Defending COSSA champs ready to roll
Posted Feb 2, 2012 By Bill Freeman
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EMC Sports -Norwood - The Norwood District High School badminton Knights want to make it two titles in a row as they prepare for the 2012 season. 
Bill Freeman, Campbellford EMC
Sarah Widdis and Michael Loucks set the bar high for Norwood badminton players after winning an OFSAA medal last year. The pair have graduated but left a lasting legacy the team hopes to build on as it defends its Kawartha and COSSA titles.
One of the smallest high schools in central Ontario, they're also the mightiest on the court doubling up as Kawartha and COSSA champions last year.
"I think Norwood is one of the teams to beat in the area," head coach Jeff Winslow told the Northwest EMC.
They've got a solid core of returning veterans including COSSA junior champs Alana Reed and Jenna Baptie who step up to senior and COSSA bronze medallists Jordan Burtt and Shannon Grattan. They'll miss the steady presence of OFSAA medallists and two-time COSSA champs Mike Loucks and Sarah Widdis, but Winslow likes what he's seen so far at NDHS club practice.
"Overall we have a pretty good chance of repeating," he said.
But they will have their hands full fending off challenges from East Northumberland in Brighton and Haliburton. ENSS has nearly four times as many students as Norwood and is "always diffi cult," Winslow says.
"We show that a small school with some determination can compete against some of the bigger schools," he said.
"At the NDHS club, even though it's recreational, what you have developing is a bunch of COSSA-level players playing each other every week and making themselves that much better."
"And people want to be part of that success" which means top Grade 8 students moving up to high school are eager to try the sport out.
"You take your lumps and you lose and you lose but you get better every time and then when you play other schools our guys are the ones winning. It's competition breeding completion and it's successful," Winslow said of the club.
Winslow is really hoping Amber Teasdale comes back for another semester. The three-time COSSA qualifier is "knocking on the door of OFSAA" and would be a real leader on the team, he says.
Junior COSSA qualifier Sam Gerow has looked good in practice and "should make an impact" as a senior. Travis Bennett placed fifth at COSSA and is back as a junior.
Kate Oliver and Emma Smith will be a top junior team. The mixed doubles pair of Mike Burtt and Kelen McIvor will be formidable.
"It's nice to have that balance with veterans and newcomers," Winslow says.
The veterans show the rookies how to work hard at practice and stay focussed at tourneys.
"It's good to have veterans there at tourneys to calm them down."
They also help pass along skills.
"The more eyes on the players the better. You can't teach experience and experience is so key that's why we have exhibition tourneys so they get on the court and feel that panic and fight through it so the next time they're on the court they're a little more relaxed and they have a game plan."
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