holistic achievement as a student-athlete with special emphasis placed on contribution to the Stillwater Ponies football program.

First, the student-athlete is regarded as someone who invested thoroughly in academics, athletics and activities, and community service. The recipient is well-rounded, gained a diverse, co-curricular education. The recipient shares their time and talent generously and believes “giving is receiving.”

Second, the student-athlete has made a significant impact on the football program while using the experience to become a better person. The player promoted, influenced, and furthered the objectives of the program, which include having fun; growing as a person; representing our school and community with class; and helping us become the best team possible. The Ponies Touchdown Club Scholarship recipient is an ideal representative of the Stillwater Ponies football program.

Blair began making an impact on Head Football Coach Beau LaBore as an eighth grader who signed up for a speed program at the high school. “Tom was lanky, fast, worked hard, received coaching well, and when he spoke, his peers listened,” LaBore said.

Almost four years later, Blair would be one of four captains leading the Ponies football team to a third consecutive Sub-District Championship, a Section Championship, and a trip to the Class 6A State Tournament. Those victories have an impact far beyond the Friday night lights.

“Football has taught me indispensable and unexpected life lessons and skills that have molded me into a successful player, teammate, person, and leader,” Blair said.

Blair was an All-District performer and earned Academic All-State honors, just one of 18 players state-wide in Class 6A. Blair has been intentional about his high school education, using it to set the table to study neuroscience and pre-med at the University of St. Thomas. This includes STEM, Human Anatomy and Medical Terminology, AP Biology, and CIS Human Physiology. Tom has achieved a near perfect grade point average while taking an AP course in almost every discipline. 

Blair also competes for the track and field team. Off the field and away from the traditional classroom, Blair has taken leadership to tremendous levels. In March, Blair, a member of the Special Olympics Board Cabinet, spoke at the capitol to advocate for inclusion and unification in educational settings. He is a leader in our unified physical education programs, DAPE, Pony Youth Camp, VAA Football, Adaptive Football Day, the food drive, Tackle Cancer, and more.

Blair will use the scholarship at the University of St. Thomas to study neuroscience.

Senior Patrick de St. Aubin, who will attend the University of Minnesota-Duluth where he intends to become a social studies teacher, was the recipient of the ninth annual Richard (Dick) N. Olsen Memorial Scholarship to honor his extensive contributions to the SCVAA and St. Croix Valley.

Other recipients include Josh Godbout, Jake Simcik, Jackson Dunleap, Tommy De St. Aubin, Zach Cowley, Holten King, Nate Simcik, Nick Simcik, Andrew Langenberger, Michael Cowley, Ian Hanlon, and Connor McCormick. This memorial scholarship seeks to award student-athletes who contributed to Stillwater football, volunteered in the community, contributed positively to their faith community, and worked to the best of their abilities in the academic setting.

De St. Aubin, served the Pony Youth Football Camp, VAA Football, Adaptive Football Day, and our food drive. He also raised money for Tackle Cancer. Additionally, he served on TRUST Club Board, coached the Unified Basketball Team, was on Link Crew, and put 100 hours to his church in high school.

Returning to football as a senior, de St. Aubin showed incredible improvement catching the football. This allowed him to have an impact on the wide receiver group, scout team, and in JV games. “I was happy to rejoin my friends, play the game I love, and be part of a special team that accomplished great things,” de St. Aubin reflected.

Coach LaBore was happy to welcome him back. “There is a place for every high school kid in football,” LaBore said. “Patrick, like most, may have wanted to catch more touchdown passes or play more downs under the lights. Yet, he contributed to our program, improved as an athlete and person, and everyone is better because he played Ponies football as a senior.”

Other Ponies football players earning scholarships include Cooper Keykal and Max Shikenjanksi.