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Cheer on the OMHA at the Tokyo Summer Olympics

By Ontario Minor Hockey Association, 07/14/21, 3:30PM EDT

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You may be playing against a future gold medalist

Perhaps the last big sports event before the hockey season gets underway is the Summer Olympics. Every four years, top athletes from around the world gather to compete in various athletic competitions to capture the pride of a nation.

As previously highlighted, playing other sports in the off-season helps to build a complete overall athlete and learn new skills. The OMHA will be well represented in Tokyo as nine members of Team Canada played OMHA hockey growing up. You never know if you're playing against a future gold medalist.

We want to wish these athletes and all of Team Canada the best of luck in going for gold this summer! For more information and biographies, click here.

Name: Corey Conners
Hometown: Listowel
Event: Golf (July 29)
OMHA Team: Minto/Listowel (2004-10)

Conners was a member of the Listowel Cyclones team that won #RedHats in 2009. His first full season on the PGA Tour was in 2018. He competed in 28 events and earned his first top-10 finish at the Fort Worth Invitational. He finished the season ranked 130th in the Fedex Cup, leaving him five spots away from attaining full time status for the 2019 season. In the shortened 2020 season, Conners’ best result was a tie for sixth at the Zozo Championship, but he also put up 10 top-25 finishes.

Name: Michael Foley
Hometown: Milton
Event: Cycling - Track (August 2)
OMHA Team: Milton Winterhawks (House League, 2005-15)

Foley started cycling at the velodrome in Milton when it opened in 2015 and began competing a few weeks later. He had been mountain biking and road cycling for several years prior. Foley used to compete in sailing before cycling and says that when he fell behind in a sailing race he didn’t have the tools or know-how to catch up, but cycling is as much a battle of attrition as strength, which suits his competitive personality.

Name: Matthew Hughes
Hometown: Oshawa
Event: Athletics - Men's 3000m Steeplechase (July 30)
OMHA Team: Oshawa-Nasc (House League, 2004-07)

Hughes made his Olympic debut at Rio 2016 a moment to remember as he finished 10th in the 3000m steeplechase for Canada’s best ever result in the event. He started running track in grade three because he loved getting out of school and being the fastest kid on the playground and began focusing on steeplechase in high school. Hughes graduated from the University of Louisville with a Bachelor of Science in Education and Sports Science.

Name: Trevor Jones
Hometown: Lakefield
Event: Rowing (July 23)
OMHA Team: Lakefield/Douro (Local League, 2004-11)

Still a hockey fan to this day, Jones laced up as both a skater and goalie during his time in the OMHA. He started rowing at his local club in 2013 after it was recommended to him because of his height. Jones he qualified in the single sculls in May 2021 where he finished second in the event.

Name: William Jones
Hometown: Jerseyville
Event: Sailing (July 27)
OMHA Team: Ancaster (Local League, 2004-13)

While attending Queen’s University, Jones represented the school in multiple regattas, which included a victory with his team at the 2016 Student Yachting World Cup in France. Jones joined a learn-to-sail program at age 10 and competed in his first regatta when he was 13. He graduated from Queen’s in 2018 with a Bachelor of Applied Science. His superstitions include not shaving during a competition and wearing mismatched socks for good luck.

Name: Pierce LePage
Hometown: Whitby
Event: Athletics - Decathalon (August 4)
OMHA Team: Whitby Wildcats (House League, 2006-13)

He started training in track and field with triple jump in elementary school and transitioned to decathlon at 17. He loves to play video games in his time off, especially League of Legends. LePage also works at his track doing maintenance and overseeing the patrons. He is currently studying Interdisciplinary Social Science at York University.

Name: Stephen Maar
Hometown: Aurora
Event: Volleyball - Indoor (July 24)
OMHA Team: Aurora Tigers (2005-07)

Maar played collegiately at McMaster University from 2013 to 2016. He finished on the podium four times at the CIS Championships with the Marauders, taking silver and bronze twice each. He turned pro in 2016 and has played primarily in the Italian Serie A1 since. In 2018 he finished third for the CEV Cup with Calzedonia Verona and in 2021 he won the third tier CEV Challenge Cup with Allianz Milano.

Name: Benjamin Preisner
Hometown: Milton
Event: Athletics - Marathon (August 8)
OMHA Team: Milton Winterhawks (AA, 2004-13)

The 25-year-old graduated from the University of Tulsa in 2019 with a degree in chemical engineering. He ran his first half marathons in 2019, finishing first in Vancouver and in Toronto. Preisner made his marathon debut at The Marathon Project and ended up as the top Canadian, finishing eighth in a time of 2:10:17 which was well under the Olympic entry standard of 2:11:30.

Name: Jordan Steen
Hometown: Tecumseh-Shoreline
Event: Wrestling (August 1)
OMHA Team: Tecumseh-Shoreline (AA, 2004-09)

In 2019, Steen was a member of Team Canada at the Pan American Games where he finished fifth. He also won the U Sports national title in the 100kg weight class while representing the Concordia Stingers where he studied Arts and Science. In December 2019, Steen won the 97kg weight class at the Canadian Wrestling Trials. He secured his spot at Tokyo 2020 by winning his semifinal at the Pan American Olympic Qualifier in March 2020.


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