Team of the Year: Ryan O’Donnell and Eigen Conejos

Badminton Pair named recipients of James Kelly Memorial Award for Team of the Year

Ryan O’Donnell and Eigen Conejos, grade 12 students from Chippewa Secondary School, capped off an impressive high school badminton career by winning the gold medal at the OFSAA championships in 2023. It was the culmination of a long journey for the high school friends.

They started playing together in grade 9 at Widdifield Secondary School, as well as joining the KTP Racquet Club in North Bay with their sights set on competing at OFSAA for all four years of high school. Right before the NDA championships in 2020, COVID hit and cancelled not only their grade nine season, but also their grade 10 season.

In grade 11, they saw their hard work and patience starting to pay off, cruising through the NDA loop and NOSSA without losing a match. At OFSAA that year they won their first three matches, before losing to the eventual gold medalist that year.

They settled for a bronze medal in 2022. They picked up right where they left off the following season with another NDA and NOSSA title. At OFSAA they lost their second game, and moved into the B-division, but won their next four matches to take the gold medal in that category, finishing their high school careers by accomplishing the goal they had set for themselves four years earlier.

Conejos and O’Donnell will receive their award at the 43rd Annual Induction and Awards Dinner on Saturday, May 11, 2024, at the Davedi Club. Tickets for the dinner are available by contacting Larry Tougas (705-303-8104), Trista Grant (705-472-0009), or the Davedi Club (705-474-4190).