Bobsleigh Olympian Jay Dearborn At Mikes Pizza In Sydenham

Jeff Green | Sep 17, 2025

It takes a lot of money to go to the Olympics, and aside from a few sports that have a high profile, the monetary rewards for making it to the highest level of international competition can be slim.

Bobsleigh is one such sport. While it is popular at the Olympics, the athletes have to maintain their physical and technical skills, and even some of their equipment needs, out of pocket.

Jay Dearborn is no stranger to this reality. He has been a top level athlete, in football and bobsleigh, for most of his adult life, playing in university for The Holland College Hurricanes in PEI, for the Carleton Place Ravens in Ottawa, and for stints in the CFL, a career that was hampered by some injuries.

It was at the end of his college playing days in Ottawa, that he was introduced to Bobsleigh, as a complementary sport to pursue, which is not uncommon for football players.

In June of 2019, he was released from the Saskatchewan Roughriders after a training camp injury, and attended his first Bobsleigh Ontario, later that month. He returned to the Roughriders later that season, but has also carried on as a bobsledder ever since.

“Both football and Bobsleigh require strong explosive athletes. Training for one is training for the other,” he says on his website.

Continuing to pursue both sports though COVID, he played 8 games (starting 4) for the Roughriders in 2021, before sustaining a season ending injury. He qualified for the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, as a brakeman for the Trevor Austin sleigh in the 4 man event. The team finished in 23rd place at the Olympics.

While pursuing two athletic careers, he has also completed a degree at Carleton in Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering, which took 7 years because of all the athletic interruptions.

In 2023, Bobsleigh became a bigger focus, as he began to transition from being a brakeman to becoming a pilot.

Last year was his first season as a full time pilot, leading a 4 man team. He is currently preparing to return to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina, Italy.”

As a less than mainstream sport, Jay Dearborn depends on local sponsorship to cover his costs. One of his main sponsors has been Belleville-based Reid’s Dairy.

He has strong connections in Sydenham, since both his parents taught at SHS, and he has long time friends in the community.

One of them is Mike Tousignant, another Sydenham resident who opened his second Pizzeria in Sydenham earlier this year, which is doing well.

“I am always happy to sponsor community events and sports teams at both my locations,” said Mike, whose first shop, which is 3 years old, is in Bath.

“I wanted to support Jay, since I’ve known him forever, but I thought I would like to do more than just write a cheque.”

Mike had the idea to do a raffle, and he approached McKinnon Brothers, who he knows well from Bath, and they donated a bunch of items. The raffle raised a fair bit of money in August, about $2,000.

Now, he is running a second raffle, and among the prizes this time, there are Blue Jays tickets, golf passes to Rivendell, and a lot more. For ticket information, check the Mike’s Pizza and More Facebook page or head to the store at 4423 William Street in Sydenham. A portion of the sales of Canadian Pizza slices is also going to support Jay Dearborn.

This Saturday, in recognition of all the support, and to help spur on raffle ticket sales before next week’s draw, Jay will be coming to Mike’s Pizza and More in Sydenham between 12:30pm and 2:30pm, and he will be bringing his custom made sleigh with him. It is a great opportunity to meet him, learn about the sport, get a photo with the sleigh, and support a local Olympian to pursue his dream.

For further information, call 613-376-1002 or check Mike's Pizza and More Facebook page.