June 2010 by Jeremy Sayers

June 2010

Private funding cuts unlikely despite developing threats By Alan Osiovich Redirecting government funding from BC’s private schools is once again a hot topic between the Province’s lobby groups. During the British Columbia School Trustees Association’s annual meeting, members passed a resolution asking the Ministry of Education to eliminate government spending on private education, and redirect those tax dollars to the public system. Headmaster Nigel Toy explained that the current provincial government poses little threat on the reduced funding to private institutions. “It’s very unlikely that the BC Liberals will withdraw funding.” Toy expressed that he would be concerned if an NDP government was elected into power. “There’s always the threat that NDP politicians could run their campaign on basis of promising to redirect funds away from the independent system, in order to gain appeal from the general public.” The provincial government

currently subsidizes either %50 or %35 of independent schools’ total spending costs. In BC, attendance at independent institutions accounts for just over %11 of the total schooling population (K-12). Julianne Doctor, spokeswoman for the Vancouver School Board’s District Parent Advisory Council, stated that private schools should not get private funding. “They

St. George’s Students grow hair for cancer

By Roy Yang Two St. George’s students, Josiah Tsang and Robert De Luca, are currently growing their hair for the fight against cancer. Their ultimate goal is to donate their cut hair to an organization called Locks of Love. Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces for children of families who cannot afford this emotional comfort. Children who qualify for the program are suffering from longterm hair loss due to a range of medical treatments. The organization firmly believes that these hairpieces serve to “return a sense of self, confidence and normalcy to children,” as written in their missions statement. In an effort to provide high quality hairpieces, Locks of Love will accept real hair donations of high quality and care from anyone willing to send it. “I am doing this to be a part of a strong initiative,” said Tsang of Grade 10. Tsang has been growing his hair since September of 2009 and will continue with the Locks of Love initiative until his hair is approximately eight inches long. “My goal is to donate my hair and raise more than $1500 in the process.” The money collected during this process is to be donated to cancer research. Cancer has had a profound effect in Tsang’s life as he has been touched personally by cancer through friends and family. “I find that I am really driven to finish this [initiative] and help make a difference. In this case, I will do the best as I can to help the researchers [and] strive for better hair prosthetics.” Ultimately, Tsang and De Luca want other people to join them in this endeavor to help researchers find a cure for cancer and to offer help to underprivileged children in need of hair. “Everyone’s affected by cancer and [this] unique initiative can help us move towards a cure,” said De Luca. “Although the long hair can get annoying sometimes, you have to think about where this is all going towards. I hope other people will be inspired by our efforts and also join in this event”

shouldn’t get tax dollars... If parents choose to send their children to a private school, they anticipate that it’s going to cost them money. If they want that type of education, they should have to pay for it.” In an interview with The Echo, Fred Herfst, Executive Director for the Federation of Independent School Associations (FISA), explained that redirecting funds would have few, if not any benefits for the public education system. “Sure, he public system would

get those funds, but they would also get the cost of educating the extra influx of pupils.” Herfst insisted that the most important impact of funding is that it keeps tuition affordable for families that enroll their children in independent schools. “If we [independent schools] lose all funding, we would certainly see a substantial amount of students forced to relocate to their local public schools. Every 10-15 of these students would equate to the addition of another teacher to keep up with the new students… it’s simply illogical to redirect the funds.” Bud Patel insists that the BCSTA’s proposed financial model doesn’t make sense. “Every British Columbian parent has a choice; whether this choice is to go private or public, there shouldn’t be conflicts over government funding.”

Herfst explained that the BCSTA has been tackling the issue for as long as he can remember. “This is nothing new for the BCSTA; they’ve lobbied for increased public funding for public schools ever since the 1970’s.” Herfst continued by saying that the intensity with which the BCSTA pursues the argument fluctuates from time to time. “Issues regarding government funding never flare up without cause. Heavy cuts to the public education sector have put the BCSTA on high alert, and they [the cuts] have certainly contributed to the BCSTA’s pleas to reduce funding to independent schools.” FISA is a non-profit society representing five independent school associations that represents about 64,200 students enrolled in 285 independent schools in BC. Although the situation is not of imminent concern, Herfst said that FISA must always be vigilant of changes. “We always have to be on guard. Who knows what can happen a week from now.” Patel explained the school is backing all of FISA’s comments on the topic. Patel also echoed Herfst’s comments, “We should always be mindful of the Government’s policy on school funding.”

Headmaster Toy to be immortalized in Saints History through Bobble-Head

By Ian Brackman Headmaster Nigel Toy will now be immortalized in bobble-head form. The St. George’s Athletic Department strung together the idea of showing thanks to Toy in the format of his very own bobble head doll. For only $25 you can own the small memento of the headmaster, and all proceeds go towards beginning the N.L.R. Toy Scholarship fund. “It is a very prestigious honour

to have your own bobble-head in the sports world,” said Amanda Baird, the school’s Athletic Department’s administrative assistant. The bobble-head pictures Mr. Toy standing proudly with one foot on a rugby ball while holding a rowing oar and a basketball and the St. G e o rg e ’s crest in front of him and the words Nigel R.L. Toy on the stand. “It was made as

a tribute to Mr. Toy,” said Baird. “It was a small way for the athletic department to say thanks.” “The athletic department, led by Richard Cohee came up with the idea and then the rest of the department added their input,” stated Baird in a recent interview with The Echo. The bobble-head idea was a surprise for the retiring headmaster and now “he is very impressed with the concept,” said Baird. There were 1000 of the figurines made to honour Toy. “So far, the sales have been going pretty well with over 100 bobble-heads already sold,” explained Baird. “And we’re getting more and more requests and e-mails each day expressing interest.” The sales of the bobble-head will be open all summer or until they are sold out. Order your bobble-head today to help contribute to the Toy scholarship.

New Assembly Amendments to Come By Matt Yensen

ers. The reasoning behind these changes is quite simple Fredeman explained. He said, “Having much smaller advisor groups allows for teachers to better know students. This then enables teachers to become the first point of contact if a situation or problem were to arise. Currently, students’ Heads of Grades are this crucial first contact point, and quite simply it’s impossible for one person to adequately mentor and monitor 150 students, let alone know all of their names.” Fredeman also

explained, “These home room teachers would work with students on all aspects of school including service, athletics, and anything else applicable. These teachers would then provide the five Heads of Grades with information in order to ensure that everyone remains informed.” One such student, Tyler Raycraft was told of the proposal by Webster during a chemistry class, and was asked to provide feedback on the situation. “I like the idea of having smaller homerooms, as I could

get to better know my fellow classmates and teachers. However, I enjoy the fifteen minutes we have every morning that I can use to socialize, sleep, or even finish up last minute assignments,” said the 17-year-old Raycraft. As the St. George’s Senior School has well over seven hundred students, it is easy for a person to be caught up in the sheer size of the school. The hope that every student would feel included in the St. George’s community provided the basis for proposing changes to the current system. Fredeman surmised, “I think it’s essential for students and staff to have regular contact, which lets the student know that there is always someone looking out for them. Also, the changes that take place will be part of a lengthy process, one involving lots of student feedback and an evolving system to make sure that everyone’s needs are met.” As the current school year is coming to a close, and summer is soon approaching, thoughts of next September are already in many people’s minds. While the composition of the advisor system is still to be determined, one thing is for certain. “I know that regardless of whatever changes are put in place, Saints as a school will certainly be able to adapt and strive under the new system,” said Fredeman.

