Sport in Aurora Vol. 2 Issue 5

24
Volume 2 ||| Issue 5 TO COMPETE OR NOT TO COMPETE? THAT IS THE QUESTION. PG.16 KI-HARA MASTER TRAINER RIGHT AT OUR DOORSTEP PG.11 CHRIS MERCHANT: ATHLETE, ACTOR, SCHOLAR PG.23 Aurora’s Amateur Athletes Honoured at Sport Aurora’s BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS PLUS HOCKEY Aurora Tigers Minor Hockey RUGBY Aurora Barbs – Rugby 7’s BASEBALL AMBA Celebrates Excellence AND MUCH MORE THE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL CAPTURES TITLES SIX CISAA PG14

description

Sport in Aurora Magazine

Transcript of Sport in Aurora Vol. 2 Issue 5

Page 1: Sport in Aurora Vol. 2 Issue 5

Volume 2 ||| Issue 5

TO COMPETE OR NOT TO COMPETE? THAT IS THE QUESTION. PG.16

KI-HARA MASTER TRAINER RIGHT AT OUR DOORSTEP PG.11

CHRIS MERCHANT: ATHLETE, ACTOR, SCHOLAR PG.23

Aurora’s Amateur Athletes Honoured at Sport Aurora’s

BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS

PLUS

HOCKEYAurora Tigers Minor Hockey

RUGBYAurora Barbs – Rugby 7’s

BASEBALLAMBA Celebrates Excellence

AND MUCH MORE

THE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL CAPTURESTITLESSIX CISAA PG14

Page 2: Sport in Aurora Vol. 2 Issue 5

2 ||| Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne

THE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL (JK-12) is a co-ed, non-denominational, university-preparatory school. We offer a superior, balanced education that challenges the student, develops the mind, and strengthens the character. We educate in innovative ways through integrated, leading-edge technology and in sophisticated facilities for academics, athletics, visual and performing arts. Please contact us at any time to arrange a personal tour.

OPEN HOUSE SCHEDULE:

Saturday, February 2 10am - 1pmThursday, February 21 9am - 12pm 7pm - 9pm

Education With Balance

13415 Dufferin Street, King, Ontario 905.833.1220 [email protected] www.cds.on.ca/whowillyoube

CDS Sport in Aurora v1.indd 1 2012-11-09 10:53 AM

Page 3: Sport in Aurora Vol. 2 Issue 5

Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne ||| 3

THE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL (JK-12) is a co-ed, non-denominational, university-preparatory school. We offer a superior, balanced education that challenges the student, develops the mind, and strengthens the character. We educate in innovative ways through integrated, leading-edge technology and in sophisticated facilities for academics, athletics, visual and performing arts. Please contact us at any time to arrange a personal tour.

OPEN HOUSE SCHEDULE:

Saturday, February 2 10am - 1pmThursday, February 21 9am - 12pm 7pm - 9pm

Education With Balance

13415 Dufferin Street, King, Ontario 905.833.1220 [email protected] www.cds.on.ca/whowillyoube

CDS Sport in Aurora v1.indd 1 2012-11-09 10:53 AM

05 Editor’sNote

06 FromtheDirectorofParks

andRecreation

08 TheCountryDaySchool

CapturesSixCISAATitles

10 YorkRegion55+

WinterGames

10 VolleyballInjuries

11 Ki-HaraMasterTrainer

RightAtOurDoorstep

12 Aurora’sAmateur

AthletesHonouredat

SportAurora’s“Breakfast

ofChampions”

13 SportAuroraVolunteer

Award2012,Special

OlympicsOntario–Aurora

14 ToCompeteorNot

toCompete?Thatis

theQuestion.

15 DucksFlyNorthfor

SeasonOpener

15 DucksCoachRegChappell

RecognizedbyPeers

16 ChangingLivesaFew

HoursataTime

17 Rugby7’s

18 WhoNeedstheNHL

whenyouhavetheTigers

MidgetAA’s?

18 AnotherSuccessful“Home

andHome”Seriesfor2012

19 HockeyPlayers

andEducation

20 AMBACelebrates

Excellence

20 AuroraDiggers–

WinterTraining

21 Invincible

22 ChrisMerchant:Athlete,

Actor,Scholar

23 BikeSportsWinterTip!

WhattoWearfor

WinterRiding!

11

17

19

22

contents

12Sport Aurora Breakfast of Champions – October 21, 2012

Page 4: Sport in Aurora Vol. 2 Issue 5

4 ||| Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne

november/December 2012 VoLuMe 2, ISSue 5

PublisherInsport Media & publications Inc.

editorron Weese – Sport Aurora e-mail [email protected]

director of salesLaurie MuellerPhone 905.713.5027 e-mail [email protected]

art directorFranco Di tomasso e-mail [email protected]

Youth rePorterJames powell

editorial contributionSport Aurora Members Dan Haletown of Aurora Stephen pollackDr. Carey Avery Sarah SmithJaved Khan Joanne StangaJames Wansbrough Melony teagueJoe Bentolila nancy BlackKim Sillcox nicolette Fleming Joshy Kallungal

contact usInsport Media & publications412 McCafferey road newmarket, ontario L3X 1t5Phone 905.713.5027 e-mail [email protected]

editorial contributions Submissions are welcome from writers, photographers, athletes, coaches and in-dividuals. Contact ron Weese, editor. We assume no responsibility for unsolicited material. Contributions are responsible for obtaining all approvals for publication of photos and content prior to submission. All submissions may not be used. We may edit, publish, reproduce, dis-tribute and archive submissions in any form or medium without any compensation. We are not responsible for lost or damaged submissions. Contents copyrighted. All rights reserved. reproduction or transmission of any arti-cle, photograph or artwork in any form or by any means without permission from the publisher is prohibited. Sport in Aurora Magazine is published six times a year. For detailed circulation information, contact Insport Me-dia & publications Inc. Insport Media & publications Inc. is committed to protecting your privacy as our customer. We may collect personal information only if it is required for the proper functioning of our business and only share this information with our business partners. the editors and contributors who write for Insport Media & publications Inc. attempt to provide accurate and useful information and commentary. However the editors, con-tributors and Insport Media & publications Inc. cannot and do not guarantee the accuracy of this information. We assume no responsibility for any actions or decisions taken by any readers based on the information provided.

prInteD In CAnADA

Page 5: Sport in Aurora Vol. 2 Issue 5

Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne ||| 5

The Board, the Committees and

the membership-at-large have all

taken part in a number of events

this fall and have demonstrated to me

that Sport Aurora and its 21 member

Organizations are on the right track.

Never before has there been so much

attention paid to our athletes, coaches,

volunteers and Programs. Amateur

sport is thriving and all you need to do

is look through these pages to see how.

