School

Leo Reyns

Leo Reyns

Few individual athletes in Cobourg’s long sporting history can lay claim to a decade of sustained achievement on the level of Leo Reyns successes on the wrestling mat throughout the 1970’s.

Attending C.D.C.I. East from 1971 to 1975 Leo was an integral part of that school’s championship wrestling team, a group that was Kawartha Team Champions in four of those years. Individually, Leo won the Kawartha Championship in his weight class in 1973,1974 and 1975. He was COSSA Champion in 1973,1974 and 1975, finished as the OFSAA runner-up in 1974 and was named the school’s Most Valuable Wrestler that same year.

In his final year of high school in 1975 he claimed the OFSAA Gold Medal in the 123lb weight class, and was named the C.D.C.I. East Athlete of the Year. The fall of 1975 saw Leo further his studies at the University of Guelph. Over the next four years, Leo would be a part of the Varsity Wrestling team that won the OUAA Championship in 1976 and 1977, and finished in fourth place in the 1977 World Cup Team Championship – Freestyle Division.

Individually, in 1975, Leo won the Canadian Junior Greco-Roman Wrestling Champion, the Canadian Junior Freestyle Wrestling Bronze Medalist, and the Ontario Senior Open Freestyle Champion. In 1976 Leo captured the OUAA Wrestling Individual Championship and served as an alternate on the Canadian team for the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics. In 1977, Leo placed 4th in the World Cup Individual Freestyle competition, held in Toledo, Ohio, and in 8th place in the World Greco-Roman Championship, held in Gothenburg, Sweden.

After claiming the 142lb OUAA Wrestling Championship as well as the OUAA Wrestling Individual Championship in 1978, Leo capped off his championship career in 1980 when he was named the Outstanding Wrestler at the Ontario Senior Open Championship.

 

 

Team or Principal Name

Jerry Lawless

Jerry Lawless

Jerry Lawless graduated from the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1955 and started teaching in Englehart, Ontario. In 1956, Jerry moved back to Cobourg where he began teaching and coaching at C.D.C.I. West. While teaching, Jerry continued his own education by studying at night and during summers to complete a Bachelor of Physical and Health Education degree at McMaster University in 1962. The following year, Jerry was appointed head of the Department of Physical Education.

In those early years, Jerry coached anywhere from five to nine different teams due to a shortage of coaches. On one occasion, Jerry coached the school's soccer and volleyball teams to championship wins on the same day. As a coach and a teacher, Jerry influenced the lives of countless students, helping to develop both their athletic skills and more importantly, imparting to them valuable life lessons.

Jerry would go on to coach numerous teams (volleyball, basketball, soccer) and individuals (particularly in track and field) to championship wins. Some of the most notable teams were 1967 and 1968 Kawartha and COSSA Boys Volleyball as well as 1975, 1978, and 1979 Kawartha and COSSA Midget Boys Basketball. In recognition, Jerry was a recipient of the Pete Beach Award, a provincial coaching excellence award given to outstanding coaches for their contributions to better their sport and athletes.

Upon his retirement in 1988, C.D.C.I. West presented him with the Coach's Dedication Award and named two athletic awards in his honour: the Jerry Lawless Coaching Award and the Jerry Lawless Senior Male Athlete of the Year Award. In 2005, the gymnasium at C.D.C.I. West was christened the Jerry Lawless Gymnasium.

In a 1967 profile in the Cobourg Daily Star, no less an authority than Layton Dodge wrote that “Many years from now, however, C.D.C.I. West graduates will not remember Jerry Lawless for the number of winners he produced, directed, assisted or just encouraged. They'll remember him for the kind of person that he was. And that, I suggest to you, dear reader, is undoubtedly the finest compliment they could ever hope to pay him.”

 

 

Team or Principal Name

Paul Allen

Paul Allen-head

Paul Allen

Student, Athlete, Referee, Teacher, Coach, Instructor, Convenor, Scheduler, Co-Ordinator, Organizer, Volunteer, … Paul Allen has worn a lot of different hats in life, with most of them related to sport, which is ironic, considering that up until his Grade 10 year at CDCI West, Paul had never played a sport or been a member of any athletic team. Paul quickly discovered his sporting passion – Basketball. But by no means was basketball his only sport at the West, with him also excelling in Volleyball, Soccer, Cross-Country, Football, and most notably Track & Field, where he won 4 COSSA gold medals in the Triple Jump (along with a 2nd and a 4th place finish at OFSSA), and 3 COSSA gold medals in the Long Jump. After graduating high school, Paul then proceeded to continue his education – and his athletic career – at the University of Guelph, where in his final year, Paul helped the Gryphons to the Canadian University Basketball Championship. At the same time, Paul became a carded Volleyball referee, beginning an officiating career that would encompass many sports and over five decades. Upon graduation from Guelph, Paul returned to Cobourg and subsequently competed in numerous sports and leagues – Basketball, Soccer, Hockey, Slo-Pitch – winning many individual and team awards. In addition, Paul would also re-enter CDCI West, as a teacher, where he would spend the next 33 years, impacting the lives of countless students. Naturally Paul was heavily involved with the sporting aspect of the school, in particular the Senior Basketball team whom he helped coach to 3 COSSA championships. During those years Paul was instrumental in the growth of Basketball in the area, putting his time and efforts into the Lakeshore Adult Basketball League, the Lakeshore Lynx Rep Team, and the Lakeshore Minor Basketball Association. Since his retirement from teaching in 2010, Paul has turned his hand to volunteering on the local level, coordinating numerous events. In 2021, Paul Allen was the recipient of the Cobourg Civic Award for Sportsmanship, which is presented annually to a coach, official or sports organizer who has shown outstanding leadership in contribution to Cobourg’s sports and recreational community.

