Bruce Henderson:
CLASS OF 1967
Rideau High SchoolClass of 1967
Ottawa, ON
Sir Wilfrid Laurier High SchoolClass of 1969
Ottawa, ON
St. Michael SchoolClass of 1959
Ottawa, ON
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel SchoolClass of 1959
Ottawa, ON
St. Joseph Elementary SchoolClass of 1959
Ottawa, ON
Bruce's Story
Life
I was born in our family home at 186 Montreal Road (where the Jean Coutu drugstore currently stands) in what was then known as Eastview (now Vanier - a part of Ottawa). We moved to 399 Rideau Street (south of Sandy Hill) in 1951 and I attended St. Joseph's School in Sandy Hill for two years.
We then moved to the RCMP grounds in Manor Park and I attended Our Lady of Mount Carmel School from 1953 to 1958. Then, we moved to 950 St. Laurent Blvd and I attended St. Michael's School (near St. Laurent Shopping Centre) for Grade 8.
For the first few years at Rideau, we lived on St. Laurent Blvd, but we later moved to nearby, 883 Paddy Lane.
When I was 12 years old, I began organizing soccer leagues for the guys in the local community. I also organized touch football and hockey leagues. There was no adult involvement in those days.
I continued organizing soccer leagues during my teens and also assisted with the Rideau High soccer team promotion and results. I also played for the Rideau High varsity soccer team for five years - our best season was 1965 when we won the Eastern Ottawa Division with an undefeated season. We were upset in the semi-finals by Brookfield High School.
I was the Secretary of an Ottawa amateur soccer club at 20 years old and held various soccer administrative positions with three Ottawa soccer clubs (Ottawa Falcons, Ottawa Royals & Ottawa St. Anthony's Italia) and both the Ottawa Senior Soccer Association and Ottawa Minor Soccer Association throughout my twenties and into my thirties.
When I started organizing soccer leagues in 1958, I didn't realize that I would still be involved 60 years later.
My high school, college, workplace and military experiences are outlined under the above tabs.
I am married to Marie and we have been living happily together for the past 21 years in Maple (near Canada's Wonderland - north of Toronto).
Children: Tiffany (first wife); Brendan & Trevor (second wife).
Grandchildren: Kyra (1995), Alexa (1997), Logan (2003), Emma (2003), Kieran (2005), Liam (2005), Owen (2007), Madeleine (2008) and Wesley (2015).
I eventually stopped playing soccer (after 56 years) at the age of 61 and I officiated soccer for 36 years until I retired as a referee in 2007 at the age of 61.
Avid music lover of all types: pop, nostalgic (especially 60's), blues, opera, classical, country, folk, jazz, celtic (both Scottish & Irish) and Italian. I have posted my Top 10 Favourite Songlist in the Shortlists section of my profile and that includes the Top 10 for every year of my life.
School
While at Rideau High School, I lived at 950 St. Laurent Blvd and later at 883 Paddy Lane (3 minute walk from public library beside Rideau).
I was a member of Rideau High soccer team for 5 years in the 60's, including the 1965 team which finished in first place in the East Division but was defeated 2-1 by Brookside in the City wide semi-finals. We watched the City Final when Tech defeated Brookside in overtime. It was the biggest disappointment of my teen years.
In Grade 11, I was the class representative on Rideau's Sports Council but, I don't remember too much about that experience.
Sports and music were my two main loves during the high school period. I listened to music all the time and carried a portable tape recorder around (on which I recorded my favourite songs). Music cassettes hadn't been invented yet.
Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Kinks, Peter & Gordon, The Troggs, The Lovin Spoonful, Mamas & Papas, Donovan, Peter, Paul & Mary, Simon & Garfunkel, Eric Burden & The Animals, the Byrds, the Beach Boys, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, Joe Cocker, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Buffalo Springfield, Jim Morrison & the Doors,
My all-time favourite then and now was Bob Dylan. I went to two Dylan concerts in 2007 in addition to the CSNY concert. In 2008, I saw the Eagles in Toronto 30 years after attending their 1978 conc...Expand for more
ert in Ottawa and saw them for a 3rd time in 2010. It's great to hear these guys still singing. In the last couple of years, we have gone to concerts by CSNY, Eric Burden & Animals, Simon & Garfunkel, Rolling Stones, Turtles, Tremeloes, Neil Young, James Taylor, Bruce Cockburn, Santana, Bruce Springsteen, Heart, Eric Clapton & Jeff Beck, Joe Cocker and Dylan. Also, we attended the Beatle tribute "Rain" which is the closest you can get to the Beatles. This is all great nostalgia for the "good old days" at Rideau High in the 60's with a little bit of 70's music thrown in.
Favourite teachers at high school were:
Miss Metcalfe - English
Mr. McMahon - Math subjects (geometry, algebra, trig)
Mr. Robillard - Health & Physical Education - also geometry
In my early years at Rideau, I spent most of my "non school" time in the Alesther Street/Dunbrack Street/Telford Avenue area (between Donald Street, McArthur Avenue & St. Laurent Blvd.) and playing sports was the main activity. During the last three years, my hang out was in the Montreal Road/Centre Street/Clarke Avenue/Borthwick Avenue/Cummings Avenue area. Sports was still important during that time but also parties, music, beer and our motorcycles.
College
After I finished high school, I worked for several years. I worked in the Records Department at Towers (Cyrville) and then, I worked for the Department of National Defence (CFB Rockcliffe). I attended Algonquin College (Recreation Studies) from 1971 to 1973. It was a fantastic two years both educationally and socially. The knowledge gained in the Recreation Studies programme was very applicable to my 42 year sport administration & recreation career.
I played for the hockey team for the "School of Applied Arts" (I think it was called) and the games between the four schools comprising Algonquin College were extremely competitive.
I represented the "School of Applied Arts" on the Algonquin College Sports Council and while there, lobbied for a varsity soccer team. The varsity soccer team was introduced one year after I graduated but, we did introduce an intra-mural soccer league at Algonquin in my last year. Progress comes slowly. Now, soccer is the main sport at Algonquin College.
Workplace
After graduating from Algonquin College, I worked for the Department of Recreation & Parks for the City of Ottawa. I then worked for the Sports Federation of Canada for four years. I wrote a weekly soccer column for the Ottawa Journal for two years. In early 1979, I moved to Nova Scotia where I spent nine years as the Executive Director of Soccer Nova Scotia.
I returned to Ontario in December 1987 to work for the Ontario Soccer Association. Initially, I was the Director of Operations. Then, I became Director of Member Services and finally, the Director of Organizational Development. I retired from the Ontario Soccer Association on August 16, 2014. I am still heavily involved in soccer as a volunteer giving me a total of 62 years in an administrative capacity.
Military
I was a member of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa from 1962 to 1966. Then, I served in the 30th Field Artillery for two years. Both of these were militia - not full time.
I was promoted to corporal in the Cameron Highlanders in 1965 after spending the entire summer at the base outside Niagara-On-The-Lake. That was a wonderful summer. It was a great boot camp. I had lost 35 pounds by the time I returned to Ottawa at the end of the summer, I was super fit for the soccer season.
Places Where I Have Lived
I spent the first 32 years of my life in Ottawa (if you count the 4 years in Eastview/Vanier). Then I lived in Nova Scotia for 9 years (3 years in Dartmouth & 6 years in Halifax). I lived in North York (7 years) and North York is now part of Toronto. Then, it was Richmond Hill (4 years) & Maple (25 years and counting) which are two cities just north of Toronto.
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