Please read the coverage of both of

Sport Aurora’s “main events” this Fall

on pages 12 and 13. The Breakfast of

Champions event was a resounding and

almost unbelievable, first-ever celebra-

tion of 102 athletes who won Provincial,

National or International honours and

brought recognition to Aurora. Our

Volunteer Recognition Event thanked

16 Volunteers who were nominated

as the “best-of-the-best” in their

Organizations. Their stories of years

of contribution and commitment were

inspiring and demonstrated how impor-

tant volunteerism is to this Community.

The Women in Coaching Program

also finished the year by certifying 35

new women coaches in a number of

sports. A new Women in Coaching

Committee is being formed to further

this work in Aurora so that more women

can join the ranks as coaches and serve

as exemplars to other women and girls

in sport.

Our All Kids Can Play Program has

now attracted more donors than ever

and it is now able to help twice as

many kids who previously wouldn’t

be able to play sports in our member

Organizations without this important

financial assistance.

The Sport Hall of Fame has just

named their Board of Governors and

they will meet diligently over the next few

months with the objective of bringing the

first Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

to the Town in the 150th anniversary of

Aurora in 2013.

Finally, I attended an important, and

likely historic, Public Planning Meeting

for sport and recreation on November

27th at Town Hall. At that time, the

Stronach Family proposed the Stronach

Eco-Park; a unique multi-function facility

designed to preserve the natural habitat

along the Bayview Avenue corridor while

providing both sport and recreation

facilities to our Community. While there

is more public input to come yet and a

variety of decisions to be made about

the design and implementation of

services and features of this Park, this

property is going to become another

reason why we should be proud of

where we live. I believe this Eco-Park

Project will be a model for public-

private cooperation in the provision of

sport and recreation in Communities

such as ours. It will not only help to

close the gap in recreational land need

that is evident in Aurora, but it will also

alleviate some of the field and facility

pressure the Town is anticipating with

the population growth it is experienc-

ing. The philanthropic nature of the

Stronach family, their commitment to the

environment, healthy physical activity

and sport as well as the cooperation

and commitment the Town demonstrates

through consultation is something special

for which we must be thankful.

There is no better time to be involved

in sport in Aurora and no better place

to live.

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas

and a safe and happy holiday season

as we look forward to 2013.

Ron Weese

Editor, Sport in Aurora Magazine

The Mission of Sport Aurora is to

promote participation in sport and

recreation for all citizens of the

community we serve.

For more information on Sport Aurora,

visit our web site at:

www.sportaurora.ca

editor’s note

ThisseasonhasbeenthebusiestinSport Aurora’sHistory.Andthereismoretocome.

Sport in Aurora Magazine has more stories to tell and we need a motivated and committed sales person to provide retail advertising sales assistance so our magazine can grow. If you have a few hours per day to show potential advertisers the benefits of associating our magazine and amateur sport with their need to reach over 15,000 households in Aurora, please contact us. While experience is sales is an asset, we are willing to train so you can help us expand into neighbouring communities.

WE ARE GROWING!

Please call: 905.713.5027 or Email: [email protected]

Page 6: Sport in Aurora Vol. 2 Issue 5

6 ||| Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne

2013A Promising Year for Sports in Aurora

On Sunday, October 21, Sport

Aurora was front-and-centre

with the inaugural presentation

of the “Breakfast of Champions.” This

well-organized and well-attended event

illustrated the level of excellence we

have in the community in all sports

and at all ages.

One-by-one, champions of our com-

munity from local, regional, provincial,

international and Olympic competitions

received awards and recognition, some-

times accompanied by videos of their

achievements. Well done to all those

who brought honour and recognition

to Aurora!

The following day was our meeting

on the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame and

our efforts to move this dream closer

to reality. A Board of Governors was

elected, which I am proud to sit on and

we are applying for Trillium funding to

help our inaugural induction in 2013.

Wednesday, October 24, I was

pleased to be invited to the offi cial

opening of the St. Maximilian Kolbe

CHS artifi cial turf fi eld. The York

Catholic District School Board (YCDSB)

Director and Mayor Dawe performed

the offi cial kick-off for the events. The

fi eld is a great example of what we can

accomplish when we work together.

Let’s hope this is the start of more

potential partnerships.

At Town Hall, staff is busy with

the preparation and presentation

of budgets to Council. 2013 looks to

be a promising year for sports!

Al Downey

Director, Parks and Recreation Services

Town of AuroraUpcoming Special EventsAurora’s Borealis Monday, December 17, 2012 to Monday, February 18, 2013 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.Aurora Town ParkEach winter The Town of Aurora lights up the trees at Aurora Town Park to create our own “Aurora’s Borealis.” The trees will be lit every evening until Family Day 2013.

Family First Night Monday, December 31, 2012 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Aurora Family Leisure ComplexRing in the New Year early with your family and friends. Enjoy wagon rides, a bonfire, swimming, skating, games, children’s activities and so much more!

Arctic Adventure Monday, February 18, 2013 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Aurora Town ParkBundle up and take in some great outdoor activities such as dog sled rides, snow shoeing, skating, live entertainment and professional ice carving.

To learn more about these and other Town of Aurora events, please call the Special Events hotline at 905-726-4762 or visit www.aurora.ca/specialevents

PlEASE NoTE, WE RESERvE ThE RighT To cANcEl, AmEND oR chANgE AcTiviTiES.

Did you know The Town of Aurora has a full-service fitness centre? It’s called Club Aurora® and it offers affordable family fitness for all ages.

Located in the Aurora Family Leisure Complex, Club Aurora has flexible memberships to suit all of your fitness needs.

Here are just a few of the services offered:

• Aquatics personal training• Non-member personal training• 25-metre pool – aquafit and osteoarthritis aquafit• Four international squash courts• Indoor running track• Cyclefit studio• A variety of fitness classes for all abilities• Annual fitness appraisals, personalized fitness programs

and equipment and weight room demonstrations• Child minding services

Club Aurora also offers convenient hours – we’re open Monday to Friday from 5:45 a.m. to 10 p.m. and weekends from 7:45 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Take advantage of our free offer and try Club Aurora. We’re confident you’ll like it so much you’ll be back. Your body will thank you for it!

135 Industrial Parkway NorthAurora, OntarioPhone: 905-726-4764Email: [email protected] us online at www.aurora.ca/fitness

AFFORDABLE RATES QUALITY SERVICECall or visit us today!

Experience Club Aurora

NEW!NEW!

ONE FREE GYM VISITWith this coupon, enjoy one (1) free gym visit to Club Aurora*. Must be 14 years of age or older. Limit one coupon per person. Location: 135 Industrial Parkway North, Aurora, Ontario Expiry: December 31, 2013 *Bearer will be required to complete a health questionnaireTR

Y U

S!

Page 7: Sport in Aurora Vol. 2 Issue 5

Did you know The Town of Aurora has a full-service fitness centre? It’s called Club Aurora® and it offers affordable family fitness for all ages.

Located in the Aurora Family Leisure Complex, Club Aurora has flexible memberships to suit all of your fitness needs.

