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Sport in Aurora Magazine
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Volume 2 ||| Issue 4
EVOLUTION GYMNASTICS OLYMPIC INSPIRATION PG.16
AURORA BARBARIANS WOMEN’S RUGBY TEAM WINS ONTARIO CHAMPIONSHIPS PG.11
AURORA MINOR BALL ASSOCIATIONPG.18
WOMEN’S REC. HOCKEY – FUN AND FITNESS! PG.17
PLUS
SOCCERCDS Grad Adriana Leon Scores Hat Trick for Canada
BASEBALLAurora Diggers House League Celebrates 40 Years!
AND MUCH MORE
COACH
reG ChAPPell“Don’t give up your dreams”
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, October 27 10am - 1pmThursday, November 15 9am - 12pmApplications received by December 14, 2012 will be considered for first-round offers.
Education With Balance
13415 Dufferin Street, King, Ontario 905.833.1220 [email protected] www.cds.on.ca/whowillyoube
CDS Sport in Aurora v5.indd 1 2012-09-21 4:42 PM
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, October 27 10am - 1pmThursday, November 15 9am - 12pmApplications received by December 14, 2012 will be considered for first-round offers.
Education With Balance
13415 Dufferin Street, King, Ontario 905.833.1220 [email protected] www.cds.on.ca/whowillyoube
CDS Sport in Aurora v5.indd 1 2012-09-21 4:42 PM
05 Editor’sNote
06 FromtheDirectorofParks
andRecreation
08 AdrianaLeonScoresHat
TrickforCanada
08 AuroraSeniors’Centre
StrikeGoldat55+
SummerGames!
10 PlayerProfile–NickBaxter
11 AuroraBarbarians
Women’sRugby
TeamWinsOntario
Championships
12 CoachProfile–
RegChappell–Paralympic
SwimmingCoach
14 MasterDucks2012-2013
SwimmingSeasonoffto
aSplashingStart
15 AuroraSpecialDucksOff
toaGreatSeasonStart
15 SpecialGrandSlamsFirst
SeasonaGreatSuccess
16 OlympicInspiration
17 BasketballInjuries
17 RecreationalWomen’s
Hockey–FunandFitness!
18 MinorBantamJaysare
YorkSimcoeBaseball
AssociationFinalists
18 AuroraPeeweeJays
KeepRoundingtheBases
andTakeKindcardine
TournamentbyStorm
19 AuroraMosquitoJays
FinishCloseSecondin
YSBAChampionships
19 AuroraDiggersHouse
LeagueCelebrates
40Years!
20 NoRegrets
21 St.Andrew’sCollege
ContinuesCommunity
OutreachwithNewFields
22 AuroraDucksTriathlon
Team…OfftoaSwimming,
BikingandRunningStart!
22 SpecialEaglesGolf
SeasonaSuccess
23 BikeSportsWinterTip!
IndoorTrainersKeep
YouFit!
11
15
20
22
contents
12Reg Chappell with Summer Mortimer at the 2012 Paralympics in London, England
4 ||| Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne
September/october 2012 VoLuMe 2, ISSue 4
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
Youth rePorterJames powell
editorial contributionSport Aurora Members Karen MacLeodtown of Aurora peter McClellandDr. Carey Avery Meaghan Sheahanrob gray Kim SillcoxLee green Sarah SmithJoshy Kallungal Melony teague Ken Lane Carol Walthers
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
Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne ||| 5
The objective of this publication is
not to publish scores and stand-
ings; that is the stuff of newspa-
pers that are read and discarded. Sure,
we care and are proud of the teams
and athletes that are successful and
win Tournaments and Championships.
But this Magazine, I am proud to say, is
as much about the stories behind the
scores, standings and successes on the
fields, rinks and in the pools. The stories
of personal challenges and opportuni-
ties and, yes, even disappointments that
make amateur sport so “real” to us, will
always fill our pages. The cover story
about Reg Chappell and his 30+ year
coaching life, culminating in his partici-
pation at the London Paralympics is
such a story. I hope you read this story
and feel the commitment and passion
that it takes to really excel in sport.
Likewise you must read the story, No
Regrets, submitted by Peter McClelland
on page 20, to really understand the
ups-and downs an athlete experiences
in a life committed to sport.
I also want to welcome our Youth
Reporter, James Powell, a Co-Op
student in Aurora who is now working
with Sport in Aurora Magazine. He has
provided another well-written story of
a young athlete’s personal success on
page 10.
We all should be proud of the Aurora
Barbarians Rugby Football Club
(ABRFC). This Club is now recognized
as one of the finest Rugby Football
Clubs in all of Canada. Not just because
of the Senior Men’s success, but also
because of their commitment to the
development of the youth and women’s
game. The success this Club has had in
all facets of the sport is truly astound-
ing. Read about the ABRFC’s Women’s
Ontario Championship on page 11.
To all our Sport Aurora Organizations
and those who continue to send in
stories and photos to us, I thank you.
Amateur sport is full of important
stories of challenge and success and
we are proud to publish them.
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
Sport in Aurora Magazinecontinuestoprovidegreatstories
6 ||| Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne
new multi-Purpose artifi cial turf field opens
The Town of Aurora Parks and
Recreation Services department
is pleased to announce that the
new artifi cial turf fi eld at St. Maximilian
Kolbe Catholic High School is now
open. This joint venture between the
Town and the York Catholic District
School Board will see the fi eld used by
St. Maximilian Kolbe during school days
and permitted out to user groups by the
Town on evenings, weekends and other
non-school days.
Since it opened at the beginning of
August, the fi eld has already had foot-
ball, rugby, lacrosse, and soccer activity.
The fi eld is lined for football, rugby and
soccer but can also be used for almost
any fi eld sport. This will enable our lo-
cal teams to play more games here in
Aurora, rather than looking for fi elds in
neighbouring municipalities.
This lit artifi cial fi eld requires much
less maintenance, does not need time
to rest or have to be closed when it
rains like natural grass fi elds do. With
far less “down time” and the ability to
keep the fi eld open long before and
after the normal season for grass fi elds,
the opening of Aurora’s second artifi cial
turf fi eld means more opportunity for
Aurora’s youth to keep active.
The offi cial grand opening of the
fi eld will take place just prior to the St.
