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BELLEVILLE . QUINTE WEST . PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY
& SURROUNDING AREAS
COVERING LOCAL SPORTS IN OUR COMMUNITY
Celebrating Local Women in Sports! High School Athlete of the Year Kari Read pg 18
Athlete of the Month Brigid Bechervaise pg 8
CELEBRATING GREATNESS - Females in the Belleville Sports Hall of Fame pg 20
APR/MAY 2021 Vol 5 Issue 2
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Spring/Summer Hours 11 am until 9 pm Sunday to Thursday 11 am to 10 pm Friday and Saturday.
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The Boathouse Seafood Restaurant & Waterfront Patio 32 South Front St. Belleville 613.969.2211 BoathouseLure.ca
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To make change happen I am pleased to see Quinte Total Sports publish this Women in Sports edition. I am very proud of all of our regional athletes. I am also committed to ensuring that women have equal opportunities and I have been very vocal in encouraging a stronger female representation in municipal politics, both on Council, and on City boards and committees. That is why it is so important to open these channels at a very early age. What better way for our young women to gain confidence, leadership skills and teamwork strengths than through sports? We all have a responsibility to make this happen. I challenge our sport leaders to strengthen their organizations by making equitable
BELLEVILLE.CA
decisions. To keep more girls and women in sports, things need to change. We need to help increase the representation of women in leadership roles across sport with appropriate MAYOR MITCH PANCIUK plans for recruiting and CITY OF BELLEVILLE advancing women as coaches, officials and senior leaders. We need to bring a gender lens to our decision making and create conditions to support the right for women and girls to participate, lead and stay involved. These are our partners, our mothers, our daughters, our friends. Let’s create a richer, stronger society by ensuring all sectors are represented equally.
we can’t be spectators - we must all be involved
If it doesn’t challenge you it doesn’t change you.
The commitment and teamwork skills learned today make us a better community tomorrow!
Total Sports
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PUBLISHER Total Sports Integrated Media
QUINTE REGION
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kelly Leigh Martin WRITERS Randy Uens Judi Gilbert Terry Boyd Geordie Michell Dave Mills Allyson Tufts Brandon Oates Rian Cole Dallas Knowles Liz Yntema Nancy Popovich Ryan Williams Mark Reynolds Mike Kirby Lisa Conley Derek Brown
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905.914.7454 MAIN ADVERTISING AND STORIES
Kelly Leigh Martin/ 905-914-7454 BOQTotalsports@gmail.com EDITOR Dallas Knowles DISTRIBUTION Angela Douglas PHOTOGRAPHERS Liane Woodley Michelle Kennelly OJHL Images
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Total Sports Quinte is a free magazine, print+digital versions published six times a year. Contents Copyright 2020 Total Sports Quinte. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or depicted in print or digital form without the written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed by contributors may not be those of Total Sports Quinte. Total Sports Quinte assumes no liability for submissions or omissions. Contributors - OJHL Images, Geordie Mitchell - Spirits Basketball, Wellington Dukes, Trenton Golden Hawks, Puck Chaser, Terry Boyd - The GYM Trenton, Allans Auto Service Belleville, Total Sports Quinte Podcast, The Boathouse Seafood Restaurant & Waterfront Patio, Ryan Williams - Williams Hotels, Randy Uens, Allyson Tufts, Trent Valley Distributors, Cogeco, Your TV, 99.3 Country FM, Hockey TV, Deroche Sports Photography, Rian Cole, Crossfit Belleville, Dave Mills Belleville Sports Hall of Fame, Liane Woodley, Jackie Jarrell, Jennifer McMurter, Jeannette Sterner, Mitch Panciuk, Brandon Oates, Pegasus Cheer Athletics, Rolf The Jeweller, Julia Lewis, Nikki Gray, Kelly Sage, Mackay Insurance, Nancy Popovich, Bay of Quinte Golf, Belleville Comets, Quinte Smart Homes, Judi Gilbert, Mike Kirby, Derek Brown, Neil Ellis, Todd Smith, Shop Bay of Quinte, Lisa Conley, Mark Reynolds, Uncle Chesters Hot Sauce, Belleville Ravens. RCAF Flyers,
COVER PHOTO (Kari Read) By Liane Woodley CSS
FEATURES
April/ May 2021 Volume 5 Issue 2
3 .................... Mayor Mitch Panciuk To Make Change Happen 5 ............................... UTurns A View On Sports - Why Not Me? 6 .................... Meet Ashley Allaire Belleville Beast Swim Team 7 ............ Pegasus Cheer Athletics A Home Away From Home 8-9 .......... Meet Our Althlete of the Month Brigid Bechervaise 10 ................................... Enhancement in Sports and the GYM 11 ................. What is Body / Cool Sculpting? Now At the GYM 12 .......................... The Lady Dukes Staying Active & Adapting 14-15 ............. Navigating the Landscape of Women’s Hockey 16 .................................................... Jess’s Story by Allyson Tufts 18 ................... Meet Kari Read Highschool Athlete of the Year 19 .......................... Ryan Williams Honours Women of Quinte 20-21 ................ Females of the Belleville Sports Hall of Fame 22 ............. Jessie Mercer Developing Ontario’s Junior Golfers 23 .......................................................... Bay of Quinte Golf Club 25 ................. Meet Jeannette Sterner TPT-Sterner Equestrian 26 NOW LIVE Total Sports Quinte SportsHUB Add Your Club 27 ......................... Team of the Month - The Belleville Comets 28 ................. Local Women Who Have Excellerated In Sports 30-31 ................... Transferrable Skills Aquired Through Sport 33 ...................... Liane Woodley Three Decades of Dedication 34 ........ Meet Figure Skaters Trennt Michaud & Evelyn Walsh 35 ........................... Belleville Volleyball Club, Belleville Ravens 37 ........ Women’s Hockey is flying in Canadian Armed Forces 38 .................................... Jackie Jarrell Athlete to Entrepreneur 39 .............................................. Meet Boxer Jennifer McMurter 40 ............................ Reflexology Feel Better ... You Deserve It! 42 ............... Empowered By Crossfit What Can Your Body Do
Meet Swimmer Ashley Allaire Pg 6
Local Women - Excellerated in Sports Pg 28
Liane Woodley 3 Decades of Dedication pg 33
Jackie Jarrell - Athlete to Entrepreneur pg 38
Interested in having a Total Sports Hub, Magazine and PodCast Business in your community? Contact us to find out how you can become part of our network! BOQTotalsports@Gmail.com 905-914-7454
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Sports Column By Randy Uens
U Turns: A View on Sports “Why Not Me”
As a father of a dedicated young, female athlete, I have become acutely aware of issues in women’s sports and the trials and tribulations that these sports must endure as they mature and morph into professional sports. It’s not that I wasn’t aware before I became a father but I am definitely more empathetic as I see the daily dedication and passion my daughter and her teammates put into their sport. For my daughter, hockey is what drives her everyday to get better and to pursue the highest levels she can achieve. The question is, what will those levels be? I am blessed to have two kids that have developed incredible work ethics and have a burning desire to succeed. Each one has set goals and worked hard to achieve those goals. When my son was drafted to the NHL in this past draft I was obviously excited for him and pleased that this milestone validated the work he had put in up to this point. At the same time, I felt a little sad for my daughter. In our gym at our house (our garage) we have a number of inspirational quotes on the walls. One of them is “Why not Me“ Great quote, but may have more pertinence to my daughter than my son in many ways. When she was eight or nine she asked me if she could one day play professional hockey. It pained me that I didn’t really have an answer for her and all I could say was “I hope so”. Women’s hockey is at a crossroads. Although professional leagues have been established, neither league has proven to be sustainable. The CWHL (Canadian Women’s Hockey League) operated for a number of years in a manner that was more akin to amateur hockey than professional hockey. Lack of funding and support forced the number one elite league in women’s hockey worldwide to toil in relative obscurity for 51 weeks of the year only to be highlighted on TSN for the final one game championship. This lack of support and instability led the league to cease operations in 2018. The NWHL (National Women’s Hockey League) was and is the U.S. based women’s professional league that competed with the CWHL. Founded and operated by former NCAA player Dani Rylan, the league has struggled. Initially, as the weaker of the two leagues and secondly, Ms. Rylan has been a polarizing figure in the sport. You have to admire her pit bull type determination but the business model traditionally lacked collaboration with the players and had major sustainability issues. When the CWHL ceased operations the door was left open for the NWHL to take the lead towards solidifying itself as the penultimate women’s league in the world. Unfortunately, the league has not been able to develop consensus from the elite players and despite a recent resurgence in publicity has failed to fully capitalize on the opportunity or gather significant support. The PWHPA (Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association) was created when the CWHL shut down. Most of the top women’s players in the world are playing inside this touring event driven association. Recent success in attracting significant sponsorship money as well as having three NHL teams align themselves with the PWHPA shows that there is hope to unify and solidify the women’s game. It will take the NHL to step in and help create a WNBA type scenario for this all to workout. Recent events leave me optimistic for this outcome.
This struggle in elite women’s hockey illustrates the ongoing issues of women’s sports, especially women’s team sports. Individual women’s sports such as tennis and golf have allowed women to develop very lucrative and rewarding professional careers. Despite this fact, these tour events in tennis and golf are still less funded than men’s events and the lack of “junior” tours to allow for expanded player development beyond the elite players is limited therefore reducing opportunities for advancement to the professional ranks. For professional women’s team sports it has been even more dire, however there are signs of improvement. The WNBA is by far the most progressive women’s league in the world allowing its players to make a living off their sport and to be truly professional. Through support by elite professional male clubs, women’s soccer is seeing growth and success globally and looks to be approaching a point where many of the players can be considered true professionals relying solely on their soccer incomes while being paid at a rate of pay that is sustainable. Women’s hockey is not there yet. Most if not all of these professional women players rely on part-time jobs or carry on full-time positions while trying to maintain their professional hockey aspirations. It will take the NHL to step in and turn this into a truly professional league at some point. The challenges for professional women’s sports are clearly based on finance. Lack of sponsorship and limited support from mainstream broadcasting will continue to hamper growth until someone steps up and markets the leagues appropriately and works to develop the women’s game. Recent events brought on by the pandemic illustrate this issue of finance colliding with development of women’s sports. The World Junior Hockey tournament has become a staple at Christmas time for hockey fans across the globe. This global juggernaut was a blip on the hockey radar thirty plus years ago, but TSN and Hockey Canada helped propel it to become a money making machine. The men’s World juniors is an under 20 (U20) event as it corresponds with the NHL and junior age groups. For women there is no U20 championship. Their World Juniors is the U18 event. Next to the women’s World championships, it is the biggest opportunity for women hockey players to not only play for their countries but to play the best in the world. During the pandemic it was decided to move the men’s U20 tournament to play in a “bubble” in Edmonton and Red Deer and go ahead with the tournament. The women’s U18 was slated for early January in Sweden and was cancelled due to concerns surrounding travel and the pandemic. The real concern was cost. The men’s tournament is a moneymaker. With no fans, the women’s tournament would have definitely lost money. This was a missed opportunity. If you want to promote the women’s game you must support it. The perfect scenario would have been to play the women’s tournament inside the same bubble and televise the games, leveraging the TSN infrastructure already in place. This would have promoted the women’s game as well as demonstrated that the IIHF (International Ice Hockey Federation) and all of the other global regulatory bodies were truly supportive of the women’s game. It was a real failure by all involved. With International Women’s Day was March 8 and March being National Women’s History Month, I think it’s important for us to reflect on how we can help improve the opportunities for women’s sports. The greatest thing a sports fan can do is to watch women’s sports, support them at every opportunity and ultimately appreciate the level of athleticism. Don’t compare them to male sports because they are different. Once you watch the female game in any sport, basketball, rugby, soccer or hockey, you begin to appreciate the nuances of the sport and truly appreciate the athleticism of these athletes. Give women’s sports a chance and tune in when it is on TV, or go catch a game when they are playing. This support will grow their game and expand the opportunities for young women everywhere. Once we do that these young athletes can stop asking “Why Not Me” for the wrong reasons and focus on “Why Not Me “ the way the motivational quote was intended. These are my own views and do not reflect the views of Total Sports Magazine, Dukes Sports & Entertainment or the Wellington Dukes Hockey club.
BELLEVILLE BEAST SWIM TEAM
CELEBRATING FEMALE ATHLETES
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Ashley Allaire
By Brandon Oates - Head Coach - Belleville Beast Swim Team There is only one swimmer remaining on the Belleville Beast Swim Team that joined prior to the opening of the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre, and that is Ashley Allaire. Her time with the Beast began in 2011 and she has never looked back. She is the only athlete on the team that predates the Head Coach, Brandon Oates. In the fall of 2012, the two began working together and have been through many swimming adventures over the last 9 years. Ashley is extremely passionate about competitive swimming and has consistently been one of the most committed on the team. Every season, her attendance percentage has been in the high 90th percentile and she has always attended swim meets on a regular basis. Since her first day swimming, she has strived to improve that little bit at every practice, and with thousands of hours spent in the water, she has been able to achieve tons of success, including earning a scholarship to Canisius College in Buffalo, New York. She plans to double major in Sports and Exercise Health Care & Health and Wellness. Her hard work has paid off and she is looking forward to studying and competing for the NCAA Division I Golden Griffins. There were many milestones along the way. At the Regional level, Ashley has been earning medals since the age of 10 and has been dominant in Eastern Ontario throughout the years. Although most of her recent success comes from freestyle and breaststroke events, she began winning medals in butterfly races at a young age. Her perseverance in the pool since she began, has allowed her to attain all sorts of feats throughout her career. Ashley had her first glimpse of provincial competition when she was part of the 30-member Ontario Division III Team Championship crew that competed at the Etobicoke Olympium. Following that, she competed on multiple Ontario Division II Team Championships crews and was able to qualify for Ontario Festival Championships in 2014 and then again in 2016. In 2017, she had a breakout year where she qualified for Ontario AA Championships, Ontario Provincial Championships and Eastern Canadian Championships. In 2018, she won a medal in almost every single Regional Championship event, placed well at Provincial Championships, and finished the season off by flying to Dublin, Ireland to compete in multiple events at Irish National Championships, where she qualified for five finals. The next season, Ashley continued to flourish at the Regional and Provincial level, including winning multiple gold medals at the 2019 Ontario Youth Jr. Championships. That summer also included a trip out to Moraga, California where she attended Far Western Championships, where she placed top 5, and to finish of 2019, she qualified and raced at her first Ontario Jr. International Competition. In 2020, Ashley raced her final Provincial Championships, right before COVID-19 hit and since then she has been training open water whenever she could, before finally making it back into the QSWC last fall; having been out of the pool since March 2020.