Here are just a few of the services offered:

• Aquatics personal training• Non-member personal training• 25-metre pool – aquafit and osteoarthritis aquafit• Four international squash courts• Indoor running track• Cyclefit studio• A variety of fitness classes for all abilities• Annual fitness appraisals, personalized fitness programs

and equipment and weight room demonstrations• Child minding services

Club Aurora also offers convenient hours – we’re open Monday to Friday from 5:45 a.m. to 10 p.m. and weekends from 7:45 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Take advantage of our free offer and try Club Aurora. We’re confident you’ll like it so much you’ll be back. Your body will thank you for it!

135 Industrial Parkway NorthAurora, OntarioPhone: 905-726-4764Email: [email protected] us online at www.aurora.ca/fitness

AFFORDABLE RATES QUALITY SERVICECall or visit us today!

Did you know The Town ofTown ofT

Experience Club Aurora

NEW!NEW!

ONE FREE GYM VISITWith this coupon, enjoy one (1) free gym visit to Club Aurora*. Must be 14 years of age or older. Limit one coupon per person. Location: 135 Industrial Parkway North, Aurora, Ontario Expiry: December 31, 2013 *Bearer will be required to complete a health questionnaireTR

Y U

S!

Page 8: Sport in Aurora Vol. 2 Issue 5

8 ||| Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne

the countrY daY school caPtures six cisaa titles ||| By Kim Sillcox, Country Day School

The Country Day School in King enjoyed a banner athletic season this fall winning six CISAA titles, five in soccer and one in

basketball, and sending three runners to OFSAA.

Director of Athletics, John Andersen, attributes the six Conference of Independent Schools Athletic Association (CISAA)

championships in part to the hard work of the coaches who have stressed not only the importance of character traits among their

athletes, but also skill development necessary to be successful in each sport. “We believe these two elements are at the core of

great athletes and winning teams. The

number of championships this term is a

good indicator that we are right on track!”

“The entire Athletics Department is

extremely proud of the amount of effort

our athletes put forth over the past few

months,” continued Andersen. “Capturing

six titles out of 16 teams and sending three

runners to the OFSAA Cross-Country finals

is truly remarkable!”

cds

The undefeated U16 Boys’ D3 Soccer team culminated

their storybook season with a 4-3 win against Toronto

French School in the CISAA finals on November 3.

According to Coach Geoff Nugent, “These boys are

certainly the most positive, hard-working, and mutually

supportive team I have ever coached in my career.”

The U12 Boys’ D2 Soccer team played number

one seed Montcrest School in the CISAA finals

on October 27 and scored the game winner with

four minutes remaining, winning the game 2-1

and earning their second championship in

four years.

The Senior Girls’ D1 Soccer team finished a banner season with a 13-0-1 record. They won gold on home turf

in the Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS) Tournament in October defeating Lower Canada

College 4-1. The team topped off their season with a 3-2 victory over St. Mildred’s-Lightbourn School

clinching the CISAA Championship on November 2. The girls’ team last won this title in 2009, and prior

to that they had won 10 titles in 11 years.

Photo by Scott Stafford

The Senior Girls’ D2 Basketball team captured

the CISAA Championship on November 2. Lead

scorer for the season, Cara Tiemens, scored 41

points to help CDS win the final game against

Branksome Hall, 60-37. CDS last won this title

in 2005.

The Co-Ed U10A Soccer team played in the CISAA D2 tournament at Upper

Canada College on October 27 and won all three games qualifying them as the

CISAA D2 champions. This is the first time in school history that CDS has won

this title.

The Co-Ed U10B Soccer team played in the CISAA D3 tournament at Sterling

Hall on October 27 and also won their tournament which was a round-robin format.

According to Coach Vipond, this is the first time CDS has ever won the U10

CISAA D3 tournament and only the third time a co-ed school has earned the title.

Page 9: Sport in Aurora Vol. 2 Issue 5

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Page 10: Sport in Aurora Vol. 2 Issue 5

10 ||| Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne

VOlleyBall inJuries||| By Dr. carey avery, B.Kin., D.c.

Volleyball is a sport of hard

landings, high speed shoulder

movements and quick refl exes.

Below are the most common injuries

volleyball players tend to suffer from

and how to help avoid them.

acl tears: Due to the fact that

there is a lot of off-balance jumping,

landing, and sudden stopping, volleyball

sees frequent anterior cruciate ligament

tears. Stopping forcefully or landing

on a straight (fully extended) knee

is usually the most common cause.

Planting one’s foot and then cutting

to one side is also very forceful and

known to be another cause.

sOlutiOn: Talk to your coach or

a seasoned player as most of them will

have the training to teach you how to

jump, stop and change directions while

minimizing knee strain. Taping and

bracing is also recommended for those

with frequent knee sprain/strains.

rOtatOr cuff tenDinOpatHy: Volleyball is a game of overhead work

which is very rough on the shoulder

especially spiking and serving. The

rotator cuff muscles are responsible for

generating all of the force and stabilizing

the joint. Tendinopathies and tears

are frequent because of the shoulder’s

huge range of motion and the required

speed of the movements.

sOlutiOn: Strengthen your rotator

cuff muscles, and work on proper striking

technique with your coach. At the fi rst

sign of pain get it looked as this can be

a very stubborn injury to rehab.

JuMper’s Knee: This is a repeti-

tive strain injury that usually presents

as pain at the bottom of the kneecap

or just below the kneecap. Tenderness

is also usually present if the area is

pressed upon. The patellar tendon is

infl amed at its distal end and makes

jumping very painful.

sOlutiOn: Ice it and get it tended to

ASAP. I have found jumper’s knee responds

very well to ultrasound, shockwave

therapy, bracing, and taping. Once the

infl ammation has receded, strengthen-

ing of the quadriceps muscles is also

recommended. Best of luck with your

season and if you do experience any

discomfort get it checked out ASAP

by a healthcare professional. The longer

you wait the longer it will take for you

to get better!

Dr. Carey Avery runs St. Andrew’s

Chiropractic and Wellness in Aurora. He

is the team chiropractor/sports injury

consultant for the Aurora Ducks and

Master Ducks swim/triathlon teams.

He also treats several individual high-

performance athletes. Dr. Avery is a

competitive master’s swimmer and a

self-admitted “horrible-but-happy” golfer.

Web: www.standrewschiro.ca

Phone: 905-727-6500

e-mail: [email protected]

YORK REGION 55+ WINTER GAMES ||| By Joshy Kallungal,

aurora seniors’ centre

The Winter Games for seniors is

scheduled to be held during the

Month of November 2012. Aurora

Seniors Association athletes have been

and continue to be very active in these

games and will be competing in several

individual and team events. In May-June

2012 summer games they brought home

18 medals and they expect similar or

better results in these upcoming Games.

The photograph shows some of the

athletes who plan to compete in these

games. We wish them and the YR 55+

Organizing Committee the very best.

SPORT IN AURORA

Page 11: Sport in Aurora Vol. 2 Issue 5

Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne ||| 11

Ki-Hara Master trainer rigHt at Our DOOrstep ||| By Melony teague

With 18 years experience in personal

training, Lori Haws is the owner of

Fittlife Personal Training Services.

