NEWS: Women’s volleyball recruit Portia Cooper selected for Ontario’s Quest for Gold program

Portia Cooper, a Gee-Gees women's volleyball recruit for 2019-20, has been selected to be a part of the province's prestigious Quest for Gold program.

Each year, the Ontario Athlete Assistance Program (OAAP), has provincial sport organizations select U-22 Athletes who are worthy of receiving an Ontario Card to help support their athletic ambitions. Ontario Card status grants financial compensation to elite young athletes to help them continue their athletic careers at the highest national and international levels. The program, funded by the Government of Ontario, is designed to assist provincial-level athletes to enhance their training and fulfill their educational goals.

This year, the OAAP has allowed Ontario Volleyball to select 12 volleyball players from across the province to be part of the Quest for Gold program. One of the 12 athletes selected by Ontario Volleyball was Gee-Gees recruit Portia Cooper. Set to join the team for the 2019-20 season, Cooper is currently part of Team Ontario Elite, a program designed to develop athletes with national team potential and allow them to play within a high-performance environment.

With her selection to the Quest for Gold program, Cooper can continue to focus on her sport as she enters the University level. Already a promising player at the provincial level, she is shaping up to be a key piece of a young Gee-Gees team looking to return to national contention in the coming years.

"The Quest for Gold program is not just a huge financial help to the student-athletes, it is also a clear indicator of where they fit in the 'top tier' of provincial and national level athletes in Canada," said Gee-Gees head coach Lionel Woods. 

"Portia is such a deserving young woman who has put in many long hours of work and focus to be at the level she is. We are excited to see just what Portia, and all of her 2019 recruiting class teammates will accomplish during their careers!"