32 Years After Their Parents Missed Their Chance.
Jim Spencer and Karen Watson (nee Ashby) are Port Hope High School Alumni as well as teachers. Jim and Karen were mixed doubles partners in High School under the direction of their coach Selwyn Shields. Jim and Karen placed 3rd at COSSA narrowly missing their chance at OFSAA.
Thirty Two years later Jim’s daughter, Emily Spencer and Karen’s son, Spencer Watson, teamed up as mixed doubles partners.
Emily and Spencer earned a spot at OFSAA in North Bay May 1 – 4th, 2019 after obtaining a silver medal at COSSA in Haliburton.
At OFSAA there were 40 mixed doubles teams competing for the top spot. Emily and Spencer made it to the B flight consolation quarterfinals earning them the top 16th placed overall.
Emily and Spencer made it to game 100 at OFSAA out of 115 games of mixed doubles.
When they are not practicing badminton at High School they pick up extra competition at the Port Hope Racquet Club with Jolyon Thompson and Adam Wilson.
OFSAA played out as follows: the pair began in A Flight Game #1 with a big Win 21-8, 21-10 against CISSA (Conference of Independent Schools of Ontario).
A Flight Game #2 Loss 13-21, 14-21 against TDSSAA (Toronto District Secondary School Athletic Association).
This team went on to win the A Flight.
Emily and Spencer then moved into B Flight with Game #3 Winning 21-13,21-15 against GBSSA (Georgian Bay Secondary Schools Association) moving them into B Flight Quarterfinals with Game #4 Loss 10-21,13-21 against GHAC (Golden Horseshoe Athletic Conference).
This team went on to win the B Flight Consolation.
Emily and Spencer moved down into the B Flight Consolation with Game #5 another Win 21-14, 21-11 against SOSSA (Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Association) now on to B Flight Consolation Quarterfinals Game #6 with a disappointing Loss 16-21, 19-21 against ROPSSAA (Region of Peel Secondary Schools Athletic Association).
Emily Spencer and Spencer Watson never played so well together.
Court movement was in sync and where they needed to be; Shots were placed in the outside lanes; serves were low to the net; and smashes hard.
Although it was tough to lose it was amazing to think of how much the pair accomplished together.
Making Spartans Proud!
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
