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Editor: Norm Nelson Phone: 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax: 905-337-5567 e-mail: nnelson@haltonsearch.com SI 'NDAV. FHBRl ARY If,. 2<X>2 · W \ 32 S P O R T S It's a Tough road to an NCAA scholarship By Jaime Burnham SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER esley Tough has been surrounded by sports all !o f her life but it is vol leyball that has captured the ambitions of this young superstar. Hailing from a family riddled with athletic ability, particularly in tennis and badminton, Lesley found her niche, much like her older sisters, on the volleyball court. "I had been involved in a lot o f individual sports when I was younger. W hen I first played volleyball, I recognized the importance of being part of a team and that drew me to the sport," Lesley recalled. The Oakville Trafalgar OAC student recently signed a letter of Lesley Tough won the national intent with the University of championship with the Louisiana where she has been Hamilton Seekers (and she's offered a full scholarship includ shown, here, third from left, ing room and board, books and with her teammates). Currently, tuition. Impressed with her list of she's set to kick off the Halton accomplishments, the University high school volleyball post sea of Louisiana was ju st one of son with her Oakville Trafalgar dozens of schools in the United Red Devil teammates. States placing offers at Lesley's quick feet. both the provincial and national A com bination of a beautiful championships, the latter in campus, warm weather, a Sherbrooke, Quebec. The icing Canadian coach and a great vol on the cake, for Lesley, was leyball team, made Lesley's being named the national tourna decision to attend the southern m ent's most valuable player. university an easy one. The then proven volleyball "When I made the visit to star's success continued in 2000. Louisiana the campus was beau Lesley, now playing for both the tiful, and the team was great and juvenile and junior Hamilton really made me feel welcome," teams, returned to the provincials Lesley said. and the Seekers landed first and But the road that has led the second place, respectively. 18-year-old to where she now At the 2000 nationals, held in excitedly finds herself has not W innipeg and Montreal, both of been without sacrifice, dedica Lesley's teams walked away tion and plain hard work. Lesley with the gold. forfeited the typical social life of Currently, Lesley is playing a teenager to hone her skills and for the Burlington Blaze rep pursue her desired career in vol team which, while being ranked leyball. first by the Ontario Volleyball In her grade nine year, Association, has its sights set on* L esley's abilities and ambitions the provincial and national were evident, as she was selected championships. starter for the Oakville Trafalgar As well, Lesley continues to High School senior volleyball play for her Red Devils at team. The amazing achievement Oakville Trafalgar. The team, allowed Lesley to not only coached by Mario Seto, finished * improve her play but to share the out the regular season in second court with her two older, sim ilar place with a 7-2 record and looks ly inclined sisters. The three forward to their post season Tough sisters were central to tak debut on Tuesday against E.C. ing the team to the high school Drury. finals that year. Between burning up the court In the same year, Lesley with the Blaze and heating things played rep volleyball for the up with the Red Devils, Lesley Scarborough Tier I Titans. Her puts in approximately 18 hours a exceptional performance with the week training for her Louisiana Titans earned her a spot with the debut in September. Hamilton Seekers during her Despite her hectic schedule, grade 10 and 11 years. Leslie is determined to stay on In 1999, Lesley's hard work top o f her schoolwork as she paid off as her Seeker team won nears completion of her OAC L year. "It's really hard to balance," she conceded. "I have to plan ahead as much as possible. I only have two OAC courses this semester so it gives me time to do my homework in the after noons." Although, she has not made any final decisions, Lesley is considering studying communi cations at Louisiana University. And through everything -- the practices, the tournaments and the extensive travel (Lesley's teams have traveled throughout Canada and the United States) -- Lesley's family has remained her biggest fans. She attributes much of her suc cess to her parents, Rosemary and Graham, her sisters, Ginny and Lindsay and brother, Graham Jr. "My family has played a huge role. They pushed me towards the US scholarship, always thinking I could do it and believ Sports runs in the family It is no wonder Lesley finds herself right at home when playing sports: her parents Graham and Rosemary Tough were both high school and col lege athletes involved in hockey, badminton, tennis, swimming and track and field. Ironically, neither Graham nor Rosemary played volleyball growing up. Both older sisters, Ginny Tough, 21, and Lindsay Tough, 20, were also multi-sport athletes but made their biggest mark in badminton where they were both national medalists. Ginny won gold in doubles and Lindsay won bronze in mixed doubles. Ginny is currently in her fourth year at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo studying business. They didn't have a badminton team but that's no problem for a multi sport athlete -- she is captain of the var sity tennis team. Lindsay is in her third year of Health Sciences at the University of Western Ontario in London and playing intra-mural sports. Graham Jr., 15, is on the Oakville Rangers bantam AAA rep hockey team -- one of the top ranked bantam teams in Ontario. ing in me the whole time," Lesley reflected. O f course, as athletes them selves, Lesley's parents couldn't be more excited about their daughter's success. "She has worked extremely hard for the opportunity through adversity, significant time and travel commitments. Needless to say, we are all really proud of her accomplishments," said Lesley's father, Graham Tough. Lesley plans on trying out for her high school badminton team this year; however, her focus will remain on the volleyball court. For now, Lesley will concen trate on finishing up her final high school year at Oakville Trafalgar before she heads south to begin the next stage of her exciting career. After university, Lesley is open as to where life may take her: "A huge goal would be to come back to Canada and play here, maybe even the Olympics but that is far off for me right now." Future Olympian or not, Lesley is truly a great role model for young woman both on and off the court.