 

Team or Principal Name
Sport Played That Connects To Collection List

Hockey - Rick Seggie

Rick Seggie w-Mats Sundin

As an educator, Rick Seggie found a natural fit between his love of sports and instructing students. He strove to acquire the best information available and used that knowledge in a practical setting with both his students and athletes. He wanted to teach critical thinking in his classrooms and the skills that would allow athletes to excel in sport.

Many colleagues and fellow coaches would often describe his teachings and thought process as ‘ahead of his time’. One reason for that was that he did not only rely on his personal experience learning the sport, but focused on how the best athletes in the world excelled at all sports. What were the skills that would give his players an edge as hockey evolved into the high speed, high skill game it is today.

He knew there were experts in the field that were pushing forward new ways of training and would study them. He was interested in what could be learned from the success of the Central Red Army training methods during their reign, or other elite athletes, such as a 100 meter sprinter. What were the ways a sports psychologist would prepare athletes mentally, as well as physically.

Born in Toronto, Ontario on January 8th, 1953 and growing up in Scarborough, Rick played minor hockey in Dorset Park and West Hill, which later became the Scarborough Ice Raiders of the GTHL. This is where he developed a true love for the game. From his years of minor hockey through to University, his passion always surrounded coaching and education.

After graduating from the University of Toronto with his Bachelor of Education, Rick accepted his first teaching position in Morrisburg, Ontario. He jumped right into coaching with the local Winchester minor league in 1978-79, which is now part of the Upper Canada Minor Hockey League. In the early 80’s Rick took on a teaching position at Port Hope High School. He relocated to Peterborough, Ontario from where he would commute. Rick and his family finally moved to Cobourg, Ontario in 1983 after completing his Masters in Education.

Through his teaching years Rick was heavily involved in team sports. He first became involved in the track & field program at Port Hope High School and later took over the hockey program with many successful seasons. This led to coaching many of his students through Port Hope and Cobourg Minor hockey from the late 80’s through until the early 2000’s. His two sons, Paul and Jay, played on a few of those minor hockey teams, as well as the infamous backyard rinks that Rick would create every winter at their home in Cobourg.

His passion for teaching and learning the skills of the game was always present as he embarked on developing the sport through the Ontario Minor Hockey Association. Rick became an Advanced Level Certification N.C.C.P Instructor and spent the better part of 25 years coaching and training other coaches to become certified, along with writing many of the training manuals himself. Many local people who knew Rick, would often be surprised to see his name on the elite level coaching manuals, as he was not one to brag about his accomplishments. These programs gave Rick some unique opportunities.

Highlights during this time were working with Canada’s National team as a guest coach (with Andy Murray and Roger Neilson), to leading the N.C.C.P. Advanced Seminars with Ken Dryden. Some of Rick’s affiliations with the Toronto Maple Leaf’s were in several of the MLSE development programs with Wendel Clark and Mats Sundin.

There were also many other interests in Rick’s life with his summer charter business, taking fishing groups out on his boat ‘ABACUS’, but he was always drawn back to hockey. Along with his summers fishing he was also instrumental in working with a number of the summer hockey programs in Ontario. Coaching the Central Ontario Selects (which later became the Wolves) AAA teams in the 90’s and helping get the Lakeshore Thunder AAA program off the ground in coaching and recruiting player development.

As his teaching years continued, he took a position in the Catholic school system as Head of Special Education at St. Mary’s Cobourg in 1992. At this time, the school was undergoing a lot of growth in their athletic programs and Rick took on the Varsity hockey program. From the early 90’s until present day this program has seen substantial growth, development and exposure, from a Europe Tour in 1997, to the annual Irish Rover tournaments on the campus of Notre Dame University. Rick was also involved in coaching several of the local girl’s programs through St. Mary’s High School hockey and the Northumberland Wild in Cobourg.

His focus was always on creating a learning moment and he often found that moment in sports. He loved seeing his players develop a new skill and watch it come to life in a game. There was never any panic behind the bench of his teams, as Rick had a thoughtful approach that followed a plan as though he had experienced it all before.

We lost Rick on December 5th, 2016 but his impact on the sport of hockey, his community, and the schools he taught at will never be forgotten.

****************

Excerpts from an email to Paul Seggie from Richard Ropchan, former Executive Director of Ontario Hockey Association            

Your dad and I go back a long way during my 20 year involvement in the OMHA. As the Director of Development for my first 4 years I got to know your Dad very well and we became very close friends. We both came from a hockey coaching background and expressed the same passion for growing the game and making it more fun to play at all ages.

Your dad's personality and enthusiasm was contagious and I loved picking his brain for ideas on how to better teach the game. Being an educator most of his life he was a great communicator and had a good understanding of best teaching methods. He wasn't afraid to think outside the box and introduce new ideas to our OMHA Coach Instructors.