To begin 2021 in a lockdown was not easy to digest, but she is extremely happy to be back in the water, training alongside her teammates and never takes swimming for granted. Ashley trains in the top group for the Beast. Her Performance squad teammates currently spend 15 hours per week together. One of her training partners, Victoria McDowell, went on the trips to Ireland and California with her. Victoria is also an Eastern Canadian qualifier and raced at Ontario Youth Jr. Championships, plus she is a coach for the Jr. Beast program. She is planning to head out west in the fall to pursue Nursing and hopes to continue to both swim and coach. Lexy Buchanan is the other female in the top group, with Victor Coutu and Owen Googe forming the rest of the Performance squad. These swimmers are lucky to have a strong senior group to train alongside, that consists of a bunch of up-and-coming teenage swimmers who are destined to deliver a major impact when swim meets return. There is also a strong advanced group, which has a dozen talented swimmers that will contribute in an incredibly positive manner down then road, including Maddy Kort, a recent team record setter in the 11 and 12 50m backstroke category. Overall, the future is looking extremely bright for the Beast. With three athletes moving on next season, the team still has a solid core heading into next season. There will be more high school swimmers on the team next year than there has been in a long time, and the young talent that will breakthrough, will allow the team to rise in the rankings amongst teams across Ontario and Canada. The main emphasis will remain intact; have fun and work hard. The swim program has always been built around having a great attitude, staying dedicated and displaying a steady effort at every workout. Ashley completely bought into the program and after 10 amazing years with the Beast, she will be moving onto a post-secondary level and remain ready to continue to progress her skills. Hopefully, she will be able to return and compete with the team in the future, including at the next Olympic Trials, possibly with many of her teammates. Her and her fellow swimmers will be missed next season, but what they have gained here over the years will stay with them forever.
Once a Beast, Always a Beast. Instagram/ @bellevilleswim
Facebook /BellevilleSwim
Twitter @BellevilleSwim
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PEGASUS CHEER ATHLETICS A Home Away From Home
Submitted By - Pegasus Cheer Athletics Do you remember the first place you felt at home? A place where you were accepted, encouraged, and excited to go every week? Maybe it was a friend’s house, the library, an afterschool program, or the community pool. For many children and young women in the Bay of Quinte region, Pegasus Cheer Athletics is that place for them. COVID-19 brought many challenges that athletes and staff had to adapt to and figure out a new way to operate within. Pegasus Cheer Athletics, Quinte’s only competitive cheerleading facility, has adapted their programs to focus heavily on relationships. “While friendships and connections have always been a focus of ours, over the last year, it’s become even more important. Our staff have seen athletes struggle with anxiety, eating disorders, personal connections, and sleeping issues,” says Liz Yntema, owner at Pegasus Cheer Athletics. “We realized our kids needed us now more than ever to help them get through what we’re experiencing. Our staff took training to understand the trauma these children are experiencing and how our facility can be a safe space for them.” Previous years saw athletes from 3 to 25 years old competing at this time of year. You’d find them dressed in their uniforms, warming up their routines, and celebrating with their friends. This year is different. No competitions mean staff have had to have hard conversations with athletes about their goals and expectations for the season, and how it affects their training. While the uncertainty of lockdowns and regulations loom in the air, Pegasus staff have a new mission: they strive to create a space where athletes feel safe to be themselves, where they feel empowered and can be honest about how they are feeling. In a sport that is mostly female, pandemic regulations have been an even harder hit to the athletes’ mental and physical well-being. More traditional male-dominated sports, such as hockey, have been allowed to continue practising. Cheerleaders, on the other hand, have had to adjust to new limitations, often at the expense of not being able to fully practice a sport they love. Pegasus aims to help them navigate the feelings that come with those limitations and continue to be a space where athletes can develop their leadership skills and be comfortable having real conversations about their mental health.
extracurricular activities for the children in our community and the impact the last year has had on their mental health.” As the sport returned to in-person programming, staff saw a shift in their athletes’ moods. They started to see smiles and hear laughter in classes and team practices again. Athletes’ eating habits and grades improved, their bodies became physically stronger, their attention span got better, and their self confidence increased. This remarkable change was a beautiful reminder of hope after long hours and multiple heart-wrenching conversations with athletes often in tears. “They have the biggest hearts and go out of their way for their kids. COVID-19 presented a challenge for most sports. The gym went above and beyond to ensure that practice was still offered in a variety of settings,” says Tara H, parent at Pegasus Cheer Athletics.“ I am forever grateful to have such amazing people supporting me in building a leader in our community. Invest in your kids’ futures!” Pegasus is excited to continue being a safe space for families in the Bay of Quinte region. As they begin planning for the upcoming season, they are ensuring that the feeling of being a “home away from home” continues and athletes know they can have vulnerable conversations with someone they trust. The youth in our community have shown time and time again that they are resilient and Pegasus cannot wait to see them become the leaders of tomorrow. If you are interested in learning more about Pegasus Cheer Athletics and their programming, please visit www.pegasuscheer.com.
“Some of the stories we heard from parents were heartbreaking. Over the lockdown, one of our athletes stopped eating and said life didn’t matter anymore because she could no longer see her friends, attend school, or practice a sport she loves,” remarked Yntema. “Hearing those stories reinforced the importance of
Pegasuscheer.com
info@pegasuscheer.com (613) 779-8644
Athlete of the Month
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Brigid Bechervaise - An All-Round “Spirit”
Submitted by Geordie Michell, Coach, Belleville Spirits and Level Up Basketball Academy “She is a baller. She is just very solid at everything. Saying that doesn’t really do her game justice. Basically she has no real weakness to her game. She can shoot, pass, handle the ball, defend, rebound, attack the basket and create for teammates.” - Coach Caleb Hugh, Loyalist Lancers Women’s Team When speaking with any of the grade 12 Nicholson Catholic College (NCC) student’s past coaches, they all reiterate the same thing; Brigid Bechervaise is a complete basketball player and extraordinary teammate. Of course this is not something that happens over night. Bechervaise has a number of factors that have contributed in developing her into the all around player she is today, the biggest influence of all being her family. Brigid started playing basketball in grade 3 because she wanted to be like her older brother Calum, and began playing competitively for the Belleville Spirits in grade 5, under long-time Spirits Coach Sandro Palleschi. “She was always a smart player. Her basketball IQ was as good as any player I coached, even at a young age.” recalled Coach Palleschi. “We were undersized back then so she always had to cover kids bigger than her and at times faster than her, but she was always able to hold her own. Her ability to anticipate the play meant she would rarely get burned.” Bechervaise was voted MVP of her grade 6 Belleville Spirits team under Coach Palleschi.
played. This is the only time in the history of the Belleville Spirits organization that a team has won this championship; crowning them the top “AAA” team in all of Ontario. When asked about Brigid, her Coach of that team, Tom Callahan, who has watched Bechervaise play since grade 4 with his daughters team, shared, “She has always had a very good understanding of the game and has a very high IQ. Brigid has developed as a leader on the court. She is also her teammates’ biggest cheerleader, and does a good job staying positive and motivating her team.” Callahan also noted that his fondest memory of Coaching Bechervaise“... was when we won the D1 provincial gold. To see the joy in Brigid and her teammates when the buzzer sounded was one of my fondest memories from any team I have coached!” Bechervaise was named MVP of the game and MVP of the team that year. While Bechervaise has had great success and memories through her grade 11 year, she shared how her biggest disappointment was missing her final season of high school basketball because of COVID. “I didn’t know my last game at Nicholson would be my final high school game.” A feeling that far too many athletes have had to experience over the past year.
Continued next page ...
Although her basketball journey began because of looking up to her brother, Bechervaise touts her father, Jeff Bechervaise (photo left), as her biggest basketball influence. Brigid’s father, who played college basketball for the Loyalist Lancers, helped her develop throughout the years, signing her up for every camp and making sure she always had a team to play on, no matter the obstacles. “My grade 7 year there was no one who would step up to coach my age group for the Belleville Spirits, so he took time out of his busy schedule to coach and make sure I had a team.” Bechervaise shared. After that season, her father continued on as an assistant coach with all of Brigid’s Belleville Spirits teams, continuing to help her excel. “Over the years he has figured out how to push me my hardest without being too hard on me.” Brigid saw a lot of success in her early playing days, but some of her favourite memories in her basketball career came when she entered high school. From grade 9 to 11, Bechervaise’s Nicholson Catholic College teams won the Central Ontario Secondary Schools Association (COSSA) championship every year, two of which she was MVP of her team. Those same teams earned a trip to the Ontario Federation of School Athletics Associations (OFSSA) tournament in her grade 10 and 11 years. Her NCC coach, Tim Coates, had high praise for Bechervaise:, “Brigid is a very good player. She pretty much can do it all. She shoots well, she brings the ball up the floor, rebounds, and defends the other team’s best player. She always received lots of attention from our opponents but she still would manage to score about twenty points per game. On top of it all she was a good teammate who encouraged those around her. She was very easy to coach.” Bechervaise’s biggest athletic achievement to date would have to be capturing the U16 AAA Ontario Basketball Association’s Provincial Championships in Scarborough with her Belleville Spirits teammates in 2019. The group of girls ran the table, winning all five games they
Coach Tim Coates & Brigid
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(Top row) Tom callahan (coach) Melina Mclellan, Gracie Burris, Kira Fair, Brigid Bechervaise, Talia Vreugdenhil, Alesia Rose, Darryl Drain (assistant coach), Jeff Bechervaise (assistant coach) (bottom row) Sydney Drain, Cassi Yeatman, Grace Callahan, Hannah Goad, Vanessa Wilton
Next year Bechervaise is going to the University of Ottawa to study kinesiology. She will join the women’s basketball team as a “redshirt” freshman. This means she practices with the team for her first year, but knows she won’t get any playing time. “I want to make sure I am not a redshirt after my first year at Ottawa. I plan on pushing myself against the players on the team [University of Ottawa] once we are able to practice, and do everything I can to make sure my skills are where they need to be,” said Brigid. It is likely that her work ethic and determination will get her there. Right now she works out 5-6 days a week, weightlifting and getting stronger. In a COVID restricted world, Bechervaise said she is, “...trying to do any sort of camp or basketball session that can get me into a gym and get shots up.” When asked what advice she had for youth who want to start playing basketball, or already are, Bechervaise voiced that it is important to, “...believe in yourself; confidence is a big thing in sport. If you have a goal, let nothing get in the way of achieving it.” She went on to share that PGC Basketball Camp, which she attended on five separate occasions for a week each time, was also very helpful in developing not only her basketball skills, but overall life skills as well. “It’s more than just a basketball camp, it teaches you how to have a better attitude and be positive towards your teammates, coaches, and
yourself.” Basketball has also shaped her life in other ways as well. Bechervaise explained that she, “...has gained confidence playing basketball and how to deal with tough situations under pressure.” A good example of this came from a story that Coach Caleb Hugh recalled from Brigid’s grade 11 year. “I watched Brigid’s two games against PECI in high school ball last season. The first game PECI played a box and a defensive strategy sometimes used to stop a team with 1 really strong player] against her the entire game and beat NCC. Brigid was extremely frustrated. The next time they played was in the COSSA semi-finals and Brigid destroyed them! Impressive of her to bounce back like that. PECI certainly expected to win that one.” It was a true demonstration of growth and perseverance. Character building that will surely continue to benefit her through basketball and life. As she moves onto play at the University of Ottawa, Bechervaise will be “carrying the flag” for Belleville basketball. Only a handful of ballers from our area have the opportunity to play at the university level. She has set the tone for the next group of female basketball players coming up behind her and has become a great role model. Young ball players from our area will see that they TOO can make it!
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CELEBRATING FEMALE ATHLETES
APPEARANCE & PERFORMANCE Enhancement in Sports and the Gym
By: Terry Boyd - The GYM Trenton and money to Body/ Cool Sculpting then the same should be done for their fitness regime. A one-two punch for best results. So enough with the chatter. Let’s get down to business. I don’t take on multi-level marketing. I am asked frequently to be a part of it mostly because I have a number of people who I could influence into being a part of “down-line”. If the product is “sketch” or doesn’t deliver, then in my mind I am responsible. The same is true for Cool/ Body Sculpting, I wasn’t about to tell anyone about it unless I gave it a shot myself and see if it was too good to be true.
Owning a gym has a lot of advantages and some disadvantages. Advantages include meeting amazing new people on a regular basis, proximity to Wannmakers’ Bakery, gym access 24/7 and belonging to a community of likeminded people. Disadvantages are like anyone else’s job or career with one exception, I get every up to-date diet or exercise fad. Don’t get me wrong some of these exercise variations are credible and worth a try, I’m not big on diets but there are some options that have merit. Some ideas like dealing a meal or mastering your thighs were clearly designed to fill a narrative and in my opinion a cash grab from an audience looking for a better way of looking and feeling better. “A number of existing researchers have confirmed that physical appearance is positively related to self-esteem level. Self-esteem exists in all mankind. Human beings tend to evaluate and examine themselves, and if they find that they are lacking something in their physical appearance they are more likely to take measures to self create something that will make them feel satisfied and attain a complete self and they do it by consuming various products (Schouten, 1991; Solomon, 2009; Cash &Walker Cash, 1982).” In a nutshell we have a society that desires to look better to improve self esteem. I must admit when I spoke to Julia and Nikki from Time Capsule about Body/ Cool Sculpting I was skeptical. In my mind there is no real quick fix to fitness, you must put in the work, which is exactly what I said to them. Both were quick to correct me, Cool/ Body Sculpting is not the answer, it’s a piece of the puzzle which is why they wanted the GYM involved. After a number of pitches from multi-level marketers or salespeople promising an easy answer to weight loss and fitness it was refreshing to hear someone say you need to put in the “work”. My curiosity was piqued. Cryolipolysis or Cool/Body Scultping in laymen’s terms is taking a problem area like your tummy, love handles, or the problem area under triceps (that some not-so lovingly refer to as wings) and freezing the fat. The fat cells die. The body disposes the fat over the period of several days and the body readjusts- the process takes up to 45 days. After the 45 days you can re-treat the same area to get rid of more fat. This can be done up to three treatments. Tada- there it is. Simple…But not so fast. The Time Capsule ladies were quick to point out this is not the end, this is the beginning. If someone is willing to commit time, energy
My trip to freeze away my “problem areas” was unnerving if I’m being honest. The advantage of Nikki and Julia being nurses was helpful when trying to get my head wrapped around freezing my body. It’s not surgical, and a safer option than tummy tucks etc., but tell that to my “love handles” who at the time of entering into the building almost froze themselves. Both the ladies were thorough and professional. I filled out the questionnaire for Cool/ Body Sculpting and the requisite COVID form. So far so good. They were meticulous about handling the equipment, I know it’s not surgical but the attention to detail from the ladies was both unnerving and comforting. Unnerving because this procedure required detail, comforting because the ladies were clearly up to the task. After being wrapped up, and prepped I lay on the table face down. I had a deep muscle tissue massage several years ago that was not pleasant, but the results were fantastic. Short of standing on my back the therapist reached every muscle I ever owned. I related this treatment to that experience, it might not be pleasant, but worth it. In total it took about 40 minutes. No sweat, it was easier than I thought and not as unpleasant as I thought. The apparatus was applied to both my sides simultaneously. My “love handles” were literally sucked up into the apparatus, I didn’t want to look- so I avoided looking anywhere but the wall in front of me. I felt cold, then colder, then I felt pins and needles. When I was 12 years old I walked to and from the Brighton arena with my hockey gear on my back in -25 degree weather, it felt like that. But then it started to ease up a bit and at one point I fell asleep. When the treatment was finished the ladies massaged the treated part of my sides, it was not pleasant, but tolerable. Again, reminiscent of the hockey practice at the Brighton arena, it felt like that, when I put my freezing hands under warm water. This lasted for about 8 minutes and subsided. The massage breaks up the cold and affected areas so the body can dispose of the now dead fat cells. There was a noticeable difference right away but now a few weeks after the treatment the difference is quite noticeable. And now for the “work”. After reaching 50 years old, the “work” can be taxing and at times daunting, maybe that’s why they call it “work”. I’ve changed up my workout routine and as much as I struggle with cardio, I’m making it happen. When people start a fitness routine quite often they’ll buy a new outfit, it helps with motivation. When people invest in themselves, they have a better chance of success. This is how I felt with Cool/ Body Sculpting-If I’m getting the treatment, I’m going all in. I posted a small blurb on Facebook about my “love handles” treatment. I received a number of messages asking if it really worked. The short answer is yes, it worked. The long answer is I’m not done, I’m just getting started, because the fitness regimen should be a part of the process. Cool/Body Sculpting and fitness routine a one-two punch, you still have to put in the work.
