Falcon athletics among best
The more things change, the
more they remain the same at the
Fanshawe athletics office. Yet at
the same time, the sports offerings
at Fanshawe have matured to the
point where manager of athletics,
Mike Lindsay, can hardly contain
his pride.
Twenty-nine years ago, this scribe walked into Fanshawe's tiny B gymnasium to meet with the athletics staff for an interview. I was greeted by Lindsay, team trainer Ernie Durocher and men's basketball coach Glenn Johnston — all engaged in lively banter. A recent visit to Fanshawe's J gym complex saw me face-to-face with Lindsay, Durocher and newly-appointed athletic officer, Eric Collins — and the banter continued.
Lindsay, a member of the Falcons athletic staff for almost 40 years, was named the 2009-10 Canadian Colleges Athletic Association athletic director of the year. Durocher, whose title is now athletic officer, remains a key member of the Falcons staff. Johnston's back, too — for a 35th season. Combined, the trio boast more than a century of experience.
Add Collins and his fresh enthusiasm to the mix, and you have key ingredients for an athletics program second to none in the CCAA.
"We're almost 50 years old now, and we have a tradition for the first time," said Lindsay of Fanshawe, a founding member of the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association in 1967. "We are one of the most successful athletic and academic schools in the country."
The 2009-10 school year was a huge success for Lindsay and the entire athletics program. The women's cross country team wonCCAA gold, as did runner Liliane Sparkes, while the men's squad claimed bronze. Also, the women's soccer team won silver. At the OCAA level, there were numerous winners, including gold for overall team cross country, men's and women's cross country, women's outdoor and indoor soccer plus numerous individual honours. Fanshawe also claimed silver and bronze in many categories.
As a testament to the depth of Fanshawe sports, despite national and provincial success, Lindsay and Collins can't say enough about the college's popular intramural and extramural hockey programs.
"Our women's program, for the last several years, has played at the University of Western Ontario," explained Collins. "The interest has been so strong during the past few years, we've had to turn players away. But we're at a point now where we can sustain our own women's recreational league, and have the convenience of playing at (nearby) Stronach Arena."
The top men's and women's intramural hockey players represent Fanshawe at extramural tournaments. In fact, despite the fact neither Fanshawe nor the OCAA have a varsity hockey program, hockey remains an integral part of overall offerings.
"When asked if we have hockey at Fanshawe, I say, absolutely! We have 32 men's teams, plus 64 ball hockey teams, and three women's teams," Lindsay said.
With numbers like those, expect the fire to burn brightly for continued banter at the Fanshawe Falcons hot stove league.
Jeffrey Reed is a professor in the Corporate Communication and Public Relations graduate program at Fanshawe College, and an award-winning journalist.
Twenty-nine years ago, this scribe walked into Fanshawe's tiny B gymnasium to meet with the athletics staff for an interview. I was greeted by Lindsay, team trainer Ernie Durocher and men's basketball coach Glenn Johnston — all engaged in lively banter. A recent visit to Fanshawe's J gym complex saw me face-to-face with Lindsay, Durocher and newly-appointed athletic officer, Eric Collins — and the banter continued.
Lindsay, a member of the Falcons athletic staff for almost 40 years, was named the 2009-10 Canadian Colleges Athletic Association athletic director of the year. Durocher, whose title is now athletic officer, remains a key member of the Falcons staff. Johnston's back, too — for a 35th season. Combined, the trio boast more than a century of experience.
Add Collins and his fresh enthusiasm to the mix, and you have key ingredients for an athletics program second to none in the CCAA.
"We're almost 50 years old now, and we have a tradition for the first time," said Lindsay of Fanshawe, a founding member of the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association in 1967. "We are one of the most successful athletic and academic schools in the country."
The 2009-10 school year was a huge success for Lindsay and the entire athletics program. The women's cross country team wonCCAA gold, as did runner Liliane Sparkes, while the men's squad claimed bronze. Also, the women's soccer team won silver. At the OCAA level, there were numerous winners, including gold for overall team cross country, men's and women's cross country, women's outdoor and indoor soccer plus numerous individual honours. Fanshawe also claimed silver and bronze in many categories.
As a testament to the depth of Fanshawe sports, despite national and provincial success, Lindsay and Collins can't say enough about the college's popular intramural and extramural hockey programs.
"Our women's program, for the last several years, has played at the University of Western Ontario," explained Collins. "The interest has been so strong during the past few years, we've had to turn players away. But we're at a point now where we can sustain our own women's recreational league, and have the convenience of playing at (nearby) Stronach Arena."
The top men's and women's intramural hockey players represent Fanshawe at extramural tournaments. In fact, despite the fact neither Fanshawe nor the OCAA have a varsity hockey program, hockey remains an integral part of overall offerings.
"When asked if we have hockey at Fanshawe, I say, absolutely! We have 32 men's teams, plus 64 ball hockey teams, and three women's teams," Lindsay said.
With numbers like those, expect the fire to burn brightly for continued banter at the Fanshawe Falcons hot stove league.
Jeffrey Reed is a professor in the Corporate Communication and Public Relations graduate program at Fanshawe College, and an award-winning journalist.