Rick was highly respected by his peers, someone everyone looked up to. I think Rick was a born leader. His talent, experience, passion and teaching skills were widely recognized through his involvement with HC, OHF and OMHA. He was a Master Course Conductor in the OMHA and was heavily involved in the creation and development of new coaching curriculum material for coaches. He was constantly asked to take part as a presenter at the Annual OMHA August Development Weekend.

He was always very generous with his time and willing to help out in any way whenever asked. I don't ever remember him saying no I'm too busy. Rick was also invited to attend numerous Coaching Development Seminars across the country where he was involved in committees with HC to create and write Instructional Manuals. He was also very actively involved in the OHF Coaches Development Committee which met regularly on an annual basis.

On another note, I was involved in Canada Inline and Coached the Men's National Inline Hockey Team and I asked your dad if he could help me create a National Coaching Manual for Inline Hockey. As busy as your dad was and the fact that he had very little or maybe no Inline Hockey coaching experience he still offered to give more of his precious time to help create this Coaching

Manual. We met once a week on a regular basis and before long we had created a draft copy of Coach Level I, II and III Coaching curriculum which is being used to some extent Internationally.

I think about your dad often and remember all the good times we had together. It was so sad to see him go at such a young age. He left quite a legacy behind in the Hockey Community. He always wanted to help make the game better and his enormous contributions will never be forgotten. He had a significant impact on my life and I can't express in words how much he meant to me.

 

****************

Excerpt from an email to Jay Seggie from Corey McNabb, Director, Hockey Development  Programs, Hockey Canada

Here are some of the projects that he was involved with from a Hockey Canada perspective:

2004/05 – Hockey Canada Skills Manuals – National Writers Group

2006/07 – Hockey Canada Mentorship Program – Specialty Clinic Writers Group

2006 – 2009 – Hockey Canada Mentorship Program – Master Facilitator

Rick Seggie brought a wealth of experience and passion to the Hockey Canada Programs that he participated in. Through his nomination by the OMHA to assist on several National Writers Groups for Hockey Canada, Rick was a welcome participant who constantly stepped up to participate whether it was through writing, review or editing as Hockey Canada resources were created or updated. His expertise in the skill development area was a welcome addition to our National Writers Groups

Once the writing was complete, Rick became very active in the delivery of those materials and resources to minor hockey coaches and players and left a legacy in that part of the game focused on improving the knowledge and ability of coaches to teach the fundamental skills to their players. Rick attended every seminar he could and was always eager to learn and contribute as a Facilitator and Master Facilitator of the on ice clinics.

Rick was the first one to send through feedback from the coaches after he spent a weekend on the ice with them receiving accolades and positive comments. His willingness to contribute and participate has had a lasting eect on 100s of coaches over the years and he is known as one of the good guys within our Hockey Canada / OMHA families as someone who could always be counted on.

 

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Running-Gail Johns

Gail Johns

 

Gail Johns-Rees was born in Cobourg on February 10, 1955 and has the distinction of being the first female athlete from Cobourg to qualify for OFSSA.

 

Gail was a member of the CDCI West Track and Field Team from 1969-1974.  She set records in the 200M and 400M races at Kawarthas and COSSA, in the 60M, 100M, 200M and 400M at South Kawarthas, and qualified to compete in the 200M and 400M races at OFSSA. 

 

When Gail arrived at CDCI West in 1969, she was sought out by the late Jerry Lawless; having heard of her running accomplishments in elementary school, he insisted she attend track and field training on the back lawn of the high school.

 

   An opportunity that changed her life.

 

Along with the many medals Gail received and the records she set over the years at track events, she also received the “Female Athlete Award” from the Cobourg Legion in 1972.

 

CDCI West dedicated the “Johns Trophy for Outstanding Track Performance” in recognition for her accomplishments. The trophy went on to be presented to athletes for 42 years until it was retired when CDCI West closed its doors. 

 

Gail had the honour of presenting the trophy for the last time in 2015.

 

After high school Gail started distance running, competing for years in 5ks and 10ks, and ran marathons in Toronto, Ottawa, Washington, and Boston. 

 

In 1994 Gail and her family moved to New Hampshire and at the age of 47, she discovered Masters Track and Field and returned to sprinting and her high school habits of breaking records! 

 

As a member of the Mass Velocity Track Club, she has been a nationally ranked masters sprinter for the past 20 years, competing in 50M, 60M, 100M, 200M, and 400M races. 

 

Gail has earned 17 USA National Masters Track medals, one of which she ran a leg of the 4X100 relay with the Canadian team and helped them win gold at the USA Masters National Meet in Charlotte, North Carolina in 2006. 

 

The singlet Gail wore when she represented the Canadian team was given to her by Karla Del Grand, Female Athlete of the Decade, World Masters Athletics. 

 

Gail has set 13 New Hampshire state records in the 50M, 60M, 100M, 200M, and 400M and has received five “Best Performance by a New Hampshire Athlete” awards from New Hampshire state meets between 2010 and 2019. 

 

She also has many state level medals from New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Maine and has competed at venues such as Stanford, Harvard, and Boston universities and the Penn State relays where not only masters compete, but also elite high school students and Olympians.

 

Three records set in September 2021 qualify Gail to compete at the May 2022 Senior Nationals Track and Field meet in Fort Lauderdale.

 

In 2015, while sprinting to the finish line in a 200M race, Gail’s right Achilles tendon completely ruptured a few metres from the finish line causing her to fall and fracture her right shoulder. 