Lori has a B.A. in Physical and Health

Education, is a CEP (Certified Exercise

Physiologist) with the Canadian Society

of Exercise Physiology. Lori offers

in-home, personal attention to her

clients, as well as team stretching, but

what makes her particularly special

is that she is one of only five Ki-Hara

Master Trainers in Canada.

Q: WHat is Ki-Hara resistance stretcHing?

a: Lori Haws – “The Ki-Hara technique

involves the muscles being contracted

and lengthened at the same time. The

arms and legs are put through specific

linear, rotational and diagonal patterns

in order to stretch as many muscle fibers

as possible. Strength and flexibility

must go hand in hand in order to keep

the muscles functioning properly. This

in turn translates to increased power,

speed and strength.”

Q: WHy it is Beneficial anD tO WHOM? a: Lori Haws – “I have seen amazing

results using this method. I train

athletes, and those who want to

increase their general health and

wellness. Ki-Hara Resistance

Stretching is an innovative stretching

technique that improves performance

and recovery and increases flexibility

in my clients. Not only does this kind

of resistance stretching create a more

balanced body, and more powerful

and stable core movements, Ki-Hara

helps to remove chronic stress. This

method noticeably improves perfor-

mance and recovery of muscles in

the body and targets specific areas of

existing injuries. It is an effective way to

increase overall athletic performance

while decreasing the risk of potential

injuries. Ki-Hara helps to improve

performance in any type of sport,

hockey, swimming, tennis, synchro-

nized swimming, football, running,

triathlon, soccer, you name it.”

Q: WHO uses Ki-Hara?a: Lori Haws – “While you may not have

heard of Ki-Hara, you have probably

heard of Hayley Wickenheiser. She uses

this method of stretching.”

Olympic Gold Medal Hockey Player,

Hayley Wickenheiser says, “I feel Ki-Hara

has allowed me to expand my functional

athleticism as well as develop strength

through greater ranges of motion which

has directly benefitted my hockey. It

transfers to more power, strength and

speed on the ice.”

For more information contact Lori Haws at

(416) 523-5980 for a complimentary 1/2 hr

Ki-Hara stretch. This offer is for a limited

time, on a first come, first served basis.

Ki-Hara Master Trainer, Lori Haws.

Email: [email protected]

KI-HARA

Page 12: Sport in Aurora Vol. 2 Issue 5

12 ||| Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne

Master of Ceremonies, Jim

Thomson, an ex NHL player

and team–mate of Wayne

Gretzky’s entertained the crowd

throughout the morning with his stories

of NHL participation and reminded the

players of the importance of respect-

ing where they came from and the

value they should place on respecting

their parents and acting in a dignifi ed

manner. Jim Thomson’s “Dreams Do

Come True” Program was one of many

highlights of the event.

Guest Speaker, Summer Mortimer, a

recent Paralympic double Gold, Silver

and Bronze medalist thrilled the crowd

with a video of her come-from-behind

gold medal victory in the 100 meter

backstroke at the Paralympic Games and

spoke eloquently about her challenges

and successes as a Para Athlete.

Likewise, World-Class Rower from

Aurora, Peter McClelland reminded

athletes that while it is important to

have lofty goals and to reach for the

top, athletes need to recognize the

importance of the journey. How

important it is to learn about winning

and losing and to take from sport the

lessons of good sportsmanship, of

trying your best and being disciplined.

“Those qualities,” said Mr. McClelland,

“will be valuable to you far after the

games have been played.”

Dignitaries such as Mayor Geoff Dawe

and M.P. Lois Brown as well as Coaches

and parents came to the microphone

time and again to honour the athletes.

“Sport is an incredibly important part

of our Town,” said Mayor Dawe to the

crowd, “it is what makes Aurora unique,”

he continued, as he congratulated the

SPORT AURORA

aurora’s amateur athletes Honoured at sport aurora’s

BreaKfast Of cHaMpiOns

The cream of the 2011 crop of amateur athletes in Aurora were piped

into The Mansion Banquet Hall on Sunday, October 21st to be honoured

for their accomplishments. One hundred and two (102) athletes who

won championships at a Provincial, National or International events,

received medals to commemorate their success and were provided

a breakfast while their accomplishments were celebrated. Presidents

of the Sport Aurora Organizations to which these athletes belonged

were also awarded plaques of achievement, recognizing the important

support each Organization provided in these successes.

Page 13: Sport in Aurora Vol. 2 Issue 5

Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne ||| 13

Breakfast of Champions Committee

Chairman, Doug Legallais on staging

this important event.

After breakfast was served and

photos taken, the athletes, parents,

coaches and supporters left the hall

feeling positive about the work they

do, the contributions they make and

the successes they achieved in 2011.

“This fi rst, historic celebration of

sport achievement in Aurora was a

success,” concluded Committee Chair,

Doug Legallais. “I am proud to live and

work in this Community and honoured

to be a part of sport.”

SPORT AURORA

aurora’s amateur athletes Honoured at sport aurora’s

BreaKfast Of cHaMpiOns

spOrt aurOra VOlunteer aWarD 2012, SPECIAL OLYMPICS ONTARIO – AURORA ||| By Melony teague

On November 4th, 2012 the 2nd

Annual Sport Aurora Volunteer

Recognition event was held at

Boston Pizza in Aurora. The recipient

for the Special Olympics Ontario Aurora

Volunteer award was Aurora resident,

Cheryl Duckworth who had been a

volunteer with SOO-Aurora since 2007.

She was a member of SOO-Aurora

executive as Treasurer from June 2008

– April 2011 during which time a signifi -

cant amount of work was done to set

up and manage the accounting books,

and provide the executive with fi nancial

information on an ongoing basis.

In 2011 Cheryl moved to position

of Event Coordinator where she has

organized many events including:

SOO-Aurora’s participation in the Santa

Claus Parade, June Street Sale, Art in the

Park, Christmas party, golf fundraiser,

AGM and more including her latest

involvement in assisting fellow swimmer,

Wendy Emery in organizing the Special O

Craft Show and Sale held at the Stronach

Aurora Recreation Complex on

December 2nd, 2012.

In addition to her role as coordinator

of events, she volunteers as a Coach

with Special Ducks Swim Club and has

done so for 5 seasons. In the summer

she is a Volunteer Coach with Eagles

Golf Team for 2 seasons. Along with

Nicola Mc Govern, Cheryl was the

Cofounder of the Special Olympics

Ontario- Aurora Golf Tournament. The

second year of this event saw 53 golfers

and over $6,000 raised for SOO-A.

Unoffi cially, Cheryl helps with many

extras behind the scenes and is a second

set of eyes for proofreading documents

of the Community Secretary, facility

bookings, party planning etc.

