The high point of his career

HIGH JUMPER DEREK DROUIN LANDS A SCHOLARSHIP

By DAVE BORODY, THE OBSERVER

When Derek Drouin was asked how he got started in the sport of high jump, a wide grin appeared on his face.

"It's kind of a funny story. I was in kindergarten and the teacher, Kelly Gilhuly just happened to be the high jump coach at the school. So we got lots of exposure and I remember even trying it at a young age. I really liked it."
Fast forward to 2008 and Drouin's interest in the sport has been rewarded with a scholarship to Indiana University.
"I'm really excited about and also kind of nervous," said the 18-year-old Corunna resident during an interview earlier this week at the Athletics Southwest track on East St. "I really don't know anyone there, but I am looking forward to it."
Drouin, who recently graduated from St. Pat's, knew right away Indiana was where he wanted to go.
"When I went for a visit, I knew it was where I wanted to go. It's big in one sense, but not that big. The members of the track team there were very friendly and the coach was awesome."
Drouin said he had interest from several schools after sending out portfolios of his accomplishments, but after visiting Indiana, he didn't visit any other schools.
"It's about a seven-hour drive from here. There are about 38,000 students. It's also in the Big Ten Conference and that will be good."
He recently capped his four-year high school career in outstanding fashion. He won the Lambton Secondary Schools Athletic Association meet, the Southwestern Ontario Secondary Schools Association title, the Ontario Federation of Schools Athletic Association regional meet and finished off by placing first at OFSAA.
It was the second time in his high school career he won all four meets in the same year, the first time being in Grade 10.
Drouin stands six-foot-four and weighs 170 pounds. His personal best so far has been to clear the bar at 2.11 metres.

He will take a general arts and science course the first year before deciding on a major for his next three years. He plans on concentrating on high jump at Indiana, but may try the decathlon as well.

"I've done some summer
decathlons and the coach there feels I have some potential. We'll see what happens."
And if the Drouin name sounds familiar when it comes to track and field, there's a good reason why. His oldest sister, Jillian, 21, has just graduated from Syracuse University where she starred for four years in track and field and won several events and school awards. She now plans to attend chiropractic school in England. His other sister, Alysha, 19, just completed her first year at Adrian College in Michigan on a hockey scholarship.
"I remember after my second sister got a scholarship, people were asking me if I was going to get one and if the pressure was on. I'm happy to get one and it's nice, but there was never any real pressure."
Drouin says he has lots of people to thank for him getting to this point of his athletic career.
"Well, it all started with Mrs. Gilhuly. In high school, Kelly Goertz was my coach from Grades 9 to 11. Mrs. Butler at St. Christopher, along with Keith Concisom, Nathan Teft and Dave Howson all helped me a lot. Then there's Joel Skinner from SCITS and my coach with ASW. He's put in a lot of hours helping me improve."
Skinner says Drouin has a real upside to his career.
"He has been dedicated to the program right form the start. He's one of the hardest-working athletes I've ever been around. He's benefited from that hard work, but wants to get better. He knows what he wants. He's almost an 80 percent student in school and that's important."
Skinner says going to a school like Indiana should benefit Drouin.
"Since they are paying for his schooling, Derek is going to get a lot more one-on-one coaching that we could provide here. They will spend the time in developing his talents. I'm sure they might have him branch out and do other events as well. And it's nice they are in the Big Ten and not too far from home."
Drouin's first love is high jump, but he also competed in cross-country for three years, basketball for two years and tennis and soccer for one year while at. St. Pat's.
As for long-term goals, Drouin said, "I would like to qualify for the NCAA meet at least during my career at Indiana. After university, I'm not sure what I want to do. I would love to compete in the Olympics some day."
When he first entered high school, Drouin was jumping 1.66 metres. Now he's up to 2.11. "Probably my best improvement came from Grade 9 to Grade 10 when I went from 1.66 to 1.90. I feel there's more in me to go higher."
He starts classes Sept. 2, but reports a week earlier to Indiana for student orientation week. This summer he will take part in a couple of twilight meets, but will also be going to British Columbia later this month for the Canadian junior nationals.
Derek is the son of Sheila and Gaetan Drouin.
Drouin finished the interview by joking, "all my life I've been wearing the green, gold and yellow colours, whether it was at St. Joseph's in Corunna or at St. Pat's. Now it's basically one colour and that's red."
There's no doubt he will adjust and do the Hoosiers proud.