Athletics

The Georgian College Athletic Department has been selected to host two major championship events in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) 2013-2014 calendar.

Georgian College will serve as host for the East Regional Badminton Championships on February 7 and 8, 2014 and the OCAA Men’s Volleyball Championship from February 20 through 22.  Both events will take place at the Athletic & Fitness Centre at the Barrie Campus.  Georgian was successfully selected as host for both events after submitting their bid at the OCAA annual general meeting which took place in London.

“We are thrilled to be given the opportunity to host these prestigious events,” noted Georgian College Manager of Athletics Michele McConney.  “We look forward to welcoming so many of the top student-athletes from across the province to our facility and into our community.”

The East Regional Badminton Championships bring together the top players from the six east region OCAA Colleges with the top performers advancing to the OCAA Championship.

The event will build on Georgian’s strong reputation and history in badminton as the College has hosted numerous events over the years including the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Badminton National Championship this past March.

Georgian will also host the OCAA Men’s Volleyball Championship with the eight top teams competing for the top prize over three days of competition in February 2014.

More information will be announced leading up to the event including ticket packages to see all the action live.

Former Georgian Grizzlies women’s basketball star Helen LaBine (nee Helin) was inducted into the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Hall of Fame during a ceremony which took place on Wednesday, May 1 at the Delta Armories Hotel in London, Ontario.

LaBine played four OCAA seasons in women’s basketball, debuting with Durham College in 1982-83. She led all of her teammates that season with 121 points.

LaBine moved on to Georgian College in 1985-86, and set the OCAA Division II record for points in a single season with 182, averaging 18.2 points per game. Helen was named an OCAA League All-Star as the Grizzlies earned an OCAA bronze medal at season’s end.

It was more of the same in 1986-87, as for the second straight year LaBine was second in league scoring averaging 22.3 points per game. She also set another OCAA Division II record with 43 points in a single game. Georgian once again earned the OCAA bronze medal as Helen was named both an OCAA League and Tournament All-Star.

In her final season, LaBine led Division II in scoring averaging 22.8 points per game, as once again, Georgian was awarded the OCAA bronze medal. LaBine was again named an OCAA League and Tournament All-Star.

LaBine left the OCAA as the all-time leading scorer in Division II with 591 points. She was named Women’s Athlete of the Year at Georgian College each of her three seasons with the Grizzlies.

“I was honoured to be selected to the OCAA Hall of Fame,” said Labine shortly after her election.  “To be acknowledged in the company of athletes that played at a national and Olympic stage was humbling.”

LaBine graduated from the Georgian College Nursing program in 1988 and now works as a nurse practitioner in Timmins, ON where she lives with her husband John and their son Colton.

Looking back Labine sees the great impact being a Georgian varsity athlete had on her life still to this day.

“My belief in a healthy active lifestyle is something that is important in both my personal life and in my professional life.  As a mom, my role is to encourage a healthy lifestyle and support my son in his activities.”

Congratulations to Helen on her well-deserved induction into the OCAA Hall of Fame.

It’s time to catch some Blue Jays baseball!

Sign up for the Campus Recreation trip and see the Blue Jays take on the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday, June 18 at 7:07pm.

Tickets are available for purchase at the Athletics Desk inside Building-J for only $30 ($35 for non-students) which includes your lower bowl ticket to the game and transportation to and from the Rogers Centre to the Georgian Barrie Campus.

This is the Colorado Rockies one and only trip to the Rogers Centre this season and their first since 2007.

It’s a Tweeting Tuesday at the ballpark, @BlueJays followers will also have the opportunity to win great prizes and experience a Blue Jays home game in a whole new way, and don’t forget to follow you @GeorgianGrizz as well!