SportsXpress Kitchener/Waterloo Jan/Feb 2014

November/December 2012 Volume 1 Issue 1

Chasing the snow Canada’s snowboarders turn up the heat for Sochi

John Doe

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Olympic competition schedule inside

Sports Organization:

Making it work SPECIAL HOCKEY SECTION INSIDE

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 Waterloo & Area Edition

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editor’snote Welcome to SportsXpress, a magazine all about local sports — the players, teams, families, volunteers and fans. We publish real life stories on the full range of community sports and include all ages and skill levels. Every fan, parent, and sports enthusiast can participate by sharing their experiences with other fans.

We want you to make SportsXpress your magazine and www.SportsXpress.ca your website, by sending in your comments, story ideas, opinions, articles and photos. Get in the game with us and be connected with your local community sports!

Give us a call at (519) 208-9302 ext. 204 or email John Thiel at jthiel@SportsXpress.ca ~ from the SportsXpress team

sportsfiles

Entertaining, informative and engaging articles on local athletes, sports and teams.

07 | Carving a path to the Olympics 08 | KSA’s 25th Annual Volunteer Recognition Dinner 13 | Jason Cripps tournament a continuing success 14 | Pittsburgh Girls Thanksgiving Classic Champions!

16 | Local KMHA grads help Dutchmen make history 18 | Kick4aCure 19 | Stepping stones for Special Olympics athletes 20 | Chasing the snow 23 | Community sports take to the air on FM 98.5 CKWR 27 | A pre-Olympic chat with the Minister of State (Sport) 28 | Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games competition schedule 30 | Waterloo skaters dance their way to the Olympic stage 34 | Plenty of options for elite golfer 36 | Woolwich community helps young player in his toughest battle

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health&fitness

Informative articles on sports health and fitness.

10 | It’s all in the shoulder blade 25 | Icing the best physique: Improve your core strength with the plank 26 | Body building brings out the competitive instinct 33 | Healthy recipes for growing athletes

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sports@school

Highlighting articles on all school sports and athletes.

09 | Gold Hawks’ women’s basketball and hockey on a roll 22 | Sixth annual Think Pink campaign continues to raise the bar

fromthesidelines

Fans, parents and sports groups share their opinions and experiences.

15 | Refs n’ Rules – Shared Respect 38 | Paving the Road to the Roar

behindthebench

Tips, tatics and ideas are shared by athletes, coaches and fans.

17 | Size does matter – the benefits of skill development on smaller ice and surfaces

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Get in the Game!

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Waterloo • Kitchener • and Area

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 Check out our website at www.WaterlooSportsXpress.ca PUBLISHER

EDITOR

Rachel Klein

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Britt Cobean

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PHOTOGRAPHERS

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SportsXpress is a grassroots media provider dedicated to the community sports lifestyle. We’re all about the athletes, coaches, their families and fans.

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Contact SportsXpress at: 1.877.588.8856 or email Sales@SportsXpress.ca Or visit www.sportsxpress.ca for more information

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Mailing Address 50 Ottawa St. South, Unit 110, Kitchener, On, N2G 3S7 519–208–9302 or 1-877-588-8856 Editorial Contributions: Submissions are welcome from writers, photographers, athletes, coaches and individuals. We assume no responsibility for unsolicited material. Contributors are responsible for obtaining all approvals for the publication of photos and content prior to submission. All submissions may not be used. We may edit, publish, reproduce, distribute and archive submissions in any form or medium without any compensation. We are not responsible for lost or damaged submissions. Contents copyrighted. All rights reserved. Reproduction or transmission of any article, photograph or artwork in any form or by any means without permission from the publisher is prohibited. SportsXpress is published six times per year. For detailed circulation information, contact Sports Express Media Inc. Sports Express Media Inc. is committed to protecting your privacy as our customer. We may collect personal information only if it is required for the proper functioning of our business and only share this information with our business partners. The editors and contributors who write for Sports Express Media Inc. attempt to provide accurate and useful information and commentary.

However, the editors, contributors and Sports Express Media Inc. cannot and do not guarantee the accuracy of the information. We assume no responsibility for any actions or decisions taken by any readers based on the information provided. view & upload TM

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Julia Roth, KSA, Gord Dearborn, Wilfrid Laurier Athletics and Recreation, BodyTech Physiotherapy, John Thiel, KMHA, The Zone Training, Grand River Soccer, Special Olympics Ontario (Kitchener-Waterloo), Canada Snowboard, University of Waterloo Department of Athletics, CKWR, Alizeh Jaffrey, Canadian Olympic Committee, Garret Rank, Woolwich Minor Hockey Association, SportsXpress Team and community sports fans.

