About Me

I am currently in my 21'st year of teaching with the Avon-Maitland District School Board. I coach boys basketball and track and field. I live in Stratford with my wife Lee-Ann and my two boys - James (2005) and Justin (2008).

I grew up on a beef cattle farm located between Exeter and Kirkton, ON. Sports truly shaped who I am today. I am very thankful to my parents who supported my interests in various sports and activities. As a child, I played organized baseball since the age of 4 where I pitched, played shortstop or centre field. It was though baseball that I learned that I could throw very hard. I also loved playing soccer and basketball. I won several Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championships in elementary school (Usborne Central School - near Exeter, ON). As a high school student at South Huron District High School in Exeter (Panthers) from 1989-1994, I played numerous sports and they impacted and continued to shape my life and career tremendously. I was the starting quarterback on the football team, ran cross country, played basketball and threw the javelin on the track and field team http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javelin_throw. My hard work and positive attitude payed off when I won an OFSAA Gold Medal in the senior boys' javelin throw in 1994 OFSAA Senior Boys Javelin Champions.pdf As a high school student/athlete I won a total of 4 OFSAA medals for the javelin throw (1 Silver - Midget Boys, 2 Bronze - Junior Boys, 1 Gold - Senior Boys). I fulfilled another dream the following year when I was offered a full four year athletic scholarship to Southeast Missouri State University (Redhawks) Southeast Missouri State Redhawk Athletics (NCAA Division One) http://www.ncaa.org ) in Cape Girardeau, Missouri (near St. Louis) to throw the javelin on their track and field team . Some of my most memorable athletic experiences, friendships, and travelling opportunities developed at Southeast Missouri State. I still keep in touch with and visit my good buddies on the track and field team who now live from from California to Florida to Chicago. As a freshman I could see the mighty Mississippi River from my dorm room window. At Southeast Missouri State I combined my passion of athletics with my passion of working with people and decided to major in Concurrent Physical and Health Education (Honours). As an athlete at Southeast Missouri State I was a four-time Ohio Valley Conference Champion in the javelin www.ovcsports.com I was also nationally ranked by the NCAA in 1995 (24'th in NCAA) and 1997 (20'th in NCAA) www.ncaa.org. I still hold the Southeast Missouri State Men's record (since 1995) at 67.74 metres (222' 3" in 1997). I earned a Canadian top ten ranking for the javelin throw (Athletics Canada) http://www.athletics.ca/home.asp between the years of 1995 and 2001. Another dream was fulfilled when I had the honour of representing Canada internationally when I was a selected as a member of the Canadian National Track and Field team that toured Scandenavia (Finland and Norway) during the summer of 1996. I placed 5'th at the Canadian Olympic Trials in 1996. I am currently ranked 38'th on the All-Time Canadian Men's Javelin throwing list Canadian All-Time Mens Javelin List.pdf. Upon graduation from Southeast Missouri State I was excited to return home to my family and begin my teaching career in Ontario.

I absolutely love teaching and coaching at Stratford Secondary School and I could not imagine being anywhere else!

My Grade 3 (1983) science project. I've always loved science and launching things into the air (rockets, baseballs and javelins). For my model rocket science project, I used rockets that my older brother Jeff and I built and launched on our home farm located between Exeter and Kirkton.