Maximilian Kolbe vs. King City football
game on Wednesday, October 24. The
kick-off is at 6 p.m. with the pre-game
ceremonies starting around 5:30 p.m.
Al Downey
Director, Parks and Recreation Services
Town of AuroraUpcoming Special EventsA Haunted Forest Saturday, October 27 | 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Aurora Family Leisure Complex and Sheppard’s BushCome and join us at Sheppard’s Bush for a spooky night filled with haunted trails, ghost tales, witches brew, a bonfire and many scary surprises! Tickets must be purchased in advance for this very popular event.
Santa Under the Stars Parade Saturday, November 24 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Yonge Street Each November, The Town of Aurora hosts an exciting night-time parade. Join us on Yonge Street as Santa Claus proclaims a new holiday season!
Tree Lighting Ceremony Wednesday, December 5 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Aurora Town Hall and the Aurora Seniors’ CentreThe Town of Aurora hosts the official tree lighting ceremony at Aurora Town Hall to kick-off the holiday season. Enjoy caroling, hot chocolate, make-and-take ornaments, the official lighting of the tree and a visit from Santa Claus. Don’t miss this fun family event!
Family First Night Monday, December 31 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Aurora Family Leisure ComplexRing in the New Year early with your family and friends. Enjoy wagon rides, bonfire, swimming, skating, games, children’s activities and so much more!
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
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!
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!
8 ||| Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne
adriana leon SCoreS HAt trICK For CAnADA ||| By Kim Sillcox, Country Day School
aurora seniors’ centre strike Gold at 55+ summer Games! ||| By Joshy Kallungal ||| Photo Courtesy of Aurora Seniors’ Centre
Adriana Leon, a
2010 graduate of
The Country Day
School (CDS) in King, is only
the third Canadian ever to
score a hat trick at the 2012
FIFA U-20 Women’s World
Cup, an exclusive club that
includes Team Canada’s
Christine Sinclair. Adriana
scored three goals in the
first half of Canada’s opening
game against Argentina on
August 20, which Canada
went on to win 6-0. This
year’s U-20 World Cup was
held in Kobe, Japan.
“Wearing my Canadian
jersey, I wanted to win, and
I knew that if I worked hard
we would be successful,”
said the forward from King,
Ont. “Scoring three goals in a
game is the best thing a for-
ward could ask for. Of course
I was ecstatic, but I was
more content with the way
our team played. Everyone’s
individual jobs were met, and
that’s why we were so suc-
cessful on the pitch.”
Unfortunately, the U-20
Canadian Women’s team
went on to lose to Norway
(2-1) and then to North
Korea (2-1) and did not
advance to the quarterfinals.
However, team members
found solace in knowing
that Canada will host the
2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s
World Cup, as well as the
2015 Women’s World Cup,
of which Canada will be one
of 24 participating countries.
This event is the largest
single sporting event for
women in the world and
will take place in six cities
across Canada: Edmonton,
Montreal, Ottawa,
Vancouver, Winnipeg
and Moncton.
Adriana played NCAA
Division I soccer for the
University of Notre Dame as
a freshman and sophomore.
In 2010 she scored the only
goal for Notre Dame in the
NCAA College cup final –
securing the national title for
her team with a 1-0 win over
Stanford University.
Upon her return from the
World Cup in September,
Adriana started her junior
year at the University of
Florida where she is now
playing for the Gators. While
she missed the first three
games, she made up for lost
time in the fourth delivering
the overtime winning goal
against Auburn University to
clench a 2-1 victory. Adriana
is only one of three players in
the history of Florida’s soccer
program to score a “golden
goal” as their first as a Gator.
Her second goal of the
season against the University
of Tennessee, just 5:31 minutes
into the game, earned her
the honour of being the
Gators’ earliest scorer thus
far in the 2012 season. The
Gators topped Tennessee
2-1 that game, and as a
result, Adriana is the second
member of her team this
season to be selected as
CollegeSoccer360.com
Primetime Player of
the Week.
In May and June of 2012 many of The Seniors’ Centre athletes brought home 18 medals consisting of 10 Gold, 5 Silver and 3
Bronze. The members participated in six categories of Pickle ball (55+ men, 55+ Mixed, 55+ women, 65+ Men, 65+ mixed & 65+
women) and in Contract Bridge and Carpet Bowling. Congratulations to the winners from Aurora Seniors Centre listed below:
PiCKle BAll MeDAl WinnerS:GolD: Minoo Nejad, James Alberga, Beatrice Ego,
Evelyn Foster, Pat Fox, John Layton.
Silver: John Seaman, Myrna Rawlins, Walter Rawlins,
Joanne Keates, Annette Gagne.
Bronze: Joshy Kallungal, Tom Bozinoski, Joyce Bannon.
ContrACt BriDGe MeDAl WinnerS:GolD: Audrey Robertson and Lucille Sequeira
Audrey and Lucille are also competing in the ALL Canada
55+ Senior Games being held in Cape Breton, N.S. in
August 28-September 2, 2012 representing Ontario.
CArPet BoWlinG: GolD: Lorna Nadeau and Bill Summers
sPort in aurora
Adriana Leon, a forward for the University of Florida soccer team, is on the
attack versus Florida International on September 2. Since returning from the
FIFA Women’s Under-20 World Cup, Leon has scored two goals for the Gators
– the golden goal at Auburn and again versus No. 23 Tennessee.
WE PROUDLY SUPPORT LOCAL SPORTS
905-841-0800 • 15815 Yonge Street, Aurora
1-800-465-0411 www.mcalpineford.comHOURS: Monday-Thursday 9:00am-8:00pm • Friday & Saturday 9:00am-6:00pm
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Photo by: Jim Burgess
Photo by:
Ray Carson/UF News
WE PROUDLY SUPPORT LOCAL SPORTS
905-841-0800 • 15815 Yonge Street, Aurora
1-800-465-0411 www.mcalpineford.comHOURS: Monday-Thursday 9:00am-8:00pm • Friday & Saturday 9:00am-6:00pm
HOURS: Mon.-Thurs. 8:00am-6:00pm • Fri. 8:00am-5:00pm • Sat. 8:00am-4:00pmQuick Lane 905-841-2424
PEOPLE, PRODUCT, PRICE...WE HAVE IT ALL!