421 Dundas St. Trenton 613-392-1825
Visit THEGYM.ONE
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BODY COOL SCULPTING By Julia Lewis and Nikki Gray
Cool Sculpting is for anyone who wants to look and feel their best, this includes men. There are immediate results, with maximum benefit within 45 days after treatment. Now booking online appointments. Available at the GYM, Trenton.
Meet Julia and Nikki – Owners of Time Capsule Different career paths and life paths brought Nikki and Julia together as lifelong friends and business partners. Wives, mother’s, and professional women in the world of nursing, they bring professionalism and understanding to everyone they meet. The ladies took their passion for the healthcare field and furthered their education in cosmetic nursing. Partnering up with Terry Boyd at the GYM the team of Body/Cool Sculpting (Cryolipolysis) took body sculpting to the next level. Cryolipolysis and fitness training – the perfect combination in fitness conditioning and appearance.
Benefits of Cryolipolysis Treatment 1. Non-invasive and non-surgical - this is the most effective
body treatment to reduce stubborn fat cells by destroying them without any surgery. Without cutting and marking, a perfect body is yours! 2. Comfort - during the treatment, you can enjoy your favorite book killing time. All you have to do is sit down or lie down for an hour, and the rest is the responsibility of your healthcare practitioner. 3. No downtime - unlike other fat removal alternatives, you can continue your routine after the daily activities. 4. Lasting effect - your body size will change gradually in the months after treatment. The final result will be seen after 3-4 months because even after treatment, the fat will break down on its own. Therefore, you can save the desired results for a longer period of time.
WHAT IS BODY/COOL SCULPTING? Body/Cool Sculpting (Cryolipolysis) is a non-invasive cosmetic treatment that freezes fat - the body then naturally disposes of it. WHO IS A CANDIDATE FOR BODY/ COOL SCULPTING? • People wanting to trim off (sculpt) stubborn fat. • People wanting to take off up to 25 lbs from stubborn areas i.e. love handles, chin, tummy, cellulite areas. • Over 18 years old.
For Booking Times Visit website- thegym.one More Information facebook @Bodysculptingtimecapsule Instagram time_capsule_1
CELEBRATING FEMALE ATHLETES
THE LADY DUKES
12
No Exception to Covid 19 Challenges Staying Active & Adapting
By: Randy Uens - Total Sports Quinte
As we all know, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected hockey worldwide since 2020. Players and teams have been forced to deal with unprecedented situations, and to navigate new rules regarding modified play almost daily. All players have been forced to take on the pandemic, as it’s own challenge and set themselves new goals to remain active in the game in creative, new and innovative ways. Locally, the Lady Dukes are no exception and have stayed active throughout the pandemic accepting each new challenge while adapting to ensure that they can remain ready for the game, in any capacity, at all times. While traditional play may have come to a drastic halt in the spring of 2020, the Lady Dukes stayed committed to the game and remained focused on their team and individual goals. With many players actively planning their futures, the players had to come up with creative approaches to stay in contact with potential schools regarding scholarship opportunities and ensure that those prospects were not also halted due to the pandemic. While cancelled tournaments and the restrictions on cross-border travel have definitely had a negative impact on athletes attempting to be scouted, our athletes have remained positive and have relied on technology to continue to source out any opportunities they can to ensure that when restrictions are lifted they can take full advantage of the amazing prospects women’s hockey can provide to our young athletes. While virtual calls and online tours will never replace face to face meetings and tours at potential schools, the girls who hope to continue playing hockey at a collegiate level have learned to adapt with the changing times. The media studies program at Loyalist College allowed select students to interview our players and tape some games and practices and is working to provide the team with edited footage they can use to send to potential coaches and schools.
In September of 2020 when most local boys’ team were grounded from any games, the coaching staff worked diligently with the OWHA and they’re local Health Departments to play modified games. The ingenuity and creativity displayed by the coaching staff allowed the girls to play modified games against other teams until December, when the province went into full lockdown. While not considered league play, these modified games gave the players a chance to play the game they love, while getting some current game footage to use to send to scouts, should they wish. The team was even able to host two full day development camps, where they hosted Clarington and the younger U15 Belleville Bearcats for game play and off-ice training sessions. Even during lockdown, the players continued to communicate via social media to keep each other motivated and accountable to continue to train, however they could. Outdoor rinks and indoor gyms became the new norm and the players challenged each other to stay active. We are so proud of how our players have excelled while learning game strategies for 3 on 3 play, 4 on 4 play and now modified 5 on 5 play. Since September, the Lady Dukes have played 21 games, with a record of 13 wins, 6 losses and 4 ties. With the lockdown lifted in February, the Lady Dukes are currently playing an 8 game exhibition series with their rival, the Kingston Ice Wolves. Current games consist of 5 on 5 play, with continued play and no face-offs. While the Lady Dukes miss their fans, they are setting an example for the rest of the hockey community by continuing to play as if they were playing for a packed arena and working hard to push themselves to improve in all aspects of the sport. The team is hopeful that an extended season could allow them to play other teams and maybe even welcome some fans to the stands.
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CELEBRATING FEMALE ATHLETES
NAVIGATING THE LANDSCAPE OF WOMENS HOCKEY
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A Parents Guide
By: Randy Uens So you have enrolled your little girl in hockey. Like every good parent you want her to experience the joy of playing team sports, understanding commitment, work ethic and camaraderie of sports. All very pertinent and altruistic reasons for having your little girl start to play the great game of hockey. You can’t help thinking to yourself, “What if she is really good at this?”. Where do we play? What level do we play at? There are no right or wrong answers here. I’ll Try to pass along the best information I can supply based on my experience coaching and following girls and women’s hockey for over 25 years now.
Do I enroll my daughter in boys or girls hockey to start? Before you start here, I recommend that you consider putting your little player into a figure skating program or Learn to Skate program. The program should be run by your local figure skating club or a very accomplished power skating instructor with experience working with little ones. A strong skating foundation is critical to this decision. And it needs to be fun. If it isn’t fun...your daughter will not want to continue. The decision to play boys or girls is both a social and a regional decision. Socially, girls enjoy playing more with other girls, especially when they are younger. If you have a strong regional girls program this may be the best way to get your daughter hooked on the game. Unfortunately, there are still many regions that do not have robust girls programs and often girls do not have many options. This next point depends a lot on your little player. Many women’s hockey advocates will insist that you need to keep your daughter in girl’s hockey to help grow the game. I totally agree with that sentiment. The challenge is that you want your little player to have fun, but you also want them to be challenged. If your player is very motivated to play, having her play mites or Tykes with the boys is a very good option. The boys are often more puck focused in general at this age and the girls learn to be more offensive. Girls (this is a generalization) tend to be way more concerned with defending their net then boys are. Girls who play with the boys will often get placed on defence because they naturally tend to gravitate to that position. In a perfect world where everyone had lots of money and time, you could enroll your daughter in both boys and girl’s hockey programs at that early age of 4, 5, 6. That is not reasonable for many families. The best advice is to evaluate your daughter’s abilities. Evaluate the importance of the social aspect for your daughter and find a good coach and program, whether it’s boys or girls associations. By the time your young player starts playing on a rep team you can make further decisions about continuing with the boys or staying with the girls. There have been a number of successful women’s players that played with the boys well into Bantam and even midget. More goalies than skaters, but nonetheless the numbers may surprise you. Often these players develop particular skills that definitely give them some advantages over those girls that play girls hockey right through. You definitely notice that many of the girls that played boys hockey are more experienced at protecting the puck, especially in small areas and tend to have a better understanding of the offensive strategies of the game at an earlier age. Often the stronger girls that stick with the girl’s game become puck rushers and dominate games singlehandedly. A lot of that experience depends on the caliber and region your daughter plays. Most of this will level out by the time they reach bantam. One of the consistent downsides is the tendency for boys’ coaches to put their young female players on defence or never encouraging them to be offensive. Often the girls playing defence in boys games tend to be stay at home defensemen and never transition out of this when they move back to elite women’s hockey. Women’s hockey has evolved into a very fast five player attacking game where the defence is activated even more than male hockey. The amount of strong offensive defense is limited comparatively to men’s
hockey. Some of that is the tendency for many young girls to be very focused and conscientious of their own zone and the fear of getting caught out of position. Taking risks is sometimes difficult for many young female players. Fifteen to twenty years ago it would be noticed that the majority of elite women’s players played boys hockey for most if not all of their minor hockey careers transitioning around bantam to girls hockey. Now that is in the minority. The level of play and the level of coaching at the minor level for girls has improved exponentially. Most of the NCAA and USports players have come through the girl’s ranks. This is not a scientifically backed statement with quantitative data. This is simply one guy’s hockey opinion. By the time the girls reach prep school or junior, the elite girls that played strictly girls and the elite girls that played strictly boys are almost on par across the board. No one stands out to the point where you say…”That girl played boys hockey longer than that one”. That era has gone. You may see certain tendencies like aggressiveness or puck protection, but in general it is negligible. As a parent, be agnostic to girls or boys hockey. Find a situation where your daughter is happy and comfortable and having fun. The second decision is to find a strong program with great coaching. And finally, make sure she can skate.
How do I get seen by a college or university? This is a challenge for many girls but it’s actually more of a challenge for the coaches of the schools. The NCAA does not allow teams to have scouts. The coaching staff manages all scouting. U Sports programs may have some informal scouting done by parttime regional scouts but often due to a lack of resources, they too are limited to scouting by committee by the coaching staff. These coaches rely heavily on word of mouth, showcase tournaments and recruitment tools such as hockey schools and summer hockey programs to identify players. This is why it is so important for elite junior and prep school programs to have all of their games on streaming services such as Hockey TV. This provides the coaches the opportunity to watch games remotely and develop a broader understanding of the players out there. The NCAA changed the recruiting timelines within the last couple of years to eliminate underage recruiting. This has made it much better for the families and the teams to make sure they are making well-informed decisions about their futures.
Should I get a Family Adviser? The old adage “If you are good enough they will find you” holds true in many circumstances. If you are playing in an elite league with elite players, most likely someone will see you. The challenge is to be seen enough to get the confidence from the program that you have the skills to play at the next level. A good family adviser can assist with getting the player in front of teams. Often these advisers are only as good as their contacts. Is the adviser well connected and respected by the various teams? Do they have an established track record of opening doors? These are key questions to ask before paying fees for their services, which can get costly. $2500 - $10 000 is not unusual. Some of this initial groundwork does not require an adviser and can be done by the player. Accumulate some game video and create a highlight reel. Write a cover letter to the schools that you are interested in and let them know you are interested in attending their school. Specify if you are looking for a scholarship or would consider being a walk on. Depending on your age, you may not get a response (See graphic of timelines) . Teams do appreciate these types of letters. Some receive more than others and may or may not reply, but it is a worthwhile endeavour for the young players to get themselves into the discussion. It must come from the player. Teams appreciate a player taking the initiative to reach out.
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NCAA OR U SPORTS Which Route
is Better?
This is where the waters get murky and the discussions become filled with biases and misinformation around the lobbies of hockey rinks. In male hockey the traditional Canadian route was to play CHL. Once you played CHL you were not eligible for NCAA hockey. If you do not play pro, you take a school package from the junior team and play Canadian University (U Sports hockey). Male players in the U.S. have always gravitated more to the NCAA route. More Canadians are taking this NCAA route by playing “Tier 2 Junior A” to maintain their NCAA eligibility. Cale Makar being the most noticeable of late. For women it is not so defined. NCAA teams play U Sports teams quite often early in the season in exhibition games. NCAA teams win the majority of these games but the games are very closely contested. Generally speaking, the NCAA attracts more (but not all) of the top players in Canada. This decision often depends on the player’s needs or wants. Many high-end Francophone players will stay and play in Canada for language reasons. Some players want the “big school “ U.S. experience. As for academics, In Canada the university academics are very strong in every institution as the schools are more controlled and government funded. In the U.S. it varies greatly. There are private schools, state schools, Ivy Schools, Small IVY schools, State Ivy Schools etc. etc. To navigate this takes some due diligence. The player must take their time and be sure the academics are strong and that the courses will be recognized back in Canada should they decide to do their post graduate in Canada. The biggest consideration is cost. First bit of misinformation that is out there that I would like to clarify. IVY SCHOOLS DO NOT OFFER ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIPS. These schools among others operate via financial aid to provide subsidies. Some academic scholarships are available but are very competitive. Many of these schools cost $60 - $100k Canadian per year. With financial aid they become much more affordable depending on your own personal situation and your financial needs. Often the reduction takes it into similar financial costs as going to a Canadian University. The majority of NCAA hockey programs do have scholarships available. The amounts of scholarships vary depending on the program. On average teams will have between 12 and 16 full scholarships available. Coaches will sometimes split up scholarships to offer partials to some players. The balance of the team is made up of walk on or full tuition paying players. The scholarships are not guaranteed. They are year to year. It is not
often that schools decommit before the player arrives or suspend scholarships while active, but it has happened on rare occasions. Canadian schools do not have athletic scholarships in the way that the U.S. schools do. Canadian schools have however become very creative and competitive by offering bursaries and financial aid that allow for players to get very economical deals to play hockey at Canadian schools. With the level of play being so high and the costs being so reasonable, do not overlook the Canadian schools. Coaching at Canadian Universities is exceptional and the ability for players to play 5 years of hockey as opposed to 4 years of NCAA eligibility is attractive for these players. If you are offered a partial scholarship in the U.S. it may make more sense to play in Canada. Once again, depends on the player’s wants and needs.