By Thommy Thompson

food choices now.” Chris Chen, a grad who attended, said, “The workshop was very enlightening, I learned a lot on the ratios I should take between carbohydrates, proteins and fats.” The main focuses at the workshop was to choose foods in everyday life that improve performance; to inform which supplements work, what doesn’t work and why some supplements don’t work; why you should

maximize your nutrition and finally to figure out how and why one should fuel and recuperate efficiently. One of the most interesting points according to a participant was the “4-10-4” rule for cereals. One should eat under 10 grams of sugar, under 4 grams of fat and over 4 grams of protein. Another interesting fact was the 90/10 rule, which states one should eat 90% “good nutritional food” and 10% “junk” food.

hroughout the hallways of St. George’s, numerous rumours have been flying in regards to speculated changes to the current advisor and assembly system. These amendments, slated to come into place at the beginning of the 2010-2011 academic calendar, are the culmination of a five-year process, which is currently spearheaded by Phil Webster and Luke Fredeman, two St. George’s Head of Grades. This proposal has so far been approved by the Full Leadership Forum, a committee composed of the people who help facilitate the running of Saints. For these reasons, Fredeman was confident that changes of some magnitude would be occurring next year. “Although we have yet to finalize an advisor system for the upcoming year, I can assure that there will be changes made. Revised advisor systems like these appear all over the world, and ensure that every student feels supported,” said Fredeman. He also added, “Ultimately the decision rests in the hands of the incoming headmaster, Dr. Matthews, meaning changes will not become official until his consent is received.” Under this new proposal, school life at St. George’s would be a much different place. Some

of the hypothetical changes include a once weekly, much longer home room, with only nine to 10 students per class. Also, these homerooms would remain intact from Grades 8 to 12, meaning a student would only report to one teacher during his entire tenure at Saints. Other possibilities include senior and junior grade assemblies, with only one full school assembly a week, twicea-term phone calls to students’ parents to provide updates, and frequent one-on-one meetings between students and teach-

Prefect ballots made more inclusive By: Tyler Raycraft

ith the 2009-2010 school year drawing to a close, the voting process for next year’s prefects and school captains is underway. For this year’s election, the faculty has made a number of alterations to the system in hopes of making the system more democratic and inclusive. For the first time, voters have the opportunity to identify six of their preferred candidates. In previous years, students would only be able to select three applicants. Headmaster Nigel Toy and Grade 11 Head of Grade Luke Fredeman made this change with the intention of making the system more democratic. “By doubling the number of nominees that the voters can identify, we will be more able to select the candidate who will represent the school over the next year,” argued Fredeman in assembly. “This is not to say, however, that voters are forced to choose six candidates. They will be able to pick as few people as they wish. As in previous years, the system is preferential, meaning that a range of one to six points can be awarded to each contender.” According to the Head of Grade this modification is not the only one. The ballots were further adjusted by including the names of all Grade 11 students on the list.Therefore, all Grade 11s have a legitimate chance of being elected. The prospect of election is, however, more probable for those students who specifically put their names forward. A separate list containing these eligible students will serve as a suggestion for voters of which candidates truly want the position. As current Grade 11 Vice President Reese Walford stated, “I think the changes that have been made are only beneficial. By increasing the number of people we can choose, it is more likely that we will elect one or more of our preferred candidates. Also, by including all of next year’s grads on the ballot list, students who may not normally be involved with such activities have the opportunity to get involved.”

Are students choosing the correct foods?

n May 5, the St. George’s athletic department held a nutritional workshop called “Fuel For Performance” in an effort to inform boys of the best choice of action regarding supplements and basic training. Dana Lis, a registered dietitian with the Canadian Sport Center Pacific in Richmond, was the guest presenter at the workshop. She organized people into groups of three to answer questions throughout the presentation. Lis said, “Learning the fundamentals of sport nutrition is key for young athletes to be successful at any level of sport and to fuel their body not only for performance, but also for a healthy lifestyle. Overall, I think the parents and athletes took away some key fundamental fueling strategies and some research tools to navigate supplement claims.” Suzanne Weckend, head of Athletics and Aquatics Director, organized the event. Weckend said, “We are at a school which demands a lot [nutritionally speaking], I thought that the workshop was highly informative and thought it was excellent for the audience since Lis had the audience participate. I am more conscious of making

Editors-in-Chief.......................................................Alan Osiovich ..............................................Thommy Thompson ......................................................Tyler Raycraft Writers...................................................................Andrew Watson ..........................................................................Chris Chen ......................................................................Ian Brackman ........................................................................Ivan Cheung ........................................................................Josiah Tsang .........................................................................Matt Yensen ............ ..............................................................Nabil Virji ...........................................................................Peter Ding .............................................................................Roy Yang ................................................................... Soroush Rezaei .........................................................................Stuart Smith .............................................................................Tony Ahn Staff Sponsor............................................................Jeremy Sayers

“Embrace the unknown”— Gavin Dew Former Saints student talks about pursuit of careers in life

By Nabil Virji

aving graduated from St. George’s in 2003, Gavin Dew returned this year for the annual Georgian Careers Day to share his educational and employment journey since he left the school. In an interview with The Echo, Dew shared his thoughts on careers, speaking to the students and the school. After graduating from the school, Dew went to UBC to pursue a degree in English literature. During his time there, Dew was always enthusiastic about trying new things even when he thought he was unqualified. He became vice president of the UBC Alma Mater society, as well as the finance director of a large charity rock concert. After earning his degree, Dew worked for the university for two years, managing the alumni relations program for students and recent graduates. Eventually he felt a need for change; he went backpacking through Europe, before working with the BC Liberal Party during the 2009 provincial election. During the following summer, Dew worked on an entrepreneurial business, before finally arriving at his present position at a public relations firm. Looking back, Dew, like many other graduates, misses his

time at the school. “I definitely appreciate my time at Saints a lot more in retrospect than I did at the time,” Dew commented. He also added that he now

the camaraderie among my classmates,” he concluded. Interestingly, Dew was one of the editors on The Echo in his grade 12 year. “I would

to come back and see how the school has evolved, and talk to my former teachers,” Dew commented. Dew greatly enjoyed returning to the school to

has a better understanding and appreciation of the opportunities the school granted him. “I would say the things I recall most fondly are the outstanding teachers who put up with my antics, the intellectual challenge, and

say it was one of my favourite classes. It taught me the basics of journalism that I still use today,” Dew stated. When organizing Careers Day 2009, Bryan Ide asked Dew to speak. Dew was happy to come back in 2010. “It’s interesting

talk to the students. “It was a great opportunity to share my experiences and to reflect on what I’ve been doing for the eigth years since I graduated,” Dew commented. During his talk at Careers Day 2010,

because they are passionate about it, not because it pays well.” The presentation also stressed that it is important for

and Lee meeting and coming up with a theme. Based on that theme, Ide works to find appropriate speakers within

students not to become worried if they do not know exactly what they will be doing for the rest of their lives at this point. The concepts for Careers Day start every year with Ide

the Georgian network, some of whom are asked to speak while others volunteer. “I look to put together an interesting and diverse group of speakers,” Ide explained. Most of the