2013 LINCOLN MKX AWD
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L I N C O L N
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PLUS ELIGIBLE COSTCO MEMBERS RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL
1,000‡‡
10 ||| Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne
sPort in aurora
pLAYer proFILeNICK BAXTER
||| By James Powell, Sport in Aurora Youth reporter
On January
9, 1997, 11 lb.
Nick Baxter
was born. Nick was
always the big kid in
school and in sports.
When he was 14 Nick was still carrying
that heavy load and even a focus on
exercise was still he was carrying a
man’s body on him.
Nick’s fi rst love is hockey and has
played at various levels as a kid. Nick
has always been a natural goal scorer
and plays an unselfi sh game that results
in him being at top of the points chart.
The coaches however, didn’t utilize him
in penalty killing situations due to his
lack of quickness and his days at the
AA level were numbered.
Jim Thomson, a player development
consultant and AMHA coach looked
differently and saw great potential in
him. After meeting and getting to know
Nick, Jim also understood Nick’s love
for hockey and saw his desire to play
at higher levels. Earlier this year, Jim
met with all of Baxter family to explain
his plan for Nick. The plan included
some important changes to his life that
would work on his fi tness level, slim him
down and increase his self-confi dence.
However the main objective was to
make him a more complete player and
someone that could compete at the top
level for his age, Minor Midget AAA.
Nick reached that objective by
making the South Central Minor Midget
AAA Coyote team this season and is
enjoying the experience. Jeff Goldman,
a trainer for fi ve years who has been
working with Nick since March of this
year, has also been a very big person
in Nick transformation. Jeff put him on
four different programs and has seen a
vast improvement in Nick’s speed and
the conditioning he developed over the
spring and summer. He has also seen a
change in his mental strength and more
focused than ever. They have also devel-
oped a great friendship and out of this
experience and will continue to grow.
Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne ||| 11
AURORA BARBARIANS WOMEN’S RUGBY TEAM WINS ONTARIO CHAMPIONSHIPS||| By Meaghan Sheahan, Senior Women’s Director, Aurora Barbarians rFC
On Saturday August 25th, the
Aurora Barbarians Rugby
Football Club’s (ABRFC) Senior
Women’s team squared off against
the women’s team from Waterloo
County for the right to be crowned the
2012 Ontario Women’s League (OWL)
Champions. After ten long years in the
OWL, the Barbarians Women’s team
fi nally made history winning its fi rst ever
Championship title.
Over the past several years, the wom-
en’s team has been slowly clawing its way
up in the standings, and in 2011 made
it to the OWL championships for the
fi rst time, narrowly losing to the Toronto
Scottish in a heartbreaker of a match.
The women began the 2012 season
with a renewed sense of confi dence,
determined to once and for all capture
the elusive OWL Championship title.
Led by experienced coaches
Paul Loader and Kevin Jones, the
women’s team dominated the league,
defeating every team in the regular
season in convincing fashion (in-
cluding last year’s champions, the
Toronto Scottish). By the end of the
regular season, the Barbarians had
fi nished atop the OWL with a perfect
10-0-0 record.
With a bye in the quarter-fi nals,
and a win in the semis against the
York Yeomen-Lions, the Barbarians
earned their place in the fi nals for the
second year in a row, and this time they
would not be beaten. The women’s
team capped off a perfect season
by beating Waterloo County with a
fi nal score of 39-5, thus earning their
fi rst ever Ontario Women’s League
Championship.
This championship represents ten
years of hard work and determination
on the part of all players and coaches,
but could not have happened without
the support of family, friends, fans and
the Aurora Community.
Join the Lady Barbarians as they
defend their OWL Championship title
in 2013!
Meaghan Sheahan has played with the
Aurora Barbarian’s senior women’s team
for ten years and been the director of
the program since 2009. For informa-
tion regarding the ABRFC please go
to www.aurorabarbarians.com. For
specifi c inquiries about the senior
women’s program, contact Meaghan at
ruGbY
12 ||| Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne
It takes a long time to become really
expert at coaching and Reg Chappell
has been at it a long time. I first met
him while taking our undergrad program
at the University of Windsor over 35
years ago and we have remained friends
and colleagues since.
When I learned of Reg being named
as Summer Mortimer’s coach to the
London Paralympic Games, I was
thrilled for him as he is a talented coach
and no one deserved it more. Not
surprisingly, Summer won two gold
medals, a silver and a bronze medal at
those Games. Being an expert coach is
one thing, being the coach of a multiple
medalist at the world’s highest level of
competition is quite another.
I knew he’d have some stories when he
returned, so I looked forward to a coffee
with him and I wasn’t disappointed.
Coach Chappell completely opened
my eyes to the world of Paralympic
sports and Parasport in general. His
experience in London was one of
those “watershed” moments for him
and I was happy to learn so
much. I learned that almost
as many people visited
the Paralympic Games as spectators at
the Olympics Games that preceded it.
The London Paralympics were judged
the most successful of all the Paralympic
Games thus far. I was struck (as Reg
was) with 17,000 fans jamming the
swimming venue twice each day, just as
during the Olympics. But as Reg stated
calmly, “good racing is good racing, no
wonder spectators loved it”. The “big
moments” he recalls however occurred
when parents brought their physically
reG ChAPPellParalymPic Swimming coach ||| By ron Weese, Sport in Aurora editor
coach Profile
“Don’t give up your dreams!”
12 ||| Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne
Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne ||| 13
SWIMMING
challenged children to have pictures
taken with the Para athletes. The mes-
sage of hope was clear. “Don’t give up
your dreams” was said over and over.
The insight is overwhelming when you
speak to coaches who are really tuned-
in to their craft. As Reg says, “athletes
learn that they are just one accident
away from Paralympic sport,” and that is
a chilling reminder about safety for us
all. But, according to Coach Chappell,
the greater message is what is learned
by everyone who competes along-
side or trains with Parasport athletes.
“First they overcome daily difficulties,
then they take on training” he says.
“Inspiration comes from working in Para
Sport, No one can work or compete
close to these athletes without feeling
the intense devotion and commitment
they have,” he claims. “I think the best
thing any Club can do is encourage
Parasport athletes to join as they can
teach our able-bodied athletes how to
overcome difficulties and build a strong
Parasport Club within,” he concluded.
It is clear that Parasport is growing.
Almost as many countries enter
Paralympics as the Olympics. Parasport
Ontario (www.parasportontario.ca)
is working hard to build inclusion
practices everywhere sport thrives.