What is the difference between Division 1 and Division 3? Is there a Division 2? Which league is better? The highest level of hockey in the NCAA is Division 1. The NCAA has not sponsored a Division 2 level, as there is a lack of teams at that level. The Northeast 10 conference does have a few Division 2 hockey teams but none are women’s teams. Many programs operate other sports through Division 2 or 3 but are considered Division 1 in hockey. Women’s NCAA is predominantly Division 1, Division 3 and club teams. Only Division 1 teams offer scholarships for athletics. With Title 9 enforcement in the U.S. schools must offer an equal amount of female scholarships as male scholarships. This has created some situations where schools have female programs without male Division 1 programs. Going forward it is expected that many more schools are contemplating both men’s and women’s hockey programs. Division 3 hockey has some tremendous programs however they are all financial aid based and do not offer scholarships. Generally speaking both Division 1 NCAA and U Sports programs are of a higher caliber. There are however some tremendous academic opportunities at these Division 3 schools.
In Closing, Opportunities for young women are endless in sports now as it relates to university and college. As the sport evolves and develops we are all hopeful that a viable and sustainable pro model is developed in the near future. A few semi pro leagues have popped up in North America, NWHL, as well as the PWHPA which are both angling to create an association with the NHL. (We will not tackle that discussion here). Similar to what was established by the NBA and WNBA. There are semi-pro leagues in Europe, with Sweden being the most recognized. Parity at the professional level is a long way away however we are hopeful that something significant can be done for these tremendous athletes. The level of play is always highlighted at the National team levels in Canada and the U.S. with other countries closing the gap. The more players, the better the product will be.
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CELEBRATING FEMALE ATHLETES
JESS’S STORY By Allyson Tufts - Author, Speaker, and Passionate Hockey Mom My cousin had been reading some of my articles and she told me she had a story that has stayed with her long after her daughter hung up her skates. I’m going to tell you a version of her story. This is in honour of the young player that she said taught her what being a “team player” really meant. I can tell you after many hockey seasons that players will surprise you. Sometimes the players you think are the stars at the beginning of the season can change right before your eyes. Don’t ever assume you understand the level of a child’s abilities based on the beginning of the season because it’s not even half over yet. Players will often surprise you when you least expect it. Every player has a role to play.
This is the story of Jess....
Jessie’s only goal of the year. But what an important goal it was. The only goal of the game, the Championship Goal! As my cousin told this story with a smile on her face and a tear in her eye, she said it was a moment she’d never forget; an incredible memory of this little girl who loved hockey who became a hero. She said that the best part was her teammates couldn’t have been happier for her. I don’t know where this little girl played after this story. I don’t know if she ever got better but I do know that everyone has their moment. Don’t put a label on these players, don’t miss their progression. You might be surprised at what they show you by the end of the season. Every player has a role to play.
To learn more about Allyson Tufts and her book Lessons from Behind the Glass go to www.lessonsfrombehindtheglass.com. Allyson Tufts - Author, Speaker, and Passionate Hockey Mom Lessons from Behind the Glass
Jessie wasn’t much of a hockey player but was always the first one to arrive in the lobby of the rink after a game. She would routinely ask anyone within earshot “How’d I look out there?” God Bless Jess, she had a loving home but her Mom was always very open about the fact that she had some behavioural issues that she wanted the coaches to be aware of. On the ice Jess couldn’t have been happier. She also had the least amount of hockey sense of all of her teammates. Poor Jessie could not master the “offside rule” and would spend a great amount of time standing in front of the opposing goalie. It literally drove the parents insane! I don’t recall if the team lost a game that year. I can say with confidence that if they lost a game, it was the only one they lost over that long winter. Their success in that year brought them to the championships. On the day of the final game the atmosphere came with all the bells and whistles. There were parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends in the stands cheering. They were all fairly confident that these talented girls would have no trouble beating the 2nd place team. Oh, but the hockey Gods had a plan and it wasn’t looking good for our team. Yes, it was one of those games. Our girls couldn’t score because the opposing goalie was standing on her head. Going into the third period the score was 0–0. Our ladies looked a little shell shocked and very nervous, when, deep into the 3rd period, it was a scoreless tie. This was the day, the glorious day when Jessie finally managed to stay onside as her teammate carried the puck over the blue line. I’m confident it was a fluke and no one was more shocked than her teammates. Jessie followed her teammate into the zone and parked herself in front of the net, waiting so impatiently for that elusive pass. We all wanted her to get the pass but we knew and understood why her teammate hesitated but finally she trusted in Jess and passed her the puck. Jessie put that puck in the five-hole effortlessly. She acted as if she’d been doing it all season. It was beautiful, it was astonishing and it was absolutely perfect! It was
Watch the video here https://youtu.be/226paOOzLx0
Buy the book at Amazon ht tps://www.amazon. ca/LESSONS-BEHINDGLASS-Journey-Hockey/ dp/1686333498
Check out Allyson’s video on YouTube
- Allyson Tufts: Lessons From Behind the Glass
This article is the property of Allyson Tufts and is not to be used without her permission.
Visit LessonsFromBehindTheGlass.Com
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AUTO REPAIRS AND DIAGNOSTICS CAR MAINTENANCE WARRANTIES EMERGENCY ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE
We are open and ready to serve you! COVID-19 RELATED MEASURES AT YOUR LOCAL NAPA AUTOPRO With the COVID-19 situation continuing to evolve daily, we as business operators must adapt our ways of doing things and modify some of our usual habits in order to ensure everyone’s safety and limit the possible spread of the virus. Here are the measures that we continuously strive to implement:
• •
Our technicians always wear neoprene or latex gloves when they enter your vehicle. Our technicians disinfect high-touch interior surfaces when receiving and returning your vehicle: steering wheel, door handle, gear changer, etc.
Allan’s
Auto Repair
• • •
Reception areas, counters, payment terminals, courtesy vehicles, and common areas are regularly disinfected. Hand sanitizer is available for use. If you have traveled abroad in the past 2 weeks, we ask that you refrain from visiting our shops and schedule an appointment after the prescribed quarantine period of 14 days. Anyone with flu-like symptoms is also requested not to come in person to our automotive repair shops.
napaautopro.com
613-967-6237 allansautorepair@gmail.com
112 Station Street, Belleville, Ontario
CELEBRATING FEMALE ATHLETES
18
KARI READ
HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE OF THE YEAR By Nancy Popovich
The Belleville Sports Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the 2020 Belleville McDonalds Restaurants Female High School Athlete of the Year. The winner is Kari Read from Centennial Secondary School. Julie Foley, a Teacher and Coach at Centennial nominated Kari to celebrate her accomplishments at Centennial. “She has been a major part of our athletic program since she came to us in grade 9. She has excelled in both her performance and in her leadership.” Julie also states that, “Kari leads by example and is a pleasure to coach”. Kari is currently completing her studies at CSS. As an athlete Kari dominated all sports that she participated in at CSS. Her resume includes; Grade 9 Athlete of the Year Award, Junior (grade 10) athlete of the year award, grade 11 athlete of the year and this past year she was awarded the Senior Athlete of the Year. Over the course of her high school career, she won numerous MVP awards. Kari was involved in a wide variety of sports including, rugby, volleyball, track and field, badminton, and soccer. She was also an enthusiastic participant in school and community activities such as Grade 8 orientation, Relay for Life, and Charger Hoops Basketball. There is currently a display in the Belleville Sports Hall of Fame honouring Kari as the winner of this award.
Kari is featured on our cover Pictured: Kari Read and Liane Woodley - Principal at Centennial Secondary School and member of the Belleville Sports Hall of Fame Committee
Other nominees for this award were: Hannah Lockwood, Bayside Secondary School Janelle Lammers, Quinte Christian High School Peyton Barnabi, Eastside Secondary School Lily Beauregard, Sir James Whitney Melina McLellan, St Theresa Catholic Secondary School
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WOMEN OF QUINTE By David Mills By Ryan Williams In March of each year we celebrate women. Since 1909 International Women’s Day has been celebrated. In 1908, 15,000 women gathered in New York City to protest better pay, shorter hours, and voter rights and in 1909 women and men chose to recognize the importance of women in society in a month we celebrate still today. In 2021, there is still a pendulum shift that is happening to recognize the importance of the equal status of women in our workplaces, our families, in politics, and in sports. Women don’t need to be made strong, they are already strong, it’s the world that needs to change in its perception of women’s strength. Equality is not achieved by equal representation of women but by breaking down the barriers that allow women to succeed on their own, as equals. And we must work at that each and every day. Take the March Madness NCAA tournament for instance, where a social media post highlighted by a tweet from Stanford strength coach Ali Kershner and a video from Oregon’s Sedonia Prince went viral with nearly 16 million views showing off a single rack of dumbbells and yoga mats for the women’s teams, compared to an entire gym filled with equipment for the men’s teams. The NCAA fixed this, but not after widespread outrage. We have also had successes and when women lift themselves up, they help each other succeed, and succeed they do! We have had incredible women business leaders, politicians, and athletes make their mark on our region. A small representation of this would include women such as Chandy Davis, Vicki Samaras, Caroline Granger, Sherri Karlo, and Kristin Crowe, political leaders such as Marg Esbester, Mary-Ann Sills, and Robin Jeffrey, and athletes such as Jackie Jarrell, Elizabeth Manley, and Jesse Mercer. All of our local Chambers of Commerce are run by strong women: Jill Raycroft, Suzanne Andrews, and Lesley Lavender. Loyalist College is lead by Dr. Ann Marie Vaughn. Tawnya Smith and Connie Carson are two of the The 100 Women who Care Quinte organization which has raised over $240,000 to local charities and non-profits since its inception in 2015. They will be meeting again during the pandemic by Zoom to continue to give back. Volunteer Information Quinte is run by Brenda Snider, which supports 275 agencies in our region, and Brenda is a tireless advocate for volunteerism. Michelle Stroud has been a big part of our life, and a close friend. She runs By the Moon, which specializes in women’s holistic reproductive health. She teaches others how to care and support women and families through their personal journeys of fertility, birth, and loss. She is a beautiful example of women supporting women. I am very fortunate myself to be surrounded by strong women in my life. I am married to an incredibly strong woman Allyson, who has been an advocate for women who have suffered through infant loss and infertility. She wrote a blog called Always Choose Love that shared her stories when we lost our son, Teddy, at birth which has been read by people all over the world and has helped many people. Losing our son really showed me how the majority of caretakers and compassionate caregivers are female-oriented and how invaluable the work they do truly is. We were supported by the incredible Quinte Midwives, OB Dr. Melanie Chanda, the nurses, Mary Joan Brinson for counselling and Tracey Kennedy for healing. Our
experience and grief would have been complicated without them. It is essential work. Not long after Ally and I lost our son, Teddy, there emerged an incredible group of women that lead the ‘Butterfly Run’, a local event that recognized and supported women through miscarriage and infant loss. Beth Primeau, Loralee McInroy, and Barb Matteucci raised over $341,000 for the Belleville General Hospital Foundation and inspired other runs in Peterborough, Ottawa, and Brockville. My grandmother Audrey has always been a strong role model for me, as has been my mother Heather, who was an entrepreneur and had two best selling cookbooks as well as was a successful dietitian for over 35 years. My grandmother Pearle was an inspiration for me as well. Our businesses, all with Williams Hotels, are run by strong women. Georgia MacLean and Betty Moon-Rae have been with us both for over 35 years, who run our Towneplace Marriott, while Maria Doucett, also with the company for more than 25 years runs our Holiday Inn in Orleans, and Tonisha Porter and Amanda Bronzan run the Best Western in Belleville. Lorrie Ostroskie and Kelly MacDonald run the Holiday Inn Express in Belleville. And I have an incredible team for my run to be your Conservative Member of Parliament lead by Susan Smith, my Campaign Manager who leads a largely-female volunteer group. As you can see, my life has been greatly impacted by so many women. As a Father to a young girl named Zooey, my greatest wish for her is to experience life where the playing field is levelled, she feels safe, opportunities without barriers are the norm and she like all women are honour for their valuable place in our world. There are so many women doing so much in the Bay of Quinte, I can’t list them all, but I see you, I appreciate you and all your contributions. I truly want to say a big thank-you!
Ryan Williams Ryan Williams is the Conservative Candidate for Bay of Quinte. You can read more about him at www.votewilliams.ca
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CELEBRATING FEMALE ATHLETES
CELEBRATION By David Mills By Dave Mills - Belleville Sports Hall of Fame
Females of
The inaugural 1987 Induction Class included two accomplished female athletes in Betty Ingram Wonnacott and Sarah Thompson. The Belleville Sports Hall of Fame came into being in 1987 and today has over 100 athletes, builders and teams as members.
Carol Ireland - 1991
Peggy & Jane McCutcheon
Vi Christopher -1995
Carol Ireland was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991 following a world class career in archery that extended through the 1960’s and early 1970’s. Carol won a Silver Medal at the 1969 World Championships, was a two-time Canadian Champion, a fourtime Ontario Champion and was on Canada’s World Team on 3 occasions. In 1972 Carol finished 4th in the Canadian Olympic Trials.
Sherry Akey - Bowler 1996 /Bowling
Peggy and Jane McCutcheon were inducted in 1991. They began skating in 1954 and as teenagers they demonstrated an elite level of proficiency as Figure Skaters, achieving National Level Gold Certification in Free Style, Compulsory Figures and Dance categories. In 1966 they left the amateur ranks and joined the Holiday on Ice Touring Figure Skating Troupe, touring North America and South America for 4 years.
Vi Christopher was inducted in 1995 she dedicated much of her life to volunteering in Baseball and Minor Hockey. In Baseball she served at the local, Provincial and National levels, including 21 years on the Executive of the Eastern Ontario Baseball Association, 17 years on the Executive of the Ontario Baseball Association and 32 years on the Executive of the Belleville Baseball Association. In1984 she was recognized by the province with a Bicentennial Award and in 1992 she was recognized as the Ontario Baseball Volunteer of the Year. In Minor Hockey, Vi contributed her time on the Executive of the Belleville Minor Hockey Association and served as Convenor for the Ontario Minor Hockey Association.