 

After surgery, being in a wheelchair initially, and two years of intensive rehab, Gail came back from that challenge to set five of the records noted above.

 

In 2021, Gail and three of her masters’ teammates were featured on a New Hampshire TV station to promote the fitness, health, camaraderie, and competition benefits of masters track field. 

 

Gail’s masters track life has included many years of competing at college and university meets, not only masters’ specific meets; she really enjoys being with young athletes and they are encouraged by the fact that competing on the track can truly be a lifetime sport.

 

It has been decades since Gail was on the back lawn of CDCI West where it all began, but she says to this day, “As I step onto the track and settle into the starting blocks, Mr. Lawless is still with me.”

 

By Elizabeth Johns-Dickson

 

 

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Softball-Margie Matthews

Marg Matthews

 
Softball-Margie Matthews

by Patsy (Currelly) Hand

Margaret Anne Matthews was born on May 15, 1960, in Cobourg. From a very young age, Margie was an abundantly talented, multi-sport athlete who consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership. Her enthusiasm was contagious.

 

While in high school at CDCI West, 1974-1979, she played each year on the basketball, volleyball and badminton teams. She was on the track team and participated in javelin, discus, shotput and the 4 x 100 relay teams. It was in javelin that she excelled. In 1978 she was voted MVP of the basketball team, the volleyball team, she received a coaching award and was the school’s Athlete of the Year.

 

She was also awarded Cobourg's Athlete of the Year that year. In 1979, CDCI West created the “Matthews Award" which was presented to students for performance and leadership. After high school she played varsity hockey and basketball. She has been awarded Athletic Letters at all levels of school: public, high school and university levels.


Margie burst onto the provincial softball stage at the age of 12 when she played for David and Clarke Sommerville’s  Sinclair Mustangs. They were successful in capturing the Ontario Novice Championship in 1972. Here is how David recalls Margie’s contribution to the win in the qualifying tournament leading up to the finals….


At 14, Margie Matthews joined Paul Currelly’s Cobourg Angels Juvenile softball team and competed against players that were 18 and 19 years of age.
Margie’s talents continued to shine. While playing with the Angels, she won two more Ontario Titles at the Junior B level in 1975 and 1976. In 1977, Paul decided to start a Midget Cobourg Angel team and as Margie was still eligible to play at this level, he built the team around her.

She was the captain that year and won the batting championship. Her determination, positivity and talent motivated the team to achieve a higher standard of play. She continued to play with the Angels and won an Ontario title in 1979 (Juvenile). Comments from her coach, Paul Currelly follow: 

Margie left Cobourg for university and played Senior Tier I fastball with the Kitchener Kieswetters. She returned to Cobourg in 1984(Senior Tier II) and helped the Cobourg Angels win another Ontario Title. In 1985 Margie started a full-time job in New Hamburg and again left the area and played Senior Tier I softball with Kitchener.

She won their outstanding player award that year. In 1986 she was picked up by an opposing team, the St. Clements Suns to attend Expo ’86, a mini world tournament in Vancouver. In 1989 her team, the St. Clements Suns won an Ontario Senior Tier I Championship and went to the Canadians, placing 4th.

Margie continues to be an amazing athlete as a golfer. She has won 18 Club Championships (Stratford (16) & Craigowan-Oxford (2)). She played for team Ontario in 2004 and won a Canadian interprovincial title.

 

She won an Ontario 4-ball Tournament with MaryAnn Hayward in 2007 and an Ontario mid-Am tournament in 2009 (73-75-69). In 2011 she made the Ontario senior team that won a Canadian interprovincial title. She had a Golf Ontario Mid-Am ranking of 4th and 5th in 2009-2011.

Margie has not only been an amazing athlete but she also has coached volleyball and badminton at the high school level, coached softball at the Midget level and was assistant coach to the 1990 Cobourg Angels Senior Tier I fastball team that won the Ontario title and then went to the Canadian championship and placed 4th. She was a Softball Canada clinic instructor and has refereed volleyball, basketball and umpired softball.  

As an athlete Margie has had many accomplishments in multiple sports and continues to add to these accomplishments but it is her talent, her work ethic, her enthusiasm and her love for sports that raises her above her peers.

 

Biography

COBOURG DISTRICT COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE (CDCI) WEST HIGH SCHOOL - 1974-1979

1974 - 1979 Participated on basketball, volleyball, badminton, and track & field (javelin, discus, shotput and 4x100 relay) teams. (Lots of awards) 

1975 - won midget javelin (92' 4") & discus(74') both South Kawartha records, Kawartha javelin (92'6") and placed 6th at C.O.S.S.A.