Coaches like Reg Chappell are
valuable resources to our sport culture
and we are proud to have him in our
midst. We are also fortunate to have
his Club, the Aurora Ducks, as a
Member of Sport Aurora.
Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne ||| 13
14 ||| Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne
The Master Ducks Official swim-
ming season start date was
Wednesday, September 12 at
6:00 am followed by an orientation
night on September 11th where many
newcomers to the Master Ducks signed
up and were welcomed by Nancy Black
and Adam Porteous and got to know
their new swimming mates.
The Master Ducks have an exciting
year planned ahead and with many
new faces joining the group, both in
the competitive or fitness group and
the triathlon group they have taken to
the water to train together with their
coaches guiding them with Coach
Adam Porteous at the helm.Swimming is a sport for everyone at
any age. It is a full body workout with
cardio-vascular health one of the added
benefits. Not only is swimming good for
your body, and improving your cardio-
vascular health, but it is the perfect
start to the day and end to a stressful
day where you can unwind, get rid of
stress, stay healthy and have some fun
with fellow swimmers and friends. They
are a group that love to have fun, with
fitness in mind. In addition to enhancing
your life, another benefit for the body
is muscle tone, strength and flexibility.
Swimming is a great aerobic exercise
that gets results, and fast. Water is
about twelve times as dense as air and
therefore creates more resistance for
the body when propelling itself through
the pool. Resistance training is the best
kind of training when it comes to build-
ing strength and muscle tone.
All practices are at the Stronach
Aurora Recreation Complex pool this
year at 1400 Wellington Street East.
This year, the swimming season is
in fact two weeks longer than last
year, thus providing better value for
the swimmers.
Morning practice times are:
Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri at 6:00 am
Mid-morning swim times are:
Tues, Thurs, Fri at 10:00 am
Evening practice times are:
Mon, Wed at 7:30 pm
Tues, Thurs at 8:00 pm
For those who like to swim
on the weekend, there is a
Sunday 8:00 am practice.
The Master Ducks offer fitness, com-
petitive or triathlon programs, and look
forward to participating in Ontario
Masters Swimming Championships as
well as the Masters Swimming National
Championships. They are training towards
participating in the 2013 Masters
Swimming Worlds Championships in
Montreal. It is not too late to register if
you are interested in joining in. For more
information email the registrar Tania
Edwards at: [email protected] or
call (905) 726-DUCK (3825)
MASter DuckS 2012-2013 SwIMMIng SeASon off to A SplAShIng StArt ||| By Melony Teague
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 – Casey Jacob; Janet Mitchell; Sandra Bowden; Karina Clark and Melony Teague.
SWIMMING
Photo by Stelios Chrysochou
Juliana Gonzalez Master Ducks 2012
Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne ||| 15
On Friday October 12th, 2012 the
Aurora Special Ducks swim
team kicked off their 6th sea-
son. Since their beginnings they have
grown in many ways. They now have
27 swimmers and over 40 coaches, and
offer 3 practices a week. As the team
has grown, the program has evolved,
and this season one of the most
significant changes made has been
implementing ways to better accommo-
date the growing needs of the Special
Olympics Aurora swimming community.
New head coach, Casey Jacob is
looking forward to working closely
with the athletes, their parents and
the Special Olympics executive to
help move the Special Ducks forward
into their best season yet. “We have a
number of fantastic opportunities for
our competitive swimmers coming up
this year, Casey Jacob said. “The meet
calendar is shaping up nicely, and the
coaches are looking forward to seeing
big improvements from all of our ath-
letes. The focus for our pre-competitive
group will be to improve their skill set
and provide them with individualized
programs to help move them to that
next level. It’s promising to be a very
busy and exciting season for all of
our swimmers.”
Swimmers have been divided into
two groups to focus on their specific
needs; one being the competitive group
and the other being the pre-competitive
group. The competitive group includes
those who are ready for swim meets
and for some competitive fun. The
focus will be placed on improving their
speed, learning to dive and to do flip
turns to be ready to race.
The goal of Special Olympics isn’t
so much instructional, but rather sport
involvement through competitive op-
portunities; therefore the Special Ducks
also have the pre-competitive group
who are not quite ready for swim meets
yet. The plan this year is to help them
prepare for this, with coaching geared
to their specific level and needs.
“We have a wonderful group of athletes,”
said team manager, Sue Deacon, “and we
are excited to get this season going!”
AurorA SpeciAl DuckS off to A GreAt SeASon StArt ||| By Melony Teague
||| Photo by Ice Photo Studio
Special Olympics Ontario Aurora
proudly offered Softball for the
first time this year. The Special
Grand Slams were coached by Rhonda
Wood who was also the team man-
ager, along with four other coaches,
Patti O’Neil, Melissa Tesarski, Perry
Germansky and Dan Banks. The team
started on June 15th, 2012 and ended
their season on September 7th, 2012.
Practices were held on Friday evenings
at “The Shed” which was donated
by York Regional Police Association.
Each practice started with a stretching
workout run by instructor Patti O’Neil,
after which they would break out into
groups to learn a basic skill ending with
at least a two inning game, depend-
ing on how much sunlight was left. The
team is working towards qualifying for
Provincials. During the summer months,
and over such a short period of time,
the team has improved remarkably
and the coaches clearly love coaching
these athletes. There are all levels of
players on the team. “I have done a lot
of coaching all over the world,” Coach
Rhonda said, “But coaching these
athletes is truly amazing. When I leave
practice, no matter what kind of day
I had, I have a smile on my face and
enthusiasm for whatever comes my
way.” The youngest player is Nolan
LeBlanc, who is only 8 years old and
the oldest player is Victor Dudulski,
who is 60 years old, both of them
playing softball for the first time.
“We had a fantastic season with much
being accomplished,” The Grand Slams
are doing all this practicing in the hopes
of participating in the World’s Special
Olympics. Coach Rhonda said, “We
will be back out next season, starting
beginning of May 2013.”