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sportsfiles

Carving a path to the Olympics Article by Julia Roth and SportsXpress Team Photo by Alpine Canada On paper it’s a simple concept: fastest skier down the hill wins. The reality, however, is that getting down the hill also requires tremendous skill, strength, agility, technique, and nerves of steel – something Alpine skier Julia Roth knows all about. The 21-year-old Waterloo native is a self-described adrenaline junky, and loves to “carve, glide, jump, and tuck down steep icy mountains at speeds faster than we drive our cars.” As a member of Team Canada’s Alpine Development team, she gets to do just that, training hard every day with the hope of competing for an Olympic medal in 2018 and 2022.

Roth’s passion for the sport of ski racing started at a very young age. She learned to ski at just two years-old at Devil’s Glen Ski Club near Collingwood and had some top-notch training from the get-go – her mom is a former ski instructor and her dad was a member of the Canadian National Ski Team. Roth’s parents say that it was difficult getting Julia to slow down at first – she always wanted to barrel straight down the hill at break-neck speed. As she got older though, she gained more control and eventually joined a racing program to learn the basics of the sport. It didn’t take long for Roth to fall in love with the ski hill: “Devil’s Glen became my home – the place where I met my closest friends, experienced winning and losing my first races, and the place where I got a taste of the competitive atmosphere in racing that I continue to love so much today.”

At the age of 15, Roth qualified for the Ontario Ski Team and started her journey into the real world of ski racing. This move allowed her to compete against the top girls of her age from around the globe, and she began working her way up the rankings. As a teenager she was able to travel extensively for summer preseason training in Europe, Chile and New Zealand, and when she wasn’t globetrotting she was hitting the gym to get into peak physical shape. All this training

didn’t leave a lot of time for attending school, but Roth says that her teachers “were very accommodating and supportive. Much of my learning was done on the road on my own, but I always made it home in time to write my final exams.”

Roth has worked hard to balance her education and training over the years, and the effort has paid dividends in the form of some incredible successes at competition: In 2013 she placed in the top ten at the World Juniors Super G; she was third in two events at the Senior Women’s Canadian National Championships in Whistler, B.C.; and she had an incredible two podium finishes at the NorAm Finals in Squaw Valley.

Roth also knows first-hand that being an alpine skier is filled with highs and lows: “One day you can have the run of your life and get to stand on top of the winner’s podium, and the next day, you experience a bad fall and end up with a season-ending injury resulting in

surgery,” says Roth. Unfortunately this has happened twice in Roth’s career. She had major knee injuries in both 2010 and 2012, but after battling back from two ACL reconstruction surgeries, she says she is now the “strongest mentally and physically I have ever felt. I believe even though my injuries were massive obstacles in my life, they have helped me become a better athlete.”

It certainly seems that Roth’s dedication and experience have paid off – in May 2013, she was one of seven women aged 16 to 21 named to Canada’s National Development team. Her goal now is to race on the World Cup Circuit against the fastest racers in the world, and to follow in the footsteps of Canada’s elite skiers who represent the country on the world’s biggest stage – the Olympic Games.

Julia Roth of Waterloo, Ontario races down mountains at speeds faster than we drive our cars – hoping to one day compete for Canada on the world stage. At just 21, she is well on her way to that goal as she was recently named to Canada’s National Development team.

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sportsfiles WHat ksa Does: KSA is in the business of raising money through 50/50 sales at Kitchener Rangers home games, bingo at the KW Gaming Centre, Spin 12 and other opportunities in order to provide financial support to community and minor sports organizations.

KSA helps organizations and athletes from Kitchener, Waterloo, and Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich townships that demonstrate an innovative need or special project.

KSA donations made this year (as of June, 2013) = $167, 030

UPCoMiNG ksa DiNNers Everyone is welcome to attend KSA’s monthly dinners, held at the Edelweiss Sports Bar. Please let us know you are coming so we can arrange appropriate seating and make proper meal arrangements. Upcoming dates are as follow: Feb 18 (Details TBA) Mar 18 (Referee/officiating speaker) Apr 15 (ISC - Fastball) May 20 (Athlete of the Year) June 17 (Scholarship Awards) Social at 6:00 p.m. with dinner at 6:30 p.m. Dinner is $25/person; children 12 and under, $10. More info at

www.kitchenersports.ca

KSA’s 25th Annual Volunteer Recognition Dinner

By Gord Dearborn all 27 of the volunteer presentations! It was a tremendous group of individuals nominated for recognition by their various sports organizations. The local minor sports scene should be in good hands as we move forward into the next 25 years!

