Tim Baines
Faculty of Animation, Arts & Design
Degree: Journalism - Print
Year of graduation: 1983
After more than 25 years covering sports for the Ottawa Sun, Tim Baines can claim a long list of career highlights. The Ontario Newspaper Award-winning Sports Columnist has seen the birth of the Senators hockey team and the rise and fall of a couple of Ottawa CFL franchises.
Covering the NHL, CFL, NFL and PGA Tour has been memorable enough, but Tim has also taken pride in his passion for the off-the-radar sports, featuring athletes who have poured heart and soul into being the best they can without the big paycheque.
There are also a few unusual experiences that have made an indelible impression on the journalist over the years. Trying out for the Montreal Expos during a baseball lockout certainly qualifies as one, says Tim, who covered Major League Baseball's spring training for 17 years. Another highlight: “Playing a round of golf with Alice Cooper before his 2012 show in Ottawa. It was awesome hearing rock-star stories.”
Not surprisingly, it was sports that brought Tim to Sheridan. Recruited to play varsity football at Wilfrid Laurier University, he studied English for two years before trading his Laurier Golden Hawks uniform for a Sheridan Bruins jersey. Tim was defensive captain when the Bruins won a provincial title in 1982, graduating from Sheridan's journalism program a year later.
A passion for football has followed Tim to the present day. He has coached high school football (winning a city championship) and Little League Baseball (winning two district championships) in Ottawa.
Tim recalls Sheridan with great fondness for a reason that goes beyond sports and academics. He met his wife Kelly-Anne (Martin) at the college. The 1984 Nursing grad works in the Ottawa Cancer Centre and with CAREpath, a cancer assistance program. The couple now has four sons and two grandsons.
Throughout his time raising a family and honing his craft, Tim has seen a transformation of the media landscape, thanks mainly to the Internet. However, the industry still needs journalists with drive and determination, along with a wide set of social media skills, maintains Tim.
“Journalism students need to be versatile and maybe more than ever, they need to possess a strong work ethic, be resourceful and show initiative. Don't wait for something to come to you, go after it. And once you get your foot in the door, open the door wide. Write stories with impact. Treat every assignment like it is going to be the main story in the newspaper.” says Tim.
Learn more about Sheridan’s Journalism - Print program.
Covering the NHL, CFL, NFL and PGA Tour has been memorable enough, but Tim has also taken pride in his passion for the off-the-radar sports, featuring athletes who have poured heart and soul into being the best they can without the big paycheque.
There are also a few unusual experiences that have made an indelible impression on the journalist over the years. Trying out for the Montreal Expos during a baseball lockout certainly qualifies as one, says Tim, who covered Major League Baseball's spring training for 17 years. Another highlight: “Playing a round of golf with Alice Cooper before his 2012 show in Ottawa. It was awesome hearing rock-star stories.”
Not surprisingly, it was sports that brought Tim to Sheridan. Recruited to play varsity football at Wilfrid Laurier University, he studied English for two years before trading his Laurier Golden Hawks uniform for a Sheridan Bruins jersey. Tim was defensive captain when the Bruins won a provincial title in 1982, graduating from Sheridan's journalism program a year later.
A passion for football has followed Tim to the present day. He has coached high school football (winning a city championship) and Little League Baseball (winning two district championships) in Ottawa.
Tim recalls Sheridan with great fondness for a reason that goes beyond sports and academics. He met his wife Kelly-Anne (Martin) at the college. The 1984 Nursing grad works in the Ottawa Cancer Centre and with CAREpath, a cancer assistance program. The couple now has four sons and two grandsons.
Throughout his time raising a family and honing his craft, Tim has seen a transformation of the media landscape, thanks mainly to the Internet. However, the industry still needs journalists with drive and determination, along with a wide set of social media skills, maintains Tim.
“Journalism students need to be versatile and maybe more than ever, they need to possess a strong work ethic, be resourceful and show initiative. Don't wait for something to come to you, go after it. And once you get your foot in the door, open the door wide. Write stories with impact. Treat every assignment like it is going to be the main story in the newspaper.” says Tim.
Learn more about Sheridan’s Journalism - Print program.