The Sport Aurora Volunteer award

was awarded to Cheryl by Dorothy

Hall who is the present Treasurer for

Special Olympics Ontario – Aurora and

in her presentation speech explained

how whenever an extra hand is

needed, Cheryl has been there. Cheryl

Duckworth who is also a member of

the Master Ducks Swim Club said the

following, “I would like to thank everyone

who took the time and effort to put the

Volunteer Awards Banquet together. It

was a very nice afternoon sharing with

different Sports about our Volunteer

endeavors and experiences. Although

recognition is always nice, it is not my

strong suit, my heart lies in the time I

spend with the Athletes helping with

their Sports, being involved with the

SOO-A Executive and participating in

the events for both.”

It is volunteers such as this that help to

make Aurora a wonderful place to stay

active, happy and healthy. It is with many

thanks and with great appreciation that

both the Master Ducks and SOO-A

would like to congratulate Cheryl on

her award.

Volunteer Cheryl Duckworth, SOO-Aurora recipient

with Dorothy Hall presenter

Page 14: Sport in Aurora Vol. 2 Issue 5

14 ||| Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne

The Aurora Master Ducks Swim

Club is proud of the successes of

its membership. The team boasts

provincial and national record holders

across many age groups and of both

genders. But most members of the

team don’t train to compete. They do

so for fitness, health and, in the case of

the Ducks, for social reasons. In order

to help swimmers set and accomplish

some of these ‘non-competitive’ goals,

the Master Ducks rely on Masters

Swimming Canada (MSC).

Masters swimming began in Canada

in 1971 with fitness and competitive

swimming programs for adults. MSC is

the national governing body, working

with partners, provincial organizations

and more than 250 Masters clubs.

Together, they deliver quality, organized

activities to 10,000 registered members

between the ages of 18 and 103, making

masters swimmers one of Canada’s

largest adult fitness populations.

MSC supports and encourages adult

swimmers of all abilities while promoting

its organizational values of Fun and

Friendship, Health and Wellness, and

Participation and Achievement.

In addition to the extensive list of

online tools provided by MSC, the

Master Ducks also participate in the

programs offered by MSC such as the

1 Kilometre Challenge™ and the Check

Off Challenge™. The most popular

program is the Million Metre Challenge™.

This innovative online program encour-

ages swimmers, of any level, to submit

their swimming mileage. Totals are

tracked, distance by stroke is calculated

and specific mileage achievements are

rewarded with prizes (pins, certificates,

shirts caps). It’s a fun and easy way to

stay on goal and monitor improvement.

Masters Swimming Canada is currently

developing more initiatives that support

the fitness swimmer, but let’s not

dismiss the competitive element. Each

year, most communities offer local

swim meets and encourage all adults

to participate. Various members of the

Master Ducks will take part in at least 6

competitions this year, culminating with

the MSC National Championships held

in Nepean for the first time in almost 15

years. Once again, the goal for attend-

ing might be performance, but for many

Master Ducks, it’s just about fun!

To find out more about the Aurora

Master Ducks, please check out

www.masterducks.ca. For information

about Masters Swimming Canada, please

check out www.mastersswimming.ca.

to CoMpete or not to CoMpete? ThaT is The QuesTion. ||| By nancy Black

ADULT SWIMMING | ALL LEVELSStroke Improvement Triathlon ~ Beginner/ProCompetitive SwimmingFitness Training

Weekends | Weekdays Swim times options: Morning | Noon | Night

905-726-DUCK (3825) | [email protected]

FUN FITNESS FRIENDSHIP

Master Duck Swimmers – Elizabeth Moultray, Melony Teague and Kelly McLean

SWIMMING

Christine Weber – Master Ducks 2012

Master Ducks Swim Club Vision

All adult swimmers in York Region

will be aware of, and have access to,

a swim program that suits their

swimming goals.

Page 15: Sport in Aurora Vol. 2 Issue 5

Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne ||| 15

The Ducks Swimming Club of Aurora

and Stouffville swooped into the

East Bayfield Recreation Centre

in Barrie, November 2-4, and enjoyed an

outstanding three days of competition.

The predominant phrase of the week-

end, heard from Duck Coaches at the

Barrie Advance Swim Meet was “Another

Best Time” as 42 of the 44 attending

swimmers achieved best times at the

early season competition. Over all, Ducks

improved a whopping 72+%.

Fourteen Ducks swam to 100 per cent

best times. Soorna Choheili and Natalie

Shears were seven for seven; Sarah Bond

and Karina Robb swam lifetime bests in all

six of their events. Other 100 per cent best

time swimmers were: Alejandro Hernandez,

Jayne Kim, Emma Timewell, Natalie

Wallace, Chloe Taylor, Kimberly McAlesse,

Renato Cobena, Lauren Hemburrow,

Alessia Russo, and Isabelle Russo.

Gold medal performances were led

by twelve-year-old Hayden Spiers as he

topped the podium in 4 events including

the 100 and 200-metre butterfly and 400

and 1500-metre freestyle events. Spiers’

performance in the 200 butterfly ranks

him #1 in Ontario and #3 in Canada for

12-year-old boys. Also bringing home gold

medals were Christian Baldesarra, Holly

Biasi, and Soorna Chohieli.

This was a sparkling debut to our Fall

season” commented head Coach Sam

Montgomery, “The excellent performances

turned in here present great promise

as we prepare for upcoming meets in

the GTA and the Ontario Division 2

team Championships!”

Ducks Fly North For seasoN opeNer||| By Ducks swimming

||| photos courtesy of Ducks swimming

Hayden Spiers

Ducks Coach Reg Chappell who

guided Summer Mortimer to her

double Gold medal, Silver and

Bronze medal performance at the London

Paralympic Games last summer, has been

honoured multiple times this Fall.

September 21st Coach Chappell

received the Ontario Female Para

Coach of the Year Award and then

recently he was recognized for

the Coaches of Canada Award for

Outstanding Achievement at the Petro

Canada Coaching Awards in Ottawa.

On November 26th, Reg was also

awarded Canadian Swimming Para

Female Coach of the Year Award.

All Sport Aurora members thank

Coach Chappell for his dedication to

sport and coaching.

DuckS coAch

reg chAppell recognIzeD by peerS ||| By Melony teague

Page 16: Sport in Aurora Vol. 2 Issue 5

16 ||| Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne

GYMNASTICS

I’m sure that most of us value and ap-

preciate our volunteer coaches, who

devote many hours to support youth

sport programs in our community.

On Sunday, November 4th, at Sport

Aurora’s 2nd annual volunteer awards,

16 volunteers were recognized for their

efforts – some of whom have been

volunteering in our community for over

30 years. Midway through the festivities,

three-time Grey-Cup winning former

Argo football player Adrion Smith

shared a very inspiring story about one

of the most pivotal people in his life –

his volunteer community coach.

As a young black male from a

very poor American family, Adrion’s

educational and vocational options

were limited. Most of the boys in his

neighbourhood were recruited into

gangs, and ended up in prison or dead.

Dreaming of becoming a baseball star,

Adrion joined a local league and it

wasn’t long before Adrion’s true athletic

talent was identified. The coach encour-

aged him to switch to football, and by

doing so, changed his life. During his

transition from baseball to football,

Coach Chris Shelton went above and

beyond the normal expectations of

sound athletic training and mentorship.

