Cynthia (Mann) Watson, now a physician at the Acadia Medical Clinic in Kamloops, British Columbia was considered the best all-round female athlete from the Nova Scotia system to enter Acadia during the fall of 1966. During that fall she soon became an Axette of distinction, joining the Elizabeth Vermeulen-coached field hockey squad that enjoyed a relatively successful season, registering five wins and a tie in ten encounters.
Playing in the midst of Sue Roberts, Debbie Upton and Liz Reid, Cynthia and teammates captured third place in intercollegiate competition, finishing third behind Dalhousie and the University of New Brunswick, the latter in the midst of a dynasty in both field hockey and basketball. Individually, Cynthia recorded “Rookie of the Year” and all-star candidate performances, being a constant scoring threat in each of Acadia’s encounters.
In an 8-0 blasting of King’s College, she scored a couple of goals. In a 2-0 triumph over Dalhousie, she and Nancy Clark were the goal scorers. In a 1-1 tie with Mount St. Bernard, she scored the Axettes’ lone tally.
That subsequent fall Cynthia along with such outstanding athletes as co-captains Sue Roberts and Liz Reid, Carol Doucet, Mary Lou Pattillo, Debbie Upton and rookie goalkeeper Ainsley Reid, were prominent as the Axettes won the Nova Scotia Centennial Tournament held in Halifax. In intercollegiate play that season, the Acadia squad finished fourth behind U.N.B., Mount Allison and Dalhousie, registering four wins and two ties in ten scheduled encounters.
In basketball, Cynthia was perhaps even more effective, drawing rave notices from both coaches and the press during her ’66-’67 rookie season.
On that occasion she combined with such teammates as Debbie Upton, Linda Schurman, Sue Roberts and Captain Joan Aalund to lead the Axettes to a third-place finish in the intercollegiate league.
In exhibition tilts, the Acadia squad posted triumphs over the Nova Scotia Teachers’ College and Xavier College teams. Individually that season, Cynthia chalked up very impressive offensive numbers, being the team’s leading scorer with 122 of the Axettes’ 314 point total. In the race for league honours, she placed third.
Team officials still insist that Cynthia would have been the loop’s “Rookie of the Year” and an all-star candidate if AWIAU votes had been cast.
During the ’67-’68 hoop schedule, Cynthia continued to enjoy immense success on the court. She was the Axettes’ second leading scorer, finishing behind Acadia captain Laverne Veinotte, who amassed a total of 128 points to win the league’s scoring title. Cynthia herself placed seventh in Conference scoring, while being considered the team’s “court general.”
Individuals who were closely associated with that season’s team strongly insist that Cynthia’s offensive skills and leadership ability would surely have earned her all-star recognition.
As a team that season, the Axettes finished second behind the perennial champions, U.N.B., in Conference play. In a Nova Scotia Teachers’ College Tournament held in Truro, Miss Mann and her associates were recipients of the first- place silverware. Highlighting that basketball season was a three-day excursion to Newfoundland to participate in Memorial’s Winter Carnival activities. On the court, the Axettes were victorious against their host in each of the three encounters.
What an honour it is to welcome back to the campus for induction to the Sports Hall of Fame. ..Dr. Cynthia (Manu) Watson. ..during the late 60s one of Acadia’s basketball and field hockey’s most outstanding Axettes.