SpecIAl grAnD SlAMS fIrSt SeASon A greAt SucceSS ||| By Melony Teague
Back row – Andrew Robertson, Christopher Ellis,
Gary Freeman, Isaac Charles
Middle row – Theresa Conrad, Jordan Elias,
Douglas Sooley, Aidan MacDonald, Ryan Grant
Front row – Mary Haberer, Victor Dudulski,
Matthew Nighswander
Photo by James Nighswander
16 ||| Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne
GYMNASTICS
After seeing Michael Phelps swim
in the 2008 Olympics, one of
my nephews decided that it
was time to learn how to swim “proper-
ly”. As an 11-yr old competitive gymnast,
he was already very athletic, but he had
always been reluctant to put his head
under water. Well, within a few weeks,
he morphed into a fish.
This past summer, another nephew
was fascinated by the Men’s Artistic
Gymnastics competition on TV. The
five-year-old was so impressed by “the
hairy armpit guy”, that he insisted his
parents enrol him in a gymnastics pro-
gram. And he is not alone. According to
Frank Sahlein of “3rd Level Consulting”,
despite the poor economy, registration
at U.S. gymnastics clubs increased by
about 20% this fall, the typical spike
after a summer Olympics.
What inspired all these kids? Was
it a dream of fame and fortune, or an
appreciation of the pure beauty of
human physical movement? Young
children don’t understand the political &
economical gains awarded to medal-
winning Olympians. They just think that
what the athletes do is “cool”, and, the
Olympians’ athleticism often ignites
their interest in a particular sport.
How do we ride this wave and keep
these children active in sport? If society
continues to idolize just the medal
winners, what message are we giving
our children? If practice/training isn’t
fun or rewarding, children quickly lose
interest. What recognition do we give
the athletes that dedicated just as much
time and effort, but couldn’t compete
at the Olympics, or did, but didn’t win a
medal? Athletes like Canadian gym-
nast Peng-Peng (Christine) Lee, who
fought back from a career-threatening
back injury, and would have been at the
Olympics, but for a knee injury suffered
at National Championships. And there’s
American Jordan Wieber, who many
expected to be the all-around gold
medalist. Both these athletes worked
every bit as hard as Gabby Douglas, but
they won’t get the lucrative endorse-
ment & book deals, or enjoy the same
celebrity status as Gabby. Millions of
boys dream of NHL glory, but there are
only a handful of celebrity players like
Wayne Gretzky and Sydney Crosby.
It’s possible that our “idolization of
winners” is contributing to our grow-
ing obesity epidemic. Why work hard
at practice if you’re just going to be a
bench-warmer? Why spend umpteen
hours training if you’re not going to be
Provincial champion? Isn’t it easier not
to even try, if you’re going to disap-
point your parents, coaches, and/or
team-mates?
To maintain a child’s interest in sport
we need to recognize achievement at
all levels and keep sport fun. Children
will continue to participate if they see
themselves progressing and achieving,
and if they’re having fun. As coaches,
parents and/or managers, we need to
ensure that both of these elements are
emphasized in our sports programs.
olyMpIc InSpIrAtIon ||| 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!
• Award-winning programs and customer service • Bright, clean, state-of-the-art 11,500 sq. ft. facility • Programs for all ages & abilities. Spacious viewing areas for parents• Full & half day summer, school break, and P.A. day camps• GREAT birthday parties• As a proud member of Gymnastics Ontario, all our coaches are nationally certified
Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne ||| 17
Basketball is a game that requires
quick refl exes, speed and co-
ordination. For anyone who
has played, it becomes obvious that if
you don’t have your wits about you at
all times you could be hurt very easily.
Usually foot, ankle, and knee injuries
are most common but basketball
players are also at risk for sprained/
jammed fi ngers and stress fractures
in the lower extremities. Some injuries
occur by fl uke and cannot be helped
but others can be controlled to some
degree such as:
Environmental – Nets and bound-
ary lines should be far away from walls,
benches, scorer tables etc.
Padding should be used in tight spots
to help limit injury as well. Make sure
courts are free of any debris or liquids
to avoid tripping or slips.
Equipment – Proper, snug fi tting non-
slip court shoes are key, any other style
of shoe is setting you up to roll your
ankle or hurt your knees. Mouthguards
are usually worn nowadays to prevent
dental injuries. If you have a history of
injuring the same area while playing
look into getting a brace that will pro-
vide the support you need and greatly
reduce the likelihood of re-injury.
Overuse Injuries – Many players
(especially younger ones) are often
playing for more than one team when
competing at a higher level which leads
to less time for rest and recovery (both
mental and physical) which increases
the chance of a repetitive strain injury.
Speak with your coach and health care
professional (MD, Chiropractor etc.)
to determine whether or not you are
overdoing it.
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]
BASKETBALL INJUrIES||| By Dr. Carey Avery, B.Kin., D.C.
SPOrT IN AUrOrA
rECrEATIONAL WOMEN’S HOCKEY – FUN AND FITNESS! ||| By Karen MacLeod
It shouldn’t be legal to get this much
fi tness while having this much fun.”
Along with the beautiful colours and
sense of order that fall brings, it delivers
a new season of hockey, well for us rec
players anyway. Aurora’s Kathy Cawaja
Bryden, an ergonomics consultant, part-
time graduate student, and mother of
three, is a perfect example of a recre-
ational player who can’t hide her smile.
Kathy took the plunge into ice hockey
three years ago as a natural extension
from ball hockey and she hasn’t looked
back. Sure, it was hard leaving the com-
fort of her experienced and stable run-
ning shoes to play on ice, but she was
encouraged by her friends, hockey play-
ing family, and dare I add, the female-
friendly hockey town of Aurora.
When asked ‘What do you get from
hockey’, Kathy says “My teammates
laugh when I say it should be illegal to
get this much fi tness while having this
much fun”, she continued. I will never
forget being interested in giving hockey
a go, but trying to muster up the cour-
age to actually begin was another story.
Even though I have been into athletics
my whole life, this hockey thing was a
new sport and the thought of hockey
skates was defi nitely intimidating to me.
At the advice of a hockey mom from
my son’s rep team, I went to watch
a NeverTooLate hockey session
(www.ntlhockey.com) just to see what
it was all about. What I saw was a very
skilled instructor and about 20 women
all geared up, tackling the drills, laugh-
ing, and supporting each other. They
looked like they were having so much
fun and at the same time being
challenged. So, I said to myself, “I can
do that!” And, so I did, and have never
looked back. Whether my hockey
friends hit the ice for personal fi tness
goals or as a challenge to master
certain moves from week to week
to apply to game-night, we spend nine
months with our coach getting better
together in more ways that one.