1978 - MVP basketball, MVP volleyball, Coaching Award, Athlete of the Year

1978 - Cobourg Athlete of the Year

1979 - Won Senior South Kawartha javelin  (98'5"), won Kawartha Singles badminton

1977 - 1979 President co-ed Athlete Association

1979 - Awarded newly created 'Matthews Award' for Performance and Leadership (awarded annually until school closed)

1979 - awarded 'Citizenship Award' (Burnett - Drope)

Awarded public school, high school and university athletic letters

Refereed volleyball and basketball throughout high school

Umpired one summer, girls Cobourg softball


SOFTBALL/FASTBALL

1972 - Ontario Novice Champions 'Sinclair Mustangs'

1975 - Ontario Junior B Champions, 'Cobourg Angels'

1976 - Ontario Junior B Champions, 'Cobourg Angels' (team was voted Cobourg Athlete of the Year)

1979 - Ontario Juvenile A Champions, 'Cobourg Angels'

1984 - Ontario Sr Tier II Champions, 'Cobourg Angels'

1986 - St. Clements Suns picked Margie up to attend the Expo 86 'mini world fastball tournament', held in Vancouver, B.C. Teams participating were  from Japan, China, New Zealand, Australia, USA, Chinese-Taipei and the host Vancouver team

1989 - Ontario Sr Tier I Champions, Cambridge/St. Clements Suns

1989 - National Sr Tier I Championships Cambridge/St. Clements Suns (finished 4th)

1990 - Ontario Sr Tier I Champions, Asst. Coach, 'Cobourg Angels' 

1990 - National Sr Tier I Championships, Asst. Coach, 'Cobourg Angels' (finished 4th)


POST HIGH SCHOOL

1979 - 1980 Centennial College varsity College hockey- Co-MVP

1980 - 1981 Wilfrid Laurier University- varsity basketball team- Voted Rookie of the Year

1981 - 1982 Wilfrid Laurier University- varsity basketball team

1983 - 1989 competitive Senior womens  hockey- Kitchener and St Clements


COACHING

1978 - Midget girls volleyball - CDCI West

1979 - Midget girls volleyball - CDCI West

1983 - Badminton - CDCI West

1983 - Stratford Midget girls softball team

1983 - Softball Canada - clinic instructor

1990 - Cobourg Angels, assistant coach, senior fastball team


GOLF - 1993-present

2004 - made Ontario women's amateur team by placing 4th at ON tourney
- team Ontario won Canadian inter-provincial title

2007 - won Ontario 4-ball tournament with MaryAnn Hayward

2009 - won Ontario Mid-Am title at Markland Woods (73-75-69)

2011 - made Ontario senior team by placing 3rd at ON tournament
- team Ontario won Canadian inter-provincial title
- placed 8th at Canadian tournament at Whitevale G.C.

2009 - 2011 Golf Ontario mid-am ranking 4th and 5th 2009-2011

Won 16 Stratford Club championships, 2 at Craigowan-Oxford


 

Sport Team or Name This Story is about

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School-St Mary's CSS Athletics

St Mary's School jacket

School-St Mary's CSS First 3 Sports

Swim Team
In 1984, St. Mary’s Secondary School (SMCSS) began.  The building located at 760 Burnham St., Cobourg, housed students from Grade 1 – 9.  There were 14 Grade 9 students in the first year.  It was difficult to run any sport teams for the Grade 9’s.   

In 1985, St. Mary’s swim team started.  We practiced every week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7 am during the Fall at the local YMCA.  We had all levels of swimmers on the team.  The only requirement was attendance.  

There were students from Campbellford that were interested in joining but had no way of getting to the practices that early.   After speaking to the Director of Education, Don Folz, he agreed to provide a bus for the interested students on Mondays and Wednesdays.  

The swim team had many successful years and fortunately is still thriving today.  We have attended OFSAA every year since the team’s inception.   

Cross-Country Team
St. Mary’s Cross-Country team began in 1987.  As we didn’t have a track or any running facilities, training consisted of running through the local neighbourhood.  We practiced Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday after school.  We only had a handful of students interested in competing on the Cross-Country team.  

We were always at a disadvantage in terms of competition with other Secondary Schools given our lack of facilities.  Our “creative” practices didn’t always glean the results we were hoping for.  However, our students never gave up and always worked hard and gave it their all. 

There was one student, however, who was a natural long-distance runner.  Sarah Johnston worked diligently and qualified at Kawartha to move on to COSSA.  The highlight for Sarah was being able to compete at OFSAA in Cambridge, Ontario. 

Track and Field Team
St. Mary’s Track and Field team started in 1987.  Facing the same disadvantages as the Cross-Country team, we made do with the facilities that we had.  We were able to practice the field events, such as javelin, disc, high jump and long jump on our driveway and small outfield.  The long-distance running athletes ran through the neighbourhood while the short distance runners, hurdlers and relay teams practiced on the small paved area around the school.  Wind sprints up the small hill at the side of the school helped with the cardio portion of the practice.   Practices were held 4 nights a week, with all students being welcomed as long as there was a commitment to attend all practices.   

We were fortunate to have a sprinter, Tony Raymond, qualify at Kawartha and then win gold medals at COSSA in both the 100 and 200 metre races.  Those wins allowed him to compete at OFSAA at York University.

