Heartiest congratulations to each and every one of the 35 Hoya cross-country skiers who put forth an outstanding effort to capture five gold, two silver, one bronze and five other top-10 placings at the recent OFSSA championships in North Bay.

You have raised the bar for excellence in cross-country skiing for Ontario high schools.  The sheer size of your team at 35 members is impressive when one remembers its founding days of seven members including Simon Baron and Mike Bennett.

A great big thanks goes to the coaches, John Cowan, Paul Ferris, Steve Jones, Dave Gibson and Louise Choquette, who have given countless hours after school and on weekends to conduct training sessions.

These young athletes model a healthy lifestyle and a level of physical fitness that other teens can emulate. They also juggle a heavy load of school work, team as well as personal training regimens, extra-curricular activities and part-time jobs. They have not become the best after only a few weeks of training.

Many train year round and can be seen running the trails in the area throughout the summer. They are to be commended for their drive, dedication and most of all their commitment (or what I call “stick-to-it-iveness”) to reach their dream and become the best they can be. They will go far in life.

Well done, everyone! We’re proud of you!

The Roycrofts,
Port Sydney