Sherry Akey-Bowler entered the Hall in 1996 based on her accomplishments in Physically Disabled Sports as a swimmer. As a left leg amputee Sherry competed provincially, nationally and internationally in backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle. In 1981 she won a Silver Medal at the International Games in England and a Gold and 3 Silver Medals at the Orange Bowl Games in Florida.
/Archery
- 1991 /Skating
Sarah Thompson - 1997
Madelaine James - 1995
Sarah Thompson lost her eye sight in 1978, but used that life changing event to channel her energy into competing in Disabled Sports Track and Field Events. She quickly progressed from the local level to the Provincial level and then on to National competitions. At one point she held Canadian records in the 3000 meters, 100 meters, shot put, discuss, Javelin and Long Jump, In 1984 she moved into Power Lifting and in 1981 held many Canadian Records in the 81 kg category.
Madelaine ‘Maddie’ James loved the sport of bowling and that led to her induction in 1995 as a Builder. Through the 60’s up to the 90’s she coached 5 pin bowlers, including 28 consecutive years where she coached and taught every Saturday. She also played a key role as an executive and was recognized by the City and Province for her contributions. In 1989 she was inducted into the Zone Youth Bowling Council 5 pin Hall of Fame.
Baseball & Minor Hockey
She won 3 Gold Medals in both 1982 and 1984, a Gold and Silver in the 1988 Provincial Games and 2 Golds in the 1988 National Games.
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Proud Supporters of the Belleville Sports Hall of Fame
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TOTAL SPORTS QUINTE
OF GREATNESS Hall of Fame
Celebrating our local female athletes
Regyna Armonas - 2002 Volleyball
2002 Inductee Regyna Armonas broke barriers in Volleyball. In 1981 Loyalist College did not have a women’s volleyball team so Regyna played on the Men’s Team and was one of the best players in the league. She was on Canada’s National Team from 1974 to 1976 and competed in the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. At Quinte SS she was a 5-time Athlete of the Year, competing in 5 sports and at Loyalist she was awarded the Logan Trophy in recognition of Academic and Athletic Achievements. Regyna was selected as the Female Athlete of the Quarter Century at both Quinte SS and Loyalist College.
Paula (Stephenson) Duggan - 2017 /Swimming
Enright Softball Team 2018
Kristen MacLaren - 2019
Only 2 women have ever swam across all 5 of the Great Lakes. Vicki Keith and 2017 Inductee Paula (Stephenson) Duggan.
The U18 Enright Softball Team electrified Belleville in 1988. Hosting the Provincial Championships, the team beat all comers and received a berth in the National Championship.
Kristen MacLaren joined the Belleville Sports Hall of Fame in 2018 in recognition of an outstanding amateur golf career. After dominating the local junior golf scene, Kristen won the 1998 Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship and was on the Ontario Team that won the 1998 National Team Championship.
Paula got her start in the Belleville Youth Swim Team as a competitor and coach. Her quest to cross all of the Great lakes started in 1996 when Lake Ontario was conquered. 2 years later, Lake Erie was in the books waited 7 years before taking down Lake Superior and completed her quest in 2009 when Lake Michigan was added to her collection.
Under the leadership of Barry Turpin, Dave, Kay and Barb Snedden and with great community support, the team travelled to New Brunswick for the National Tournament and advanced to the finals against British Columbia. While they had to settle for the Silver Medal, it was a season that will never be forgotten.
Paula also swam for the Brock University Badgers and was a 2-time recipient of the Robinson Kelleher Award as Belleville’s Athlete of the Year.
Golf
An outstanding College career at University of Texas El Paso, included 3 Division 1 NCAA Tournament victories, an appearance in the NCAA National Championship, two-time selection to the All-Conference Team and an induction into the El Paso Golf Hall of Fame. Kristen is a golf pro at the Cataraqui GCC and is the Head Coach of the Queen’s University Men’s and Women’s Golf Team.
ortsHallOfFame.com So how do we add to the current number of Female Inductees in the Belleville Sports Hall of Fame? The process can only start through nominations and for that we need your support. Nominations are required by May 15 each year, with nominees being required to have lived in the Belleville area for a minimum of 5 years, having reached the age of 40 or being 5 years removed from competing in their sport. Additional information can be found on our website
Christine Walt - 2019 Weightlifting
Christine Walt continued the family tradition by being inducted into the Belleville Sports Hall of Fame in 2019. Her achievements in Masters Division Olympic Style Weightlifting, include being an 8 time Canadian Champion, a 5 time Pan American Champion and a 2 time Ontario Champion. She holds 12 Masters Records in Canadian, Pan American and World Championships. She has made a major contribution to the ongoing development of the Apollo Bar Bell Club and was inducted into the Canadian Masters Hall of Fame in 2019.
Betty Ingram - 1997 Golf
Betty made her mark in golf and continues to be a presence in the sport today at the age of 97. Her career included a domination of the Bay of Quinte GC Club Championship for over 30 years, winning the 1975 Ontario Senior Women’s Championship, finishing 2nd in the 1981 Canadian Women’s Championship and representing the Province on the Senior Women’s Provincial Team 8 times, with 5 of those teams winning National Championships.
CELEBRATING FEMALE ATHLETES
JESSIE MERCER
Playing a Key Role in Developing Ontario’s Junior Golfers
By David Mills By Dave Mills - Belleville Sports Hall of Fame
Jessie Mercer of Belleville is playing a key role in Golf Ontario’s plans to ensure that junior golfers from across the province get every opportunity to improve their skills and open the doors to future golf opportunities. Mercer started her own competitive career on the St. Lawrence Junior Golf Tour, which includes competitions every summer from Belleville to Kingston and serves as a stepping stone to provincial level competition. Her skills as a golfer led to her playing 5 years for the University of Western Ontario, where she was a 5-time Ontario University Athletic Association All Star and a 2-time Academic All Canadian. She also represented Canada at the 2015 World University Games in Korea. While Jessie’s main role in golf today is working with Golf Ontario, she still manages to compete at the highest levels of amateur golf in Ontario, including the Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship and the Ontario Women’s Mid Amateur Championship (4th in the province in 2018) Her passion for golf and helping to develop junior golfers makes her a perfect fit for the Golf Ontario Player Development Program. As a Sport Coordinator with Golf Ontario, Jessie has been involved in their Grow Golf Initiatives, such as Golf in Schools, which was supported locally by Quinte Broadcasting, and has recently transitioned into working with the Golf Ontario High Performance Program, designed to help Junior Golfers across the province reach their highest potential. Golf Ontario - working with industry stakeholders – is currently developing the Junior Golf Pathway. The Pathway will be a key resource for parents and golfers in understanding all aspects related to junior development. This includes where to play, coaching requirements, where the future opportunities are etc. Development of the Pathway included input from many junior golf stakeholders, academy owners, coaches, tour operators and will include a new Provincial Ranking System that includes recognition of local Junior Tours such as the PLAY Junior Golf Tour in the Quinte Region. The Ontario competitive season will now end with a Provincial Tour Championship, growing out of last years ‘Super Camp’ held at the Black Bear Ridge GC. This years Tour Championship will be a 54 Hole Competition, with more details available at a later date on the Golf Ontario web site, (www.gao.ca) The full details on the Pathway will be launched this spring. All Juniors should keep an eye out for it! Jessie is also involved in setting up a partnership with the American Junior Golf Association that will allow Ontario golfers to play local and earn International opportunities. There is no doubt that the young Junior Boys and Girls being developed in the programs Jessie is involved in are the future of golf and at some point, will compete at the highest levels of amateur golf…and for a few at the professional ranks. And Belleville’s Jessie Mercer will have played a key role in their success.
Follow Jessie on twitter /jessiemercer
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A HISTORIC GOLFING EXPERIENCE. Since 1921, Bay of Quinte Golf and Country Club has provided a traditional and challenging experience for golfers of all skill levels. Our par-71 championship, 18 hole course features 48 well-maintained bunkers and 6 large ponds that come into play on 8 different holes over the 6,000 + yards manicured course. Play Away!
6000+ YARDS OF PARKLAND JOY. PLAY AWAY. PARKLAND STYLE. Experience the best parkland golf course in the Bay of Quinte. For almost a century, locals and tourists have made Bay of Quinte Golf and Country Club a staple destination for their golf game. Bay of Quinte Golf & Country Club’s commitment to course conditioning and amenities are unparalleled in our region.
A NATURAL BEAUTY SINCE 1921. The Bay of Quinte Golf and Country Club is the region’s original parkland-style course. It has evolved and has been recognized as a premier facility. We’ve been c atering to golfers of all skill levels for almost a century. Explore the course to find out why.
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT. We want you to be better. That’s why we offer complimentary use of our practice facilities to all green fee and membership players. This includes our chipping green, multiple practice putting surfaces and our sand and short game facility.
2020 Platinum Award Winner Best Golf Course
2020 Platinum Award Winner Top Golf Lessons
To learn more about Bay of Quinte Golf & Country Club or to book a Tee Time. Please Call 613-968-7404. You can also book your tee time by signing in and inputting your desired time.
2021 Memberships Available Contact Us Today A MEMBERSHIP FOR EVERY GOLFER.
Visit bayofquintegolf.com
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CELEBRATING FEMALE ATHLETES
More than just a horse store! TOLL FREE 888-825-1831
Located in Belleville and Kingston Ontario, Bridle Path Tack Shop has been serving the needs of equestrians since 1991. We offer a wide selection of English & Western tack, riding apparel, horse clothing, grooming products, water troughs, cowboy boots, Saddles, Belts, equestrian gifts, english & western boots, shirts and jeans and everything else for you and your horse. We specialize in products that are hard to find like Legacy Stalls, trailer water tanks, farm equipment & horse feed. SHOP ONLINE OR IN-STORE - VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR A HUGE SELECTION OF ITEMS Back On Track Barn Supply Belts Bits Blankets Books Breyer Products Cell Phone Cases Cowboy Hats
Dog Food/Equipment English Apparel English Saddle English Tack Farm Equipment Farrier Supplies Feed Fencing Supplies Gates & Corrals
Gifts Girth Gloves Grooming Supplies Helmets Hats Horse Accessories Horse Feed Horse health
Products Jewellery Outerwear Pharmaceuticals Purses & Wallets Safety Vests Stalls Stock Tanks & De-Icers
Trailer Accessories Western Apparel for Women, Men & Children Western Saddles Western Tack
We are open with Covid 19 safety protocals in place. We have a huge selection of jeans, boots, clothing and more available in store so if you don’t see it on our website, stop in to one of our stores in Kingston or Belleville and discover what we have in store for you! BELLEVILLE LOCATION 1344 Highway 37 North Corbyville, Ontario 613-477-1515 info@bridlepathtack.com
KINGSTON LOCATION 1356 Princess St. Kingston, Ontario 613-548-8218 kingston@bridlepathtack.com
bridlepathtack.com
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JEANNETTE STERNER
TPT Sterner Equestrian Education Centre
SAVE THE DATES
Shows sponsored by
UPCOMING SHOWS May 29-30th June 26-27th August 14-15th CHAMPIONSHIP September 4-5th CHARITY SHOW October 2nd Combine test for Pre-entry Entry
Pre-training Training Mini Prix 1.10m
TO REGISTER OR SPONSOR THIS EVENT 705-761-5455 TPTsterner@gmail.com 46 Leslie Rd, Roslin Ontario
tpt-sterner.com
Jeannette Sterner was born and raised in Germany and started at the age of 3 with vaulting. When she turned 6, she started with riding lessons. She moved to Ontario in January 2010 and made it her home. In Germany she obtained training and schooling. During this time, she had the opportunity to ride under Grand Prix riders and mentors such as: Helen Langenhanenberg (2012 Olympic Dressage Team Silver medalist), Ingrid Klimke (2008 & 2012 Olympic Eventing Team Gold Medalist), Lars Meyer Zu Bexten (German National Show Jumping Team Coach) as well as Sabine Becker and Claudia Graff. Jeannette is a dressage and jumping coach and has more than 30 years of experience in riding horses from which she spent 15 years as a professional trainer. Jeannette says “I emphasize the fundamental importance of a proper seat, and the influence and effects this has on the horse, which I have extensively studied through the internationally acclaimed teachings of professor, author, and clinician Eckard Meyners”. “Additionally, I am a qualified equine physiotherapist, allowing me to promote not only the development, but also the health of horse and rider”. “The greatest happiness on earth is sitting on the back of a horse!” that’s how I see it” says Jeannette. Jeannette purchased a farm on Leslie Road in Roslin in March 2020 and has been working hard building a world class equestrian centre. TPT Sterner offers training and lesson boarding programs. The barn stalls are 14ft x 13ft and their deluxe outdoor stalls are 12ft x 14ft with attached sand and grass paddocks for individual turnout. TPT is very proud to have 2 outdoor sand riding arenas (80’ x 200’ and 120’ x 250’) and 1 grass-jumping ring. As an exciting addition, TPT Sterner has a new indoor arena built last fall, small but pretty 60’ x 120’. Jeannette offers a customized training program for horse and rider. Most important for Jeannette is that a rider learns HOW to give the proper aids; WHEN to give the aids and HOW it feels when the horse responds to those aids.
PASSION
Jeannette concludes by saying, “I think my variety of expertise and equine passion makes TPT Sterner a special place like no other”.
MISSION
To teach a horse WHAT to do when they are scared is the road to success’!
JEANNETTE’S PHRASE The Will of a horse is controlled by trust, Not fear. To Carry a horse in your hand, you need Mutual Respect!
CELEBRATING FEMALE ATHLETES
QUINTE’S TOTAL SPORTS HUB
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TOTALSPORTSQUINTE.CA
Submit your stories, scores, game highlights, add your club. If you are not on our Hub we will add you for free! Contact us to be part of the Hub 905-914-7454 BOQTotalsports@gmail.com
Quinte & Area’s ONE & ONLY
SPORTS DIRECTORY & HUB
Are you involved in a local sports team or looking for a certain sport? Find it here ... archery, axe throwing, badminton, ballet, baseball, basketball, baton twirling, boat races, bobsledding, bodyboarding, body building, bowling, boxing, canoeing, cheerleading, cross country skiing, cricket, curling, cycling, dance, dragon boats, drifting, equestrianism, fencing, figure skating, fishing, fitness, free diving, football, golf, gymnastics, gocart racing, hiking, heavy events, high school sports, hockey, horse racing, horse jumping, judo, karate, kickboxing, kite surfing, kung fu, kayaking, lacrosse, laser tag, marathons, mini golf, mixed martial arts, mountaineering, motorcycle racing, paintball, pole dancing, power lifting, racecar driving, rafting, rugby, scuba diving, skydiving, sports camps, skateboarding, skiing, skidoo racing, stockcar racing, rowing, snorkelling, snowboarding, soccer, strength and agility sports, synchronized swimming, tennis, trampolining, weight lifting, windsurfing, workout, wrestling, and more ... fitness centres, sports injury clinics, ... it’s all here at Total Sports Quinte Sports Hub.