Kathy has learned from her hockey
playing family and now from personal
experience that skating is key to the
game of hockey. “Having a skilled and
patient coach who is able to teach the
fi ner points of hockey has given me
confi dence to play up in the more com-
petitive women’s recreational division
this year, and I continually get more and
more out of my game.”
Kathy is one of those energetic, smart
players, who soaks in all she can from
her coach and hockey mentors, and
lucky for us, never forgets to have fun
on the ice and off.
Karen MacLeod
Kathy Cawaja Bryden
“
18 ||| Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne
BASEBALL
MInor BAntAM JAyS Are york SIMcoe BASeBAll ASSocIAtIon fInAlIStS ||| By Carol Walthers
The Minor Bantam Aurora Jays played five games to place second in the Region. The team of 14 year olds went 3 and 1
coming into the finals of the double knockout York Region playoff.
After losing a close game 13-11 to Markham on Friday night (Aug. 17th) they came roaring back to beat Barrie 10-5 and
Thornhill 13-7 on Saturday.
A hard fought semi-final on Sunday with Vaughan began a nail biting 1-1 tie for three innings. In the fourth the bats came alive
but Vaughan answered back resulting in another tie of 3 all. It wasn’t until the sixth inning that the Jays pulled ahead with six runs
on a daring squeeze play instigated by Lucas Bulmer and solid hits by Joey Leger, Austin Skelhorn and Markus Hamann. Vaughan
was finally shut down a pop-up and two strikeouts.
It was a game of great pitching by Skelhorn and Hamann, aggressive base running, as well as solid defense by the entire team.
Final score; 9-7 for Aurora.
With four games played it would take another two wins to beat the undefeated Newmarket team to win the championship.
Although the team gave it their all, they lost the final game 14-2.
This weekend saw excellent pitching from Carter Johnson,
Thomas Curley, Markus Hamann, Jamie Finlay, Austin Skelhorn,
Richard Hache, Joey Leger, and Matt Birss. Providing the
pitchers with solid backup were catchers Austin Canham
and Michael Kimmerer. The entire lineup contributed in the
hitting department with special cudos to Leger who went 4
for 4 in the game with Barrie, and Curley who had two triples
against Newmarket.
For the team the highlight was the win in the semi’s. It was
a sweet victory, and their best results ever in the playoffs.
AurorA Peewee JAys KeeP rounding the BAses And tAKe KindcArdine tournAment By storm||| By Ken Lane
The Aurora Peewee Jays went 5-0 over a week-
end Tournament in Kincardine, winning the
Tournament with solid all-round team play.
All 12 players contributed to put forward a determined and spirited effort to win the
Tournament. They came out firing defeating teams from Sarnia, Brantford and the
London area. The coaches combined outstanding pitching and timely hitting that proved all too much for opposing teams.
Friday night, Felipe Navarrez led the squad with a complete game pitching performance topping Corunna 9-4. Saturday after-
noon, after a short rain delay, Filip Grantcharov threw all but one pitch to down OakRidge 7-1.
In the afternoon Tyler Justice started another great performance with Isaiah Hipel coming in to close against Tecumseth win-
ning 9-2. Navarrez started again Sunday morning and did a great job beating Brantford 7-3 in the semi-final. Grantcharov pitched
a tidy game against London Tecumseth in the Final, and the Aurora Jays walked away with a 7-1 win and the trophy.
The Aurora bats were hot all weekend led by Mark Kalmisto hitting for .571 average and 6 runs batted in. Adam Cipollone and
Tyler Justice were each a few feet away from home runs. The Jays delivered timely hits when needed and reached base several
times throughout the 5 game tournament. In addition to solid hitting, the Jays defense was focused and shared an outstanding
performance from Matt Glionna, Troy, Mark, Tyler and Haydn Brown.
Also of mention, we saw outstanding plays in the outfield by Mark Barratt, Connor DeVogel, and Donato Caccamo. To cap it
off, a diving catch by Troy Lane behind the plate and throwing to double up the runner at first base in the championship game
showed the boys were determined to win. Coaches and the players should be commended on their excellent effort.
Aurora Bantam Jays House League 2012 Champs
||| Photos Courtesy of AMBA
Aurora Minor Mosquito Jays House League 2012 Champs
Aurora Peewee Jays
Aurora Minor Bantam Jays YSBA 2012 Finalists
Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne ||| 19
Aurora Senior Jays 2012 OBA Champs
BASEBALL
AurorA MoSquIto JAyS fInISh cloSe SeconD In ySBA chAMpIonShIpS||| By Rob Gray
Rainy weather delayed the YSBA Championships
by one week but it was well worth the wait for the
Aurora Mosquito Jays. After losing the first game
on Friday evening to Thornhill, the remainder of the games
became must win in this double knockout tournament.
First there was a bye in the next round followed by a
game against Georgina. The Jays took a quick 4-0 lead
but saw that lead evaporate and trail 5-4 heading into the
bottom of the 4th. The first two Jays batters were retired
but then the next 8 reached base safely and all scored for
a commanding 12-5 lead and an eventual 16-5 victory. The
next game the Jays faced a hard hitting Bolton team and
got off to a quick 4-0 lead and held on to a 9-3 victory
thank to a dominating pitching performance by Dalton
Greiciunas. With three teams remaining, top seeded Richmond Hill beat Bolton to
face the Jays in the final.
A back and forth game saw the Jays leading 9-4 heading into the fourth. However,
Richmond Hill scored 8 times to take a 3 run lead. The Jays would narrow the lead
to 1 but couldn’t overtake the top seeded team en route to a 15-11 defeat. The Jays
showed a lot of heart and determination with excellent hitting and pitching throughout
the weekend.
Aurora Bantam Jays House League 2012 Champs
Aurora Minor Midget Jays YSBA 2012 Champs
Aurora Minor Mosquito Jays House League 2012 Champs
Aurora Mosquito Jays YSBA Finalists
Aurora Minor Bantam Jays YSBA 2012 Finalists
Photo by Stephen Clements
AurorA DIggerS houSe leAgue celeBrAteS 40 YEArS! ||| By Lee Green, Vice Chairperson, House League
This past summer was the 40th year anniversary of the Aurora Diggers Girls Softball Association. The first Digger team was
coached and founded by the recently deceased Norm Stunden, who will be truly missed.
