Last year, Huntsville High School athlete Tommy Giblin accomplished something no other student has in the 111-year history of HHS, by competing at the provincial (OFSAA) level in four different events in the same year.
A member of the senior boys soccer and nordic ski teams, Tommy also suited up alongside partner Brenna Shisko in doubles badminton in addition to challenging for the Ontario title as a solo player in boys singles tennis. In doing so, Tommy was recognized by his school as the Senior Male Athlete of the Year at last year’s athletic banquet.
“It was pretty cool,” says Tommy humbly of his accomplishments. “It’s a neat experience to go to all of those championships, with the best players in the province, to see what calibre they are at and the amount of work they put in to be that good.”
This year, as a Grade 12 student, Tommy will have the opportunity to learn and build from last season’s success
What’s even more impressive is the fact that Tommy’s success came as a grade 11 student, giving the young athlete a chance to improve upon last year’s impressive campaign as an older, stronger and more experienced grade 12 veteran. To realize success as a provincial champion, Tommy feels his best chance will come on the tennis court.
“The tennis OFSAA championship was the highlight of my year, because I reached that by myself and I was playing as an individual,” recalls Tommy. “I felt I had a better chance to succeed there compared to some of the other sports where I maybe felt a little out of place.”
The Huntsville athlete will be returning to OFSAA for boys singles in tennis after winning the Georgian Bay regional championship earlier this fall, and looks forward to building on his quarter final exit last year, which came via tiebreaker and would have otherwise seen him head to the semi-finals. The win in tennis is the sweetener that balances out the bitterness in sport, as the Hoyas boys soccer team came up just short in their bid to repeat as GBSSA champions late last month in a nail-biting 2-1 loss to Holy Trinity, a win that would have seen them advance to OFSAA for the second consecutive year.
Tommy along with the MPS-winning senior boys basketball team, who came within one point of going to OFSAA last season
On the other hand, the Hoyas boys basketball team, of which Tommy is also a member, will have a chance to avenge last season after missing out on the provincial tournament due to a last-second buzzer beater in the GBSSA championship. That painful memory has been a motivating factor that has stuck with Tommy this year, as HHS gears up for the first round of basketball tryouts this week.
“I’m pretty competitive, I like to do well and I like to beat other people. I just have that drive, where I like to win,” says Tommy. “I want to make it to basketball in OFSAA, and I want to succeed at the OFSAA level in other sports. I had a little bit of success last year, but I want to see if I can compete with some of the higher level athletes instead of just making it there.”
Despite having the experience of last year on his side, Tommy acknowledges that replicating former success won’t be easy. Having picked up badminton for the first time in his grade nine year, it was an eye-opening experience for the Huntsville native going all the way last season and playing against the best in Ontario.
Tommy with badminton doubles partner Brenna Shisko at the GBSSA championship
“Badminton was pretty crazy, the teams we were going up against have been playing their whole lives,” he says. “You can tell they practice a lot more than we do. That was a bit of a jump to the next level, I had never really seen people who are that good at badminton. That was a big challenge.”
Other sports require a mix of physical prowess and mental fortitude, like the grind of endurance racing. Tommy credits his Nordic skiing teammate Nathan Forestell for not only introducing him to the sport, but also helping him develop the skills that would allow him to be competitive at a high level.
“Skiing is always tough, that’s such a grind to race, it’s an exhausting sport. Whenever you’re doing a cross country ski race you know you’re going to be on the edge of puking at the end of the race so that’s always a challenge. It can be mentally draining, you need to make sure you’re focusing on what you’re doing and trying to compete to the best of your abilities.”
A role model closer to home, but just as critical to Tommy’s athletic success, has been his older brother Matthew, currently a third-year university student. The two grew up in constant competition, always pushing each other on the sports field and in the classroom. Tommy’s parents have also provided an environment ripe for his athletic success, between providing financial support, driving him around the province to various events, and reminding him that even more important than winning is remembering to also have fun.
“It’s crucial, most people don’t have the financial stability or the help from their family to be able to play all of the sports I am able to play,” says Tommy. “It’s not an opportunity everyone is able to get and it’s something I am very grateful for because it’s not something everyone gets to do.”
John Cowan at the high school has been a big part of Tommy’s athletic career, and is someone he credits with providing help and support in skiing, soccer, and dealing with the pressures of being a student athlete. His other coaches – like basketball coach and vice president Kelly Picken – have also provided invaluable insight and encouragement along the way.
Tommy’s plan after graduation is to continue playing sports while getting a degree from one of Waterloo, Queen’s or Western University in a business or finance program. While the decision won’t completely come down to offers from each respective school’s sports teams, Tommy admits being able to play tennis, golf or basketball at the university level would be a great bonus.
Don’t miss out on Doppler! Sign up for our free, twice-weekly newsletter here.
0 Comments