Submit Your Team For Free Visit TotalSportsQuinte.ca/directory
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Team of the Month
TOTAL SPORTS QUINTE
THE BELLEVILLE COMETS The Girls Covid Season & The Covid Cup
Spring of 2020 saw the Ontario rep soccer leagues being cancelled. Rather than throw in the towel the Belleville Comets decided to keep the momentum going after a strong winter indoor season by utilizing individual home workouts. Through social media the girls had home workouts during the lockdown when school and sports were all cancelled. As things eased and people slowly returned to a “normal“ routine, the summer soccer season remained cancelled. The “Return to Play” program was put in place by Ontario Soccer, which enabled small group play or practice but no mixing with other teams.
The Comets now without a league didn’t take this as the end of soccer, but instead coach Anderson converted his large back field into a small field complete with lines and nets. While not a part of the OSA as there was no league, they still adhered to the “Return to Play” standards for Covid safety protocols and created a small loop of teams, forming their own league and played in the “Covid Cup”. This was complete with a winning trophy. Their summer indeed included soccer and a good time was had by all. The Hope was that there would be some sort of semblance of a
winter indoor league or maybe practice sessions at the Loyalist Dome. Unfortunately these sessions were also cancelled. Any time typically reserved by soccer clubs was no longer available. The Comets were not to be deterred, they acquired their own insurance and with a generous sponsor rented their own practice sessions at the dome. This team isn’t just a group of strong players, this is a team of dedicated parents, coaches, players, and a manager who safely navigated their way through a pandemic while staying together, playing soccer and staying healthy. This is most definitely the MVP. Pictured below; L-R Back Row - Avery Clarke, Grace Crawford, Brooklyn Bowers, Rachel Gelinas, Charli Dooling, Clover Boyd, Whitney Andrews, Rachel Cameron, Kennedy Potts, Neva Thapa. Bottom Row L-R - Mia Bates, Ava Bates, Ava Anderson, Kiera Hemming, Maddie Reid, Makayla Richardson, Payton Striker. Abscent - Faith Boyd, Ella Coulter.
The Belleville Comets rep girl’s u-14 team is coached by L-R John Gelinas Terry Boyd, Christine Andrews (Manager) and Shane Anderson
Notable Local Women
CELEBRATING FEMALE ATHLETES
Who Have Accelerated In Sports
THE UP & COMERS - JUNIOR PLAYERS NAME
CURRENTLY WITH HOMETOWN COMMITTED TO
SARAH ROGER EMILY MOORE SYDNEY DAVIES TARYN RATHWELL KATIE MCNAIR TAYLOR GILMOUR MADDY CRONKWRIGHT RACHEL FOSTER ZOE UENS CARLY MULVIHILL ANNA PHILLIPS KEYARA NELSON
Kingston PWHL North York Storm JWHL NY Storm JWHL Kingston PWHL Kingston PWHL Kingston PWHL Kingston PWHL Kingston PWHL Kingston PWHL Kingston PWHL Kingston PWHL Toronto Aeros PWHL
Brighton Tweed Wellington Belleville Belleville Napanee Napanee Napanee Belleville Belleville Madoc Belleville
NCAA Div. 1 Colgate University
Brock University U Sports NCAA Div. 1 Quinnipiac University St.Mary’s University USports
MOVED ON TO THE NEXT LEVEL NAME ALEXA HOSKIN RAEANNE BRETON MADDI WHEELER MYA BENNETT ISABELLA PORTT EMILY LANGE CHIHIRO SUZUKI
HOMETOWN
NOW PLAYING
Belleville Brighton Stone Mills Belleville Belleville Brighton Belleville/ Yokohama, Japan
NCAA D1 NCAA D1 NCAA D1 NCAA D3 NCAA D3 U-Sport USPORTS
Quinnipiac University University of New Hampshire University of Wisconsin Utica College Nichols College Wilfred Laurier University Laurentian University
NOW PLAYING PROFESSIONAL AFTER COLLEGE NAME HANNA BUNTON CASSIDY VINKLE JESS JONES MEGHAN QUINN
HOMETOWN
NOW PLAYING
Belleville Belleville Wellington Napanee
PWHPA PWHPA Brampton Thunder CWHL Toronto NWHL
PAST NOTABLES NAME HOMETOWN ACCOMPLISHMENTS JACKIE JARRELL Belleville NCAA Div. 1 Mercyhurst University 11 World Championships with Team Canada Inline Hockey CASSIE TURNER Campbellford NCAA Div. 1 Brown University Now coaching Quinnipiac U BARB SNEDDON WOOD Bellleville University of Guelph JUDI GILBERT Belleville York University MARCIE O’SHEA (DEERING) Stirling NCAA Div.1 Brown University Team Canada Ball Hockey, Team Canada Softball JACKIE JOHNSON (COENS) Madoc York University KELLY SAGE Stirling NCAA Div. 1 St. Lawrence University ELYSE COLE Belleville NCAA Div. 1 Quinnipiac University NIKKI LEONE Trenton NCAA Div. 1 Syracuse University KRISTI SHAW Belleville NCAA Div. 1 Clarkson University LARA PERKS Trenton U-Sport Wilfred Laurier University SHANA FROST Frankford NCAA Div.1 Ohio State University KERRI LYNN-OHARA Napanee NCAA Div. 1 Niagara University LAURA HORWOOD Belleville NCAA Division 1 RPI University ALYSHA BURRIS Napanee NCAA Div.1 Syracuse University /Toronto Furies CWHL
Total Sports is working on and extensive database of local athletic achievements. Submit names to our list at TotalSportsQuinte.ca
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TOTAL SPORTS QUINTE
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Personalized smart lighting, automated blinds, temperature, sound, cameras and more. An added convenience. More comfort. Staying in touch with your home, even when you’re not there. Quinte Smart Homes is partnered with Davidson Electrical Services. This partnership offers an installation performed by experienced licenced electricians, designed and automated by Certified Smart Home Specialists.
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Quintesmarthomes.ca
CELEBRATING FEMALE ATHLETES
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IDENTIFYING TRANSFERRABLE SKILLS ACQUIRED THROUGH SPORT By: Judi Gilbert, B.A. Leadership Coach & Consultant As I recall my life in sports, I think it is fair to say I was a good athlete. I have always been passionate about sport and from an early age I was a member of many successful teams. By the time I was 8 years old I knew hockey was not only Canada’s game, but mine too. In my early years I became more and more entrenched in the game and I felt my passion for the game growing leaps and bounds. I was obsessed with getting to the arena almost 2 hours before game time. I was obsessed with our backyard rink where a tree in the middle acted as an additional defender and where the rink often received its light well into the night from a floor lamp temporarily misplaced from our living room. I was obsessed with the marathon road hockey games on a Saturday that were only ever interrupted by darkness, dinner or a shattered window from an errant ball or puck. Nothing was more important to me than the game. Much to my delight I fulfilled my dream of playing competitive ice hockey. By the time I was 13 years old multiple schools had reached out to me to join their programs. My memories of my time playing hockey are abundant, priceless, and irreplaceable and the lessons learned invaluable. As a young athlete I didn’t know what sport was truly giving me. At the time I knew it was giving me the opportunity to compete; to hone and improve my talent; to make lasting friendships and to be part of a team striving towards a goal, but it wasn’t until after I left competitive sport that I started to really think about what the game had given me. It had given me-Me! And it gave you -You! I didn’t know it and perhaps you didn’t either but from the time we were noticeably young we were amassing a list of skills and experiences, that would help shape our values, our principles, and our standards. If you think about it, as athletes, we have been employed since we were 9 or 10 years old. I know that sounds silly, but I believe it. Think about it. We followed a schedule or regime, we made a commitment to improve our skills, we relied on our teammates for support and to meet our objectives, we managed our schedules and went to work each and every time we stepped on the ice, the field or the court and like all of you I never thought about it in those terms-not until I needed to. Not until I was transitioning away from sport. As a female I knew I would not have a career in hockey and even though I planned for my future the transition was still not an easy one. From an early age much of my identity revolved around sport and particularly hockey. It is what motivated me, it was what I was good at, but I knew one day it would come to an end. In my early 20’s I left the game to concentrate on my career and for a long time after I experienced a sense of loss and a void that I found difficult to fill. In fact, if I am being truthful, I have never filled the void that hockey left but I have learned to use the experiences I garnered from hockey to help me be successful in other sports and my career. As athletes, we often get tunnel vision where our sport plays a factor, and it becomes easy to neglect other areas of our life. But the reality is we aren’t athletes forever. Perhaps because of our sports prowess we will be respected and revered for the things we did as an athlete, but that won’t ever be who we are the rest of our life. It’s up to each of us to decide who we are outside of the game. If you are still competing in sport at an amateur or professional level that is great, but I cannot emphasize the importance of preparing for your transition away from sport now. Believe me when I say, it will happen. It will happen because you suffer a career ending injury. It will happen when you graduate from a college or university sport and it will happen when you are no longer able
to compete at the level you once could or for the majority it will happen upon completion of high school. Then what? We all know the chances of playing a sport at an elite level is low and no matter our skill level we have all learned (transferrable) skills during our time in sport that will help us be successful in our non sport endeavours. Let’s be honest. Leaving the sports world can be a difficult experience, especially if you haven’t been able to identify the skills and experiences you have amassed during sport or if you are unsure of what your next move is. What is a transferrable skill? A transferable skill is adaptable. For example, skills like time management, resilience, focus or communicating effectively are transferable in that you could have acquired or developed them during your time in sport, but they can also be applied to countless roles outside of sport. It is essential that as athletes transitioning away from sport, you know how to assess your experiences and identify your transferrable skills. Everything you have done in sport has the potential to help you gain and develop transferrable skills, but we do not often recognize the skills we have or see the value in these skills beyond the rink, the court, or the field. Often, we compartmentalize our skills and we only identify with being an athlete. For example, we only think the skills we use for sport and the experiences we have accumulated are good for sport but this just isn’t true. In some cases, even if we can identify our skills, we don’t know how to effectively link these skills when we are applying for a job, starting our own business, or continuing our education. Being active in sport throughout my youth and adolescence taught me a lot about discipline, time management, resilience, how to deal with adversity and taking responsibility for my own successes and failures. Sport taught me humility, mutual respect and empathy and it taught me that I had a responsibility to my teammates and to my coaching staff. Continued next page ...
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Even though I am not active in competitive sports any more I feel strongly that I have been able to successfully transfer these skills and competencies into other arenas of my life, especially my work arena, and although it may be sub conscious, I strongly believe these attributes continue to be a part of my life and the decisions I make daily. One of the skills that I developed during my time in sport that has transferred into other areas of my life is time management. As an athlete, I spent several years balancing my commitment to sport and other areas of my life including school, part-time jobs, family, and friends. Learning how to manage my time at an early age taught me how to prioritize and give each priority the attention it deserved. I learned how to handle multiple commitments at a time and meet deadlines. During university I had a remarkably busy schedule, as I am sure many of you can attest to as well. We practiced every night during the week for 2 hours unless one of those nights happened to be a game and often, we had away games on the weekend. Add to that assignments, in-class lectures, reports and exams and let’s not forget my part-time job. Although this example clearly speaks to university, I strongly believe I have been honing my time management skills since my early years in sport and as I matured and my commitments and priorities grew, I was more prepared to handle the challenges of managing my time. Today, in my business, time management is one of my biggest assets. I work with multiple clients whose needs are often quite different and it is important to me that while I am working on their behalf, whether I am preparing a proposal, facilitating a workshop, or engaged in a meeting, they are getting my undivided attention. This is just one example of a transferrable skill that has helped me be successful and I am confident that upon examination of your own skills and experiences you will be able to recognize your transferrable skills and why they are unique to you. If this seems a bit overwhelming let’s review some of the transferrable skills I have mentioned as well as a few others keeping in mind this list is by no means exhaustive and as you start to reflect on your skills, I am sure many more will come to mind. Earlier I touched on discipline, resilience, adversity, focus, humility, mutual respect, empathy, and communication as being transferrable skills and I also provided you with several examples of how I honed my time management skills through sport but what about self-confidence, teamwork, and goal setting? Do you recall gaining experience in any of these skills during your time in sport? Does hard-work, collaboration, leadership, and flexibility resonate with you? Aren’t these also transferrable skills that we could acquire during our time in sport? Take communication for example, as an athlete, I can recall and I am sure you can too, instances where we participated in both pregame and post-game meetings and debriefings. Meetings where we discussed strategies conveyed our opinions, and contributed
Total Sports QUINTE
PodCast
ideas and solutions all while being respectful of our teammates and coaches. This is communication folks! And what about while you were immersed in the game? While you were on the bench did the coach explain to you and your line mates what his or her expectations were for your next shift? Did your coach provide you and your teammates with positive feedback to help your development? Did you and your teammates discuss making adjustments, or changes to your play to help you be more successful? Did your coach communicate to you while you were on the ice or on the court either verbally or with body language? I can recall on the bench a tap on the shoulder to discuss a previous play, to talk about what might be done differently and to ask me my opinion. This is also communication! As an athlete when I was in an environment where effective and respectful communication prevailed, I felt supported but when I was in an environment where poor communication existed, I felt broken down by the demanding environment I found myself in. I want you to reflect on this for a moment and think about some of your own experiences. Have there been instances where you have felt supported or broken down by the way others have communicated with you and as a result of these experiences are you more conscious about how you communicate with others? Do you feel that sport provided you with an outlet to hone your communication skills? If we are going to be successful after sport, we must keep in mind the importance of being able to communicate effectively and respectfully and I cannot stress this enough! During my time as a consultant, I have had several clients acquire my services strictly to enhance their management and staff team’s communication skills. On the surface it all seems obvious but when we are placed in stressful situations or environments and we have competing demands and priorities, our manners sometimes slip, and we need a reminder! As you have probably guessed I am extremely passionate about sport and the skills we have developed as a result of our involvement in sport. As a former University hockey player and now a business leadership coach and consultant, I am also passionate about helping others put in motion the steps necessary to identify the transferrable skills they have accumulated during their successful sporting career and how these skills can support them during their transition. So, I have one last question for you. What are you going to do with the skills you have been honing since you were 9 years old? Check out our full podcast interview with Judi on the Total Sports Quinte PodCast Channel!
