Ashton Dickson – Ashton Dickson Youth Empowerment

Ashton James Dickson

Ashton was well known within the Ottawa Community for his athletic ability and his love for football. He started playing at only seven years old. After high school, he went on to play with the St. Francis Xavier University X-Men for 5 years and earned his X-Ring in 2015. Ashton’s life-long dream was to play in the CFL. He inspired those around him and was highly motivated in everything he set his mind to. Ashton was a son, a brother, an uncle and was soon to be a father. He was 25 years young when he was senselessly murdered on June 26, 2017.

Ashton Dickson: Much more than just a star football player

Tim Baines / OTTAWA CITIZEN

How good was Ashton as a football player? A finalist for the Hec Crighton award (given to Canadian college football’s most outstanding player) in 2015, when he rushed for 866 yards with five touchdowns and 1,320 all-purpose yards, he was tremendously talented — good enough to get invited to the CFL East Regional Combine.

The man behind the helmet

Kathleen Haggarty, Sports & Health Editor / THE XAVERIAN WEEKLY

Dickson was known in many ways. He was the recruit with a smile that could light up a room. He was the X-Men Football player wearing the number 8. He was the teammate that was always pushing his comrades to be better. He was the mentor whose actions led more by example than words ever could. He was the ball carrier. He was both a trailblazer and a workhorse who, in his 5 years at StFX, left his permanent mark on our community. He exceled academically, he led his peers and was always a loyal friend. Ashton Dickson’s greatness went so much deeper than his athletic praise.