At Father Henry Carr Catholic Secondary School, this school year was outstanding for our athletes. This season was filled with breakthrough performances, personal bests, resilience, and moments that our athletes will remember long after their high school years.
One of the highlights of the season was having 24 athletes qualify for the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) championships, an accomplishment that cannot be overstated. OFSAA Track and Field is the largest OFSAA championship in the province, bringing together thousands of athletes, coaches, officials, and spectators. To earn a place among Ontario’s top athletes is a remarkable achievement and a testament to the dedication and hard work of our students.
In St. Catharines this past weekend, our athletes represented FHC with pride, determination, and sportsmanship. While several athletes narrowly missed finals or podium finishes, they competed at the highest level and demonstrated tremendous resilience throughout the championship.
We were proud to leave OFSAA with one gold medal, one silver medal, and a new OFSAA record.
Mariah W. delivered an exceptional performance in the 400m, earning a silver medal and missing gold by just one millisecond. Our Novice Boys Relay Team—Jalen B., Prince D., Daniel T., EJ Henry, Emmanuel O., and Nigel W.—made school and OFSAA history by winning gold and breaking the OFSAA record in the Novice Boys 4x100m relay by running a time of 43.84.
What makes these accomplishments even more impressive is how they were achieved. We did not have access to our track for regular training. Our athletes practiced in hallways, on small patches of grass, and attended evening and weekend sessions off-site. We also relied heavily on the support of parents, and York University's Coach Corey to help provide training opportunities that our athletes otherwise would not have had.
While academics are, of course, essential, experiences like these remind us that education extends beyond the classroom. The lessons learned through athletics—discipline, resilience, teamwork, leadership, accountability, and perseverance—are invaluable. Although extracurricular activities may occasionally require students to miss class time, they are still learning, growing, and developing skills that will serve them well throughout their lives. Programs like these help keep students engaged, connected, and motivated.
FHC Track is something truly special. There are many excellent athletic programs, but what makes this one unique is the sense of care, consistency, and family that surrounds it. The relationships built between athletes, coaches, staff, parents, and alumni create an environment where students can thrive both athletically and personally.
I would like to extend sincere thanks to Mr. Malfitano for his continued support of our athletes and track and field program. Thank you as well to Chamoun Yammine and Mark Kamran for supervising throughout the OFSAA weekend, and to Melissa Parda for making the trip to support our athletes in person—your presence meant a great deal.
A special thank you also goes to Shawn and Kitty B., Jalen’s parents, who helped facilitate transportation to and from practices, supported athletes throughout the season, and played a tremendous role in organizing and encouraging our Novice Boys every step of the way. Their commitment and generosity were invaluable to the success of the group.
Thank you to Adrian Della Mora for his financial support in assisting the team with OFSAA expenses. His contribution helped make this experience more accessible for our athletes.
Thank you also to the secretarial staff for their ongoing assistance throughout the season with communication, organization, and day-to-day support. Their work behind the scenes is deeply appreciated and essential to the smooth running of the program.
Thank you also to the many staff members who sent messages of encouragement throughout the season and during OFSAA. The athletes were genuinely appreciative of knowing that their school community was behind them.