Listen to our full interview with Judi on our podcast channel!
totalsportsquinte.podbean.com Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify or your favourite podcast app #Total Sports Quinte
TotalSportsQuinte.ca
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LIANE WOODLEY
Three Decades of Dedication By Mike Kirby, Past President of Belleville Spirits is intent on winning, there is rarely any hesitation to share tips. In a similar fashion, Liane has provided learning and leadership possibilities for many students over the years through the creation of elementary school leagues run out of the high schools. Leagues like Little Hoops out of Quinte and Charger Hoops out of Centennial provide an exciting opportunity for elementary students, but just as importantly these leagues have allowed high school students the chance to act as coaches, referees, and organizers.
Liane Woodley has probably coached more local high-school basketball teams than any other person, male or female, in the last 50 years. Over the course of her 38 year career in education, the recently retired Liane has served at four different high schools as a teacher, vice principal, and principal. And in every one of those schools (Quinte SS, Trenton HS, Centre Hastings SS, Centennial SS) she has coached both girls’ and boys’ basketball teams. That means that she has started in early September and finished in late February with a game or practice nearly every day of the week. Add another ten weekends per year in tournaments and you get an idea of Liane’s dedication. That depth of commitment is exceedingly rare but she wouldn’t have had it any other way. Liane fell in love with basketball while playing on star-studded teams at Moira Secondary School in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Those Trojan teams featured future coaching legend Ken Smith at an early point in his career. After great success in high school she went on to play two years at McMaster University as well as for St. Catherine’s, an Ontario senior women’s team, winning the national championship in 1983. She also got to represent Canada for one game, playing against Korea at York University. Recalling wearing the Canada colours and lining up for the national anthem brings a smile to Liane’s face. After university and teacher’s college, Liane was hired to teach at Quinte Secondary School and her life as a coach began. Since there were very few opportunities to continue playing basketball after university, she saw coaching as a way to stay connected to the game.” Her love for the game along with the opportunity to work with young people made coaching a natural choice. Now, more than three decades later, Liane has accumulated enough memories to fill a gymnasium. She is hesitant to choose specific players or teams that stand out for fear of leaving someone out but one of her most vivid memories is the Bay of Quinte Championship game in 2002 where, co-coaching with Maren Edgett, her Quinte Saints senior girls defeated the heavily favored Moira squad on a last second free throw by Sarah Bullock. In that same school year Liane, along with John Chapman, coached the Quinte senior boys’ team to an emotional B of Q title over their long-time rivals from Nicholson. That feat of coaching both senior boys and senior girls to titles in the same year is quite likely unmatched in the area. The chance to learn from other coaches has been a very valuable tool for Liane. Any true coach welcomes the opportunity to gather information from peers, even if they are opponents. In many ways the coaches form a community and, although everyone
Liane’s coaching philosophy is simple: the basketball court is a place to prepare kids for life and the challenges they will face. The qualities that make a good teammate are the same ones that make a good employee, employer and community member. Teamwork, commitment, determination, and respect are crucial skills for success in life. And, while most coaches espouse this philosophy in theory, when it comes down to actual practice, for some coaches the ego takes over and suddenly winning is more important than any life lesson. Liane’s ego is non-existent so decisions made are always based on what’s best for the team and for the development of the individuals on that team. Liane cites two main influences for her basketball passion. One is the aforementioned Ken Smith, whom she credits for teaching her so much, not just about basketball but life as well. She says that the players felt like part of his extended family, particularly since the first Smith child was born in that era. Liane even remembers “going to rake leaves at the Smith house”, as well as working together at car washes to raise money for the team. The other significant influence on Liane came from a former assistant coach at McMaster, Sue Lindley, who Liane says would spend extra hours on the weekend working with the players. Lindley had been a star player at Guelph University before arriving at McMaster as a coach. Liane would later get the chance to play with Lindley, whom she describes as “a phenomenal player”, on the senior women’s team. When asked about the future of basketball coaching in the area, Liane is quick to name younger teachers who are anxious to “give back to basketball”, a sort of repayment for all their coaches did for them. She names Jen Tripp, Erin Rose, Josh Chambers, and Kyle Ripley but acknowledges there are many others as well. Among the changes that Liane has seen over her career is the number of high schools that now have non-staff members as coaches. These so-called community coaches, usually the parent of a player, were almost unheard of when she started her career but now are a regular feature. Although she gives credit and praise to those community coaches for volunteering their time, Liane feels that in the best case scenario a high school coach would always be a member of the school staff. “You have the connection to the kids and see them day to day. It’s easier to hold them accountable.” Even though she had retired as principal of Centennial, Liane had planned to continue coaching at that school but the arrival of covid put an end to those plans. The good news, however, is that in Liane’s final year the teams she was coaching, junior girls, once again with Maren, and senior boys, both won Bay of Quinte titles. Not a bad exit.
This is the first in a series of articles about outstanding and dedicated local basketball coaches, both past and present.
CELEBRATING FEMALE ATHLETES
WORLD FIGURE SKATING
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Trenton Skating Club’s Trennt Michaud & his partner Evelyn Walsh Attended the Championships! By: Lisa Conley - Owner/Director I Can Excel Skating Academy
The World Figure Skating Championships took place in March in Stockholm Sweden and the Quinte area had one of their own attending this prestigious event. That person was Trenton Skating Club’s 24 year old Trennt Michaud along with his partner Evelyn Walsh, 19. As a young boy, Trennt wanted to play hockey, but when he stepped on the ice he was lacking one important skill. Skating the ability to skate. Trennt then joined a local skating club and participated in their CanSkate program where he learned the skills and techniques through trained coaches. Later that year he saw a boy perform a solo in a local carnival and decided he wanted to switch to figure skating. Trennt’s mom approached one of the coaches to see if she would take him on for private lessons. That coach was me, Lisa Conley. As he progressed through the varying levels and tests that are required in Skate Canada’s testing system, I said to Trennt’s mother, “you know he’s going to be a pair boy right?” They had no clue just how far that pair skating would take him even though Trennt dreamed of the Olympics, competing at Worlds is another step closer. Trennt and his partner at the time competed at the Novice Level to a National Silver Medal under the tutelage of myself, Lisa Conley. With their growing success, there was a need to find a training facility with more accessible ice and closer to the Canadian Sport Institute Weaving through the ins and outs and traffic within the area clubs was cumbersome. Later the need for a Skating Academy was needed so I began my own skating school “the I Can Excel Skating Academy”.
The battle of the season has been anything but a roller coaster for elite level athletes and all athletes in the skating world. Lockdown, no lockdown, ice, no ice. Luckily the City of Brantford where Trennt & Evelyn train made provisions for Elite Athletes on the Olympic path to continue to train. Starting and finishing the season at Worlds with no prior live events to prepare for is certainly stressful but figure skaters are tough and know how to overcome those situations. Preparation is the key. Foundations laid at the grassroot levels is a must. The short program took place last month and the duo sat in 12th place and put out a stunning free program which placed them 12th overall in the World. On a closing note - This is a prime example of hard work, perseverance & proper training and with those key ingredients who knows what path life will take you on.
Congratulations Evelyn & Trennt and all the best for the upcoming season of 2021-2022.
icanexcelskatingacademy.com icesainfo@gmail.com
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THE ULTIMATE TEAM SPORT Belleville Volleyball Club, Belleville Ravens
By Terry Boyd
When you walk into a volleyball tournament game or practice the first thing you notice is how loud it is. That’s right, I said it – loud. Not just a little, a lot. My daughter plays with the Belleville Volleyball Club (B.V.C.) on the Raven’s girl’s u-13 rep volleyball team. They are much more reserved and quieter, shier than the older girls. Somewhere in the next couple years these young demure girls transform into beasts. Before I have several angry people wanting to know why I called their daughter a beast, let me explain. They seem quite normal walking into the gym with their high ponytails and sweats. Somewhere between putting on knee pads and tying up court shoes they transform in front of your very eyes. They seem to grow taller, they are meaner, they jump serve, spike, jump set, and block all in unison, like they all know what the other is thinking. They are passionate about the game and even more so about their team.
As with all parents I worry about my child, what the future holds, what I can do to help without smothering. I’m sure there are many who would agree. In the arena of sport there exists opportunity to grow, learn and socialize, it’s not just about winning or losing it’s also about becoming more, and learning life lessons. I joke about young female volleyball players becoming beasts, but the truth is they do. Volleyball is a team sport with a group of peers who no matter what you do on court they have your back. Every few seconds or longer depending on the rally or serve they pick each other up, cheer for each other – it is the ultimate positive team sport for young athlete’s development. The confidence level garnered through the sport of volleyball helps a young person become more confident (beasts). They work hard for each other and when it’s all said and done walk away with sweats and high ponytail knowing they have been a part of something special – a team.
Volleyball on the beach or on the court is a fast-paced game of skill, determination, and teamwork. I would add that volleyball might just be the most positive game for athletic performance development I know of. Pre-pandemic, every time the ball hits the floor for your side or against it, the team immediately meets in the centre of their side of the court. The team “groups up” and either congratulates for a great play or boosts each other for a lost point. I don’t re-call ever seeing a tantrum with a volleyball player at an amateur or professional level, no smashing sticks, rackets, yelling at other players or kicking balls away, just a return to play with the support of your team. Volleyball players are loud, they cheer for everything, they have clever ways of celebrating plays like an ace serve. With the return to volleyball and precautions with health and safety they have now found a way to cheer without touching hands but rather they stomp and clap etc., as loud as they were pre- pandemic. The governing body for International play and rankings is F.I.V.B. (Federation Internationale de Volleyball) it includes an International tournament that is challenged every 4 years. Canada’s women’s best performance was a 7th place finish in 1973. The past three F.I.V.B. tournaments have Canada placing in the top 10. In fact., since the beginning of volleyball in 1900 it has rapidly become one of the more popular sports in Canada. The volleyball school can be credited in part for developing a program that has competed on the world stage successfully at Women’s National Indoor Volleyball tournaments. Highlights include 3 Olympic Game top ten finishes, 8 World Championships, 4 World Cup appearances, and 11 Pan American Games appearances. By all accounts Canadian Women’s Volleyball is growing exponentially. Behind every successful program is a group of dedicated professionals. And all sports must have grassroots beginning and a successful youth program, luckily for us in this area we have such a program. The Belleville Volleyball Club (B.V.C.) under the Ontario Volleyball Association (O.V.A.) was founded in 2006. Since it’s beginning the B.V.C. has taught volleyball to hundreds of children ages 8 and up. They have competitive teams called the “Belleville Ravens’ with tryouts in September. The mandate of the B.V.C. is “ensuring that the youth in Quinte Region receive qualified and appropriate instruction so they can excel at the game and become lifelong lovers of volleyball.” I couldn’t agree more.
bellevilleravens.ca
bellevilleravens@gmail.com (613) 966-5351
Photo: Michelle Kennelly
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613-962-1144
toddsmithmpp.ca Constituency office in Rossmore Plaza
Todd Smith MPP
Through COVID-19 and beyond, I’m on your team Bay of Quinte
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RCAF FLYERS
TOTAL SPORTS QUINTE
Women’s Hockey is flying in the Canadian Armed Forces
By: Coach Derek Brown
easily handling all competition and dismantling the former foe from Petawawa, in the finals with a score of 6-1. By winning the Regional Tournament the team earned the right to represent Ontario at the National Championships in Edmonton, Alberta.
With 40 females trying out for the 2018 regional roster the program was in full flight and looking strong to repeat as Ontario Regional Champions for a second year in a row at CFB Borden 25-28 Jan 2018. Unfortunately, a condensed schedule with 5 games in 48 hours and injuries to key players proved to be too much for the Trenton Flyers this year and they went on to lose 3-2 in overtime of the second semi-final. The early end to the 2018 season gave the team and the coach time to reflect on where they came from just a short 18 months before and a chance to recharge and return in the fall with a new purpose and a drive to prove the validity of the program once more. The Regional Championship in 2019 was on home turf at CFB Trenton. The stage was set for the team to prove themselves and show the region that the Women Flyers were a force to be reckoned with. That was just what they did, they would come to call themselves the Beast of the tournament,
The National Championships in 2019 proved to be a battle for the team, as they struggled to score dropping all three round robin games, and finishing fourth. The team had to play the tournament favourites from Atlantic Canada in the semi-finals. Backed by an unreal performance by their starting goalie Amanda Whalen, the flyers would prevail with a 1-0 win. This gave them a chance to play for the national title once again. They faced the always strong Quebec team in the final. Once again the Flyers found all too familiar struggles and only put up a single goal in the final. It wasn’t enough on this day to stop the offensive power house from Quebec, once again the flyers settled for the second best team in the country. Unfortunately, the team saw a change in 2020 with Coach Brown having to step away for the season due to family reasons. But as the flyers always do, they would still come back strong under new leadership, and show up to the 2020 regionals and be the team to beat at the championship. The trend would continue through and the Flyers would lose in the final against a former Trenton goalie who would backstop her new Kingston team to the 3-2 overtime win. Little did the team know at that time that it would be the last hockey they would play for over a year due to COVID. There is good news on the horizon though for the Trenton Flyers women’s program Coach Brown plans to return to the team whenever they get the all clear to resume with CAF sports. The program will continue to grow no matter what the delay is the love for the sport is to strong too keep these amazing women away for too long.
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JACKIE JARRELL By Total Sports Quinte
Athlete to Entrepreneur
She has been an Assistant Captain with Team Canada since 2011. After winning the Gold Medal and World Championship “Leading Scorer” award in 2012, Jackie was honoured to receive the prestigious Robinson Kelleher Memorial Award as “Belleville’s Athlete of the Year” in 2013. Jackie graduated with an Education Degree from Queen’s University in 2009 and currently runs the St. Theresa Catholic Secondary School Hockey Program. Jackie also worked for 15 years as the “Head Female Instructor” for the now departed Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League at their annual summer hockey camps. In 2013, Jackie completed her master’s degree in Exercise Science at Mercyhurst University. Jackie has said “I feel so fortunate to have had so many incredible experiences in my life with the sport of hockey and it is important to give back and inspire today’s young athletes to reach their goals.” “I always wanted to do something meaningful in my life and I knew no matter how good of a hockey player I was, I would never make millions playing like the men.