Dew reflected on his past employment and education experience, and his fearlessness for trying new things. “If the students learned one thing from my presentation, I hope it was to be flexible and adaptable as they progress through their education and careers, and to be prepared to seize unexpected opportunities.” Dew also emphasized that it’s not a concern if a student is not yet sure of his career pursuits. “Many of the jobs that you and your classmates will fill don’t exist yet, and many of the companies and industries that you will be leaders in have yet to even be imagined,” he stated. However, he still believes that one can prepare for the future without knowing what he will do. “You can’t plan for something that doesn’t exist yet, but you can always build your skills, your character, and your network of friends and colleagues. They will serve you well no matter what you do.” Even though some students know exactly what they want to pursue after high school, many do not, and Dew’s talk served as reassurance to those people. “Not knowing what you are going to do with your life isn’t something to be ashamed of, or afraid of. It’s something to embrace,” concluded Dew.

Finding futures in Careers Day

By Nabil Virji

eorgian Careers Day 2010 occurred on April 16th, and revolved around the theme of finding purpose in a career. This event, the sixth to happen at St. Georges, consisted of a morning of presentations regarding university applications and life. After a short break, the main event of the day commenced. Six speakers, all Georgians, were split up into two groups, and gave speeches to half of the grade at a time. Organized by Bryan Ide, Head of Georgian Relations, and Brian Lee, Director of Student Services, the event’s main purpose was to show students a range of possibilities for future careers. Organizers stressed the importance of choosing careers based on interest rather than paycheques. “We believe that a student should choose a career

speakers this year were firsttime participants, however two spoke last year. Gavin Dew and Alex Tsakumis also participated in Careers Day 2009. Dew, a graduate of 2003, counselled the students on being open to change, and encouraged them to embrace opportunity, no matter how hard it seemed. O t h e r speakers in the 2010 event included Michael Hungerford and Matthew Clark. Hungerford, a partner at Hungerford Group, a real estate management firm, spoke on his time at the school and his experience in university. He also commented on how he

found his way to his current career. Clark, the co-founder of Yaletown-based Subplot Design spoke on what his company did on a day-to-day basis, as well as encouraged students to take advantage of the vast resources available at the school. Past themes have included following passion and moving on from failures, which drew Georgians with specific experience in the subject. Once the speakers have been finalized, Ide asks the speakers to come up with a speech somehow relating to the topic. Ide believes that students, especially Grade 11s should not focus so much on a university because it has a prestigious name. “When choosing a university, it’s about so much more than a name. You have to factor in everything about the campus and location to find out if it’s for you. The purpose of Careers Day is to broaden the views of the students and expose them to various opportunities and careers they may not have previously known about.”

Nootka Island trip, challenging and exciting

By Ian Brackman he Grade 10 Sea-to-Sky program is described on the school website as “an exciting and challenging opportunity - a highlight of [a student’s] school career.” The adventure of ten students to historic Nootka Island provided exactly that. There were exciting moments such as witnessing grey whales feeding in a bay or a picturesque floatplane ride. There were many challenging moments, for example trekking 13 kilometres with a 50-pound pack. But as the description reads, it was definitely a highlight. After the exhilarating floatplane ride with breathtaking views of the West Coast of Vancouver Island, we were deposited on the remote island for the next five days.

“The float plane ride was amazing,” stated grade ten-hiker Brendan Catliff. “When we were flying over what we eventually had to hike, it was pretty intimidating.” The approximately 40-kilometre trails contain a mixture of monotonous-pebbly

on the beach the challenges of the terrain varied from hopping across large rocks to trudging through tiny pebbles. The group averaged 11 km each day over the rigorous terrain and was exhausted when we finally reached camp. There was much wildlife to be seen on this excursion as

well. “On the bus ride we saw a black bear cub and a few deer. On Nootka we saw tons of bald eagles, two sea otters, and were lucky enough to see some gray

whales feeding in the bay. The whales were definitely a highlight for me,” recalled Catliff, 15. For approximately 45 minutes we watched in awe as the grey whales swam back and forth in the small bay feeding not 200 feet from where the dazed group was standing. With no light pollution on the island the night sky was amazing. The air was filled with glowing s t a r s : something that can r a r e l y be seen anywhere near the city. It was a truly spectacular sight. Now a brief history lesson. For more than 4000 years there have been humans on Nootka Island. The Mowachaht First Nations

called Nootka home and their culture relied heavily on fishing and whaling. Spanish explorers were the first to sail past Nootka and even traded with the First Nations but did not set foot upon the rugged shore. Captain James Cook was the first European to land on Nootka with his boats the Resolution and Discovery along with famous crew members George Vancouver and William Bligh. Cook and his team stayed the summer on Nootka trading with the First Nations and restocking his fleet. “It was an amazing opportunity to travel to a remote part of British Columbia and is something that not many people are able to do,” said Catliff in a recent interview with The Echo. Today there are seven people who live on Nootka (two lighthouse keepers and one First Nations family). Highlights on the expedition included seeing a fallen totem pole from 1912 at Friendly Cove, seeing the grey whales in the bay and the scenic floatplane ride.

beach and thick bushwhack hiking. The trails in the bush are rarely maintained which is part of the trails’ appeal, though it does not make for easy hiking. While

that the trip could be improved without a tour guide. They have made many comments about how the trip could be more enjoyable. “We could go in partners,” Armaan Dhanji, a student on the trip, said. “It would provide a more in-depth experience, and the small groups would allow students to visit the galleries of

One such example is the Multiverse Room, which is “packed” with display cases and drawers. “There were too many artefacts in one place,” Yu said. “It was really confusing, and I couldn’t focus on one object without concentrating on the one next to it.” Although the class’s reviews were mostly negative, there were some positive aspects to the trip. “The architecture was amazing,” Peters said. “It was designed to hold the massive traditional totem poles, and the design worked perfectly.” Other students found Bill Reid’s Raven and the First Men, an enormous wooden sculpture depicting the first human species, to be the most striking artefact in the museum. “If I could choose any piece which I could keep, that would definitely be it!” Oscar Xia, a student of the class, exclaimed. Due to the many attractions that the museum holds, Peters felt that the trip could be repeated next year, with changes. “This time, the trip was merely an experiment,” the teacher said. “If we modify the trip a bit more, such a visit will be very enjoyable. The Museum of Anthropology is something everybody should visit at least once.”

