Birchmount Park - School of the Year in Sports?

I am not sure if it is time to check the H2O at Birchmount Park Collegiate or just flatly admit that this east end Toronto school simply is just so much better than others in sports.

All right, I have to admit that I had some thoughts about the school's exceptional or elite, call it what you want, athlete program being a magnet to attracting talented kids. But, there are others — not in the program — also pulling their weight in sports. And, there are a few more schools with special programs in sport — and I don't see them excelling like Birchmount Park.

It's interesting that the football team, after a thrilling semifinal win over Trinity are now just one win away from a Metro Bowl (and that's on Nov. 25 at the Rogers Centre against Markham District). The Panthers have never won the big game before — but this could be the year. They're also not superstitious at that school: a win would cap the year at 13-0.

With all the hullabaloo in football, there should be just as much for the boys' senior volleyball team. They won the Ontario championship last year, also kicked some butt dominating the Toronto season and then the title on Wednesday. Garrett May and his buddies are unbeaten in some 60 games — and favoured to win gold at the provincial level next week in London.

While the football team preps for the trip to the Rogers Centre, the baseball team has already been there. Yup, six months ago, the Panthers won the Prentice Cup at the home of the Blue Jays. And Birchmount Park has also won titles in girls' soccer, cross country, ice hockey, track and field — and I may have missed a few.

I know there have been some potholes in the road to success, like the sad situation involving the hockey team at an Ontario playoff, but that's the past — and sure hope some people also let this thing go rather than hold grudges against reporters who just did their job — and well, too.

Whether it's Aaron Brown's sparkling touchdown, from 19 yards deep in his end zone and dashing down the field on Wednesday, or Toronto Star allstar infielder Bryan Piper's success at the plate and in the field at the '09 Prentice Cup or swimmer Paolo Olavario's gold medals in the pool earlier this year, something is going right.

Yes, ladies, I haven't forgotten. Multi-sport star Kodee Williams is counting the days until she moves on to a scholarship in the fall and soccer player Lacey Warner has taken her memories to the University of Wisconsin — just one of many post-secondary schools with Birchmount Park athletes.

I should mention that the school does have a great sports stadium next door and Variety Village, where teams have trained and played while the gym was under renovation this year, is a block away. Yes, kudos to the coaches too. But it is much easier having a slew of exceptional or elite athletes in the building.

Maybe I should end the promo now. Congrats to the athletes and coaches. Maybe it's time the administration gives them all attention too.

Comments

[Paul]

Doesn't surprise me that Birchmount Park has done so well. Other schools would be in the same situation if they had the same guidelines to attract students who happen to be very good athletes.

[WW]

They must love you at Birchmount Park and even the guys who mutter bad words when they hear your name. Ignore those yahoos because they can't take the heat when they're caught with their pants down or in the cookie jar. Good for you to recognize the good times and nail them for wrong doing when it happens.

[MT]

I don't know why everyone is so caught up on the elite athlete program, those certain students involved in that program can no longer play the sport they excel in anyway. Birchmount is good at these sports for the same reason anyone is good at something; they work hard, practice hard and play hard.

[Sports girl]

Me being a student at Birchmount and being in the B.E.A.P program.... the reason we have such strong built teams is because many of the athletes are multi sport athletes. They cannot play the "top" sport if out of area but canplay others that they are equally good at. Our teams also have very dedicated, strong players on it and we make everyone feel welcome. We have superb leaders on the court/field and we have great coaches. Got give it up for Mr. Rob Pacas! :)

[Piper]

Attention all high school athletes.
Call 1-800-Birchmount.

[Steve]

Aaron Brown excels in track and field.
He's a Canadian silver medalist at the World Youth Games in Italy last summer. I read it in the Toronto Star.
Dah, he also ran track for his school too.
Dah, that's the same sport.
Let me guess, they make exceptions.
Dah, that's crazy.

[Da Bear]

Hey Grossman, you're mellowing.
They have some great athletes at Birchmount Park but they're also playing with the rules too and they know it. Thats as stinky as my sox.