Also this year we kicked off our 4th season of the Aurora Diggers House-League divisions. The House-League divisions
consisted of three age groups ranging from 5-13 years of age. No matter what the skill level, beginners are always welcome regard-
less of age. Every year we have increased our registration numbers, and this year was no exception. The girls learn the fundamen-
tals of the game taught by our wonderful volunteer coaches,
while using the guidelines of Softball Ontario. Our season
goes from the middle of May to the Middle of August, and
the girls are on the field twice a week. The registration fee
includes a shirt, hat, photo, and a fun final wrap up BBQ.
This summer one of our coaches, Doug Hook, was kind
enough to organize a trip for the girls and their families down
to the Rogers Centre to see a Blue Jays game. Doug ensured
our date landed on a “JR. Jays Day”. The girls enjoyed pre-
game activities put on by the Jays, and also enjoyed some
time on the field including running the bases post-game. We
hope to continue this as a tradition for years to come.
I believe that this is a great and inexpensive summer
sport, and the girls having fun is our number one goal!
20 ||| Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne
rOWING
I first sat down with Ron
Weese of Sport in Aurora
for a piece that ran in the
April issue of this year. The
article came at a time when
I was, quite literally, spend-
ing every waking hour either
training or doing whatever
would best set me up for the
next session on the water, on
the ergometer, or in the gym.
Despite never feeling like
one of the coach’s preferred
athletes, I was cautiously
optimistic about my chances
of making the Canadian
Olympic rowing team.
In late May, when I earned
my spot in the men’s coxless
four for the World Cup in
Switzerland, I was excited to
prove once and for all that
I belonged on the London-
bound team. As this World
Cup regatta served as the
National Team’s last tune-
up before the Games, it
was the perfect chance for
both my crew and I to do
just that. Unfortunately, and
for a variety of reasons, our
boat did not go as fast as it
should have and we ended
up 7th. The coaches decided
to make a change, and after
inserting one of the spares
into the boat uncontested, I
lost out in a trial for the final
seat. I was named as a trav-
elling spare for the Olympic
team rather than as a bona
fide member of the squad as
I had hoped.
It was about six weeks
before the Games, and I was
crushed. This was supposed
to be my time, or at least that
is what I had told myself over
and over again as motiva-
tion to get through the long
winter training months. All
of the endurance and speed
training that I had done over
the past fifteen odd years –
all the running while at
St. Andrew’s, all of the miles
and miles of rowing while
at Western, Cambridge and
on the National Team – had
all been for not. Or, at least
that’s how I felt at the time.
Now a few months later, I
see it all just a bit differently.
I still disagree wholeheart-
edly with how the coaches
handled the situation and
with their ultimate decision to
take me out of the boat (the
Olympic four ended up a dis-
appointing 9th at the Games,
and I went on to compete at
the World Championships
in August in Bulgaria where
I won a bronze medal in the
coxed pair). That all being
said, I have realized that not
only will I likely never be
alright with it, but that it is
human, and even to be ex-
pected to feel this way. When
we don’t achieve something
that we have put our heart
and soul into, it hurts – and
that is ok. It doesn’t mean
that it wasn’t worth the effort
in the first place.
The one other lesson that
I would take away from my
experience is the following:
in whatever particular field
you might find yourself, set
a goal that is within sight yet
out of reach, and then go for
it with absolutely everything
that you have. When I started
rowing all of those years back
at Western, I chose my goal
as making the Olympic team.
Although I didn’t quite reach
that target, I am proud of
what I was able to do along
way: I trained or raced in
twelve countries all over the
world; I rowed for arguably
the top university programs
in both Canada and Great
Britain, and won champion-
ships with each; and most
recently, I had the honour of
competing for my country
over fifteen times and win-
ning five international medals
while doing it. I would never
have thought that any of
this was possible when I left
Aurora for university just over
ten years ago having never
rowed a single stroke.
Such is the power of set-
ting a lofty goal, going for
it with all of your might, and
letting the chips fall where
they may. Whether or not you
reach your objective, what
you accomplish along the
way might just surprise you.
The pursuance of elite
sport is a long, arduous,
and at times very lonely
road. Sometimes personal
relationships and other areas
of an athlete’s life are placed
on the backburner to make
room for the relentless pur-
suit of excellence – some-
thing that I am certainly
guilty of. That being said, I
have always tried to balance
sport and real life to the best
of my ability, and I have no
regrets. As for my future, I’m
not sure if I will make a run at
the 2016 Games in Rio or not
but I will make that decision
in the coming months. In the
meantime, to all my friends
and family, my sponsor
Bäckerhaus Veit bakery, and
of course to all the people of
Aurora: thank you for all of
the support, I couldn’t have
done any of it without you.
No RegRets ||| By Peter McClelland
20 ||| Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne
Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne ||| 21
SAC VArSITY
Above the tranquil lower fields and stately academic and
residential buildings of St. Andrew’s College seen from
Yonge Street in Aurora, you will find significant change.
This spring saw the completion of the new Yuill Family
Athletic Complex, consisting of revitalized upper fields, includ-
ing world-class synthetic turf for football, soccer and lacrosse;
a six-lane running track and field facility; a baseball diamond;
batting cages; two outdoor multi-sport courts as well as grand-
stand seating and additional parking. St. Andrew’s is proud
of this $6.5 M facility but, as important to Sport in Aurora,
is that St. Andrew’s continues to include the Community in
their future.
“The recently approved Strategic Plan has an important
component that involves Community outreach,” states
Headmaster Kevin McHenry. “It confirms our commitment
to include the important role we see in being involved in our
Community,” he explained. “However, Community outreach is
really nothing new,” he continued. “The College has for many
years encouraged the Community to participate on-campus
by using our fields as well as the pool and, of course, we
have offered camps and clinics in various sports to engage
everyone.”
“It really is about striking a balance,” added Assistant
Headmaster Greg Reid. “Of course, the needs of our stu-
dent population are of paramount importance as our object
remains to provide the best academic and co-curricular
program anywhere, but we are eager to continue building
the positive relationships we have developed in Aurora,” he
continued. “For example, our Faculty not only participate on
Campus as coaches and activity leaders but at last count, we
found that, depending on the season, as many as twenty-five
also volunteer their time in various communities, enjoying their
roles helping their kids and Community sport organizations.”
