Team
1989-90 CKSS Boys Volleyball
SPORT | Volleyball
LEVEL | OFSAA “AA”
YEAR OF INDUCTION | 2015
Front Row (L to R): Earl Grant, Mike Service, Wayne Wright, Jake Birch, Middle Row1; Randy Bartlett (assistant coach), Jeff Siddall, Colin Pittuck, Darby Kalp, Aaron Hamilton, Jon Teetzel, Leigh Edwards (manager), Dale Lahey (head coach), Back Row: Todd Johnston, Kevin Butcher, Mark Service, Rhian Bohunicky
1989-90 CKSS Boys Volleyball Team Induction into the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame, 2015 Front Row: Mike Service, Wayne Wright, Jacob Birch Middle Row: Randy Bartlett (assistant coach), Jeff Siddall, Colin Pittuck, Darby Kalp, Aaron Hamilton, Jon Teetzel, Dale Lahey (head coach) Back Row: Todd Johnston, Kevin Butcher, Rhian Bohunicky, Leigh Edwards (manager)
1989-90 CKSS Boys Volleyball Team Induction into the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame, 2015 Front Row: Mike Service, Wayne Wright, Jacob Birch Middle Row: Randy Bartlett (assistant coach), Jeff Siddall, Colin Pittuck, Darby Kalp, Aaron Hamilton, Jon Teetzel, Dale Lahey (head coach) Back Row: Todd Johnston, Kevin Butcher, Rhian Bohunicky, Leigh Edwards (manager)
As of 2014, Chatham-Kent Secondary School has won 15 OFSAA gold medals in volleyball, 10 by boys and 5 by girls. This is more than any other school in Ontario. Coached by Dale Lahey, Randy Bartlett, both products of the Mort Giles’s teams in Merlin High School, Corrine Rich, and Brian Leidl, CKSS has built a program that continues to gain respect throughout the province at all levels of competition.
Prior to 1985 there were two levels of competition for OFSAA championships. Up to this time CKSS boys teams had gone to four OFSAA championships at the highest level without winning a medal. In 1985, OFSAA created three levels of competition and CKSS became a “AA” school because of its enrollment. In the four years from 1985 to 1988, the Dale Lahey coached teams came third three times and fourth once. In 1989-90 they finally struck gold.
The 1989-90 Hawks compiled a record of 94 games won and 23 losses, many of these against top “AAA” teams in tournaments throughout southern Ontario. They won SWOSSAA by beating Windsor Forster Secondary School 15-5 and 15-6 and then beating the host Kingsville District Secondary School, 9-15, 15-6, 15-6 to earn the school’s fifth consecutive trip to OFSAA.
OFSAA was held at E. L. Crossley Secondary School in Fonthill. Because of its season’s record, CKSS was seeded number 1. In pool play, CK beat Crossley (15-4, 15-6), Etobicoke Richview Collegiate (15-9, 15-1), and Temiskaming District Secondary School (15-4, 15-8). In the quarter finals, they beat 2nd seeded Banting Memorial High School from Alliston (15-11, 16-14) and in the semi-finals, they beat Carleton Place High School (15-10, 15-1). In the finals, CKSS beat North Bay Widdifield High School (15-11, 15-8) to win the 1989-90 OFSAA “AA” volleyball championship. This was the first gold by any Chatham school above the “A” level and it began the incredible run by the CKSS volleyball teams.
Coach Lahey took the opportunity during the season to play all thirteen players extensively, letting them gain experience. This paid off the following year for new coach Randy Bartlett, as nine players returned and the team won a second gold medal at their home gym. In the next year, five players, Kevin Butcher, Darby Kalp, Earl Grant, Colin Pittuck and Jon Teetzel, then made it three consecutive OFSAA gold medals as they won again in Niagara Falls.