Skip to content

The legendary Legendre

Incoming Cambrian College students looking to grow their badminton talent have been spoiled, and for quite some time, really. Through two decades of success, the team has largely been guided by a few of the best coaches in the country.
Incoming Cambrian College students looking to grow their badminton talent have been spoiled, and for quite some time, really.

Through two decades of success, the team has largely been guided by a few of the best coaches in the country. The tenure of OCAA Hall of Famer Rob McCann is unparalled in the college ranks, having guided his team to seven consecutive provincial championships.

These days, the baton has been passed to Timmins native Donald Legendre, one of the best players the North has ever produced. Born and raised in Timmins, Legendre was a typical multi-sport athlete upon entering Grade nine at Timmins High & Vocational School, though he cites tennis as his first serious sport.

"My brother (Dominic) played badminton, I was more into basketball," said Legendre. "I joined the badminton team because my brother was on it."

Unfortunately, or perhaps quite fortunately, the younger sibling also had natural talent.

"The way I hit the bird, the way I was moving on the court — the footwork and skills were just natural for me because of tennis," said Legendre.

That would lead to a decision to be made, as time would not permit the youngster to devote himself fully to both basketball and badminton. As his love of the sport grew, so did his ability and determination to get better.

Tutored by legendary Timmins High coach Frank Belanger — "The best coach I ever had," Legendre said — the now 41-year-old father of two developed to the point of needing to branch out, to take his game to another level.

He would head south, training at A-level camps in Toronto and Port Colburne, and moving onto workout at a national training facility in Ottawa, alongside his brother. Success followed Legendre through the high school ranks and onto collegiate competition.

Representing Northern College, he won gold in the men's singles event in 1992, duplicating the feat at Canadore (North Bay) four years later. His play would earn him an invitation to train in Calgary with the selection camp of the 1996 Canadian Olympic badminton team.

Sadly, his dream was derailed in an instant. A police chase on a snowy winter's evening in Timmins hurled a suspect's car directly into the path of the vehicle driven by the unsuspecting Legendre, who remembers little of the accident, other than waking up in the ambulance.

And while he says he never fully recovered to become the player he was prior to that fateful night, his accomplishments are nothing short of remarkable.

"The doctor said that I would never be able to play sports again," Legendre said.

But the determination that drove his desire to improve his badminton game turned that doctor's prediction into a challenge.

"I wanted to prove him wrong," Legendre said. "It was different after the accident. Instead of conditioning, attacking and skill, it became more about strategy, the mental game, figuring out the other person's weaknesses."

Little surprise that he would migrate to coaching.

"My knowledge of the game, the experience of different styles of coaching that I had, understanding the talent that is out there — a lot of my background helps me have confidence in my coaching," Legendre said.

It's knowledge he loves to share, even as his daughters, Olivia and Ella, just start down the path where badminton leads them.

And knowledge that spoils those select few who throw themselves wholeheartedly into the Cambrian varsity badminton environment.

Comments

Verified reader

If you would like to apply to become a verified commenter, please fill out this form.