Councillor Kelly Galloway-Sealock brought greetings from the City of Kitchener and thanked the volunteers for their contributions to the local community.

The event’s Chair, Russ Woloshyn, also extended congratulations to the award recipients and thanked the committee members: Bob McKillop, Gord Dearborn, Adele Couchman, Toni Pottier, Bob McKillop, one of the original Lerinda Chapeskie, KSA Volunteer Award recipients when KSA initiated the program 25 Bernie Strauss and Rick years ago, gave a very heart-felt, Weinstein. emotional presentation on “25 Years

Bob McKillop, guest speaker at KSA’s first Volunteer Recognition Dinner in 1989, returned in dramatic fashion as the speaker for the 25th annual event. His talk about the important roles sports volunteers fill and their influence on the athletes involved in their programs was not only very thought provoking, but also extremely entertaining.

Well worthy of the appreciative standing ovation Bob received from the (over) 200 attendees at the end of the evening’s proceedings!

Don Cameron, a.k.a. “the Voice of the Kitchener Rangers,” was back as M.C. and kept things moving along right on schedule — through

of Volunteering” to an appreciative standing ovation.

The 2013 KSA Volunteer Recognition Award Recipients. Seated in the front row (l-r): Danielle Earl (KW Skating Club, for her mother Irene), Lisa Himmelman (KW Sports Council), Ruth Reitzel (Stanley Park Optimist Ball), Janine Polski (KW Synchro Swim), Liz Bender (Track 3 Ski School), Laura Grimm (KW Rowing), Cindy Suljak (Kitchener Ringette) and Lynn Vicic (Predators Volleyball. Standing (l-r): Steve Knibb (KW Youth Basketball), Levar Piper (Waterloo Regional Boxing), Shawn McKelvie (Kitchener Rangers), Jason Breau (KW Minor Lacrosse), Roger Comens (KW Special Olympics), Paul Reitzel (Stanley Park Optimist Ball), Russ Woloshyn (Kitchener Sports Association), Chris Bishop (Kitchener Minor Baseball), Jesse Pauley (KW Sertoma Speed Skating), Doug Sparkes (Asahi Judo), Collin Butcher (KW Minor Boys Softball), Andrew Mitchell (KW Track & Field), Lee Deline (Twin Cities Minor Tackle Football), Doug Cameron (Waterloo Region Nordic Sports), Tam Nguyen (ROW Swim Club), Ray Riley (Laurel Creek Track), Josh Noble (Sports for Special Athletes), Jim Armstrong (Kitchener Minor Hockey), Tom Schiller (KW Water Polo) and Kelly Galloway-Sealock (City of Kitchener Councillor).

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Bob McKillop (guest speaker) and Bill Pegg (KSA President) at the 25th annual KSA Volunteer Recognition Dinner. Bill, also President of the Kitchener Panthers, presented Bob with a Panthers hat and shirt in appreciation of his presentation.

(Nov. 19, 2013)

www.kitchenersports.ca

Kelly Galloway-Sealock brought greetings from the City of Kitchener to the dinner attendees, award recipients and their presenters.

(KSA Volunteer Dinner, November 19, 2013)

sports@school

Golden Hawks’ women’s basketball and hockey on a roll Article by Wilfrid Laurier Athletics and Recreation Basketball photo by Thomas Kolodziej and hockey photo by Adam Gagnon As the calendar turns to 2014, two Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks’ women’s teams find themselves among Canada’s best following fantastic starts to their seasons. In the final national rankings before the holiday break, the Hawks’ women’s basketball team sat at number nine in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Top 10, while women’s hockey held the number three spot.

Women’s Basketball To say that it has been a good start for Laurier would be an understatement. The purple and gold put together an incredible run through their first ten games, winning nine of them, including their final six heading into the holidays. The 9-1 record matched the best start in the program’s 43-year history and put the Hawks into a three-way tie for first place in their division.

