In 2015, at a time when Curtis Cobean was unsure what to pursue professionally, George Brown College offered a perfect fit for both academics and athletics.
“I knew I wanted to get into a two-year diploma of some kind, and I had a background in working construction. I did some research, and I came across the Construction Engineering Technician program at George Brown,” he explained. “Being from a small town in Port Elgin, I thought it would be pretty cool to live in downtown Toronto, [so] I checked online, and sure enough they had a baseball team. That’s [when] I enrolled.”
The decision to go to George Brown College and play baseball are two big reasons why the 2017 George Brown Alumni is currently working as a Radiation Safety Technician at the Bruce Power Nuclear Plant.
“The resources GBC offered were amazing. Whether athletically, academically or personally, they were all a huge help to me in getting to where I am today,” Cobean explained.
The Port Elgin, Ont., native’s job at the Bruce Power Nuclear Plant is about keeping the workers and community safe while helping the plant take advantage of the nuclear energy.
“There are many different jobs that need to take place at a nuclear power plant, but there is the danger of different ionizing radiations emitted in the nuclear reaction, such as alpha, beta, gamma, neutron, and tritium,” he said. “My job is to be the radiation surveyor and help workgroups complete their jobs while being safe and not accumulating too much harmful radiation. “
Cobean truly enjoys going to work every day, and it does help that his job is close to his hometown, where he’s starting to raise a family. For now, he sees himself continuing his career at the plant.
“[I plan to] continue being a radiation safety technician for the foreseeable future. It’s providing a good living for myself, along with my girlfriend, Jennifer, and my 8-month-old daughter, Grace,” he stated. “The job is allowing me to stay in my hometown, which is great, and where I want my daughter to grow up. Plus, I enjoy my job so that helps.”
The environment and people at George Brown College have played a huge role in his career accomplishments so far.
“Just how much people cared and are there to see you succeed, I will always take that with me and try to help people along, the way some of the people helped me, such as Bryan Mulveney, baseball assistant coach and Apprenticeship Operations Coordinator at George Brown College,” he said. “There is a no better example of somebody that was there for me every step of the way, [including] through some hard times, and has since been there after my husky career [ended].”
Cobean played baseball his entire life, including a season of college baseball in the States for Lewis Clark State. When he joined the Huskies, he did not skip a beat.
Over his two seasons with the Huskies, Cobean played numerous positions, including third base, outfield and pitcher. In 2016, his second campaign, he was one of the best hitters in the province, ranking in the top three in the OCAA for batting average (.474), on-base percentage (.574), slugging percentage (.737), and doubles (7). He was a player that truly filled up the stat sheet and finished his Huskies with a .373 batting average, .500 on-base percentage, and a .520 slugging percentage off 28 hits, one home run, 18 runs batted in and 10 stolen bases across 34 games. He also made 14 appearances as a pitcher and threw 30 innings in that span.
Even though the hard work, commitment and balance that goes into being a student-athlete are difficult at times, Cobean truly enjoyed his experience at George Brown College.
“I had a great experience. Academically, it was challenging but interesting, and I got to know some great people along the way. Getting to go to school in downtown Toronto every day was a cool experience for me,” he explained. “Athletically, I loved playing for the baseball team. I had an amazing time playing for head coach, Mark Cotgrave, and I loved being out there with my teammates.”
In his mind, being a Husky is about being part of a family.
“It means that you are part of a very large group of people that care, whether it be personally or academically, or even your sports team,” he said. “Good or bad, there were people there to support you in every facet, from your peers to teachers to coaches. Being a Husky [means being] around great people who want nothing more than to see you achieve whatever you’re trying to do.”
For more information on George Brown College Men's Baseball and upcoming tryouts, contact Mark Couch at Mark.Couch@georgebrown.ca
