D 2 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday June 19, 2002 Overwhelmed but happy Tina Gautam wasn't expecting athlete of the year honours at last Wednesday's athletic ban quet at T.A. Blakelock High School. She said she was "overwhelmed but happy to receive the award." The OAC student sports a 95 average and will attend the University of Toronto this September, taking sciences. Pursing varsity sports, at this moment, she said, is "iffy" but for sure she will continue intermural athletics -- "probably basketball." Gautam competed in four sports for the school this year -- basketball, volleyball, bad minton and track and field. She had a number of highlights on the play ing field. The basketball team, at one point, had won four regular season games in a row, and was one point and a controversial call away from making the semifinals. In track and field, she finished fourth in the 800m event at the Golden Horseshoe Athletic Council track and field championships. Off the field, she was equally involved, serving her second year as president of the ath letic council. In addition, she found time to volunteer at the hospital as well as tutoring. Athletes of the Year The school year is just about at an end as evi denced by the athletic banquets that have been held at Oakville high schools over the past two weeks. The Oakville Beaver is continuing with our presentation of Oakville's high school athletes of the year. Included in this issue are James Wood, Dan Valley, Kalie Boot, Tina Gautam, Shawn Potter and Greg Schmidt. Stories by Norm Nelson. A Blakelock High School's female athlete of the year is Tina Gautam. She will be attending the University of Toronto in S eptem ber... Barrie Erskine · Oakville B eaver Go west young man, for Blakelock co-winner Go west, young man, sums up the immediate future of T.A. Blakelock High School co-athlete of the year Greg Schmidt. Schmidt said he's heading to the University of British Columbia this September to take com merce. "Just had a feeling that I should go out there, I guess. It should be a good experience." An OAC student with a 90 average, he com peted in football, hockey, badminton and track and field, this year. Hockey was the highlight for him with the Tigers putting in an undefeated regular season in a tough Halton league. Unfortunately, the parity of the league caught Blakelock High School also had co-winners for the male athlete of the year, one of them Greg S chm idt... Barrie Erskine · Oakville Beaver up with them at playoff time as they lost in the first round to E.C. Drury in the dreaded shootout. But it was still a big accomplishment for the team which also won two tournaments -- Beatrice Ice Gardens and Loyola. In track and field, he finished fifth in steeple chase at the Golden Horseshoe Athletic Conference (G-HAC) meet. He was also proud of the fact that the school's war canoe team won the annual Mississauga Canoe Club high school championship. "That's probably the best highlight because we won. We beat out some other good schools from Mississauga to win the championship. And it was all my good friends (on the team)." He was also in on the school's bathtub race team. He thought it was particularly fitting that he was named co-athlete, along with Shawn Potter, since the two were on many of the same teams together. Jamie Smith · O akville B eaver Oakville Trafalgar High School had co-winners for male athlete of the year -- Dan Valley (left) and Jam es Wood. Valley is also Valedictorian It just keeps getting better for Oakville Trafalgar High School's male co-athlete of the year, Dan Valley. Football MVP, Valedictorian, a contribution to sport award -- and, finally, athlete of the year. "I was shocked, honestly. I didn't expect it at all. I expected (co-winner) James (Wood) to win. I didn't know I would also win it. "James is the real athlete," he added, chuckling. "I'm just sort of..." Valley played football and rugby this year and was also assistant coach of the girls hockey team. He had helped coach the girls rugby team two years ago and was sought out to help with the girls hockey team this year. And it was a good year: "We made it to the semifinals." He met with similar success on the playing field. The football team made it all the way to the tier two championship at Ivor Wynne, losing a close one to Iroquois Ridge High School. "For this school, that's a big accomplishment." With rugby, he said, "obviously we did our thing. A dis appointing OFSAA, but s till..." Valley will take kinesiology at the University