By Nabil Virji The traditional way of writing exams at St. Georges is facing radical changes, Proctor of Exams Stephen Ziff explained in an interview with The Echo. According to Ziff, the school is “reexamining its entire assessment strategy,” including the way tests and exams are carried out and weighted. The Full Leadership Forum, comprised of the Heads-of-Grade and the Department Heads, is the main body discussing the potential changes. One topic under review is the presence of November exams. Over the past few years, many private schools around the province, such as Crofton House and Saint Michael’s University School, have been doing away with the November exams, citing unnecessary increases in student stress. “The subject is still under discussion.... there is no timeline yet. We will do what is in the best interest of the students,” Ziff says. While the subject is under serious discussion, change is not expected for at least a few years. In the past few years, steps have already been made to change the format of tests and exams. “In the past 5 or 6 years, there has been a growing trend in questioning the way examinations are structured and conducted,” Ziff explained. “Certain Grade 12 courses have

been allowed to conduct alternate exams in an attempt to see how these assessments work.” Students taking Geography 12 and History 12 will be able to bring their textbooks and study material into the exam hall, and utilize them in completing the exam, starting this June. Chemistry 12 students will complete an assessment comprising of lab work as well as a written exam portion. However, in order for alternate exams to take place, all the teachers of the subject must agree on and accept the new assessment. The reason for these changes stems from a fundamental belief held by Ziff and other educators. “Problem solving is much more important than straight memorization.” Ziff explains. All of Ziff’s students are evaluated by open book and open laptop tests and Ziff says he “will never give a closed book test” in any of his classes. “In a world where information is at our fingertips, no job requires someone to regurgitate useless facts. If you needed to know a fact, you can just pull out your phone and have the answer in seconds. For this reason, it is much more important to provide students with the information, and have them critically analyze it.” Ziff and others believe that in a rapidly changing world, exams at St. Georges need to changed to accurately reflect and evaluate qualities relevant in today’s workplace.

Students disappointed by the trip to New way of writing exam in experimental progress UBC Museum of Anthropology By Ivan Cheung recent trip to the UBC Museum of Anthropology, in its current incarnation, may soon become ancient history, like the artefacts displayed there. Many students were quite disappointed about the guided tour. The guide was twenty minutes late, inexperienced and obviously an amateur. Kevin Yu, an attendee of the school trip, felt the visit would have been better if competent guides were offered at the museum. “Our class had a pretty bad guide,” he remarked. “She was difficult to comprehend, and I would really like to go with a guide that can explain each artefact more clearly and with detail.” Tanya Peters, a social studies teacher at the school, led the trip. Like the students, she was taken aback at the tour guide and felt that the trip could be improved if she led the tour instead “Our guide was more focused on cue card reading than explaining the objects,” she said. “I would lead the tour myself, and focus on more specific aspects of the museum, rather than visiting everywhere.” In a survey done by the Echo, over 90% of the students felt

their choice.” The museum takes pride in displaying over 60% of their collections, while other museums only display half that amount. While many of the artefacts were fascinating, many students felt that by reducing the number of artefacts, navigating the museum would be much easier. “It was really hard to navigate in such a confined space,” Varun Banthia, another attendee, said. “They should show only 2030% of their objects, which would allow the visitors to take everything in better.”

Grade 8 volleyball team ends season with success Team’s season concludes with 4 wins and 2 losses, impressive finish for first year

By Alex McFetridge he Grade 8 Volleyball team had an impressive season, with a record of four wins and two losses. Though the team was not expected to be very good, the 8’s showed their will to win. The some forty who tried out for the squad would be narrowed down to twenty-five and then finally to eighteen. The team was picked and coached by Ms. Pollock, who had help from some Grade 10’s. In an interview with Tristan Taylor, who was a member of the team and was a captain for the game, he said that the record does not show the skill and determination of the group. “Yeah, we were always determined and in it to win it, and I just don’t feel our record shows that,” said Taylor after asking if the team was determined. There was a disappointing loss to Prince of Wales, a loss which Andrew Killas regrets. “Man, I just wish that we could of won that game. We were up 2-0 and then lost 3-2,” said Killas in an interview. Killas was a fairly new

Lucas Macfyden and Liam Anderson, two grade ten student assistant coaches of the grade eight volleyball team at St. George’s

player to the squad and really developed throughout the season, along with everyone else on the

team. Most of the members interviewed agreed that they were very proud with how the team worked

Saints junior and senior Schoolreach team concludes with a fantastic season

By Andrew Killas he Junior Schoolreach team has concluded yet another successful year, winning its third consecutive British Columbia championship. At Sutherland Secondary School, in North Vancouver, the team played and defeated the number one ranked Burnaby North team in the semi finals. They were then challenged by a strong, confident Kitsilano Secondary team in the finals, and the match was very close. Saint George’s came out on top, winning by four points. Winning this tournament three times in a row was such a great accomplishment because there were eighteen teams that competed and it was extremely tough competition. The Senior team also had an excellent season. In the Provincial championships, the school advanced to the finals against Churchill Secondary School and lost by a mere, single point. The good news is that the top two teams from that competition go to Toronto, Ontario for the Canadian championships at the end of May, to play in the National Cup. If the senior team wins the competition this year, St. George’s will be the first school to win this championship three times in history. The St. George’s Junior Schoolreach team practices every Thursday at lunch. Mr. Atkinson has coached the team for the past three years with the help of Mrs. Mori who also coaches the senior team. Mr. Atkinson stated that if they could improve anything for next year, it would be to encourage more of the current grade 8’s to participate. If you are not familiar with the Schoolreach team, the setup is four players versus four players. The trivia game is very close to reach for the top. The players are asked a variety of different questions on topics ranging from movies to places to events from the past. The players sit across from each other and the teams can substitute in and out after each round; however, in a game you play three rounds completing one packet each game. All of the team’s hard work has paid off. The team is exceptional at math questions but needs to work on literature questions for next year. If you are interested in School Reach for 2010-2011 season, come to the school ready to play because starting in September both teams host schools or travel once a month to play away.

together and became skilled as the season went on. Though the team was quite

competitive, Taylor, Killas and most likely everyone had fun. “Oh man, we had so much fun! It was especially nice to see all of our players get better. And even though we lost the first game, we bounced right back and felt great about that,” said Taylor. Cedric Payne, who was a member on the team as well said “I was kind of disappointed when we lost our first game and I thought that this season was going to be bad, but after the next game, I was confident we could come back. There is no doubt that the team will be taller, bigger and better than ever next season. The team has some high hopes for next year and feel they can do much better next year. “I’m hoping for an undefeated season next year. But if we have a more competitive season, I still want to have lots of fun and not just play for winning. Having fun is always better,” said Killas. There’s a lot of truth out of what Killas said, and there is no doubt that the volleyball squad had a great season.