While St. Andrew’s appears to be growing, it is not about
adding students, insists the Headmaster. “We are growing
the student experience here,” he states. “We are not adding
students but rather focusing on continuing our tradition of
providing the best experience for our students that can be
found anywhere in Canada,” he concluded.
There is no question that St. Andrew’s College continues
to be a strong and important Community partner for Sport in
Aurora, and sport in this Community benefits from their plans
to stay connected.
St. Andrew’S College ContinueS Community outreACh with new FieldS||| By Ron Weese ||| Aerial Photo by Paul Mosey ||| Varsity Football Team Photo by Stephen Kimmerer
22 ||| Sport In AurorA MAgAzIneNicholas competed in the first
National Golf Competition held
by Special Olympics.
TrIATHLON
Bruce Schouten outlined his journey: “Four years ago
I decided I needed to try something different on the
fitness front. I’d been going to the gym on a regular
basis, but wasn’t really making any headway.
Both my son, Matt and daughter, Jamie had
competed in a kids triathlon during the summer
before and I was very impressed with their ef-
forts. Only one problem with my plan - I couldn’t
swim to save my soul! My wife is a member of
the Master Ducks and told me about the Stroke
Development course that the Ducks offered. I
gave it a go, and got to the point where I was
comfortable enough to give a try-a-tri a go the
following summer. I finished! And I kept on go-
ing, both with the Master Ducks and with triath-
lon. This summer I completed my first Ironman
which was a 3.8 kilometer swim, 180 kilometer
bike, and 42.2
kilometer run.
An example of
what you can do
with the proper
coaching and motivation!”
Bruce is among many suc-
cess stories to come from
the Master Ducks Triathlon
program. Over the last fifteen
years the Master Ducks have
helped tri-athletes achieve
their full poten-
tial in their per-
sonal events, all
over the world,
by working with
them to make
their front crawl stroke more powerful and ef-
ficient. Coaches encourage swim drills, sculling,
and kicking with fins. All levels of swimmers are
welcome. The team heads for ‘open water’ in
spring for training with coaching and supervi-
sion included.
The Master Ducks congratulate Shannon
Kemp, Paolina Allan, Paul Haffenden, Spencer
Lavis, Brian McGee, Tom Hall, Steve Murray,
Larry Bobbett, to name a few, on qualifying for
the triathlon world championships, held in Kona,
Hawaii on October 13, 2012 and in Auckland,
New Zealand on October 18 -22, 2012.
For more information please contact
Adam Porteous at (905) 726-DUCK (3825),
or email him at [email protected]. For further
information visit our website at www.masterducks.ca.
Special Olympics
Ontario Aurora had
28 athletes participat-
ing in the second season of
golf at Westview Golf Club
this year. Many thanks goes
to Mike Nisbet and his staff
at Westview Golf Club for
providing facilities, carts,
range balls, club rentals and
course access at no charge.
This saved significant funds
to put towards next year’s
budget. The Aurora Special
Eagles Golf team partici-
pated in four events this past
summer supported by 16
coaches. Many coaches were
available every Sunday which
provided quality and conti-
nuity of the program, while
maintaining consistency in
coaching and athlete groups.
This is significant given the
ratio of golfers to coaches
and without their dedication
it would be a challenge to
provide this ideal ratio and
quality program. Coaches
are able to work in a one-
on-one capacity and also
in group format. This year,
several golfers were fitted
with proper golf clubs, which
improved their skill and
enjoyment of the sport im-
mensely. The Special Eagles
are hopeful that coaches will
also return and that we will
be able to recruit more to
assist next season.
The spring golf Tournament
fund-raiser held at Westview
Golf Club was a tremen-
dous success. $6,100 was
raised for Special Olympics
Aurora. Head Coach, Nicola
McGovern and athlete,
Nicholas Chow will be part
of Team Ontario repre-
sented Special Olympics
Ontario – Aurora in the first
national golf competition
held by Special Olympics
on September 27-30th 2012.
“Nicholas is focused in his
practices and has put in
extra training in order to
compete at this level,” Coach
Nicola McGovern said. “He
was extremely excited about
this opportunity.”
AurorA Ducks TriAThlon TeAm… off To A swimming, biking AnD running sTArT! ||| By Melony Teague ||| Photos Courtesy of Master Ducks
SpecIAl eAgleS golf SeASon A SucceSS||| By Melony Teague ||| Photo by Scott Neuman, Ice Photo Studio
Sport In AurorA MAgAzIne ||| 23
Cyclists love the outdoors. But then along comes winter
and the temptation to stop working out hits. Here’s
how to avoid losing the hard-earned fitness gained
during the spring and summer months.
It’s important to keep riding and it’s easy to do with an
indoor trainer; a simple, portable device that supports your
bicycle and lets you pedal in place. The resistance device
simulates the effort of riding outdoors so you can get the
same excellent benefits in the comfort and safety of your
own home. And… you will find you are using your indoor
trainer even during peak cycling season, not just as a supple-
ment for off-season.
Commit to your indoor trainer rides. Here’s how to get the
most out of them to ensure you are in as good (or better)
shape than the previous fall:
• Be prepared to sweat.
You will want a fan to cool you and water or an energy drink
to stay hydrated and make sure a towel is handy to dry off.
• Pump up your workout.
Scenery doesn’t change indoors but you can listen to music or
watch TV as distractions. Why not catch up on reading? Also
it is important to change your workout such as putting the
bike into a larger gear, stand while pedalling to change pace
and position.
• Use “intervals” for an interesting and challenging
workout that improves fitness fast.
Intervals of higher and lower intensity make it possible for
you to push yourself harder, raising the total volume and
intensity of the workout while making the workout more
interesting. Shifting gears to increase and then decrease the
effort while timing the intervals efforts works well. Always
warm-up for about ten minutes before hitting the first of
five intervals and make sure you cool down for 10 minutes
afterwards to help eliminate fatigue. You can soon stretch
the length and number of intervals week-to-week and
improve fitness all winter long.
CYCLING
Bike SportS winter tip! indoor trAinerS keep you Fit!||| By Bike Sports, Aurora and Newmarket
The winter months are an opportunity to stay in shape and progress your fitness for the road with an indoor trainer so don’t miss
this chance to stay on your bike!
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 • Tuesday Nov. 6, 6:30 - 8:30pm
Experience SAC Day • Wednesday Nov. 28, 9:30am - 12:30pm
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