What makes the start even more impressive is that the Hawks were able to have such success while missing the services of their two leading scorers from last season in Kimberley Yeldon and

The Laurier women’s basketball team has seen its best start in its 43-year history, going 9-1 for a first-place tie in the division.

season, Laurier has proceeded to reel off nine straight victories (their longest stretch in two years).

Leading the way for Laurier has been Team Captain Laura Brooker from Fergus.

The fourth-year forward leads the team in assists (10) and points (17) with linemate Jessie Hurrell not far behind with 15 points. The eight rookies have also made an impact, with goalie Amanda Smith back-stopping the team to eight wins; contributions have also come from Jessica Prevette (six goals) and Heather Platt (11 points).

With a very deep team that can roll four lines on any given night, watch for the Hawks to be a factor in the playoffs when February comes around.

Whitney Ellenor. In their absence, Laurier relied on strong team defense and a more balanced offensive look – and the results speak for themselves. Through Laurier’s first ten games, the team ranked fourth in Ontario in points allowed, giving up a stingy 52.8 points per game. On offence, nine different players averaged more than five points per game, led by Guelph native Laura Doyle whose strong threepoint shooting helped her average ten points per game.

With outstanding depth across the board, the Golden Hawks are poised to make some noise in the second half of the season as they take aim to capture their first provincial title in school history.

Women’s Hockey

2014 Basketball sCHEDULE

While finding themselves ranked among the best teams in Canada is nothing unusual for the Hawks’ women’s hockey team, the journey to this point has certainly been the story this season.

Entering the season with eight rookies on their roster, the purple and gold got off to a slow start by their standards. Laurier dropped two of its first six games out of the blocks, and struggled with consistency with so many new faces in the lineup.

However, since that point in time, the Hawks have slowly returned to the form that makes them one of the best programs in the nation. Following After a slow start, the Hawks’ women’s hockey program has reeled their second loss of the off nine straight victories for its longest win streak in two years.

(All games at Laurier’s Athletic Complex)**

Jan. 8 vs Windsor 6 p.m.

Jan. 11 vs Western 1 p.m.

Jan. 18 vs McMaster 1 p.m.

Jan. 22 vs Waterloo 6 p.m.

Jan. 25 vs Guelph 1 p.m.

Feb. 1 vs Brock 1 p.m.* Feb. 7 vs Lakehead 6 p.m.

Feb. 8 vs Lakehead 6 p.m. * Autograph Day ** Men’s Basketball games follow all Women’s games by 2 hours

2014 hockey SCHEDULE Jan. 17 vs Ryerson - 7:30 p.m. at RIM Park Jan. 18 vs Toronto - 7:30 p.m. at Waterloo Recreation Complex* Jan. 31 vs Nipissing - 7:30 p.m. at RIM Park Feb. 1 vs Laurentian - 7:30 p.m. at RIM Park * Autograph Day

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health&fitness

It’s all in the shoulder blade BodyTech Physiotherapy always the cause of the problem.

The key to treating this difficult joint is a comprehensive assessment and thorough understanding of how the shoulder functions.

An essential concept in treating the shoulder is building a good foundation for the shoulder muscles to work.

This requires focusing on the shoulder blade because it provides a stable base for the shoulder joint. The rotator cuff muscles attach to the shoulder blade, therefore it is important for the shoulder blade to function properly in order to prevent injury to the rotator cuff. Posture and strengthening for both mobility and stability of BodyTech Physiotherapy the shoulder and shoulder blade are key concepts in Chicopee Park Centre Clinic Hours: rehabilitation.

1601 River Rd E, Unit 30A Mon: 10:00am - 8:00pm At BodyTech Kitchener, ON Tues: 10:00am - 8:00pm Physiotherapy we use a N2A 3Y4 Wed: 8:00am - 5:00pm comprehensive approach Phone: 519-954-6000 Thurs: 10:00am - 8:00pm for both the assessFax: 519-954-6002 Fri: 8:00am - 5:00pm ment and treatment of a *Alternate appointment times may be Email: info@BodyTechPhysio.ca shoulder problem. Our available upon request. assessment will focus

Shoulder injuries are among some of the most common injuries that occur; luckily, the shoulder joint is an area that we have extensive knowledge in treating at BodyTech Physiotherapy.

The shoulder is one of the most complex joints in the body because of its unique anatomy, structure and function. Due to the complexity of the joint, there are multiple factors that contribute to and influence the function of the shoulder.