Grade 8 field hockey starts strong

By Hubert Yuen s the 4th game for grade eight field hockey has passed, the team has had a great time with the season so far, particularly enjoying the games. Although the players like the games the most and agree that it’s the most fun, they also like Mr. Healy as their coach. Jacob says, “ I like his coaching technique, he’s hilarious and makes it more motivating.” The team practices every Monday and Wednesday from afterschool until 5:00 at the UBC Wright field, starting off with a warm-up of two laps and stretching. Players Liam Donaldson, Steven Hao, Enrique Sainz, and Hunter Will as well as other players on the team look towards drills and improving skills/techniques as a useful tool to practices, Hunter Will says “ Practices are fun, useful, and you learn a lot of skills from them”. However, one thing the players would like to change would be to have longer scrimmages, also showing how much the team is looking forward to the games. Currently they have played four games, lost two and won two.

Steven Hao said, “ games give us confidence and experience, and makes us look at field hockey in a different way every time.” Mr. Healy as the coach gets the players to focus on CAD, which stands for control, accuracy, and possession. Jordan Sidoo says that another important factor to have is good eye- hand coordination. Other than Mr. Healy teaching, the team also has senior students as well as past grads that help demonstrate, give pointers on how to improve, oversee drills, and warms up the goalie. The goalie position, played by Enrique Sainz, said “usually, you don’t get much since the ball is always being played in the whole field, and its only my turn when the ball comes, but I remember a game that we had lost by 3-0, but that game I felt the pressure each time the ball came over to my side, and although we lost, I felt good because I had saved many goals and only let in 3.” As the team looks forward to the rest of the season, Mr. Healy has one more quote for us on his opinion on field hockey “It’s a stupid sport, but I love it.”

Online advertising saves cultural tour By Stuart Smith

out to parents and staff was important. With the parents involved, the trip had better chances of getting kids signed up.” Fearon continued, “[The advertizing] started pre-trip, in the e-news letter. I also set up a blog where the students can write about their experience and their familes can read about it.” “Using the website to advertize the trip was what saved it, really,” said Bassett. “It was an invaluable tool and it was new to me. Fearon was very helpful and informative. I have many thanks for him!” With the increase of public attention, the trip garnered 10 students who were ready and excited to travel overseas. The trip went forward with the minimum number of students allowed for a tour. Any trip with fewer than 10 participants is postponed

until the numbers increase, according to Bassett. The trip traveled for 10 days during spring break. Despite all of the trouble at first, the trip went ahead without any changes to the itinerary. In fact, something new was added. “We traveled over night on a train from Paris to Barcelona,” says Bassett. “I didn’t know we were going to do that but it was neat!” Looking back at the tour’s development, Bassett was pleased with the trip. “I am so glad, as is Mr. Wyatt [the other chaperone]. We went with a great group of boys from grades 8, 9 and 11. I know it was an interesting experience for them, and it was for me too. The only challenge was finding activities to meet the needs of the different age groups, but it was a fun challenge. I thoroughly enjoyed it.”

journal that was part of an art experiment launched by Mrs. Leblanc in term two was collected back during arts week for review. Leblanc’s experiment was based on a global project aimed at collecting artistic contributions from everyday people around the world. The global project is called ‘1000 Journals’, launched by a San Francisco based artist known only as “some guy”.

looked like. My original hope was that this would be an opportunity for all of those who no longer feel creative or no longer have opportunities to be creative, to be able to draw or write without judgment in this anonymous forum.” The result of this experiment was only one returned journal with 1/3 of its content full. Although very few people participated in this experiment, Leblanc does not consider it a failure. “I am pleased that people

come back filled with penises, this one did not. It came back filled with a broad range of thought provoking writing and drawings. It appears to be a fair reflection of the adolescent population here.” However, Leblanc believes that the lack of drawing and writing in these journals may be the “reflection of the school community.” “Perhaps the lack of drawings is indicative of the culture of the school. And the fact that only one came back, that too could be a reflection of the school

The purpose of ‘1000 Journals’ was to gather artistic creations from people around the world by sending out blank journals to be filled by anyone Marc Levine from Grade 8 first introduced this idea to Leblanc. She then adapted this idea into St. George’s by dispersing three journals throughout the senior school. “I thought it would be interesting to see what the cultural climate for our school

participated and I would love to get the other two [journals] back. People seemed genuinely interested and excited by the project when I first introduced it. But of the 1000 journals in the original project, there is still a large percentage that has not returned.” Contrary to popular belief, Leblanc said that the journals were devoid of sexual content. “Although all of the students were sure the journals would

community.” In future years, the art teacher wants to approach this project in another innovative method. “I would like to try this again at the school, but I would go about it differently. We are in a technical age and I would like to put up a virtual journal for Saints boys to contribute to. This might capture the imagination of a wider range of students. It might also reflect a more accurate range of students.”

he 2010 cultural tour to Paris and Barcelona had originally struggled to take flight this year, but with the help from a successful online advertising campaign, the trip was able to go ahead as planned. “There was no problem with the trip, we just didn’t have enough people,” says Martha Bassett, trip chaperone. “With the help of Mr. Jason Fearon [I.T staff and website manager], we were able to post information on the school website and in the e-news letters. We had better publicity and we got the parents involved, which was important.” It has been confirmed that the campaign will be used for future tours. Fearon was responsible for the campaign. “I certainly believe that getting the word

One thousand journals review By Roy Yang

International chess master visits Saints chess club By Ivan Cheung

he Junior Chess Club at Saint George’s recently received excellent tuition from a Philippines international chess master, Butch Villaviega. Luc Poitras, the teacher at the club, commented that such a guest would be beneficial to his young students. “Kids can learn tremendously in contact with strong chess players,” Poitras said. He also felt that learning from another master could open the kids’ minds to different styles. Villavieja arrived on the second to last day of the chess season to teach the kids some more advanced techniques. Some of the content he taught included the queen-king checkmate, versions of the Sicilian opening and endgame strategies. The Philippines chess master also instilled the many rules of competitive chess, such as the importance of chess clocks. “I am a licensed FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs) chess arbiter,” he said. “I can act as a referee to competitive games around the world.” FIDE, or World Chess Federation in English, is an organization that acts as the “government” of chess. As an arbiter, Villavieja feels that the smallest rules of chess can influence an entire game. Poitras hopes that more frequent visits from other professional players could help improve the already-strong players of the Saint George’s chess team, including the young junior C team, which won second place in the 2010 BC Elementary Chess Competition. “Butch comes regularly to my monthly chess tournament,” the chess teacher said. “That’s how we became friends, which led to his visit.” As for Villavieja’s own reasons for coming to the club, he felt that “he could have a grasp or some experience in interacting with the Canadian kids.” As a recent immigrant from the Phillipines, he wants to introduce more Canadian kids to the game. “I’m also looking for opportunity to teach chess or tutor other serious chess players,” Villavieja said. He felt that Poitras’s well-established chess club could be an example of a chess-teaching institute. The guest chess master tried to convey his best advice to the young students.