of Western, and hasn't decided which sport he will pursue. "I've been recruited for football. I don't know whether I'll play that or rugby. I'm sort of leaning towards rugby." He hopes he hasn't seen the last of OTHS. "Hopefully, I'll be coming back here to teach and coach, for at least a bit. I don't know if I want to make it a career or anything. But I want to give something back. It's been good to me." Wallace Pontiac Buick GMC S e ll D o w n SPECIAL FINANCE RATES Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat. June 1 9 - 2 2 7.99% Barrie Erskine · Oakville Beaver Blakelock Secondary School also had co-winners for the male athlete of the year, one of them Shawn P o tte r... jQ k Don't Pay til Sept. 2002 OAC with every used vehicle Take home a quality Optimum Used Vehicle and a NEW BBQ. Get the steaks ready! 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Potter competed in hockey, foot final ouster, after being ranked third going in, they put ball, soccer, badm inton, and, for together another strong regular season. Of course, Wood's season is far from over. good measure, helped out with the He's a member of the provincial U-18 team which is now school's one-time entries into the getting under way in preparation for the national champi bathtub and war canoe races. The OAC student hopes to contin onships at the end of the summer. There's a very familiar feel to the provincial team for ue that trend next year at Fanshawe Wood as he is joined by four players from his own Red College, although he admits he hasn't Devils team and an additional three from other Halton high checked out their sports programs. schools. All are members of the Crusaders rugby club. "I'm not sure what (sports) they In addition, he hopes to try out for the Canadian team this have," he said. "But I hope to play as year. many sports as I can in college." He does have national team experience, not with rugby, He said he will take construction but in field lacrosse, representing Canada two years ago in a carpentry management, likely look tournament in the U.S. ing at police college in two years. He actually got scholarship feelers during that tour, but is Being named athlete of the year, now leaning more towards rugby. he said, is a great way to end the While the rugby team had a disappointing OFSAA run this year, the volleyball team "made it further than expect chapter on his high school years. "It makes you feel pretty good ed" -- all the way to the semifinals. "Our team did very well at OFSAA, even with injuries." about yourself," he said. Wood was also called upon to fill the void when the Like his fellow co-winner, Greg team's number one power hitter went down. Schmidt, he said the undefeated reg Wood also enjoyed a return to competitive swimming. He ular season in hockey was a high was a former provincial champion in British Columbia, but light, despite the heartbreaking exit stepped away from the sport in Grade 5. in the first round of the playoffs on Although he wasn't happy with his OFSAA result, he the dreaded shootout. was happy with the over all progress he made during the Outside the school, for the past year. two years, he has volunteered for the Wood did more than play sports at OTHS. last two years at a camp for Special "I helped coach a few of the teams, here," he said. "The Olympians at Erin Oaks. (See 'Wood' page D3) Multi-sport athlete heads to Fanshawe Wood hopes to wear Maple Leaf $22,984. 1998 Buick C entury Custom 4dr, V6, pw, pi, tilt, cruise, loaded. #214997A $16,987. 1997 Buick LeSabre Custom 4dr, V6, pw, pi, tilt, cruise. #P2009 $15,986. 1997 Pontiac G ra n d A m 4dr. auto. 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With field hockey, she ended up being a starter despite being her first year on the team. "We did very well. We almost went to OFSAA. We just lost (See 'Boot' page D3) $12,987. 1995 Pontiac G ra n d A M 4dr, auto. air. #395229A $14,982. 2000 Lincoln Navigator 4x4 4dr, V8, auto, air, leather, moonroof, loaded. #271784A $8,946. 2000 Pontiac Montana 4dr, swb, auto, air, pw. pi, tilt, cruise, CD. loaded. #P2036A $8,937. 1999 G M C Safari pw. pi, tilt, cruise. 8 pass, detachable door, loaded. #P1998A $27,986. 1999 G M C Y ukon S LT 4x4 4dr, V8, auto, air, pw, pi, tilt, cruise, ps, leather ht f i r air, loaded. #P2040 $8,922. $46,986. $19,967. $16,936. 29,762. Oakville Trafalgar High School's female athlete of the year is Kalie B o o t... · P O N T IA C · B U IC K · C A D IL L A C · G M C · P O N T IA C · B U IC K · Jamie Smith · Oakville B eaver