For Immediate Release: June 13, 2011
Canadore Shooting for College Varsity Basketball
College varsity basketball is back at Canadore beginning in 2012. Led by Head Coach Leo Bechard, the Panther men’s basketball team will once again compete to be the top team in the Ontario College Athletics Association (OCAA) and Canadian Colleges Athletic Assocation (CCAA) leagues.
Bechard has a long history in the world of postsecondary athletics. For over 12 years he coached men’s varsity basketball at Northern College leading the team into eight consecutive OCAA basketball championship games. He was also Athletic Director and Professor for a number of years at Northern.
Working under Athletic Director Linda Turcotte, Bechard will oversee all aspects of the basketball program. His responsibilities will include recruitment, team selection and managing the athlete scholarship program.
“Varsity athletics is one of the driving forces in creating a positive quality of life for our students. It also encourages a sense of community and fosters healthy relationships between students,” said Turcotte. “Panther varsity athletic programs have the power to shape Canadore tradition, develop a strong sense of belonging for our students, faculty, staff, alumni and members of the community.”
Canadore is extremely proud of its long-standing commitment to students through sport and healthy living. The Athletics, Recreation and Wellness Department has many athletic programs including varsity and club-level sports such as men’s and women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s indoor soccer, men’s ice hockey and men’s basketball. The department also offers a number of recreation and wellness activities. Each year, approximately 1,200 students participate in Canadore’s diverse athletic and wellness programming.
Canadore College has over 65 full-time quality programs, outstanding faculty and student services and boasts the highest graduation rate amongst the 24 public colleges in Ontario.