Aspiring guitarist plays with his future By Chris Chen

Taken out of his usual role as a band guitarist and coming to Saints without knowing anybody there, Wong was nevertheless both intrigued and excited by playing in such a setting. “I finally have the chance to play what I want to play, as opposed to performing under my teachers’ whims. It’s tiring doing everything your teacher tells you do; I simply just want to play my guitar and play my own stuff.” “Contemporary Music Night

was quite unlike my other gigs. It was different jamming with two deejays. When playing in a band setting, I would always have to use eye contact as a signal for different sections of the tune. However, for Contemporary Music Night, I had to improvise for most of my parts.” Using only his ears and relying on his knowledge of music theory, Wong improvised the entirety of his performance on the spot. “Am I nervous when I’m improvising?

Not anymore. I love improvising; musically, I think it’s my strongest skill.” As a recent graduate of high school, Wong honed his guitarplaying skills throughout his stay at Vancouver College by performing in school-sponsored events. “I would partake in any event I can find, whether it be inside of school or outside of school. I remember playing at this ‘juice’ bar back then. It would have open mic nights every

Thursday and I would perform there.” When asked about how aspiring musicians can reach his level of technical expertise, Wong simply replies, “Practice things slowly until it’s clean.” “Always be confident! Learn from your mistakes. Always work on your ear, because at the end of the day, all that matters is what you hear, not what you play or record”, beams Wong. In regards to his future role within the music industry, Wong is hesitant to give a definite answer. “I have no clue what my future roles will be! Not too many labels have solo guitar players, and I know many players out there who can make it in the industry with their own composed works. It’s just that the industry is so messed up; it’s based more on money than music,” says Wong. “For now, I simply just enjoy jamming with other musicians, especially with someone who has a different taste in music than I. I would like to do a project with another guitar player who plays more jazz than I do. Working with other people makes me a better musician as well.” Wong now attends Selkirk College and will be transferring to Berkley College of Music next year.

tom levels in [the game], designing them to look like the hallways [of the school] and peopled them with representations of his classmates.” Snopes.com declared this rumour false, however, after examining said levels and revealing that they looked nothing like the school. Proven examples of violent games inspiring violent acts do exist, however. In 2003, an 18-year-old shot and killed two policemen and a dispatcher with the gun of one of the policemen. According to an article on CBS News, the teen admitted to reenacting a scenario he played through in the game Grand Theft Auto, where the player is given

free reign to wander the streets and gun down anyone who crosses his path. Police will arrest the player, of course, but they are equally valid targets through the sights of the player’s rifle. Other noted incidents include a 16-year-old who shot both his parents after they confiscated his copy of Halo 3, or a 41-year-old who stabbed a man to death over a dispute about a multiplayergame weapon sale. Despite the stereotypes violent games often get, real violent crime related to video game tends to be few and far between. In fact, research done by the US Office of Juvenile Justice shows that violent crime has actually

decreased since the early 1990s, when shooting games first became popular. When interviewed, Zach Davies, age 17, said, “Video games make me less violent, [because] I can put any problems I have into them.” Another interviewee, Kjell Johnson, also 17, adds to this: “Video games can be a nice release. If my day hadn’t been going right, they can be a nice way to escape and clear my head. However,” he adds jokingly, “I [also] like shooting things. [But] even though, by playing, the images of violence are flooding into my mind, I know how to control my actions and not allow those actions to transfer into real life. It’s just a game, after all.”

Arguments on video games continue to range back and forth into the new decade, and both sides claim to have backing evidence for their views. Whether they argue that violence in games leads inevitably to violence in reality, or that it allows them to work out stress on something that isn’t living, most proponents of either side are unwilling to accept the other’s views. “[Video games] are stupid,” says one person interviewed, while another argues that “They’re a good way to interact with friends.” But whatever the truth is, everyone seems to have an opinion. Are games dangerous? Or are they really “Just games?”

t’s truly electrifying to watch a talented musician perform in front of your eyes. Music is a language understood by people of all cultures and creeds, a language powerful enough to instill into listeners deep and lasting emotions. Realizing the need for a live, human instrument within our music projects, we decided to reach out and see who was interested in playing alongside with us. Eagerly embracing our request was a close friend of mine, Oswin Wong. Wong is not your typical musician. For one, he hated school “with a passion” and even - ironically - looked down upon music schools such as the prestigious Berkley College for Music. The eighteen-year-old Vancouver College graduate started his musical journey with a drum kit, moving on to the piano, bass, and finally the guitar. He draws his inspirations from the likes of J.S. Bach, Chopin, Chick Corea, Rusty Cooley, and Dream Theater. Participating at the Contemporary Music Night was an interesting experience for Wong.

Oswin Wong in the spotlight performing with Chris Chen during the Contemporary Music Night April 22

Editorial: Online gaming affecting everyone today By Milo Carbol

ince the early 1990s, killing people has never been easier. Well, virtual people, that is. 1992’s Wolfenstein 3D and ‘93’s Doom are considered the games that defined the genre of FirstPerson Shooter video games, and with them came the mass controversy that violence in games has sparked over the past two decades. Terrorists, aliens, zombies, Nazis (and even zombie Nazis) have all been on the receiving end of computerized bullets. Perhaps killing those generally thought of as evil isn’t so bad, but some games lean towards the more murky side of the debate, allowing the deaths of cops and even normal civilians. The violence in video games is usually what first springs to the minds of the average person. “I think it’s disgusting,” says Victoria Carbol, age 16. “What is it about human nature that makes people glorify violence and death through games?” Over the years, violent games have been blamed for hundreds of incidents. The 1999 Columbine shooters were allegedly heavily obsessed with the game Doom, in which the player kills endless numbers of demons with a variety of weapons. One rumour reported that “One of the killers created cus-

Rugby Players: Watch Your Head...Seriously By Alan Osiovich

The long term effects of sportrelated injuries to the head have become a major concern for athletes, coaches and physicians pertaining to the sporting world. Despite the severe risks associated with concussions, St. George’s’ medical staff agrees that proper training and preparation for rugby will certainly reduce the risk of unintended injury. In the recent media, journalists have heavily criticized high schools’ continued participation in fullcontact sports. Stephen Hume, Vancouver Sun columnist, wrote, “…emerging medical science raises a thorny ethical question for school boards. Are they [sports involving physical contact] appropriate for high school? After all, schools are in the business of developing brains, not impairing them.”

