Michael
O'Connor is somewhat of a rarity in professional sports
� he is a Canadian quarterback who has a legitimate shot
at one day playing in the Canadian Football League at his
favourite position.
The Orléans
native recently took part in the CFL combine where he earned
rave reviews for his immense talent, his poise and his football
IQ.
The combine
is held every year in the lead up to the CFL draft to give
teams a chance to meet potential prospects face-to-face
and ask them questions about everything from Xs and Os to
possible issues in their personal lives.
O'Connor
was a busy man at the combine, sitting down with six different
teams. That's high for any prospect and is usually indicative
of the type of interest shown in someone who ends going
pretty high in the draft.
For his
part, O'Connor made the most of the opportunity to express
his love and commitment to the sport.
"I went
into it with a mission to show the teams a little bit more
of my person- ality, how passionate I am about football
and the type of person that I am,� O'Connor said in a recent
interview with the Orléans Star. "I think I really
did that, teams got to know me better on a more personal
level.�
O'Connor
has spent the last four years at the University of British
Columbia where he led the UBC Thunderbirds to the 2015 Vanier
Cup as a freshman.
In the
three years since reaching the pinnacle of Canadian college
football, O'Connor and his Thunderbird teammates lost to
the University of Calgary Dinos in twice the Western Conference
champ-ionship in 2016 and 2017 by less than four points,
and this past season they lost their opening playoff game
in overtime.
The defeats
not only made O'Connor appreciate the Vanier Cup win that
much more, they made him appreciate the sport on a much
deeper level.
(This
story was made possible thanks to the generous support of
our local business partners.)
TRIVIA NIGHT from 7:30 p.m. every Tuesday night at the Royal Oak Pub Orléans. Free to play. Prizes for the winning team! The Royal Oak Pub is located at 1981 St. Joseph Blvd. near Jeanne d'Arc. For more info visit 
OYSTER NIGHT every Wednesday from 6-9 pm at the Orléans Brewing Co. Two types of oysters served with lemon, Tobasco, horseradish, salt and mignonette. The Orléans Brewing Co. is located at 4380 Innes Rd., next to McDonalds.
OPEN MIC NIGHT at the Stray Dog Brewing Company, 501 Lacolle Way. Registration begins at 7 p.m. Music at 8 p.m. with your host Matthew Palmer.
HOLIDAY NIGHT MARKET hosted by the Heart of Orléans BIA in the Orléans Festival Plaza on Centrum Blvd. Featuring local artisans and food vendors. The annual lighting of the Orléans Festival Plaza and Christmas tree will also be taking place.
WELLNESS FAIR from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Promenade Senior Suites, 150 Rossignol Drive. Join us for a fun-filled day of health, home, and happiness! Explore over a dozen local vendors, from health pros and realtors to crafters and more, while enjoying refreshments and community fun. Learn, shop, and connect with local experts, and bring your friends and family along. Everyone is welcome! 
