Honestly, there wasn’t a whole lot more for Lea Lemieux to accomplish on the local high school golf scene.
A four-time champion at both the Sudbury District Secondary Schools’ Athletics Association (SDSSAA) and the Northern Ontario Secondary School Athletics (NOSSA) golf championships, the 17-year-old senior at Lockerby Composite School also broke through this fall on a provincial scale, claiming a silver medal at the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) championships after posting rounds of 72 and 71, finishing three strokes back of first-place finisher Emily McKee (Garth Webb Secondary School, Oakville).
Truth is that this has been a year to remember for the young woman who first burst onto the local golf scene as a pre-teen and who will take the next step in September 2025 as a freshman with the Western Michigan Broncos NCAA Division I program.
“This last season, I saw a lot of improvement and was really happy that all of the work that I put in the year or two before really came together,” said Lemieux, who looks to study computer engineering once she arrives in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
“It all culminated with this being my best season yet. My game is the best it’s ever been.”
Part of that assessment comes from a memorable performance in her final OFSAA appearance, in part due to the fact that her victories at the city championships in Lively have pretty much always featured a 15- to 20-shot cushion over the next best female golfer in Sudbury.
“It’s sort of a different atmosphere,” said Lemieux with a smile. “But it was really nice to end my season with a really strong finish. I had really solid rounds and getting a podium at OFSAA is pretty cool.”
And for as much as those of us who follow the high school sports scene closely expected a virtual slam dunk for Lemieux at certainly three of her four SDSSAA showings, that kind of certainty can carry with it a unique set of challenges of its own.
“There’s always doubts and anxiety and nerves,” said Lemieux. “That might sound silly, but the morning of, I am definitely feeling it. I definitely felt the pressure to four-peat at cities, four-peat at NOSSA. And it’s not like it was other people putting that pressure on me. I just knew that I could do it and was expected to do it.”
In fact, when you’ve been in the local youth golfing spotlight for as long as Lea Lemieux has, there is always that concern about just how well the athlete will handle the hurdles that arise over the seven or eight years of expected consistent development.
“In terms of non-linear progress, it’s tough as an athlete not to see the work you put in pay off,” said Lemieux. “Golf is tough. You definitely go through those slumps, as you would in any sport. You have to remind yourself that the hard work will pay off, eventually.”
In her case, in particular, the dream of playing Division I golf south of the border has lingered as long as she can remember. And for as much as there can be incredible highs – most notably the call that would ultimately come from Western Michigan head coach Kim Moore – there are likely two or three times as many instances of self-doubt.
“The recruiting process is pretty brutal; I honestly didn’t know what I was getting myself into,” said Lemieux candidly. “Sending out all of those emails, putting yourself out there and then not getting responses – it’s brutal, but definitely worth it in the end.”
The Northern Ontario talent is joining a nine-player Broncos team that will graduate a pair of seniors next spring and that currently features no other Canadian golfers.
“I haven’t golfed with them but I have watched them practice and seen them play a tournament,” said Lemieux. “It was interesting, definitely a different level. The team is good. I think a realistic goal for me is to try and travel to some tournaments next year. I have time to prepare and work this off-season and get ready for my first year.”
Holding a verbal commitment at this point, Lemieux is scheduled to officially sign her NLI (National Letter of Intent) on Nov. 13. Working closely with Idylwylde Golf & Country Club pro and coach David Bower the past three years, the thoughtful teen who loves to travel knows the ball is in her court when it comes to making sure she is as ready as can be come next fall.
“The coaches that are bringing you on, they’ve seen your swing, they know how you hit the ball,” said Lemieux. “When you get there, they’re not trying to change your whole swing. It’s more about keeping up the maintenance, working a lot on your short game and the mental side.”
The next four+ years are sure to bring memories, both good and bad. But Lea Lemieux, for one, is confident about the person that will emerge at the other end.
“There’s a reason that when I started to play golf, I fell in love with it,” she said. “I’m not sure what will happen after I graduate, but it will always be part of my life. I’m still the same person I was when I started playing.”
True, but without a whole lot more to prove on the Sudbury high-school golf scene.
Randy Pascal is a sportswriter in Greater Sudbury. Pursuit is made possible by our Community Leaders Program.
