Competing at OFSAA a 'once-in-a-lifetime' experience
Posted By JEFF GARD JGARD@NORTHUMBERLANDTODAY.COM
Posted 2 months ago
While some of his teammates may have the chance to return to the provincial championship, graduating Cobourg District Collegiate Institute East Comets senior boys volleyball player Charlie Davis knew his trip to the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations tournament was a one-time deal.
As reported yesterday in this newspaper, Cobourg East didn't advance as one of the top-eight teams to the championship playoff round at the 20-team OFSAA boys 'AA' tournament, held Friday and Saturday in Sarnia, but they ended up winning the consolation playoff round.
"You go there to compete and you want to win, but just to be part of that handful of kids that get to go to OFSAA is exciting," Davis said. "It really was once-in-a-lifetime."
His teammates Andrew Timlin and Landon Doucette also returned to play one final season.
Davis, a fifth-year student-athlete at Cobourg East, hadn't played volleyball since his Grade 9 year. That's partly because his interests swayed to other sports, but also because there hadn't been a senior boys volleyball club the past couple of years.
That was until a talented group of players moved up from the junior ranks (where they won two straight Central Ontario titles).
Although he was hesitant at first, due to his time spent away from the sport, Davis settled in, played on a regular basis and became a big-time contributor, using his size to his advantage.
"I just came in trying to improve, do my best and work on my blocks and hitting, which was my main focus to help this team," he said.
Overall, his one and only OFSAA experience (in any sport) "was just awesome," Davis remarked. The Thursday-night banquet was enjoyable, from listening to the guest speakers, to meeting players from other teams to the East Comets even winning a scavenger hunt.
As for the actual tournament itself, Davis said "intense" is the best way to describe it.
Not only the intensity of the players, "just the crowds and how into it they were," he added.
Though OFSAA is the pinnacle of high school sports competition, Davis believes its important for students just to get involved. Aside from volleyball, he has also played on basketball, soccer, golf and ultimate (Frisbee) teams.
"Sports are a great way to meet new people and just have an overall great high school experience which is what I've had," Davis said.
* * *
Considering several of the players are only in Grade 11, this was a good chance to experience what OFSAA was all about.
"It's a really great atmosphere of high performance sport and education through sport," head coach Dan Knight said.
After having played six matches already, the Cobourg East players were able to watch one set of a championship semifinal match on Saturday afternoon.
"I wanted them see that kind of volleyball," Knight said. "Not just play (at OFSAA) but experience every aspect of it. It was really a treat to watch."
Knight suggests his club benefitted from advancing to the consolation round, even at the expense of not getting to compete in the championship round. They wound up playing seven total games whereas they may have been limited to five had they been going for a medal.
"I didn't have any expectations because I wasn't sure how they would handle (their first time at OFSAA)," the coach said.
"The experience they gained is invaluable."
For the returning players, "if those kids get the opportunity to go back, they will be much calmer and focused to make it into the elite eight."
