In the absence of another OFSAA Championship, we are taking the days leading into what would have been the 2020 OFSAA Cross Country Championships to have a look back on Club success on the annual championship.
Before we begin the ten day countdown of our all-time list we felt it best to recognize someone from the Lions pride for their outstanding performances at OFSAA XC – coach Kirk Dillabaugh.
Since his first day at Glebe Collegiate Institute on January 31, 2000, Coach Dillabaugh has brought an enthusiasm for physical fitness and running unrivaled in most high schools. That enthusiasm coupled with his experience and knowledge in the sport has turned a program that had sporadic success to a perennial provincial powerhouse.
Since his arrival, Coach Dillabaugh has coached an impressive 69 teams to an appearance at the provincial championship – 38 girls teams and 31 boys teams. While he had teams finish in the top 10, it was not until the Championship returned to Ottawa in 2011 when things really hit their stride. That year’s midget girls became the first under Dillabaugh’s tenure to breach the top five with a fourth-place finish and combined with Yves Sikubwabo’s senior boy’s individual gold served as a catalyst for the success that has continued for the Gryphons the last nine years.
In the eight seasons that have followed, Glebe has qualified an impressive 41 teams to OFSAA with more than 65 percent of them cracking the top five. Of those teams, a staggering 18 reached the podium resulting in six team titles, six aggregate titles, and five individual medals including two OFSAA champions. While not officially awarded any longer, Glebe has also captured the grand aggregate title (boys and girls combined) at each of those eight championships.
Dillabaugh summed up the mentality of his Glebe Gryphons quite well in an interview with Ottawa Sports Page last season saying, “It’s always exciting to have the hard work you’ve put in rewarded, but what’s really fulfilling for us is we’re there competing for that overall title every single year now.”