Page 26 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 136

Presents Jim Riddell’s Sports Talk

with Area Senior : Steve Ostler

Serving You Since 1937
goaltending but wouldn’t utilize it until years later.

Optimist minor football was two years old when
Jim Healey convinced Steve to join. He played
three seasons. During his second year Chico and
Squint Dicola were the coaches. The two brothers
had a positive influence on Steve and helped him
By Jim Riddell
improve his football skills.
teve grew up on Hoople Ave, west of Domtar, a High school took Steve to CCVS in his last year
Sneighbourhood surrounded by factories where of Optimist football and introduced him to new
many mill hands and their families lived. There sports. Basketball wasn’t for him, but track & field
were lots of kids, and behind West Front School was. Ellis Barkley was a knowledgeable coach,
was an empty grass field, (the original Archie’s loved his sport, and shared his passion for it. The
driving range), the perfect place to play any sport. track team started training in January. There was
After supper you’d find him there until sunset a long hall in the school’s basement. Running
when you couldn’t see a ball anymore, then it was footsteps echoed off the walls as runners sprinted
time to go home, grass stains and all. after school until the snow melted and the team
moved to the field. Track became a part of high
In addition to field sports, he loved road hockey.
school for Steve. Hurdles, the 100 and 220 yard
He wasn’t a strong skater, but could run and dashes, and team relays were his races, long jump Photo Submitted
compete on concrete, and Leonard Ave. had a
was his field event.
perfect dead end for a bunch of kids pretending
it was their arena. He developed a love for Continued on page 27

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