GROOMBRIDGE NAMED TRAINER-OF-THE-YEAR

Press Release

The Ontario Junior Hockey League today announced that Andrew Groombridge (photo credit - Craig Campbell/HHOF) of the Georgetown Raiders has been named the inaugural recipient of the OJHL Trainer-of-the-Year Award.

Groombridge has been the Head Athletic Trainer with the Raiders for the past 12 seasons, beginning his tenure in Georgetown during the 2000-01 season. The 51-year old native of Sarnia, Ontario joined the Junior ‘A’ club with a wealth of experience already in his back-pocket, having started his training career back in 1974 with his high school football team. His experience over 38 years includes time spent in football, lacrosse, fast-pitch softball, and of course hockey, as well as participating in more than 30 national championships at the minor, amateur, college and professional level.

“Drew,” as he his known by many, is as dedicated and well-respected a trainer as there is in the OJHL with contributions for not only the hometown Raiders, but often the visiting team squads as well. During his 12 seasons with the Raiders, the club has captured three OJHL regular season titles, would host and win the 2005 Dudley-Hewitt Cup and participate in the Royal Bank Cup that was held in Weyburn, Saskatchewan that season. He would use that experience at the Royal Bank Cup to assist the Streetsville Derbys as hosts of the National Junior ‘A’ Championship the following season. Also during this time, the Level Three Hockey Canada certified trainer would assist with three OHA Under-17 camps, three OHA High-Performance camps, the 2009 World Junior ‘A’ Challenge Evaluation Camp, the 2010 Under-20 Three Nations Cup held in Norrtalje, Sweden and the 2011 Central Canada Cup All-Star Challenge.

A fifteen time All-Star in the various sports he has covered, some of Groombridge’s other sports accomplishments include national championships with the 1983 and 1984 Point Edward Pacers Junior ‘B’ Lacrosse Club, as well as with the 2005 and 2006 St. Thomas Centennials Senior Men’s Fast-pitch Softball Club. He was also the Head Athletic Trainer for two seasons with the Detroit Turbos professional lacrosse club, just prior to joining the Raiders, and went home to assist the Petrolia Squires Senior Club when they hosted the 2001 Allan Cup in Sarnia, Ontario. In 2010, his 36 years of service were recognized as he was Inducted into the Sarnia Lambton Sports Hall of Fame with the Special Achievement Award, for the person who over a number of years has made significant contributions to sports beyond athletic endeavours.

Truly a “Jack-of-all-Trades,” Groombridge is also the trainer for the Halton Hills Bulldogs Junior ‘B’ Lacrosse squad and the St. Thomas Centennials Fastball team, along with finding time to hold down full-time employment. Despite the busy schedule, he can still be found wandering the corridors of the Alcott Arena seven days a week, making sure the Raiders are well taken care of for their next challenge.

The OJHL Trainer-of-the-Year Award is awarded to the trainer, therapist or equipment manager that is adjudged to be the best at his profession for his/her member club throughout the course of the regular season, while past experience and time served will be taken into consideration.


Dave Campbell of the Whitby Fury and Drew Laskoski of the Newmarket Hurricanes were co-runners-up in the OJHL award balloting to Groombridge.

Campbell has spent the past six seasons in the OJHL, originally with the Pickering Panthers and now with the Fury, while Laskoski has been in the OJHL since 1987, spending 10 years with the Stouffville Spirit, before joining the Hurricanes for the past 15 years.

The inaugural OJHL Executive of the Year Award recipient will be announced later this week.

(Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)