Claude Seguin
Sport: Volleyball
Year Inducted: 2002
Ecole Secondaire La Citadelle didn’t just lose a teacher in the spring of 2001 when Claude Seguin closed the book on a career which covered almost 30 years at the Second Street East high school. It lost a capable and dedicated athletic coach.
The Ottawa native, who joined La Citadelle staff in 1973 as a physical education instructor, became one of the most successful – and respected – volleyball coaches in the Eastern Ontario Secondary School Association (EOSSA).
He coached the boys’ volleyball team from 1973, his first year at La Citadelle, to 2001, his last year on staff.
Needless to say, Claude left his beloved school with mixed feelings: ready to enjoy a well-earned retirement but knowing he would miss his second home.
Seguin-coached Patriote teams advanced to the Ontario Federation Secondary School Athletic Association (OFSSAA) finals three times – 1975, 1980, and 1986 -while winning two EOSSA Championships and 15 S.D. & G. senior boys’ titles. One of the winning streaks lasted eight seasons.
As the junior boys’ coach, he guided Patriote teams to an EOSSA Championship and five S.D. & G. titles.
But volleyball wasn’t the only sport Claude was involved in at La Citadelle. He served as boys’ basketball coach from 1974-1981. From 1974-77, he was the gymnastic team coach. He was track and field coach from 1973-2000, and badminton coach from 1977-79, and again from 1997-2001.
As if this wasn’t enough, he found time to, among other things, organize volleyball officials’ clinics for S.D. & G., co-ordinate the S.D. & G. boys’ volleyball league from 1974-1988, co-ordinate S.D. & G. officials from 1974-1990, and co-ordinate the annual alumni volleyball tournament for more than 20 years.
Claude hasn’t cut the ties with volleyball completely. Since his retirement in June 2001, he has served as a volleyball official for the S.D. & G. and Prescott-Russell high school leagues.