As soon as Adrion’s mom said that they

had no way

to get Adrion

to practices

or games,

his coach

volunteered

to transport

Adrion to and from every practice and

game. It is because of this man’s gener-

osity that Adrion was able to realize his

full athletic and academic potential.

Adrion credits Coach Shelton with

changing his life. As the first in his family

to attend and graduate from college,

Adrion went on to enjoy a very successful

career as a professional athlete. Years

after their first encounter, Adrion

acknowledged the man who had

changed his life, by giving him one

of his coveted Grey Cup rings.

Now a dad living in the GTA, Adrion

supports his children’s participation

in local sport associations, and makes

celebrity appearances where he tells

his tale to reinforce the importance of

volunteerism in our community.

chAngIng lIveS A Few hourS At A tIMe ||| By sarah smith, evolution Gymnastics aurora

226 Industrial Parkway North, Unit 6, Aurora, ON (905) 726-2001www.evolutiongymnastics.ca

Winner of 2011 ERA Banner

Reader’s Choice Award for

Best Gymnastics & Family Fitness!

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** Winter Holiday Camp dates: December 27, 28, 2012 & January 2, 3, 4, 2013 **

a proud member of Gymnastics Ontario, all our coaches are nationally certified

Page 17: Sport in Aurora Vol. 2 Issue 5

Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne ||| 17

SPORT IN AURORA

The Aurora Barbarians junior

men’s program joined the

groundswell of support for the

Olympic version of rugby – “seven-a-

side” play, this fall by participating in

the first annual Ontario competition

featuring club matches for boys and

girls ages fourteen to eighteen.

“The idea was sprung upon the clubs

late in the playing season” explained

program director Sandy Townsend.

“Sevens rugby has attracted a lot of

attention since the announcement of its

inclusion in the Olympic Games starting

in 2016 at Rio de Janeiro. Rugby Ontario

has been looking for a way to promote

this version of the game”.

The competition took place over four

weekends in September and October

and featured matches in three locations

in Southern Ontario. The Barbarians

opted to enter two boys’ teams, U-15

and U-16.

“It would have been great to enter all

age and gender categories” declared

Khalil Ajram, coach of the U-16 group.

“But, there were limited resources and

not a lot of time to get organized”.

The Aurora club leveraged use of the

new turf facility at St. Maximilian Kolbe

Catholic School to enter the program.

“Without this field there would be no

program” offered John McRogers,

coach of the U-15 team. “With the lights

and the consistent field conditions we

could assemble the boys after school

and train regardless of darkness or the

weather. It was certainly an advantage

to us”.

Both teams made it to their respective

championship rounds with the U-16s

loosing narrowly in the Cup champion-

ship, while the U-15s prevailed to win

their Plate competition.

Club President John Reich added “It

was a great start to sevens as a regular

competition. I am asked all the time

about what it will mean to have rugby

in the Olympics. I am excited about

showcasing this sport in Aurora. We

have local athletes that could make

an Olympic team in 2016 and coaching

resources that can guide them there.

And now with this impressive facility

we hope to see the pieces fall into

place. I am optimistic we can host a

full 7s competition with teams from

across Ontario here next year”.

rugby 7s ||| story and photos By aurora Barbarians rugby Football club

Position Most Played Forward

Favorite BasketBall teaM Toronto Raptors

Favorite BasketBall Player Chris Bosh

What do you like Most aBout your BasketBall teaM? “ We work together, we have fun. We pass

the ball. We all get along and I like shooting the ball in the net.”

What are the goals you Wish to achieve this year? “ Dribble the ball down the court. Dribble the ball without looking. Get lots of balls in the net.”

Cole DobsonF 10

Page 18: Sport in Aurora Vol. 2 Issue 5

18 ||| Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne

Who Needs the NhL WheN you have the tigers Midget aa’s?

||| By James Wansbrough

HOCKEY

Another “Home and Home” against Newmarket is now in the books. I want to begin by congratulating all players, coaching

staff and parents for an outstanding weekend. Not only were we successful on the ice but also in our collective fund-

raising efforts which I can attest were very rewarding. I can’t begin to tell you as to how many parents from Newmarket

congratulated our Organization on how we all worked together in efforts to raise as much as we can for Kerry’s Place Autism

Services. It goes without saying that our volunteers did a fantastic job selling 50/50 raffles, BBQ

and pumpkins. Our student volunteers were also extremely busy and, they as well, served our as-

sociation with the utmost respect and dedication to their task on hand and dealing with others.

This year, the AMHA will donate to Kerry’s Place Autism Services a total of $4000.00.

I hope that everyone enjoyed the weekend despite the weather or outcome of your games. We

should all be proud for the weekend that we’ve shared as an Organization, in hopes that our chil-

dren learn how we can involve the playing of the great game of hockey, with another Community

and help a group like Kerry’s Place benefit from the event.

Congratulation also goes out to Newmarket Minor Hockey Association in their fundraising

efforts as they had many donations of non-perishable items which in turn, they donated to their

local food bank.

In closing, I would like to thank all the volunteers that helped make the weekend as successful

and smooth running as it was. The Tiger Jersey will now hang in Newmarket’s office until we battle

again next season. Final Tiger tally: 23 wins, 20 losses and 9 ties.

Another SucceSSful “home And home” SerieS for 2012||| By Joe Bentolila, president, aurora Minor hockey association

An NHL lock-out may be cancelling hockey games

across North America, but the Steel City in

Pennsylvania played host to some exciting early

bird hockey.

The Aurora Tigers Minor Midget AA Team participated

in the Pittsburgh Pre-Season Challenge the weekend of

September 28. The Tigers faced-off against three American

teams and one Canadian team.

In the first game, the Tigers played the Montgomery Blue

Devils from the Washington D.C. area. The game was a fast-

paced, skilled effort by both teams. It wasn’t until the second

period when Adam Newell scored on a power play and Kory

Wansbrough scored on a break-away that the score board

changed. The Tigers finished the game with a 2 – 0 victory

thanks to the excellent goal-tending by Brendan Bilotta.

The Pittsburgh Predators were the next opponent for the

Tigers. The scoring attack started with a penalty shot by Joey

Stipec and the Tigers never looked back. In the end, the Tigers

were the victors in a 5 – 0 game.

The Tri-City Eagles from Maryland were the next to try

their luck against the Tigers. In the end, the Tigers won

the game 4 – 0.

The last game of the round-robin series

found the Tigers facing off against the

other Canadian team, the Toronto

Colts. While the score ended up 2 – 0 in

favor of the Tigers, the game was never in

jeopardy as the Colts only managed three shots on net against

the Tigers.

The undefeated Tigers were then set to play the

Montgomery Blue Devils, their biggest challenge, in the finals.

