In Grade 9, Dax was five foot tall and weighed less than 100 pounds. “I was probably the smallest boy in the Upper School,” he recalls. “The only reason I made the football team was because they didn’t cut anyone.” And yet, with his signature grit, Dax became a decorated athlete both at Ridley and beyond.
That diminutive Grade 9 player grew into an MVP, captain of First Football, captain of the squash and rugby teams, and Male Athlete of the Year in 1993. True to his underdog roots, Dax went on to lead the University of King’s College Rugby team to victory in the Nova Scotia provincial championship, defeating larger “powerhouse” university teams like Dalhousie.
Dax moved on to earn his MBA from Western University, where he originally told legendary squash coach Jack Fairs he would be too busy studying to play—but Coach Fairs had other ideas. What followed was a distinguished tenure as co-captain of the Western Squash team, during which time Dax led the team to two consecutive OUA championships and the titles of OUA All-Star and All-Canadian Academic.
Dax continues to play squash and finished 2nd in the 2016 Canadian Over-40 championship.
“Never quit. Always keep trying and playing.”