Page 26 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 90

26 Issue #90 July 2020 www.sportsenergynews.com

Tales from the Radio Dial Pike Football Academy

of the CN Tower on it. It was a terrible Kicks Off
AM radio with a plastic 10-inch replica
little radio that had no reception at all
- until one night when I set it under By Rob Foreman originally recruited to St. Francis
By Thom Racine my window just above the baseboard Xavier University as a quarterback.
heater. Luckily, the house didn’t catch hroughout his own football He then made the switch to receiver
on fire, as by morning the base of the Tcareer, Jeremy Pike had to resort before finding a perfect fit on the roster
radio had molded into a new shape. to travelling an hour out of Cornwall as the starting free safety. During his
Oddly, the only channel that it would to attend training camps in Ottawa. career at St. FX, he was a part of three
must admit to having a very receive after that, was 1050 CHUM in Sometimes he even had to leave the conference championship teams.
I understanding household. My love Toronto. Even though the CN Tower country and go to the U.S. to get the Now Pike aims to pass on his
of games and sports in general seems was plastic, it must have been some proper training that he needed. It’s expertise to the younger generation.
like it takes precedence in my life sort of karma as I believed the tower that hurdle that inspired him to create
although it really does not. was bringing in the signal. Considering Pike Football Academy (PFA) in his “I hope athletes will excel in
At a very young age I could find we lived fifteen miles south of Ottawa, hometown. football knowledge and ability
many sporting events on the radio and it had to be, right? “Although nearly every small town through my academy. I want athletes
I even had certain areas in my bedroom Today, you can listen to sports talk has football programs and amazing that want to be the best and want to
where I could put the radio for better radio 24 hours a day, and even watch coaches, only big cities offer play at a high level and I want to help
reception. One night, while lying in sports radio personalities talking on the position-specific training for athletes them get there,” says Pike.
bed and staring out the window, I radio with TV and the Internet. Talk looking to play at a high level,” says PFA is run at Joe St. Denis Field
thought I saw a UFO (remember, when radio is all about hype. Listen to the Pike. “I wanted to create a program and is open to all age groups and
everyone was seeing them?) and right radio the day of a big game and fans get that athletes can use to train when skill levels in both private and semi-
after the siting, a Bruins game came in their chance to be the coach and press there isn’t a high-level trainer around private sessions. Athletes can find
as clear as it ever would. What made it types will figure in on all the angles. It them.” more information about training with
even better was it was a game from Los is a common theme in our car, no matter PFA at the academy’s Facebook or
Angeles. what the AM signal is - Thom is sure to A multi-discipline player, Pike was Instagram pages.
There were many baseball games alienate everyone on board by insisting
to be followed, but my beloved Expos he can hear enough through the scratchy
with Duke and Dave on 105.1 FM was static and that in a few more miles it
all I cared about. In the mid-seventies, will be much clearer.
I went to Toronto and purchased a little Happy COVID July everyone!

Warner’s Insurance presents

Member of the Month
Member of the Month

Judy MacLeod

BORN: Judy was born in Vankleek Hill. She lived on her
family farm near Dunvegan until she graduated high school and
moved away to work.
CAREER: Judy worked in Ottawa and Montreal. She was
always interested in sports in high school. Judy enjoyed Alpine
skiing for many years. She is now busy learning her new sports
interests: golf and curling.
OSGA INTERESTS: Over the years, Judy has competed and
won medals in the following events – Washer Toss (new OSGA

game), Horseshoes, Carpet Bowling, Floor Shuffleboard,
Cribbage, Euchre, and Bowling. Judy enjoys the social aspect
of the competitions. She has played in the District, Regional, and Provincial Games and
would like the games schedule to last longer so she can continue to participate in the fun
competitions.
For more OSGA District 8 information, contact District Coordinator Linda Vickers,
(lvickers1262@gmail.com), or visit OSGA 55+ at www.osga55plus.ca/districts/district-8.htdm .
Serving Cornwall and SDG for 30 years

Local

www.warnerbrokers.ca Service
Online
613-932-7210 • info@warnerbrokers.ca Quotes Private quarterback training session with Tristan Deschamps, a 16
year old quarterback from La Citadelle. Photo credit: Thomas Legallais