Stokoe hopes to continue tennis mastery Stokoe hopes to continue
tennis mastery
Friday September 25 2009
By FRANK JUZENAS
Cecil Stokoe is always looking for some good competition on the tennis
court.
But that’s not the only reason he is looking forward to his trip to
Sydney, Australia for the World Masters Games next month. Stokoe was
happy when he found out that the Games (held every four years) were
going to Sydney. Besides playing he will have a chance to reunite with
family members he has not seen since they were together in Calcutta,
India in 1953.
`Who would have thought the game of tennis can provide miracles,”
said Stokoe whose excitement is building as he gets set to travel to
Australia with Kathleen, his wife of 47 years.
Stokoe’s tennis accomplishments landed him a spot in the Brampton
Sports Hall of Fame in 2008. In Sydney, the 73-year old will be
competing in singles in the aged 70 to 74 division and will also
likely compete in mixed doubles with a partner that will be determined
upon arrival.
Pat Farrell also a member of the Brampton Tennis Club will be in
Australia in the ladies doubles. For Stokoe it was an interesting
journey that brought him to Canada and Brampton. His grandparents were
Armenian refugees from Turkey in the early 1900’s who fled to India.
His cousins not only provided shelter for Cecil and his widowed
mother, but while living with them in Calcutta, Stokoe and his two
sisters were able to get free missionary schooling.
The family went their separate ways with Stokoe ending up going to
Scotland to continue his education in engineering and then to Canada
and Brampton in 1974 where he landed a job at Nortel. The Gabriel side
of the family wound up migrating to Australia.
Stokoe said his late mother told him that if he ever got the
opportunity to thank his cousins for what they had done for his
family, to do so. Now because of tennis he will be able to do it in
person.
By a coincidence his first cousin, Craig Gabriel is also very involved
in tennis as a sports writer in Australia where he covers the sport,
recently spending time with star Lleyton Hewitt and his family for an
exclusive magazine feature.
When Stokoe received a retirement package from Nortel in 1993 at the
age of 57, he went for a physical exam where he was diagnosed with
leukemia.
`I was told this is what killed (broadcaster) Barbara Frum at 53 (in
1992),” said Stokoe. However with determination he has been able to
battle the disease, which is in remission. He feels his active
lifestyle is the reason he has been able to keep it under control.
Besides playing tennis about three times a week with the Brampton
Tennis Club, he goes for a run each morning near Chris Gibson
Recreation Centre. He also does stretching and strength training. On
the tennis court he has won a number of medals. That included
attending five Canadian Senior Games from 2002 to 2008 where he has
won four gold medals and a bronze.
He also captured the World Masters Championship in the 65 to 69
division four years ago in Edmonton.
It was there that it was announced the next Games would be in Sydney,
Hearing that, Stokoe was determined to compete there so he could
combine the Games with visiting his cousins.
The World Masters Games has become the world’s biggest sporting event
in terms of participation. It is expected about 30,000 athletes will
be attending from about 100 countries, competing in 28 sports.
They are scheduled to run from Oct. 10 to 18. The age minimum varies
for each sport from 25 for diving and 27 for rowing to 30 and 35 for
the others.
He and Kathleen leave on Sunday, Oct. 4 and are planning to make it
about a month-long visit with some touring of Australia and New
Zealand included.
Stokoe said he is thankful to so many for allowing him to be where he
is. He mentions his family and the missionaries who helped him in
India providing shelter and education, his partners at the Brampton
Tennis Club for his tennis success, the city of Brampton Parks and
Recreation department for providing training facilities and most of
all for his wife Kathleen for her support and encouragement over 47
years.
tArticle/77229
Woder if he could give us more details of his armenian link.