It's that time of year when athletic excellence is being celebrated at banquets near and far.

When it comes to Cambrian College, few have done it better than Melanie Finley (1997-2001) and Brad Boudreau (1989-1993) – with both northern natives recently recognized, named as inductees to the OCAA (Ontario Colleges Athletic Association) Hall of Fame Class of 2025.

A national champion and silver medal winner, Finley teamed with badminton partner Gabe Roy to capture gold at the OCAA level three straight years, sharing OCAA Female Athlete of the Year honours (1999-2000) with the teammate who was raised in the same hometown.

Back in their youth, Kapuskasing was THE place to develop as an aspiring badminton talent.

“Tennis was my first love of a racquet sport but my dad (James) loved badminton, introduced me to it (badminton) and I completely fell in love with the sport,” Finley recalled, now having spent nearly two decades or so living in the GTA and surrounding areas (Oakville, Ajax and now Pickering).

“I started with the club, learning how to hold a racquet, learning the footwork. It was wonderful to be part of a team, part of a club.”

That’s also very much how she recalls her time spent at Cambrian, tackling some personal struggles at a time when mental health awareness simply did not garner the focus that it does today.

“When I think back on it now, the constant support that I had from the school, my team, my coach, my parents, my roommates and my friends brought so much positivity to my life,” Finley suggested. “That kind of saved me.”

For one year and one year only (1997-1998), coach Rob McCann would slide Finley into ladies singles play, where she earned a silver medal while Roy earned gold in mixed doubles play alongside Richard Coufal.

"I am a strong singles player but I am much more passionate about playing doubles," said Finley, who starred at the high-school level, walking off with OFSAA gold when she teamed with Carly O'Keefe representing Kapuskasing District High-School.

While her two children are not adverse to badminton, their true love lies with volleyball (son) and ringette (daughter).

Memories of his years with the Golden Shield are every bit as special for Brad Boudreau, an Azilda native who starred for coach Rod Lum during his time with the Chelmsford (CVDCS) Flyers.

An Ottawa resident since the turn of the millennium, Boudreau was a three-time OCAA all-star on Cambrian Division II champion volleyball teams that went on to challenge and excel at the Division I level – finishing second only to the Sheridan Bruins in back to back years and placing 5th at nationals in both instances.

“I was so glad that I landed at Cambrian,” said Boudreau, a two time Male Athlete of the Year at the school. “Our team really came together. We did everything together. Those are still some of my fondest memories in sport.”

Drafted in the 12th round of the 1986 OHL draft by the London Knights, the 6’5” middle was very much an all-around athlete who supplemented some decent physical skills with personal traits that were geared for success.

“With any sport that I played, it was always my competitive drive, the willing to always try and be the hardest worker that helped me the most,” said Boudreau. “I was lucky to have some athletic ability but I wouldn’t say that I was ever the highest jumper or hardest hitter or the fastest skater.”

“I just wanted it more.”

Understandably, Boudreau was a middle - though very much unlike those who step into the role these days with their college squads.

"In those days, it was a lot of coaching of fundamentals," recalled Boudreau. "You had to be a good passer no matter what position you were. I was a passing middle, which doesn't really exist in new volleyball."

Moving on to close out his post-secondary career with one season with the Humber Hawks, at the conclusion of which an all-star team was formed that captured U.S. nationals in Memphis, Boudreau continued to play through to his fifties - though the eldest two of his four girls have gravitated towards competitive basketball instead.

That might have been true for their father as well had it not been for coach Rod Lum, the man who created a dynasty in Chelmsford.

"He made volleyball my passion and things just went from there," said Boudreau.

And kept right on going - all the way to the OCAA Hall of Fame.