Feature Article June 12,2003
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Tom Huges Wins Gold at all Ontario high School MeetWhen Tom Hughes cleared the bar at 1.85 metres at the Ontario Federation of Secondary Schools Association track meet in St. Catharines to win the gold medal in the midget class, it marked the first ever gold medal at this level for an athlete from Sharbot Lake High School (SLHS).
Hughes, a Grade 9 student from Arden, has not exactly spent a huge amount of time training for his event. Not only is he more involved with basketball than track events, SLHS has little or no high jump equipment, and minimal resources devoted to track in general.
Observers attribute Hughes success to superior jumping ability. He has not received any direct high jump coaching, but that might change in the near future.
According to Sharbot Lake High School Principal Tom Taylor, who attended the meet in St. Catharines, it would cost between $2,000 and $2,500 to purchase the mats, mat covering and other equipment needed to allow Hughes and others to do any high jump training at the school. I am going to be exploring different avenues to get that funding, Taylor said.
Contacted back at school on Monday, Hughes seemed to be taking his success in stride, saying Im just talking it as it comes. However, on the whole, SLHS is not taking Hughes success lightly. A previously scheduled recognition assembly on Monday featured a special presentation to him.
Interim Geography teacher and track coach Fred Stride presented Tom with an Ontario road map, in reference to the fact that Hughes, his mother and sister, actually got lost driving to St. Catharines on Friday night, arriving at 5:00 in the morning. The High Jump event took place at 9:00 am.
Alicia Cota Makes History as well
Alicia Cota, a Grade 9 student from Sharbot Lake, also made history for SLHS as the first female competitor from the school ever to qualify for the provincial finals. In the shot put event, Alicia finished 11th out of the 24 finalists. But first she had to overcome some adversity at the meet. Meet officials did not take kindly to her Roots T-shirt, and threatened to keep her out of the competition. With the assistance of a friendly track coach from a Toronto school, Alicia Cota was allowed to compete. In spite of her own lack of training, Alicia Cota out put most of the other competitors.
Both Alicia Cota and Tom Hughes will be competing at the midget level again next year.
The performances by the two star athletes capped off a good season for the high school, which saw several athletes putting in strong performances at the regional meets that preceded the Ontario final.
Tom Hughes actually put in his best jump of the year at the Eastern Ontario Secondary Schools Association track meet in Ottawa two weeks ago. He jumped 1.87 metres, tying the eastern Ontario record.
In St. Catharines, Hughes attempted to clear the 1.90 metre level after winning the competition, just missing on his final attempt. With a little coaching, Hughes could challenge the Ontario High School high record for Grade 9 and 10 athletes. It is 2.05 metres.
All that can wait, however. For now, Tom Hughes seems content to accept the congratulations of his fellow classmates, and show off his gold medal. For their part, the SLHS is building a new trophy case to house the trophies won in the past and make space for new ones.