Jackie Jarrell was born and raised in Corbyville, Ontario growing up on her family dairy farm, RJ Farms. She played minor hockey with the boys Belleville Bobcats “AA” and the Quinte Red Devils “AAA.” After a short stint with the Belleville Bearcats, at the age of 16, Jackie played for the Durham Lightning of the National Women’s Hockey League (N.W.H.L) presently called the C.W.H.L. She was honoured to be selected and won a Gold Medal with Team Ontario at the Canada Winter Games in 2003. She attended Mercyhurst University on a NCAA Division 1 Ice Hockey Scholarship where she graduated with a degree in Sports Medicine. During her tenure at Mercyhurst, she won four straight College Hockey America Regular Season and Playoff Championships while making three NCAA Elite 8 appearances. Jackie was an Assistant Captain of the Mercyhurst team, that was ranked 1st in the nation for the majority of the season in 2006, marking the first time of this achievement in the program’s history. She is especially proud of this achievement as she was sidelined with a concussion for over a year and doctors doubted if she would ever play again. Jackie has been a member of Team Canada Inline for 11 years playing in 11 World Championships to date. She is a two-time World Champion while also earning six Silver and two Bronze Medals.
This was how Gold Performance Training was started. She built a brand-new state-of-the-art training facility where she is the Strength and Conditioning Coach to well over 120 athletes (in the Quinte area & beyond) of all ages and sport levels. Jackie currently trains several NCAA, CIS, OHL, Hockey Canada and Rep athletes. She enjoys assisting athletes to achieve their goals through fitness, nutrition, and mentorship programs. Most recently Jackie was named a Fitness Consultant with the N.H.L. Officials Academy and was featured by the N.H.L. Network as a “female who is breaking barriers” by working in the N.H.L. After suffering a very serious concussion when she was in university, she was fortunate to work with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center under the direction of World-Renown Concussion Specialists. This rehabilitation was her inspiration in starting a Concussion Testing and Rehab Program at her facility where she has seen over 1500 athletes for testing as she turns her negative experience into a positive one by giving back and helping others. “I work in a very much male dominant career so I can appreciate how hard women must work to gain the same respect as males. We all face challenges and hurdles you must overcome. Believe in yourself every step of the way, even when someone tells you — ‘you can’t do it’, YOU CAN!”
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JENNIFER MCMURTER For the Love of Boxing
By Total Sports Quinte
“I had to fight a girl from Belgium. I hit her with a straight right hand and saw her hesitate. I swear I heard Dom Degazio’s voice in my head saying throw another straight right hand. I did and she dropped. I went on to lose to Mickey Prior of New York who went on to win the Gold leaving me with a Bronze Medal,” remembers McMurter.
The road to the boxing ring was a long one for lifetime Prince Edward County resident Jennifer McMurter. It all started when she was enrolled in the Law and Security program at Algonquin College and had George Sullivan as her fitness instructor. While taking the fitness class Jennifer had the opportunity to learn some boxing techniques and immediately fell in love with the workouts. After graduating from college her father was looking for some offseason hockey training for her brother and the idea of boxing came up. Remembering how much she loved to box in college, Jennifer asked if she could join the boxing club as well. At that time the local club was called the Belleville Boys Boxing Club but the moment she walked in the door it was clear that she had found a home. McMurter can still remember the first time that she walked into the club to meet with Owner, Mal Trenholm:
Jennifer would go on to win the National Welter Weight Championship and would hold that title from 1997-2001. Once Jennifer met her husband her priorities changes and had to retire from boxing, but not before creating some incredible memories.
“As we were waiting to talk to the owner Mal Trenholm, Tanya Robertson, was working a heavy bag wearing a headgear. My Dad said look at that guy go!! I said Dad that’s a girl.” Jennifer went on to become Tanya’s sparring partner and trained under her father Slim Robertson. At that time Tanya Robertson was training for the Nationals and this experience helped to shape Jennifer’s love of boxing, even though she took her fair share of beatings. Slim Robertson would go on to work in Jennifer’s corner for her first three fights. “I can still recall my first fight that took place in Oshawa. I wouldn’t have remembered it as my nerves were terrible but luckily my Dad recorded it and I ended up winning in a split decision. I was addicted to boxing,” said McMurter. After her first win in the ring she continued to train and had the opportunity to work with several great coaches. Mal Trenholm’s son Steve helped her a lot and Dominic Degazio worked with her to perfect the left hook. Jack Ireland was another coach who had a big influence in her boxing career teaching her how to perfect her jab. From her beginnings at the Belleville Club, Jennifer got to travel to different countries around the world to box. One of the most memorable trips was to Finland where she had to travel without her usual coaches.
Jenn’s Coach Jack Ireland he currently runs Uptown Boxing Also pictured: Jenn and her two boys Wyatt and Austin
“Boxing to me was an all or nothing sport and I gave it my all. I love the sport and when I retire I will hopefully have the opportunity to work with some young athletes,” said Jennifer. Since retiring from the ring Jennifer has been busy with her family. Both of her sons, and husband Rob are involved with local sports. She has also had time to dedicate herself to another one of her passions; Equestrian. She had to give up horses when she was involved in boxing but has found more time since retiring. When I started boxing, I quit showing horses because every ounce of energy went into boxing. After, I got married had kids, I still felt a need to compete at something. In 2012 I bought myself a new show horse, and in 2016 I bought a second. I show them with the Ontario Paint Horse Club. All the shows are held in Ancaster. It is definitely a lot of work, but I have always loved horses and if I have my way will never be without one (or a herd) lol!
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REFLEXOLOGY
Feel Better ... You Deserve It!
By Mark Reynolds /Wilson and Reynolds Reflexology
Evidence of the use of reflexology suggest that it dates back thousands of years. There have been references to working on the feet, hands and ears in many civilizations throughout history. An early Egyptian tomb drawing depicts what looks like a modern day Reflexology session and the fact that it was found in the Physician’s tomb seems really relevant. The hieroglyphics read “Please do not hurt me” and the reply is “I shall act so you praise me”. Reflexologists believe that every part of your body is reflected in your feet and hands and that there are micro (miniature) versions of the macro (larger) version to be found all over the body, even on the ears! Exiting new techniques mean that each treatment can be adapted to clients’ specific needs and faster results can be achieved in promoting the body’s own healing response. Research is enabling us to learn more and more about how reflexology works, the power of the healing touch and the importance of hands-on therapies in reducing stress and tension. Even how amazing the power of the mind is over the body’s responses sometimes referred to as the Placebo effect. Stress is understood by the medical profession to be instrumental in developing and exacerbating many health problems. So it is imperative that we find effective ways of managing stress - reflexology can be extremely effective in minimizing the effects of stress on mind and body. Reflexology rests on the ancient Chinese belief in qi (pronounced “chee”), or “vital energy.” According to this belief, qi flows through each person. When a person feels stressed, their body blocks qi. This can cause an imbalance in the body that leads to illness. There are current stress studies which estimate as much as 90% of all illness and disease is stress related. Reflexology aims to keep qi flowing through the body, keeping it balanced and disease free. In Chinese medicine, different body parts correspond with different pressure points on the body. Reflexologists use maps of these points in the feet, hands, and ears to determine where they should apply pressure. They believe their touch sends energy flowing through a person’s body until it reaches the area in need of healing. On a more simplistic level, have you ever been upset and had someone give you a hug? Did you feel better afterwards? “To touch can be to give life”, said Michelangelo. Given that we know how important touch can be to our health, given that we have data to suggest how invasive stress is to our overall health. Is it then a stretch to think that stimulating the thousands of nerve endings in the feet can bring about change to our overall health? The concept of mind, body, spirit health concludes that overall health is determined by a balanced approach where by all senses of self are important. We cannot be fully healthy unless all aspects of self are addressed. In the last year, most of us have experienced pandemic stress to one degree or another. Have you noticed that
this mental stress has impacted other facets of your health? Has it affected your sleep patterns? Your eating and drinking habits? Your motivation to exercise? Your moods and levels of irritability? Have you experienced an increase in pain and inflammation? If you answered yes to just one of these questions, the relationship of stress and its effect on the body may have become more clear! In the last twelve years of practice, I have witnessed how addressing health issues through touch and manual stimulation has had a positive effect on my patients overall health. The benefits of reflexology include but are not limited to; pain reduction, better sleep, improved circulation, improved digestion and bowel movements, increase in energy and vitality. Reflexology is preventative in nature, much like taking your vehicle in for an oil change. If you continue to change your oil with regularity, you will feel confident that you may have fewer related issues. The same applies if we keep the energy flowing through the body unencumbered, we increase the body’s ability to heal naturally. Who stands to benefit the most from reflexology? Let us start with mental health. Given the pandemic, there are many who are experiencing increased levels of stress. I think of those front-line health care workers, emergency room staff, paramedics, those working in retirement and long term care homes, grocery store employees, those affected by loss of employment, those whose visits to doctors and specialists have been delayed, those under lockdown with small children and limited space. Many, many people could benefit from the interruption of stress and stressors. On a physical level, reflexology can reduce pain and inflammation thus reducing the need to medicate. With every drug, there is the chance of side effects. Less medication, less complication. Many who experience reflexology notice better sleep and more energy. The correlation between a good restful sleep, more energy and better health is well documented. If we are addressing our mental, and physical health with positivity, it would make sense that this would then improve our emotional health. As you can see, they are all connected. Reflexology is a handson therapy that will support all aspects of health improvement. Don’t be reactive, be proactive and enjoy a better quality of life, and fewer health issues. Wilson and Reynolds Reflexology currently practices out of the Sunflower Health Shop and Services located in downtown Brighton. Appointments are usually an hour in duration. Appointments can be made by email at mark@wilsonandreynolds.com or by calling 613-391-7198.
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UNCLE CHESTER’S Flaming Hot Pepper Sauce
has been a family recipe for generations. Our sauce originated in Trinidad and Tobago of the Caribbean but took a hop, skip, and a jump and landed in the Quinte Region of Eastern Ontario. Utilizing local, farm fresh ingredients, we make our sauces in small batches with extreme care; just like those who came before us. UNCLE CHESTER’S Flaming Hot Pepper Sauce is Gluten Free, Vegan, and offers excellent health benefits from its nutritious ingredients. We want our hot pepper sauce to be enjoyed globally, while staying true to our homegrown, farm to kitchen roots. From a holistic approach, putting the right foods in your body can act as medicine and help you live better and healthier lives. We’re not doctors but we can tell you that hot sauce, more specifically Hot Peppers, is the rockstar of healthy foods.
Interested in Selling Uncle Chester’s at your store? Contact us for sales or to become a partner Head Office Phone 613-391-7198 Email: info@unclechesters.ca
Visit unclechesters.ca
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EMPOWERED BY CROSSFIT What Can Your Body Do For You?
By Rian Cole BA, BEd, CF-L2
“Be careful you don’t get too bulky!” That was one of the first things that I heard when I started CrossFit over 8 years ago. I laughed it off at the time because, as a former rugby player, I’m quite familiar with certain stereotypes associated with female athletes. However, during my 8 years, I also quickly realized that the stigma is recurring amongst women that are uncertain about trying CrossFit for the first time. They are concerned that their femininity will be compromised if they have big muscles, or that men will no longer find them attractive. They are worried they will look “manly”. Since becoming a coach, I have heard a steady stream of “I don’t want to get too big!” and “I don’t want to look like one of those jacked Crossfit girls!” On the other hand, we have many women who are too intimidated to start Crossfit simply because they think that they don’t look fit enough. It’s understandable that many women are self-conscious about their appearance. We are bombarded with images of what women “should’’ look like, and many of us have been programmed to think a certain way about the female body. Even if we know that much of what we are seeing is courtesy of makeup, good lighting, and Photoshop, we still can’t seem to stop wishing that there were parts of ourselves that we could change. The good news is that, for the most part, Crossfit seems to help women alter their priorities. Rather than be concerned with what their bodies look like, they become more aware of what their bodies can do. Crossfit is all about celebrating your body’s achievements and progress. While weight loss is often a goal of our clients, body composition soon becomes secondary to being able to lift heavier or getting your first pull up. Results are measurable in pounds we put on the barbell and not the number of pounds you see on the scale. There are no mirrors because we are focused on the work and not how we look; your body simply becomes a tool used to complete a given task. There are athletes of all shapes and sizes in the same class, sweating it out, and doing the same work. One of our athlete’s stated it best when she said “it’s a place where I look my worst, but feel my best.” That’s what a person’s health and fitness journey should be about. It should be about being the best version of yourself and feeling good in your own skin. It shouldn’t be about punishing yourself with exercise because you feel that you need to look a certain way. Your workout should be one of the best parts of your day, not one of the worst. Most importantly, it should be about your overall physical and mental wellbeing.
Testimonials “I’m the fittest I’ve been since I was a teenager. My boss has also pointed out that since starting crossfit, my managerial skills have skyrocketed. I’m much more assertive than I ever used to be, and would no longer consider myself an ostrich in difficult situations.” - Rachel R “I have become a Crossfit enthusiast, a better mother, a more efficient co-worker, a better friend. I have lost inches, went down in my anxiety dosage, and have gained so much confidence.” - April S “I have suffered from body image issues since I was 12 years old... I truly believed that my happiness was directly correlated with how small I was... I hated my strong thighs and my ability to gain muscle quickly. That was until 2 years ago when I joined Crossfit Belleville and started to realise that all of those things I viewed as negative were actually why I was built for this sport. All of a sudden I was viewed as an athlete.” - Ashley W
Finally, beyond health and fitness, I think that Crossfit is all about empowerment. There is a certain satisfaction in feeling strong and capable. Something as small as being able to carry all of your groceries in one trip, or not having to ask a man to move or carry something for you is liberating, even in its simplicity. I know that Crossfit has helped to build my confidence in how I feel about my body, but also how I feel about myself in general. I feel mentally stronger and more capable to deal with whatever life throws at me, especially during the unprecedented ups and downs of the past year, and I know that many of our athletes, both male and female, feel the same way. In further discussion with various female athletes at our gym, I was amazed at how strongly they felt about the positive impact that Crossfit has had on their lives. Most specifically, on their self-confidence and how they view themselves. As a coach, it’s truly wonderful to know that the sport that has helped me in so many ways, and that I love so much, is also benefiting so many others. With any luck Crossfit, along with other women’s athletics, will continue to grow and to empower women and young girls to be the best and strongest versions of themselves. If you’re interested in more information about what Crossfit is about and the kind of training that we do please reach out to info@ crossfitbelleville.ca or check out our website at Crossfitbelleville.ca.
Photo credit: Sarah Lewis Photography
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OFFICE SERVICES INCLUDE - Canada Revenue Agency - Employment Insurance - Old Age Security - Canada Pension Plan - Immigration - Ve t e r a n A f f a i r s - Assistance with Federal programs, information, questions or concerns
B O O K YO U R A P P O I N T M E N T N O W ! No Walk-ins until further notice
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CELEBRATING FEMALE ATHLETES
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