OCAA’s Bombino and Mesa Inducted Into The OCAA Hall of Fame
TORONTO – The OCAA announced on Monday March 20th that Coaches Stan Bombino for Durham College Men’s Soccer and Jason Mesa Humber College Men’s Soccer (player) will join an exclusive club this spring, entering the OCAA Hall of Fame as part of the 2023 class.
Stan Bombino
For 16 years, Stan Bombino patrolled the sidelines with the Durham College Lords men’s soccer team as the head coach.
Then at 61 Bombino decided that he needed to step away even though the team at the time had a very good year. He had been thinking about this for awhile and he mused that maybe someone else could take the team to the next level and decided to step away from the college program.
The Lords posted a 6-3-1 overall record that season, losing in the first round of the OCAA playoffs 3-1 to the Sir Sandford Fleming Knights.
Bombino, who starred for the Lords on the soccer pitch in the late ‘70s, enjoyed plenty of success at the helm of the Lords, coaching alongside his late brother Mario, his lead assistant. His teams captured a national bronze medal in 1999, as well as two OCAA regional titles. Over those 16 seasons, Bombino posted a 199-66-20 record at Durham.
He never had a season below .500, an enviable coaching mark.
But his break wouldn’t last, as in 2015 he made it a full family affair with his brothers Mario and Tony, he arrived to provide his guidance with Sir Stanford Fleming’s soccer programs, where he remains today and has been for the past 8 years.
Accolades (Coach)
- CCAA Bronze Medal (1999)
- OCAA Provincial Champion (1997)
- OCAA Silver Medal (1996)
- 2x OCAA Regional Titles
- OCAA Silver Medal (Indoor) (2004)
Jason Mesa
Jason Mesa arrived at Humber as the program began to compete on the provincial stage every season. From the beginning, Mesa displayed leadership qualities in a quiet and humble manner, and he understood the game so well that he was willing to play wherever needed.
He played numerous positions throughout his illustrious career, but once he became a fixture as a sweeper, his dominance on the pitch began to emerge. His steadiness and composure on Humber’s backline gave the whole team confidence. His quiet leadership united the team, and his humbleness let others take the credit.
Despite playing a position that received little to no recognition, Mesa quietly led the Hawks to the program’s second national title in 2001, as Humber only surrendered one tally in six postseason matches.
Mesa rejoined the Hawks in 2007, this time as an assistant coach, and has been a consistent fixture ever since. He has played a major role in helping the Hawks capture eight CCAA national titles and 12 OCAA outdoor gold medals since joining the coaching staff.
Medals
- 2001 CCAA National Champion
- 2000 CCAA Bronze Medal
- 2x OCAA Provincial Champion (’00, ’01)
- 1999 OCAA Silver Medal
- 3x OCAA Provincial Champion – Indoor (‘’01, ’02, ’04)
- 2000 OCAA Bronze Medal – Indoor
Accolades (Player)
- 2000 CCAA Championship All-Tournament Team
- 2000 OCAA League All-Star
- 2009 Humber Hall of Fame Inductee
- Humber Athletics Top-50 Influential
Accolades (Coach)
- 7 CCAA National Championships
- 10 OCAA Gold Medals Outdoor
- 2 OCAA Silver Medals Outdoor
- 7 OCAA Gold Medals Indoor
- 4 OCAA Silver Medals Indoor
The Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Hall of Fame is dedicated to the recognition of extraordinary contributions and accomplishments within collegiate sports in Ontario.
Honored members include student-athletes, coaches and builders of the association. This year, 32 new members will be recognized in the 10th OCAA Hall of Fame ceremony, to be held at the St. Clair College Centre for the Arts in Windsor, Ont., on Monday, May 1.
The OCAA Hall of Fame was established in 2003. Including this year’s induction, membership will expand to 452 individuals. The 2021 induction class was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with expanded classes planned in 2023 and 2025.
Sources: https://www.durhamregion.com/community-story/4224619-durham-college-men-s-soccer-coach-calls-it-a-career/
https://www.ocaa.com/sports/general/2022-23/releases/03202023ocaahof
https://humberhawks.ca/sports/msoc/coaches/Mesa_Jason
https://humberhawks.ca/tradition_of_excellence/hof/releases/2023_ocaa_hall_of_fame_class
https://www.ocaa.com/sports/indoor/past-champions
https://www.ocaa.com/sports/msoc/past-champions