But, Kristen Fuller, St. George’s school nurse, argues that careful preparation and smart tactics can significantly reduce the risk of concussions, “I think sometimes we need to remember that there is a level of risk with any sport that we participate in, and that thorough preparation and training can help alleviate that risk.” Medical studies have consistently found that concussions, injuries to the brain due to a direct hit to the head, can cause serious implications some years down the road; depending on the severity of the

injury, concussions often result in cognitive impairment, early onset of dementia, memory-related

diseases and risk for development of clinical depression. Fuller also explained that the rugby teams’ coaching staff are unanimous in their agreement regarding injury policies; a document specific to St. Georges, Concussion

Ultimate Team Gears Up for Provincials By Roy Yang The St. George’s and York House coed junior ultimate team placed first in the Junior City Championships May 15, capturing the honor for the second year in a row. Although pressured to meet high expectations as defending champions, the team performed to the best of their abilities and suppressed all opponents. The team played three games. The first game was against the grade 8/9 Saint’s Junior team, the second game was against Point Grey, and the third finals matchup was against Kitsilano Secondary. The first game against the other St. George’s team ended in minutes as they forfeited without a match. In the second game, the team easily defeated Point Grey 10 to two. “ Although we had the highest expectations to win, we faced many skilled opponents,” said team captain Conrad Ng. “However, we won these games because we could suppress the skilled individual opponents and exploit theother teams weaknesses.” The final matchup against Kitsilano was tough for the St. George’s and York House team. The Kitsilano team had a couple of gigantic players who utilized their

height and strength advantage to receive disks high in the air. However, the St. George’s and York House team exploited the opponents’ slow reactions by moving the disk in short and quick movements around the

field. By the end of the game, the team narrowly edged out Kitsilano by one point and won the championship. Team Coach, Mark Fung, believes the reason for the team’s victory was the “depth of the team.” “At any given time all seven players on the field are a big offensive threat, which gives the team a lot of options and makes playing defense against us very difficult.” Ng said that there are still “many areas where the team can improve.”

“The team needs to acquire an enhanced mental sense of the game, allowing us to make reliable and consistent throws and choices. Also, we should reduce the turnover per game to make it harder for opponents to defend and score on us.” Several players such as Ng, Jeremy Leung, Ryan Chung, and Charles Wong had exceptional games due to their work both in the offensive and defensive ends of the field. The York House girls also played well and were key to the team’s win. Fung was really impressed with the entire team’s performance and their second straight Junior City Championship title. “They played the best they have played all season both as a team and individuals. I am really proud and happy with their performance and outcome. I love coaching this team and it’s great to see them be successful.” The team shows signs of making a successful run for the upcoming Provincial title.

Management: Guidelines for recreational, professional, amateur, elite and professional players of all ages describes the symptoms and necessary treatments of concussions. Fuller said, “… coaches, trainers and medical personnel are on the same page regarding assessment, treatment and return to play. At St. Georges the coaches are highly qualified and excel at what they do. That itself will reduce the frequency of injury.” Rugby’s quick pace involves hard physical contact as an integral part of the game; the lack of protective equipment means that players feel the full force of each hit. Whether a player is or isn’t wearing a scrum cap, forceful contact with the head can often result in a concussion. While Hume insists that “we need rational discussion regarding the new research and what it indicates about the real costs and benefits and what should or can be done to further

mitigate risk,” he also argues that “we don’t permit kids to smoke on the school ground because of long-term health concerns, so what’s the case for an activity that may have serious long-term implications for the health of their brains?” Kelly Bodutch, another school nurse, emphasized that removing sports from schools can cause inactivity and obesity. “Removing rugby altogether would remove a healthy activity for a large portion of the school population. Nevertheless, concussions are absolutely a concern. It is a serious injury that deserves significant attention.” Fuller explained that each successive concussion that a player experiences can have a compounded effect on previous head injuries, particularly if the previous concussion has not had time to heal. “If a player has suffered a significant concussion, or multiple concussions, they should consider retirement from the sport.”

Saints Track Team Marveled at U.O. By Ian Brackman

The St. George’s track and field team traveled to Eugene for a track meet at the University of Oregon April 30 to May 1. The team competed against some of the top athletes on the West Coast including teams from Washington State, Oregon, and California. “ It was a great experience,” said Grade 10 high jumper Bashir Khan, “We were able to compete with some of the best athletes in the states and saw how we stacked up.” “The University of Oregon has some amazing facilities for all sports and especially track,” said Khan. Hayward field, where the team competed, is one of the world’s most famous track and field facilities. “It’s like the Madison Square Gardens of track and field! The stadium holds 10, 000 people and it is solely for track and field. Every event can be done in that stadium.” The team finished with nine points overall at the meet. Eight hundred and 1500-metre runner Christian

Gravel racked up seven points while Ben Daly-Grafstein received two for hurdles. But it was not all about the results. It was for the experience. “We were able to see a top notch athletic and all around university and compete in front 10, 000 knowledgeable and enthusiastic track fans. It was awesome.” Also at the meet were universities from Idaho, Kansas, and Virginia as well as schools all along the West Coast. The squad of nine athletes, accompanied by coaches Chris Johnson and Ryan Hvidston, departed for Eugene, Oregon, where the university is located, on Wednesday April 28 and returned on Sunday May 2. The eight-hour bus ride south was broken up by a night in Tacoma, Washington. Other notable events were stopping at the Nike Outlet Store and seeing the brand new facilities.

Saints Hoops Star Makes Big Decision

By Andrew Watson merson Murray has finally made his decision. The highly anticipated St. George’s basketball wonder, and college commodity, signed a letter of intent with the University of California-Berkeley. Murray has been the star of the varsity basketball team and will be forever remembered for his stunning “shot” at the 2009 B.C. High School Basketball provincial championships, a fifteen-footer he nailed with 2.6 seconds left. “The shot” would win Saints the Provincial title over a heavily favoured Vancouver College team. Murray has always been a good athlete, standing out in basketball and in track and field. His size, body type, and amazing skill are what have made Murray a prime prospect. Considered the second best prospect in all of Canada (trailing only Cory Joseph who has

committed to the University of Texas), the 6’3’’ Murray received recruiting offers from University of Washington, Washington State,

Gonzaga, Baylor, and NCAA basketball legends UCLA. Cal’s recruiting of Murray was late in the game, only starting about three weeks ago, but after meeting with the coaches and

basketball and academic school, a real dream come true, “ responds Murray. “I liked the personnel, the coaches were great, I just had a great time.” Cal seems like a bit of a surprise,