In most cases the rotator cuff muscles are the source of pain, but they are not

“The shoulder is one of the most complex joints in the body because of its unique anatomy, structure and function.”

on identifying the cause of the shoulder injury as well as the contributing factors that led to the injury. Our clinical experience and advanced physiotherapy training ensures that the entire shoulder problem is treated, not just the symptoms. In addition to correcting posture and increasing strength, we work on normalizing the pattern and coordinating the muscles involved in shoulder mobility, thus helping to prevent a reoccurrence of the shoulder injury.

BodyTech Physiotherapy can help you with all your shoulder problems!

www.BodyTechPhysiotherapy.ca

Chicopee Park Centre 1601 River Rd E, Unit 30A Kitchener, ON Ph: 519-954-6000

Providing high quality Registered Physiotherapy treatment for: • • • • • •

Sports Injuries Back pain Shoulder and neck pain Knee injuries Pre and post surgical physiotherapy WSIB and MVA injuries www.BodyTechPhysiotherapy.ca

Open Mon-Fri (evening appointments available)

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WaterlooSportsXpress.ca

2014 SPRING/SUMMER MINOR SPORTS REGISTRATION / TRY-IT EVENT Saturday, March 1st from 10am until 2pm RIM PARK FIELDHOUSE

Participating organizations:

Waterloo Minor Girls Softball Association

Waterloo Minor Baseball Association

www.wmgsa.com For further information: 519-747-0430 oďŹƒce@wmgsa.com

www.waterloobaseball.ca For further information: 519-888-0244 evenings 7:00-9:00 pm wmba244@rogers.com

KW Minor Boys Softball Association

KW Inline Hockey

www.kwmbsa.ca www.pointstreaksites.com/ For further information: view/kwinlinehockey/ our-program-1 519-579-2888 info@kwmbsa.ca For further information: Vicki Eckert, veckert@hotmail.ca

Get your child active and involved!

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sportsfiles

Jason Cripps tournament a continuing success

By John Thiel and KMHA and photo by KMHA After 19 years, the Jason Cripps hockey tournament in Kitchener is bigger and better than ever. The annual Christmas tournament, which runs from December 27th to the 30th every winter, has grown to 95 boys’ teams and 93 girls’ teams.

The house league tournament is very special, as it is one of very few tournaments offered to local house league players.

Approximately 2000 players hit the ice over the Christmas break, displaying their passion and love for the game of hockey.

The tournament, one of the largest house league tournaments in the country, is dedicated to the memory of Jason Cripps, a local Kitchener player

who was killed by a drunk driver in 1988.

In partnership with MADD, the tournament strives to educate players – many of whom can drive – and their families about the dangers of impaired driving.

goaltending battle, the Wolves were able to get the allusive goal for the victory.

The minor pewee final was decided by one goal as well. The Huskies beat the Bulldogs by a score of 3-2. The teams battled hard throughout, with the Huskies holding off some late pressure from the Bulldogs for the win.

In minor bantam action, the Rock defeated the Scouts by a score of 4-2. The two teams showed a great deal of skill and effort, but in the end the Rock defense proved to be too much for the Scouts on this day.

In the minor midget division, the Crunch faced the Cougars. In a back and forth battle with each team exchanging goals, the Crunch took the lead and held strong defensively, winning by a score of 4-3.

In major atom competition Atomc Yellow defeated Atomc White by a score of 3-1. Atomc Yellow got a late goal to pull away from Atomc White in order to secure their spot as champions.

The Major bantam division saw another close game in the final. The Gladiators outscored the Pirates 3-2 in a tight checking game.

Rounding out the boys’ action, the major midget division had the highest-scoring final. The Rebels and Gryphons both brought their offensive game, and the Rebels were able to out-fire the Gryphons and win by a score of 5-4. continued on page 14 >>

“The tournament is dedicated to the memory of Jason Cripps, a local Kitchener player who was killed by a drunk driver in 1988. In partnership with MADD, the tournament strives to educate players – many of whom can drive – and their families about the dangers of impaired driving.”

Boys’ Results Players, ages 6-20, competed for the chance to win their age division. In the pre-tyke boys’ category, the players worked extremely hard with great end-toend action. At the final buzzer, the Leafs defeated the Bruins by a score of 7-3.

In the boys’ tyke division, the Canucks and Flyers played an exciting game. In a one goal nail-biter, the Canucks were able to keep the flyers offence to only one goal, giving them the blue division championship. In the red division final, the Kings beat the Capitals by a score of 4-1 to become red division champions.