***********************************************************************

School-St Mary's CSS Athletic Firsts

St. Mary’s CSS Thunder - Firsts during 35 Yr Growth of Athletic Department

1984      St. Mary’s Catholic Secondary School (SMCSS) opens its doors.
1985/86 The first athletes compete for the school in Swimming, Cross-Country and Track & Field.  A small handful of students.
1986      The first year of organized sports teams competing in Kawartha Athletics as the St. Mary’s Marauders.
1988      The beginnings of Track, Basketball, Badminton, Soccer, Tennis, Weightlifting and Girls Softball
1989      The beginnings of Wrestling, Weightlifting, J/S Boys Soccer, J/S Girls Basketball, M/J Boys Basketball, M/J Girls Volleyball, M Boys Volleyball, Cross-country, Badminton, Boys Hockey, Girls Softball, Girls Soccer, Tennis, Swimming 
1990      Name changed from Marauders to THUNDER
1990      The beginnings of Track, M/S Boys Basketball, M/J Girls Basketball, J/S Badminton, Tennis, Weightlifting, M/J/S Girls Volleyball, M/J Boys Volleyball, Mixed Softball, Swimming, J Girls Soccer, J Boys Soccer
1991      The beginnings of Cross-country, Track, M/J Boys Basketball, M/S Girls Basketball, M/J/S Girls Volleyball, M/J Boys Volleyball, Mixed Softball, Tennis, Badminton, Weight Training, Boys Rugby, J/S Girls Soccer, J/S Boys Soccer, Swimming, Boys Hockey
1991      The first Kawartha Championship.  Midget Boys Basketball.
1992      The first sports tour at St. Mary’s.  Boys Hockey competed in the Irish Rover Tournament at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana.
The beginnings of J/S Girls Soccer, J/S Boys Soccer, Boys Hockey, Mixed Softball, M/J/S Girls Basketball, M/J Boys Basketball (KAWARTHA CHAMPS), S Boys Volleyball (KAWARTHA CHAMPS), M/J/S Girls Volleyball, Tennis, Badminton, Boys Rugby, Swimming
1995      Girls Rugby begins.
1997      Golf begins.
1999      Girls Hockey begins.
1999      The First COSSA Championships are won.  Junior Girls Soccer AND Senior Girls Rugby
2002      The first OFSAA Medal is won.  Brian Hamilton wins Silver in the 400m Hurdles in Track & Field.
2004      Boys Football begins.
2007      The First OFSAA Individual Champion – James Nearing wins Tennis Singles.
2010      Ultimate Frisbee begins.
2011       Floorball begins.
2012      The First Repeat OFSAA Individual Champion – Kristina Steins wins the 100m Backstroke.  She won the same event in 2010.  She also became the first athlete to win multiple OFSAA medals.
2012      St. Mary’s hosts its first OFSAA Championships – Boys A/AA Rugby.
2015      Boys Baseball begins.
2016      The First OFSAA Team Medal – Boys Golf win Bronze.
2018      The First OFSAA Team Champion – Boys Rugby.
2019      The First OFSAA Repeat Team Champion – Boys Rugby.

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School-St. Mary’s CSS Early Athletics

The Turning Point of Early Success

I began my teaching/coaching career at St Mary’s Catholic Secondary School (SMCSS) in 1989. It was a small populated school of about 200 students. We were trying to establish publicly funded Catholic education. Prior to that my philosophies were forged in an environment of very competitive and successful athletic endeavors. In spite of the successes the common theme were values driven programs.

So, when I came to SMCSS that is what I attempted to offer. It was not easy in the beginning, where my philosophy was a bit in conflict with the current situation. I demanded a strong commitment to excellence through 'Education through Sport". I perpetuated a motto of, 'No School, No Sports, No Practice, No Play."

This demand was not readily accepted and only a few student/athletes could commit to the dedication that was required. The first sports that I developed using these demands were Basketball and Volleyball. Among the core student athletes that forged the legacy of "It's a Thunder Thing" for the next five years of arduous pursuits in these two core sports were Jason Craig, Eric O'Rourke, Mike Bons, Gary Collins, Bryan Brady, Andrew Ross and Michael Smith.

What became pivotal to our successes was when we were able to convert the small 60 foot by 30 foot gym (volleyball court dimensions) from a cafeteria at lunch to a practice facility. The core athletes practiced every lunch hour the various pursuits for five years. Practices were all closed because I felt that practice was not a spectator sport. Student/athletes need to be in a learning environment free to make mistakes and learn.

Of course, there was some resistance from the administration because of the optics of an elite program. However, with the incorporation of a House System for inter mural sports that was more inclusive, the administration softened and we proceeded.

I also coached a group of female/student athletes for 3 years with the same tenacity demands. They were highly committed and wanted to emulate what the boys were doing.  These athletes included Cynthia Jurchison, Amy O’Rourke, Rachel King, Melissa Bonner, Jennifer Burleigh, Denise McDonald and Lola Teelucksingh.  I tried to develop programs instead of just having teams.

We were fortunate at SMCSS, because we had a stable of teacher/coaches who committed themselves to kids and spent many hours away from their families to spend time with other people's families. Even during the 'Strike Year' I was able to conduct coaching courses where similar perspectives to inter school sports were formulated.

Our teachers did not want to sanction no coaching and we were prepared to start up our own "Catholic League" so we could continue to participate and compete at an inter school level. Some of the trail blazers who led many fine programs at SMCSS during the early years were, Steve Egan, Stan Muldoon, Donna Conway, Jane Anne Egan, Rick Seggie, Jim Blainey, Ray Heffernan, John McDougall, Mike Desjardins and Mike Killoran.

By Rob Majdell
Former Teacher, Coach, Athletic Director, Principal


 

Sport Team or Name This Story is about

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MARGARET ANNE MATTHEWS

MARGARET ANNE MATTHEWS

Margaret Anne Matthews was born on May 15, 1960, in Cobourg. From a very young age, Margie was an abundantly talented, multi-sport athlete who consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership. Her enthusiasm was contagious.