The game was again a fast-paced, physical match as both

teams wanted to bring home the gold medal. But unlike the

Americans in the Ryder Cup that was being played at the same

time, the Tigers did not fold. The Tigers scored in the first

period with a sniper shot by defenseman Jimmy Abels. Buoyed

up by the success of that shot, Jimmy tried his luck again in the

same period and scored another to give the Tigers a 2 – 0 lead.

The Blue Devils were not about to give up though and rallied

to make it a 2 – 1 game. But late in the third period, Jack Ellison

scored the insurance goal for a 3 – 1 score and Nick Papousek

added an empty-netter for a 4 – 1 final decision.

While the games were exciting offensive displays, it was

largely due to a strong defensive attack and outstanding

goal-tending by Brendan Bilotta who only let in one

shot in five games.

The Tigers wanted to dedicate the tour-

nament victory to Mike Insley, father of

goal-tender Austin Insley, who passed

away in September from cancer. Mike

was a long-time, proud supporter of the

Tigers and will be greatly missed.

18 ||| Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne

Page 19: Sport in Aurora Vol. 2 Issue 5

Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne ||| 19

HOCKEY

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Today’s young hockey players

continue to have challenges find-

ing the right education system

that allows them to flourish in their

favorite sport. Tournaments are often

scheduled at the same time as exams

and assignment due dates, training

takes up many evenings and week-

ends, travel takes them away from their

support infrastructure and it’s hard to

stay awake long enough to get pesky

homework done.

The elite players, those fortunate to

have been offered opportunities in the

OHL or QMJHL, have even more chal-

lenges as the demands of their seasons

tend to dominate their time schedules

totally, forcing them to abandon school

altogether so that they can pursue

“living their dream”. As has been well

documented, few realize their dream to

become professionals so the educa-

tional sacrifices they had to make along

the way leave them in a challenging

situation when looking past hockey at

new career options for which they are

not adequately prepared.

On-line learning can play a key part

in addressing this issue. It offers an

opportunity to allow for better time

management – going to school when

time permits, in between the hockey,

hockey, hockey. Some school programs

are emerging that combine on-line

learning with in-class learning providing

ambitious hockey students an excellent

chance of succeeding at both sports

and academics. The elite player contin-

ues to learn with their peers while they

also focus near full-time on developing

their hockey skills. Conflicts between

school and tournaments are reduced,

marks go up and the student succeeds

in keeping post-hockey options open.

The public education system will not

likely ever accommodate the life-style

of these kinds of athletes. Although the

technology available for on-line learning

is fast becoming main-stream, it seems

only the more innovative private sports

schools are starting to offer mixed pro-

grams and special semesters for these

elite athletes so that they can learn and

train without conflict, anywhere, any-

time. They allow the classroom to come

to the student so they can achieve

excellence both on and off the ice.

hockey PLayers aNd educatioN||| By stephen pollack, everest academy

Instructor Jim Thomson on-ice with Everest Academy students.

Page 20: Sport in Aurora Vol. 2 Issue 5

20 ||| Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne

BASEBALL

AMbA celebrAteS excellence ||| By Javed khan ||| photo courtesy of Daniel langlois

On October 24, 2012,

the Aurora Minor

Baseball Association

(AMBA), celebrated excel-

lence and recognized top

players, coaches, umpires

and volunteers from the

past baseball season.

coNGratulatioNs to the FolloWiNG recipieNts For the 2012 seasoN

house league recipient

Coach of the Year Dan Bortolotti

Junior Rookie Player of the Year Finn Walker

Senior Rookie Player of the Year Jackson Maclean

Mosquito Player of the Year Darius Dynra

Peewee Player of the Year Jonathon Ferguson

Bantam Player of the Year Will Tatham

Midget Player of the Year Greg Milligan

rep recipientCoach of the Year Ian MacKinnon

Rookie Player of the Year Ethan Belisle

Minor Mosquito Player of the Year Andrew Langlois

Mosquito Player of the Year Lucas Lombardi

Minor Peewee Player of the Year Jason Langdon

Peewee Player of the Year Tyler Justice

Minor Bantam Player of the Year Markus Hamann

Bantam Player of the Year Joey Stipec

Minor Midget Player of the Year Matt French

Midget Player of the Year Aaron Giroux

umpires & Volunteers recipientJunior Umpire of the Year Alessandro Bitondo

Senior Umpire of the Year Mark Presacco

Volunteer of the Year Carol Giroux

Volunteer of the Year Tammy Hicks

AurorA DIggerS – wInter trAInIng ||| By Dan hale, chairperson, aurora Diggers ||| photos courtesy of aurora Diggers

While house league

starts in May and

ends in August

the more competitive side

of the Diggers, their rep

teams, go for ten months of

the year. They start working

in November indoors in the

gym and work on catch-

ing and throwing, batting,

and endurance. They also

work on game plays and the

proper coverage of their in-

dividual positions in various

game situations.

The rep team as well as

the house league will have

the opportunity to attend

pitching clinics during the

off-season. One put on within

the guidelines of Softball

Ontario for beginners and

developing pitchers and

another more difficult pro-

gram for the more advanced

pitchers. We are also looking

at an indoor batting facility

for the winter months.

Our teams continue to

improve every year. As an

example this year our midget

team won silver medals in

Port Perry and in the league

playoffs. They also qualified to

play in the provincial playoffs

because of their top eight

finish among all teams in

the province.

Our squirt team devel-

oped from one that other

teams loved to play because

they were guaranteed a win

to one that the other teams

really didn’t want to face

because it was going to be a

tough competition. Our girls

have a reputation for never

giving up and fighting for

the win.

Our sport is growing locally.

Last year we fielded three

rep teams and this year we

will field four. The Aurora

Diggers are recognized

around the province and

our players are known and

respected for their competi-

tiveness, fair play, and pride

they bring onto the field.

Page 21: Sport in Aurora Vol. 2 Issue 5

Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne ||| 21

SPORT IN AURORA

I was a fi gure skater for 15

or so years. We all started

as fi gure skaters back in

our days in Huntsville and

my brothers moved on to

hockey. My sister was the

artistic one, and I was the

athletic one. She skated at

a more competitive level

over a longer period of time

and spent summers training

in Toronto at the Tam ‘O

Shanter. By the time I got to

that level Doug Leigh had al-

ready moved from Huntsville

and set up shop in Orillia.

My spring, summer, and falls

were spent on the ice right

at home. Oh the glorious

days riding my bike home in

the summer from Twin Lakes

arena in my skating outfi t…

and sometimes leotards.

Coach Doug was a master

technician. He had all the

technology and gadgets

long before anyone had

started thinking in that way.

He brought to fi gure skating

what Roger Neilson brought

to hockey. In our 15 minute

sessions, he would fi lm

various elements and then

run them in slow-motion,

reverse-motion, back and

forth, give correction and

repeat. It’s incredible how

you can speed up the

learning process when you

give good visuals. The way

it feels vs. the way it looks

can be miles apart.

Doug was all business on

the ice. He wanted kids to

achieve and he knew how

to push the right buttons.

