Page 7 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 78

www.sportsenergynews.com Issue #78 May 2019 7

presents BEHIND

THE BENCH

An Interview with Chris Leonard

see a player have that ah-ha moment when
By Molly Kett things come together, and they start to play
with confidence and have success,” says
ocal coach Chris Leonard has been Leonard.
Linvolved in athletics for most of his His coaching philosophy focuses on
life. Throughout high school and college, player confidence.
Leonard was involved in football, track, “I’m a big believer of building a player’s
volleyball, basketball, and baseball. confidence, no such thing as ‘I can’t do
“I have played - been fortunate to be a it,’” says Leonard. “When they start
part of many teams and individual sports playing with confidence and believing in
competing at the provincial and national themselves it is contagious to everyone
level,” says Leonard. “I currently still run and that’s when underdogs do amazing
track and compete at the national level.” things.”
Not only does Leonard still participate in His favourite coaching memory so far
sport, but he’s also taken to coaching, too. took place when the Cornwall Wildcat
So, why did Leonard start coaching? Tyke 2017 team beat the heavily favoured
“When I started playing football, it was a Kanata Knights team. “I remember
coach that helped my family with the funds, the drive back to Cornwall with Kirby
so I could play. I have always competed in Photo Submitted Camplin and we were both saying “how
many sports, but football was my favourite did we pull that off,’” says Leonard.
and because of this experience, I returned with the St. Joseph’s Secondary School coaches within NCAFA who took him under Every since Leonard began coaching for
the favour to the sport by paying it forward program leading to the Eastern Ontario their wing and helped him become a better the Wildcats, he says that Kirby Camplin
and coaching youth football for the last 25 semi-finals. coach. Of these coaches, Leonard says that and the organization made him feel very at
years,” says Leonard. “This year our Mosquito team will be a the late Rough Rider, Bob Stevens, taught home and welcomed.
Currently, Leonard is in his third season bit on the young side, but we have a few him so much about the various ways to use “I have coached for 25 years with
with the Cornwall Wildcats as head coach key vets and a good core group of Tykes misdirection to fool a team’s defence. many great clubs in Ottawa such as the
of the Mosquito program for the upcoming moving up. We will be a solid team in For Leonard, there are a few things that he Bell Warriors, Nepean Eagles and Myers
2019 season. Last year, he coached two Tyke the competitive National Capital Amateur loves about coaching. Riders, but none have had that small
teams to the A cup semi-finals and finals in Football Association this year for sure,” says “First when you see kids progress through community feel and closeness. It’s truly
NCAFA. He was also part of the coaching Leonard. the program and play at high levels where unique,” says Leonard. “Kirby Camplin
staff for the Pee-Wee B cup champions. Leonard says he has worked with many you had a small part of creating the love for has built something special here it’s more
Leonard also had the pleasure of assisting great coaches in high school and many the game they possess. Second, when you than a club; it’s a football family!”
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