A team of Archers representing North Eastern Ontario will soon be heading to Windsor, for the Ontario Summer Games. This group includes shooters from North Bay High School Teams: Megan Sheffield, Megan Yemm, Kaitlin Loeffen, Funmilayo Soroye, Lucas Jobin, Lyndon Johnston, Austin Voyer, Josh Forsyth, and Johnathan Champagne.
"It’s one of the strongest teams ever assembled," says their head coach, Ray Sabourin. Not only that, but many of the 12 archers who will representing the Northern District, at the Ontario Summer Games, are from North Bay.
“Our North Bay athletes are progressing because of the high school program. Instead of having two to three kids tryout, now you get 20 to 30 kids trying out for the same amount of positions,” says Sabourin.
At the last games held in Toronto two years ago, the group took home five medals, including two gold.
“I’ve been pretty much set on winning that one since the last time I went,” says 17 year old Lucas Jobin, who won silver at the last games. “I am pretty confident this time around, as I have some high scores that will be hard to beat.”
Jobin is no stranger to major competitions. The Widdifield student won the provincials at the high school level and represented Ontario at the last national championship.
He will be joined by former Wildcard, Megan Sheffield, who has been shooting since the age of the five. She’s gearing up to win her first gold medal at these games.
“I am getting my equipment tuned up because you want it to be bang on for any major competition and you don’t want to be second guessing yourself when you are out there competing.”
Coach Ray Sabourin says he’s seen a dramatic increase in the talent level coming out of North Bay in the past decade. In the first year he took the first four kids who signed up. Now everyone needs to compete for a spot on the team.
“Now you have to cut people and in hindsight, it’s a great problem to have as a coach, because they have to perform at their best to make it there.”
The Ontario Summer Games take place in Windsor beginning August 7th.
