Be sure to check out The OFSAA “TIMEOUT” Podcast on your favourite podcast platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or go to https://anchor.fm/ofsaatimeout
As we move along with future monthly podcasts, look for special guest interviews along with topical issues of interest to student-athletes, coaches, parents and educators.
Please contact Pat Park ([email protected]) if you would like an important, or even a fun topic, discussed on a future episode of OFSAA “TIMEOUT”. It’s a great platform to promote the efforts of individuals and the initiatives in school sport around Ontario.
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EPISODE #1: “The TSN Turning Point!” Our debut episode features 1980s former high school football great, James Duthie. Okay, so you probably know him better as the recognizable face of TSN. The versatile and longtime host of Molson Canadian Leafs Hockey and on-site anchor of the Super Bowl, the Grey Cup, the World Junior Championships and The Masters was on the other side of the Q & A this time around. We think you’ll enjoy the back and forth conversation about his high school athletic pursuits, his coaching experiences and his award-winning broadcasting career.
EPISODE #2: “Girl Power!” Three current female teacher-coaches comprise an educational “Roundtable” on this episode. Kelly Gouveia, Val Hargreaves and Courtney Beaulne discuss and promote ways for schools to encourage girls to stay active during their high school years through physical education and school sport. You won’t want to miss this insightful meeting of the female minds.
EPISODE #3: “It’s okay not to be okay.” Krista Van Slingerland, Executive Director of the Canadian Centre For Mental Health And Sport (www.ccmhs-ccsms.ca), educates us on an important topic in today’s society and sporting landscape — Mental Health Literacy In Sports. Krista has turned her own struggle with a mental health disorder into a career focused on working with athletes, coaches, parents and administrators to make Canadian sport a safer and more inclusive place for athletes struggling with mental illness. Athletes and coaches will find the discussion educational and below are some recommended resources:
Crisis Resources:
Kids Help Phone – Text “CONNECT” to 686868, kidshelphone.ca
Youthspace.ca – Text (778) 783-0177, youthspace.ca
Online Resources:
Better Help – betterhelp.com (online access to professional counsellors)
The LifeLine App – thelifelinecanada.ca (direct access to phone, online chat, text and email crisis support)
Big White Wall Canada – bigwhitewall.ca (anonymous peer support community accessible anytime and anywhere)
EPISODE #4: A trade-off of veal sandwiches in return for more ice-time for a player on his hockey team?
Gerry Dee lets us in on this story, and others like it, from his high school coaching days on this episode of The OFSAA TIMEOUT Podcast.
The popular host of Family Feud Canada and Mr. Dee on CBC certainly has the real life background across high school athletics to inform and entertain.
- What sports did he enjoy coaching the most?
- What life lessons did he like to impart on the student-athletes that he coached?
- And, oh, what could go wrong when supervising kids’ dodgeball and ‘indoor’ Marco Polo in the small confines of the gymnasium?
Catch Gerry Dee in person on his comedy tour by going to https://gerrydee.com/ or https://www.ticketmaster.ca/gerry-dee-tickets/artist/1234097
EPISODE #5: Roy Rana is one of the most influential figures in Canadian Basketball.
He reflects fondly on the many rewards of coaching high school basketball at C.W. Jefferys and Eastern Commerce. He started coaching in high school at age 24 and he hasn’t looked back.
Rana stands by the theory of “be willing to take risks!”
After decorated tenures at the high school and university level, Rana is currently in his first season on the coaching staff of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings.
Listen to what he attributes to the steady influx of Canadian talent currently on NBA rosters. It’s not the answer that you’re used to hearing.
Ballers and coaches of all sports will find interest in hearing the name of a well-known basketball coach that Rana admires the most and the name doesn’t start with “Red” or “Phil”.
That and much more here on Episode 5!
EPISODE #6: It’s a “STUDENT TAKEOVER” on this edition! Sort of…
Be sure to listen to our interview with the female and male recipients of the 2020 OFSAA Character Athlete Award. Grace Petsnick of Fort Frances High School and Tristan Smith of École secondaire publique Maurice-Lapointe in Kanata share high school memories, thoughts on their unusual graduation year and let us in on their post-secondary plans.
Both will receive a $1,000 grant from Jostens as they stood out in the minds of the voting panel for their commitment to OFSAA’s values of leadership, equity, respect and sportsmanship.
EPISODE #7: Dedication Leads To Opportunity
EPISODE #8: The Red Shirt Effect
Find out about the movement that is “The Red Shirt Effect”! In the absence of sports over the last 12 months, Athletics Coordinator Michelle Lange has spear-headed a popular virtual training program to generate positive mental and physical well-being among teenagers. The goal is to assist athletes during this pause so that they are reinvigorated, and more prepared, when the time comes to try out for school teams when we return to sports in the future.
A must-listen for any student-athlete, athletic coordinator or athletic director. Learn more about “The Red Shirt Effect” virtual training program by selecting the Virtual Trainers tab at http://tvraa.com/
EPISODE #9: Humboldt Strong!
Three years following the Humboldt Broncos tragic bus crash, we hear from one of the team’s captains, Kaleb Dahlgren. The 23-year old is joined in conversation with Sportsnet Central Host Martine Gaillard. They discuss his new book “Crossroads”, diabetes, community, support teams, the loss of high school championships and a host of other important topics. You won’t want to miss hearing about his emotional and physical recovery while learning about his future goals.