[Dunk]

You jealous bunch of guys make me laugh so hard that I want to throw up. Maybe you want to pick on coaches too like they have a recruiting group who go out and seek these athletes, then take them out and dine them and buy them sports equipment and more. Now, if that's true, I want in to coach there also. Kids recruit and others go to where the teams produce. Straight and simple. That's why there are so many schools in Toronto with lousy sports teams.

[george]

imagine combining richview, eci, martingrove and silverthorn in the west.....that doesnt include those in mississauga as birchmount gets kids from outside of the toronto borders.....they should be playing with the likes of st. mike's and the other private schools as thats what it has basically turned into......

[Alex]

Time for Toronto to crack down on the lack of balance in school sports. Look at the Birchmount Park record and it's not all by coincidence that kids live around the corner from the school.
Allowing Birchmount to get away with this abuse is a recipe for disaster in school sports.
Same garbage going on at Northern with their senior football coach Diminico thinking he's ready for the NFL and listening to him ramble on and make a fool of himself on Rogers television.
Please, this is high school sports.

[Billy Craig]

I wonder if all the cynics would be after other schools who had the same success. I'm not much of a gambler but i would wager a few bucks that the people who can't stomach the Birchmount success are teachers and coaches at other schools who like to play with rocks in glass buildings. The only beef I have is that it's very disappointing that these students get no respect from others when they have to play in front of a few dozen people. This says something about the poor organization by the people running these high school events who don't seem to care about trying to build crowds.

[Peel Fan]

"And, there are a few more schools with special programs in sport — and I don't see them excelling like Birchmount Park."

Dave, could you please name all these school with equivalent programs in sport because the only one I can think of is Bill Crothers in York region and in two short years it has become evident that they will soon be dominating sports in their region, too. They're already contenders in many sports without having a full compliment of grades yet.

Those with their heads stuck in the sand like ostriches can ignorantly claim it's jealousy all they want but it doesn't change the fact that these schools have a significant advantage that will eventually force OFSAA to act and rightfully limit their participation in regional and provincial championships.

[David Grossman]

To Peel Fan, look carefully. Many of the others do excel in sports but maybe not so prominently as Birchmount Park.
In Toronto, Vaughan Road, Northview Heights, Silverthorn and Birchmount Park - one in each part of the city - have specialized programs relating to sport.
Throughout the Greater Toronto Area, several schools have introduced special courses and subjects focussing on sports - and they have attracted athletes. An example is Donald Wilson in Whitby. But there are many, many more and the new school, Maxwell heights, is talking about introducing a special hockey course.
Yes, we also have Bill Crothers in Markham, often referred to as the "sports school" because of its focus - on sports. The York District School Board doesn't hide that either - and it's created quite as bit of friction among other schools, coaches and sports.
As for OFSAA, they knew this was coming a long time ago -and did nothing. Same old story now too.
Further problems, once the Ontario Government gave the green light for students to attend any school, with the permission of the Principal, it created further problems and OFSAA seems dazed by the entire thing.

[Ross]

The trend to elite sports schools started when the school boards in the GTA Toronto approved the idea of optional attendance (students attending a school from out of its catchment area) This allows the development of special sports schools like Birchmount or Crothers and allows schools like Eastern Commerce or Pickering to recruit and attract basketball players from well outside their areas. This has resulted in the decline of the neighbourhood school rivalries and the resultant Tier 1, 2 and Varsity Development leagues. Can we go back to the good old days? Not likely, but OFSAA, the school boards and the schools (principals) can reign in some of these schools to level the playing field.

Now what about the scholarships that that are offered by some of the CISAA schools to attract athletes to their schools?

[Anonymous]

Well said Ross but my son is at a private school and they're offering him academic assistance.
If you think they are doing that because he is very good in sports, maybe. But he's a 90 per cent student, plays in the school band and is also very heavily involved in community work. So, do I assume you want to penalize him - especially when I can't afford the tuition of a private school?