She was very skilled, was the ultimate team leader, and always gave 100%. Margie burst onto the provincial softball stage at the age of 12 when she played for David and Clarke Sommerville’s “Sinclair Mustangs”. They captured the Ontario Novice Championship in 1972. At 14, Margie Matthews joined Paul Currelly’s Cobourg Angels softball Juvenile team and competed against players that were 18 and 19 years of age.

While playing with the Angels, she won 2 more Ontario titles at the Junior ‘B’ level in 1975 and 1976. Paul Currelly remarked that, “When you are talking about Margie, you are talking about one of the best juvenile ball players, anywhere. Her desire and hustle keep the entire team moving.” Margie Matthews won 7 Ontario Softball Championships in her career. While attending high school at CDCI West, from 1974-79, Margie was a multisport outstanding athlete. In 1978, she was voted Most Valuable Player of both the basketball and volleyball teams, received a coaching award and was selected as Cobourg District Collegiate Institute West’s Athlete of the Year.

Margie was also named Cobourg’s Athlete of the Year. In 1979, the West dedicated an award in recognition of her contributions - the “Matthews Award” for performance and leadership. Margie continues to display exceptional athletic skills as a golfer. In 2004 and 2011, she was a member of Team Ontario. Both teams went on to win the Canadian Inter-provincial Golf titles at their respective national golf championships. She has won 18 club championships, 16 championships at the Stratford Country Club and 2 titles at Woodstock's Craigowan Golf Club.

As a member of the Ontario Women’s Amateur golf team in 2004, Margie won the Canadian Championship. In 2009, she won the Golf Ontario Women’s Mid-Am title with scores of 73-75-69. Margaret Anne Matthews, one of Cobourg’s best-ever all-round athletes.

Tennis-Cobourg Tennis Club

sinclair

In the 19th and early 20th centuries in Cobourg tennis was played by the well to do people. The working class had neither the time nor the money to participate. Tennis was played on grass. The dress code was white for men and long dresses for women. One of the first games of tennis actually recorded in Cobourg was in 1879 on Colonel Chambliss’ grass courts located on Green Street. Don Armour and Jack Cruso were the singles players.

Private courts were also located on the ‘Lawn’ at the southwest corner of Queen and Henry St. There were also two on St Peter’s Church property east of the church. In the west end of Cobourg, the Fullerton’s had lighted courts at their Bagot Street residence.

At the beginning of the 20th Century there was a growing demand for public courts. So in 1910 the Town Council committed to putting in two lighted clay courts in Victoria Park. They would be just west of the lawn bowling club and in the vicinity of the cenotaph.

This dramatically increased interest and participation in the game. A tennis club was formed and Cobourg participated in the Lakeshore League with Port Hope, Bowmanville and Peterborough. There were upwards of 50 active and enthusiastic members.

Theses courts remained the center of tennis in Cobourg until the arrival of Hurricane Hazel in 1954 which caused extensive damage to the courts. It was decided the cost of restoring the courts was too prohibitive and the courts ceased to exist and never returned to the park.

Players of note during the latter part of its existence included such notables at Paul Leonard, Del Dillon and Sol Margles. Of particular interest was Jim Burnett who, in one year won the Junior championship and the Senior one as well. Quite a feat!

Tennis went into the doldrums for a period. Players gravitated to the Port Hope Club to play and to the private clubs around the Town. In 1959 Major Ernie Carey and Major Waters had courts put in at the Army Depot on D’Arcy Street. The Depot raised funds to have the courts paved. The first indoor court in Cobourg also on Depot property in 1960 was a converted shipping bay. In 1959 St Michael’s Church constructed two new permanent tennis courts on its asphalt school yard. But they had limited success in keeping tennis alive in the Town.

It was not until the Rotary Club of Cobourg under Ted Prosser proposed to build and pay for three lighted courts at Sinclair Park in 1972 that interest came back. The cost was $30,000. Both the West and East Collegiates put in courts and Jim Burnett put up a trophy for annual competition between the two schools. Of note, the Burnett trophy was won by Peter Cameron for three consecutive years. No other student has ever done this.

The Cobourg Tennis Club had re-formed in 1969. Club teams competed in the Lakeshore League which included five other centers. In 1971 the first Cobourg Tennis Open took place with over 250 participants including the Ontario Men’s Champion.

In 1976 the Rotary Club of Cobourg fundraised another $30,000 to build three more courts in Coverdale Park in Hamilton Township, just east of Cobourg. The President that year was M.A. McLeod and the building was done in conjunction with Wintario Lotteries. The Coverdale Athletic Association was formed to supervise all activities. Membership was 150. The building of all these courts stimulated a golden age for tennis in the Town.

Today tennis continues to prosper at the two parks. New members are always welcome.

As a footnote to the tennis history is the success story of Michelle Tuma. She is a local young lady who graduated from St Mary’s High School. Michelle learned to play tennis in the community and went on to play at Ohio Northern University on a tennis scholarship. While there she held the number one tennis position in both singles and doubles. She is now a pharmacist practicing in the United States.

At the 2019 COSSA regional tennis championships finishing in top 3 were: Girls Singles – Chloe Leguard of CCI; Girls Doubles – Brooke Hoskin/Ashley Landsley of CCI; Boys Singles – Matt Enns of St Mary’s; Boys Doubles – Lewis Odurny/Ethan Fishlock of St Mary’s; Mixed Doubles – Neve Lehtinen/Jamie Slessor of St Mary’s.