This is a motivational and powerful discussion that will undoubtedly appeal to Canadians of all ages.
Be sure to grab your copy of “Crossroads” at harpercollins.ca, Amazon or Indigo.
EPISODE #10: Coaching & Life Lessons With Peter Morris
Coach. Teacher. Mentor. Friend. All of these words aptly describe this episode’s special guest to those of us in the school sport community. A former high school teacher with a 37 year background in coaching has seen it all. The highly-respected Peter Morris reflects on a career in this episode that will entertain aspiring coaches and ones that have been around the block a time or two.
Over the years, Peter’s dedication to school sport allowed him to connect with so many people outside of the coaching channel as well. He forged strong relationships with convenors, athletes, volunteers, event organizers and the overall OFSAA community during his tenure as a valuable OFSAA staff member from 1998 to 2019.
What was his most rewarding coaching moment? How does the “hidden potato trick” work in baseball? It’s all here in our 10th episode!
EPISODE #11: The Current Climate Of OFSAA
OFSAA championships and festivals returned in October for the first time in 19 months. How did we get here and what does an OFSAA event look like in 2021?
Two integral members of the OFSAA leadership group – President Carolyn Chesney and Acting Executive Director Shamus Bourdon – provide clarity and background on how the organization reached the point of a return to provincial championships.
EPISODE #12: Olympic Decathlon Champion Damian Warner
It’s “The World’s Greatest Athlete!”
Damian Warner and his long-time coach, Gar Leyshon, recount their time together as athlete and coach at Montcalm Secondary School in London, Ontario.
What team sport does Damian reflect on fondly as his spring-board to high school athletic success? What did Gar first see in Damian as a student-athlete?
How has Olympic glory changed everyday life in 2021 for our country’s Closing Ceremony Flag Bearer? It’s all here!
This is an episode that will surely get the motivational engines running for aspiring high school athletes and it will undoubtedly reinforce the benefits of athletics for dedicated coaches!
EPISODE #13: Half A Century At The Coaching Helm!
Are you ready for some football?
Harry Lumley believes structure, fairness and hard work by his players at the start of high school are the pillars to success. He should know – he’s only been coaching high school football in Windsor for 56 years!
A 2012 inductee of the Windsor/Essex County Sports Hall of Fame, Harry, 76, has won 20 city championships as either an assistant or head coach. His gridiron squads have been frequent participants at the OFSAA Football Bowl Series Festival in the 21st century.
How did he first get started along the coaching path? What coaches did he idolize up close and from afar? Did we mention that he’s still holding down the head coach position at W.F. Herman Academy Secondary?
Football enthusiasts and coaches will certainly enjoy the candidness and the story-telling of Harry Lumley as well as the reflections of this episode’s co-host Peter Morris.
Be sure to check out the bio of Harry Lumleyhere.
EPISODE #14: From The Sandlots To The Show!
Well, you don’t have to be a baseball fan to enjoy the roundtable on this particular show – but – Toronto Blue Jays fans will most certainly enjoy it.
Blue Jays Sportsnet Central analyst Joe Siddall checks in and delivers messages for all coaches drawn from his years as a high school coach in his hometown of Windsor after a career in the big leagues.
Joe started in the Southwestern Ontario baseball sandlots as a kid and his hard work and talent took him all the way to “The Show” with Montreal, Florida and Detroit in the 90s.
His career path of seizing opportunities and stories of readiness will undoubtedly have an impact on listeners.
OFSAA Baseball builder, Brian Riddell, is alongside on the conversation. Brian has a passion for school sport and his encyclopedic baseball knowledge shines through here.We hope that you enjoy this Siddall and Riddell episode.
Be sure to check out the bio of Joe Siddall HERE.
EPISODE #15: Hey OFSAA, It’s Almost Time To Celebrate 75 Years!
Long-time OFSAA advocates Heather Chambers and Barry Mutrie hint at some of the fun initiatives we can expect during OFSAA’s 75th Anniversary in 2023-24. Both are well-connected members of the Anniversary Planning Committee.
As two individuals who have done it all with school sports during their life, both also reflect on their own experiences while sharing meaningful advice for aspiring high school teacher-coaches. This motivating round-table discussion will make you want to grab a whistle and a clipboard while rallying the team together!
EPISODE #16: All In The Student-Athlete Family
Meet the Wessinger family! Students Jack, Reese and Riley Wessinger attend Our Lady of the Bay Catholic High School in Collingwood and each one just finished competing at OFSAA championships this winter. Jack hit the Osler Bluff ski slopes at the OFSAA Alpine Championship while older siblings Reese and Riley took to the pool in Windsor at the OFSAA Swimming Championship at the end of February.
Who do they credit for their athletic ambitions? What was their favourite part of the OFSAA experience?
With the number of sports they play, it’s no surprise that they will be competing for OFSAA medals this spring!
EPISODE #17: Next Stop – The President’s Office at OFSAA
It’s a Presidential Roundtable! Two former OFSAA presidents reflect on their own personal experiences as a student-athlete, coach, convenor and as president within the organization.
Margie McGill and Ian Press share insight on their leadership style and how it led to their own success in the president’s role. What do they see as current challenges facing school sport? Who do they put on their own “OFSAA Mount Rushmore”?
As expected, both do a wonderful job of bringing to light the values of school sport in a fitting discussion as we celebrate 75 years of OFSAA.