Conestoga Condors

Conestoga College Condors Kitchener, ON OCAA

We were happy to sit-down and speak to Ron Taylor the head coach at the college...

How long have you been the coach at the college?

I have been here at Conestoga College for 10 years. I did also serve as the head coach for a period in the 90's. Today Tori Taylor, Mike Waechter and Stefanie Baril are the other coaches.

What programs are in demand at the college?

Our student's education is our first priority. A lot of our varsity students take Nursing, ECE and Police Foundations. Conestoga is one of the best academic colleges in Ontario, they are always competitive in all their varsity sports. Varsity students have free access to tutors if they so wish.

Where does the team play it's home games?

Currently we play our home games at Budd Park in Kitchener. There is some talk about creating a new turfed diamond on our campus. That would be great to see as several other OCAA opponents have recently undertaken similar projects in the last number of years.

What training does the team do in the off-season?

During the off-season we do strength and conditioning training in our state of the art athletic centre. It opened 4 years ago and is one of the best facilities in the province.

Is there a cost to play ball at Conestoga?

The cost is approximately $200.00 for a first year player and this covers are team bling: we take pride in looking the best in our league. Our school colors are unique and we love them!

What does a typical road trip look like for you?

The OCAA does a nice job of creating our schedule. On our away weekend road trips where we play two double-header series the team will stay together at a hotel where they bond as a team. Our transportation is always provided by motorcoach.

Do you feel the college values your softball program on campus?

Absolutely, Conestoga has been very supportive of myself and the other coaches needs when it comes to requiring more equipment or support for our players. We are lucky to be as well received as we are here on campus.

How do you recruit?

I spend a great deal of time in the summer attending U17/U19 tournaments. I like to get a feel for the athletes, but more importantly I want to know they have an interest in attending the college. Athletes have lots of great options within the province and we recognize that we won't be everyone's first choice. Prior to COVID we certainly loved having people come for a tour, and are happy we can now get those going once again. During our tours we also like to provide a Q&A with our existing team members.

How can someone get in touch with you?

The can reach out to Ron Taylor, call or text 519-573-1745. The college also has a great Athletics website that shows all our sports and has contact info there as well.

School Site:
https://www.conestogac.on.ca/
Tour Info:
https://www.conestogac.on.ca/visit-us
Varsity Site:
https://www.conestogacondors.ca/landing/index
Softball IG:
@ContestogaSoftball
Coach Taylor: 519-573-1745