By Andrew Watson rayden Jaw is putting ivy on ice as he has verbally committed to playing for the Harvard Crimson in NCAA Division 1 hockey. Jaw has achieved his hockey dream by going to an Ivy League school while playing the sport he loves most. “I’m pretty excited, obviously it was a dream come true and I’m really looking forward to next season,” Jaw replied. Jaw had been in contact with Harvard for about a month. “I flew down, met the coaching staff and actually roomed with one of the players. They took me out and I had a good time. It was definitely a surreal experience for me.” Getting to this point was a long journey for Jaw, as it is for any player trying to make the NCAA. He was a product of the Burnaby Winter Club where he cultivated his ability at the best program in B.C; winning several provincial titles and a Western Canadian bantam championship-arguably the most prestigious minor hockey tournament in the region. Jaw was also a standout for Saints hockey. He playing career here was brief, but he was a big addition any time he set foot on the ice. After leaving BWC, Jaw was presented with another opportunity when he was selected 45th overall by the Medicine Hat Tigers in the 2007 Western Hockey League Bantam draft; however, he elected not to sign with the Tigers so he wouldn’t lose his NCAA eligibility. For hockey, the NCAA considers players that play Major Junior in the Canadian Hockey League (which includes Western, Quebec and Ontario leagues) professionals because they are

paid a minute sum of money. Any paid or endorsed athlete is deemed professional by the NCAA and therefore is ineligible to play. “I definitely considered major junior,” replied Jaw. “But the NCAA was always my dream.” He decided to sign with the Nanaimo Clippers of the British Columbia Hockey League, a Junior A league that is a level down from Major Junior but is the number one feeder league to the NCAA in Canada. “I had four

playoff games averaging 0.75 points per game. Jaw felt the reason for his second half success was a change in mentality. “I think the pressure got to me. I just stopped caring about my numbers and simplified my game. Obviously, when Harvard recruited me it was a huge monkey off my back.” Jaw finished the regular season with 13 goals, 21 assists and 34 points in 58 games, averaging roughly 0.60 points per game. Clippers coach, Bill Bestwick considers Jaw “the closest player I have seen to [Raymond] Sawada in 6 years. If he continues to develop and mature the way we think he will, the sky is the limit. “ Raymond Sawada, a Clipper’s alum, played four seasons at Cornell University before being drafted by and ultimately playing for the Dallas Stars. Jaw’s playing style is one that maximizes his speed, which attributes to punishing hits and scoring goals. This super combination of speed, size, and hands, gives Jaw the potential to be a lethal power-forward. Despite all of this success, Jaw is not thinking about the NHL entry draft (2010 is the 1992 year). “I’m not thinking about it too much; if it happens, that’s great, if not, I’ll just keep working.” Jaw feels the biggest change from Junior ‘A’ to college will be the pace of the game. “It will be faster, so that will be an adjustment for me.” Obviously, Jaw had the tools to satisfy Harvard. He’s a fabulous skater, with good hands and hockey smarts, but most importantly, he has an ivy-league transcript. Jaw will be attending Harvard in 2011/12 after playing one more season in Nanaimo.

personnel and then setting foot on the campus, Murray said, “It just felt right.” “Berkeley is an awesome

especially since legendary UCLA came calling. Murray was so sure of Cal he cancelled his trip to UCLA. “UCLA was always sort

of my dream school, but Cal just fit what I was looking for.” College is a step up from high school and Murray plans to be ready. After being injured for most

of the 2009-10 season, Murray’s stock fell, which is not unusual for injured recruits. “The injury wasn’t great, schools started to back away from trying to recruit me, but the injury made me appreciate the game more, “ said Murray. Murray explored the idea of attending an eastern U.S. prep school before the Golden Bears lured him to their den. “I was planning on attending a school back east, to be able to keep playing and possibly get recruited later on,” Murray replies. “Then California came along.” It’s clear that Murray loves the Golden Bears and they love him. Murray will be joining five other freshman recruits for the 2010-11 season. “I’ve got a lot of work to do to get to where I want to be,” says Murray. Signing with California is the first step to what will hopefully be a bright basketball future.

Putting the “Awe” in Brayden Jaw Two Saints Students to Represent Canada at B Ultimate World Juniors

or five teams that wanted me, but I chose Nanaimo because they have a great program and their coach has a lot of connections.” In the last three years, Nanaimo has sent [including Jaw] 21 players to NCAA programs, including one to Princeton, one to Cornell, and three to Yale. Jaw now becomes the sixth Clipper in the last three years to go Ivy League While there, Jaw posted decent numbers, but had a sub-par start to the season by his standards. “I had a less than mediocre start, but had much better numbers in the second half and in the playoffs,” said Jaw. When it counted most, he recorded five goals and four assists for nine points in 12

By Matt Yensen hile many people are looking forward to catching up on lost sleep, or working on their tan throughout the summer months, two St. George’s students will be hoping to represent their country to the utmost of their abilities this coming August. These Grade 11s, Greg Locsin and Greg Moore, will be “throwing” for the pride of their country at the WJUC, or the World Junior Ultimate Championships held in Heilbronn, Germany. This four-day tournament will feature teams from Europe, North America, Central America, Asia, and Australia, all vying for the Under-19 title. For Locsin and Moore, who have been avid ultimate players since Grade 7 and 8 respectively, winning the championship would be a dream come true and a first for any St. George’s student. “Winning would be such an incredible experience for my teammates and I,” said Locsin. “Also, I think a win in Heilbronn would help legitimatize the sport in many people’s eyes, as I personally experience the flack ultimate takes at Saints. More importantly though, I’m looking forward to the experience that comes from representing my country.” Making the team was certainly a culmination of years of hard work for both Locsin and Moore; however, neither of them views their sport as a chore. “The tryout lasted about six hours, and was broken up into different parts,” clarified Moore. “The day featured skill testing, fitness testing, and also a scrimmage. To cap it all off, everyone had to provide a resume of sorts, which listed experience, references, and many other things. Even though it was an incredibly tiring day, I’m glad my effort paid off.”

While bringing home the championship would be a first for a Saints boy, St. George’s is no stranger to producing excellent ultimate players. Former students like Tim Tsang, Myles Sinclair, Martin Jim, Andy Siy, Russell Street, Balraj Parhar, and Ernie Lin have all represented Canada at one time or another. Success like this comes as no surprise to Locsin, as he credits the coaching he receives at St. George’s for helping him and others excel at the sport they love. “The coaches have all had successful ultimate careers themselves, so it’s no wonder so many Saint’s boys go on to do great things. For example, my current coach Jon Hayduk plays for Furious, essentially the Vancouver Canucks of ultimate. His experience has been invaluable to me as a player,” said Locsin, 17. While the championships in Heilbronn, have not yet begun, Locsin and Moore are already both looking forward to their future in the sport they love. “I want to play for as long as I can,” declared Locsin. “I’ll definitely also be trying out for Team Canada in 2012, as students born in 1993 are still eligible for competition. Luckily for these two boys, they’ve never lost sight of what really matters in regards to ultimate. “Why do I play ultimate? Honestly, because it’s fun. Not much more to it than that,” explained Moore.