Mustang Carson Gauthier:

Gauthier Selected as Recipient of Athletic Performance Training Grant

We’re pleased to share that we’ve selected Carson Gauthier of Sacred Heart Catholic School as the first ever recipient of the Erion Insurance Athletic Performance Training Grant. A succeeding Track and Field athlete, Carson is striving for academic excellence with hopes to be accepted into a Space Science-focused university.

A message from Carson:

“I would really like to thank Erion Insurance for providing the strength training scholarship. Because of their generosity, I now have the ability to focus specifically on becoming a stronger and more competitive athlete. I have grown up knowing that academics must always be a focal point for me and I’m happy to say that last week I was selected as the valedictorian for the graduating class of 2020 at Sacred Heart Catholic School in Chippawa. School will always be a priority as I would one day like to get involved in space science and engineering.

Track and Field has also become a passion for me, and I have had some fantastic experiences over the past year in the sport. Between July 2019 and Sept 2020, I have had the opportunity to win nine provincial gold medals, set three all time provincial records, and was named Athletics Ontario’s under – 14 athlete of the year in 2019. More recently, I set the under-15 Ontario javelin record and have achieved the Canadian National standard for discus, javelin, high jump, 100 meter hurdles, short put and the pentathlon. What I am most excited about right now is becoming a part of the Iron Performance community where I will be learning how to improve myself for the coming season.

Thank you again for your generous donation and I look forward to being an active Iron Performance member.”

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Carter has coaching in his blood

By Bernie Puchalski - October 19, 2020: BP Sports

Brian Carter’s indoctrination into high school coaching began at an early age.

“My dad, James, was a phys-ed teacher at NFCVI and I always remember sitting on the bench during basketball games growing up, going to his phys-ed office, having birthday parties in the gym and that kind of stuff,” he said.

Carter has been coaching football and boys and girls rugby at Lakeshore Catholic and Saint Michael for the past 25 years and his brother Dan, a teacher at Notre Dame, has been coaching the Fighting Irish junior football team for the past two decades.

“We grew up with the idea that when you taught, you coached as well,” Brian said. “I had a lot of good coaches over the years who taught me things outside the classroom that were important and I wouldn’t have learned inside the classroom.”

Coaching also played a crucial role in his life away from teaching. While coaching rugby at Lakeshore Catholic, he met his wife Kathy, then doing student teaching and coaching at Westlane, at a coaches meeting.

“We met and hit it off. We ended up dating, getting married and I wouldn’t be where I am now if not for coaching.”

The couple has four children, Rachel, 25, Trinaty, 16, Nathan, 14, and Jaela, 13.

Coaching relationships have always been important to Carter and he has been coaching since Grade 11. That year, he was doing a recreation and leadership class at A.N. Myer and he had to do something in the community.

“I coached Grade 8 basketball for two years at Cherrywood Acres,” he said.

His coaching has led to lifelong connections.

“I am still friends with a lot of those kids and seeing them having families and careers is pretty exciting.”

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Transitioning between In-Person Learning and Online Remote Learning

Secondary Student Requirements:

Parents/Guardians of secondary students who wish to transition between in-person and online remote learning must complete the Secondary Student Transition Form by the dates below:

Transportation Requirements:

Regardless if your child transitions between in-person or online remote learning, if your child is eligible for transportation you must complete the Opt-In / Opt-Out Transportation Request through Niagara Student Transportation Service (NSTS).  Read the detailed Back to School Transportation Plan for additional information.

Falls teen continues to break records

By Bernie Puchalski - September 15, 2020

Carson Gauthier is the definition of a quick study.

Training seriously for less than a year, the 14-year-old Niagara Falls resident has chalked up an impressive list of track and field accomplishments.

The Grade 9 student at Saint Michael Catholic High School in Niagara Falls has won nine provincial gold medals, set three provincial records and was named Athletics Ontario’s under-14 athlete of the year in 2019.

His most recent under-15 record came Sept. 4 in Brampton when he threw the javelin 53.12 metres. His previous best in the event was 46 metres.

“I don’t know what happened. That is a good question,” Gauthier said, when asked to explain his record throw. “That was a big leap (in his personal best) because I didn’t practice for two weeks before that.”

The Thorold Elite Track Club member, who won the under-16 boys javelin event at a track and field meet last Saturday at the Niagara Olympic Club, is clearly trending in the right direction.

“That (Brampton) throw would have won OFSAA (Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations) track and field for novice boys javelin in 2019 so it’s exciting to think about the possibilities for next year if we are lucky enough to have OFSAA back,” Thorold Elite coach Steve Fife said.

Breaking records has become a normal expectation for Gauthier.

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