I think I frustrated him at

times though. There would

be times he would stand in

front of me and practically

jump up and down and yell

trying to get some emotion

to come out and I was so

stubborn I refused to let him

see any. He wanted to know

that he was getting through,

and I wanted to let him know

he wasn’t ‘getting’ to me. He

was “hard-core” and we all

knew how to work hard.

But the real genius, and

the greatest lesson I took

from Coach Doug came

during competition. Coach

Doug would typically have

several skaters competing

on any given day of compe-

tition, but when it was your

event, he’d be right there;

calm, cool, encouraging,

and in that moment, I was

invincible. In competition,

unlike others, I could lay it

all out there. I became a

different person for those

3-4 minutes.

When I train coaches now,

I often relay my personal ath-

lete experiences to others.

So often I see such extreme

behaviours on the sidelines

in competition, and despite

what coaches think, athletes

rarely react positively to it.

Practice is for extreme behav-

iour, working through the ups

and downs, learning to be

consistent, understanding

details, dealing with challenge,

preparing for the unexpected.

When everyone is confi dent

in their preparation, competi-

tion is just execution… and

athletes become invincible.

Joanne Stanga is currently

the Director for the Women’s

National Team Programs

for the Canadian Lacrosse

Association and is an NCCP

Master Learning Facilitator

-Women’s Field Lacrosse

as well as a Women’s

Competitions Committee

Member for the Federation

of International Lacrosse.

She is a former Coach of

both our Canadian Women’s

U19 National Team and the

Women’s Provincial Junior

Team. Joanne is a former

and current athlete and has

worked locally in Aurora for

the last 25 years.

iNviNciBLe||| By Joanne stanga

Invincible: in·vin·ci·ble/ adjective – “incapable of being conquered, overcome, or subdued.”

coNGratulatioNs to the FolloWiNG recipieNts For the 2012 seasoN

house league recipient

Coach of the Year Dan Bortolotti

Junior Rookie Player of the Year Finn Walker

Senior Rookie Player of the Year Jackson Maclean

Mosquito Player of the Year Darius Dynra

Peewee Player of the Year Jonathon Ferguson

Bantam Player of the Year Will Tatham

Midget Player of the Year Greg Milligan

rep recipientCoach of the Year Ian MacKinnon

Rookie Player of the Year Ethan Belisle

Minor Mosquito Player of the Year Andrew Langlois

Mosquito Player of the Year Lucas Lombardi

Minor Peewee Player of the Year Jason Langdon

Peewee Player of the Year Tyler Justice

Minor Bantam Player of the Year Markus Hamann

Bantam Player of the Year Joey Stipec

Minor Midget Player of the Year Matt French

Midget Player of the Year Aaron Giroux

umpires & Volunteers recipientJunior Umpire of the Year Alessandro Bitondo

Senior Umpire of the Year Mark Presacco

Volunteer of the Year Carol Giroux

Volunteer of the Year Tammy Hicks

andrew BlaireSince Andrew joined the

Special Ducks a couple of

years ago he has nearly

mastered the deep water.

He now can easily swim

many lengths without any

assistance from his coach-

es. Way to go, Andrew!

sean VeinoWhen Sean started with

the Special Ducks he was

very uncomfortable put-

ting his face in the water,

but now one of his favou-

rite things to do is to play

underwater games with

his coaches. Who knows…

maybe he’ll compete at

a swim meet with the

Special Ducks soon?

By nature it’s not a quality i ever feel instinctively…

but there have been moments.

Page 22: Sport in Aurora Vol. 2 Issue 5

22 ||| Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne

S.A.C.

A student new to St. Andrew’s College this year is

making a name for himself in the classroom, on

the stage, and especially on the playing field.

Chris Merchant, 17, arrived from Calgary in September and

the 6’2”, 175-pound quarterback is gaining attention across the

league. “He’s a brilliant athlete who can do it all,” says David

Grossman of Sportsnet590, The Fan, who was on hand Nov.

7 as Chris led the Varsity Football Saints to a Conference of

Independent Schools Athletic Association (CISAA) victory

and an undefeated season.

Perseverance is Chris’s key to success. In the championship

game, he brought the Saints from behind in the fourth quarter

to give them a 21-14 win over arch-rivals Upper Canada

College. “It was the best feeling in the world,” Chris says of

winning. “Words can’t even describe it.” It has been Chris’s

dream to win a championship, and for the grade 11 student,

it has come true.

“Chris epitomizes the very best attributes of our football

program,” says Head Coach, Len Gurr. “He is a tremendous

leader and teammate, and one of the most talented quarter-

backs in the entire country.” He is also academically strong,

with a grade average of 90 percent.

“What makes Chris special is his unrelenting drive to be

great,” continues Gurr. “He’s at his best when the game is on

the line, and he has a unique ability to elevate the play of those

around him.”

Chris was also a cast member in the School’s fall play,

Crazy For You. “Chris is a great kid. Such a talent,” says head

of drama and play director, William Scoular. “He runs off the

field and onto the stage,” Scoular says of the Varsity Football

player who dances, sings and acts. “He is an amazing actor

too [and] could be a lead next year.”

Chris is hoping to parlay all his skills to an Ivy League

university in 2014. He wants to do it all – have a career in

kinesiology or psychology and play football. “If I could play

at any professional level, I’d be happy,” he explains, “I’m willing

to go wherever life takes me.”

chriS merchAnt: Athlete, Actor, ScholAr||| By Nicolette Fleming, st. andrew’s college

||| photos by paul Mosey

Page 23: Sport in Aurora Vol. 2 Issue 5

Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne ||| 23

All it takes to enjoy winter cycling is the right clothing. We carry a full selec-

tion to keep you warm, dry and comfortable, plus all the latest styles and

fashions. Follow our guidelines below then dress in layers with heavier outer

layers for rain, snow or high winds. It’s crucial to check the thermometer before you

leave and consider these four crucial areas when deciding what to wear: your head,

torso, hands and feet. Wear slightly lighter clothing, yet be prepared for colder temps

on open roads and descents by carrying a vest or jacket. Whether you’re commuting

to work, training for the upcoming season or can’t bear the thought of being off your

bike for more than a few days, there are plenty of reasons to ride through the winter,

and our advice will help you brave the cold, windchill and snow while you stay fit for

the spring.

CYCLING

BikeSportS Winter tip!

WhAt to WeAr for Winter ridinG!||| By Bike sports, aurora and Newmarket

Page 24: Sport in Aurora Vol. 2 Issue 5

24 ||| Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne

Your son. Our mission.

When he opens the door to St. Andrew’s College, he opens his mind to a world of possibilities. Since 1899 we have provided enriched academics, unparalleled athletics, and dynamic arts programs resulting in strong, independent and intelligent young men.

Discover why SAC is the right place for your son.

905.727.3178 • [email protected] boarding and day school for boys grades 5-12.

Open House • Saturday, January 19, 10:00am - 1:00pm

Experience SAC Day • Wednesday, Februrary 13, 9:30am - 12:30pm

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