Updated August 2020

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School-St Mary’s CSS Rugby:Boys

Thunder OFSAA Gold

From T-shirts to Champions

High School Rugby was becoming popular in rural Ontario so teachers Rob Majdell and Ray Heffernan thought they would start a rugby program in the spring of 1993. St Mary’s Catholic Secondary School (SMCSS) was still a small school of about 400 students. The expectation was that 20 firm participants would be needed at every practice, at every lunch, to continue with this program.

The other local high schools with their bigger population bases (around 800 students each) had already established rugby programs. For the betterment of rugby they agreed to play St. Mary’s new team in exhibition play for the first 3 years. These teams included Trinity College School, Cobourg East and Cobourg West.

During the first 2 years, players wore only t-shirts as jerseys. In year three, after the team became established, the school ordered and bought keeper jerseys. The fellas thought they were too nice to wear for games, so they decided to keep wearing t-shirts. The team began playing in the Kawartha league in 1996 and as they say, the rest is history.

In 2000, Greg Conway joined the coaching staff.  The team rebranded itself as the Thunder RFC and began to enjoy more success on the pitch – more coaches meant more skill development for the players.  By 2003, the team had its first player selected to Team Ontario – Sandy Sweet.  His skill and attitude started to turn the tide towards a more competitive approach by the players. 

The coaching staff had also added Drew Quemby to the fold.  This was massive as Rob Majdell had moved on to become a Vice-Principal at another school.  The team began showing potential, competing with or even defeating powerhouse teams from Lindsay and Peterborough – teams that only 2 or 3 years prior had been winning by 70 points!

In 2004, the team embarked on the first of many Rugby Tours.  The island of Bermuda was chosen.  The destination, along with amazing experiences like playing against the Bermuda U-18 team on the national pitch, drew even more athletes out to the team.  Touring became a mainstay and was the turning point in prying male athletes away from the mindset of only playing hockey.  The team now prides itself as a touring side, having embarked on 13 ruby tours to places like England, Hawaii, Barbados, Scotland, France, New York City and even the Rugby World Cup in 2015.  The opportunity to go on these tours has attracted many more athletes to try the sport, which has resulted in a very competitive side moving forward.

St. Mary’s has held the Saxon Cup (Northumberland championship) since 2005, after Port Hope won the inaugural competition in 2004.  The Junior Boys are the sole winner of the Junior Saxon Cup, winning it every year it has existed.  The Thunder take the local rivalry very seriously – the only loss by either the Junior or Senior team since 2002 to a local team came in the Saxons Cup final in 2004 to Port Hope.  Keeping the streak alive is taken to heart!

In 2005, the team qualified for its first COSSA Championship after making its first Kawartha Final in team history.  2010 saw the team win its first COSSA medal – a Silver – after toppling powerhouse Centennial from Belleville in the Semis.  They would lose a very tight COSSA final by 2 points and miss out on OFSAA.

In 2011, the Junior Boys won the team’s first Kawartha Championship.  2012 saw the team compete in its first OFSAA Championship – as host school.  Though ranked in the bottom half of the 16-team tournament draw, the team finished 5th overall!  That success was further demonstrated the following year, as the Senior Boys won their first Kawartha title in 2013.

The team had entered a new competitive phase – regularly competing for Kawartha titles and qualifying for COSSA.  They also had athletes not only competing for Ontario, but also being selected to represent Canada.  Brandon McLeod, or “The Missile”, played internationally on the Canada Sevens development team 6 times.  Owain Ruttan represented Canada for their U-18 and U-20 teams a total of 11 times, scoring two tries, including one against Wales!

2016 saw a Junior Team unlike any before at SMCSS.  They captured the Kawartha title and the team’s first COSSA Gold.  That same team won COSSA Gold again at Senior in 2017, 2018 and 2019.  During that run, they produced 4 more Canadian players – Josh Barss, Keagan Read, Adam McNee and Mason Flesch.
 
In 2018, the Senior Boys team reached new heights 25 years after the first team started play.  They toured Hawaii and defeated the powerful Kahuku – Hawaii state champions.  They returned home and won the Kawartha Championship as well as the COSSA Championship.  All that remained was OFSAA.
They entered as the #1 seed and dominated the tournament leading up to the final.  In a hard fought Gold Medal game, the Thunder prevailed 26-19 to capture its first Provincial Championship.  They outscored all opponents at OFSAA by a margin of 200-24 and finished the season a perfect 16-0.  

The 2019 team was not to be outdone.  That team won Kawartha and COSSA again, and went on the win the OFSAA Championship, becoming only the third school to ever repeat as Champion.  History was made however as St. Mary’s won the 2019 title game 40-0, which is the largest margin of victory in any OFSAA Boys Rugby Championship Final.

It has taken almost 30 years to reach the pinnacle.  They began in t-shirts and running shoes, losing by 70 or 80 points.  They have since seen the world and risen to the top, with back-to-back OFSAA Gold.  The coaching staff has grown as well – additions Tim Linehan, Adam Janssen, Shawn Carmichael have all played a part in the team’s growth and success.  As a coaching staff, we are excited to see where the team can go next!!!

Greg Conway - Head Coach, Thunder RFC

Updated August 2020

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