In minor atom action, the Wolves played a great defensive game, shutting out the Spitfires by a score of 1-0. In a

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sportsfiles

Girls’ Results The novice girls division had teams from Kitchener, Waterloo, Woolwich, Wilmot, Ayr and Cambridge participating. It would be Waterloo and Woolwich in the final. In a low-scoring affair, Woolwich would beat the Ravens by a score of 2-1.

In girls’ atom action, it was an allWaterloo final, with the Waterloo Ravens #2 defeating the Ravens #3 by a score of 3-2.

In the girls’ pewee division, again,

there was an all-Waterloo final. Waterloo Ravens #3 defeated the Ravens #2 by a score of 3-0.

The girls’ bantam division had the

In midget girls’ action, the Grand River Mustangs defeated the Waterloo Ravens #2 by a score of 2-0.

In the women’s intermediate division, the Waterloo Ravens #2 shut out the Woolwich Wild by a score of 1-0.

With freezing temperatures and the snow falling, there could not have been a better atmosphere for hockey over the holidays. KMHA would like to thank all players for their participation, and we look forward to seeing everyone again next year.

“The house league tournament is very special, as it is one of very few tournaments offered to local house league players. Approximately 2000 players hit the ice over the Christmas break, displaying their passion and love for the game of hockey.”

Stratford Aces against the Cambridge Roadrunners. Cambridge proved to be too strong defensively, beating the Aces by a score of 2-1.

2013 Pittsburgh Girls Thanksgiving Classic Champions!

Article by KMHA The Atom B team left Kitchener for an adventure in November (and maybe a little Black Friday shopping), and what they found was team work, great teammates, and success.

After a long drive the team arrived in Pittsburgh and had time for a quick meeting with their coaches to discuss their expectations and some rules for the weekend.

Soon it was time for the girls to head out onto the ice to play their first game in Pittsburgh against the North York Storm.

The official broadcasters for the game relayed the tight affair in which the Storm came out on top 2-1.

Game 2 saw Kitchener in deep against their divisional rivals the West Huron Wave. After a big win in their last league game, the Rangers came up short losing

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6-1 to West Huron, but lighting a fire in the girls that would not be extinguished for the rest of the tournament.

In Game 3 the Lady Rangers played the home-town Steel City Selects and came away with the win. A deal was struck between the girls to play their best, and at the end of the game high fives and cheers of “we did it!” resounded through the locker room.

After their win our young ladies were back at it again, facing the West Huron Wave in the semi-finals. Fighting in the corners and burying the puck, the Lady Rangers played a hard-fought game and came out with a 3-2 victory over their rivals. This win sent Kitchener to the finals on Sunday.

The game started with adversity before the girls even took to the ice. Shuffled

off to a meeting room due to scheduling issues, the girls were not assigned a dressing room. Marching in their skate guards down stairs and across the entire arena, the Lady Rangers resolve was only strengthened. The girls took to the ice and played strong, building a formidable three goal lead. The Steel City Selects pushed back, making the game close at 3-2, but they would not be able to capitalise with the Rangers inking the win and going down in history as the 2013 Pittsburgh Girls Thanksgiving Classic Champions!

fromthesidelines

Refs n’ Rules – Shared Respect

By KMHA and photos by Hockey Canada It’s not a new initiative. It’s been around for decades, but it must be important. Hockey Canada places it right on the front cover of the Officials Rule Book: Shared Respect (parents, coaches, officials, parents).

Rule # 9.2 spells out expectations concerning harassment of officials, unsportsmanlike conduct and misconduct. Officials are instructed to identify and penalize conduct that violates this rule. It is a bad example for young players, and is not acceptable towards officials.

There is a right way to inquire about a rule interpretation. Officials will engage in polite, appropriate dialogue with team captains or team officials under reason-

able circumstances. This breaks down where the exchange becomes critical, challenging, abusive or disrespectful, before, during or after the game.

You might get a polite warning before being given a minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. If the conduct persists or escalates, players may be assessed a 10 minute misconduct. For team officials this would be a game misconduct. Players or team officials may be assessed a game misconduct for persistent abuse, and if profanity is employed the suspension is increased.

This, we all agree, is unsavory business and thankfully not a regular occurrence. Participants generally control their temper and focus on the game, and occasionally we must agree to disagree. There are acceptable avenues of issue resolution that uphold the tenet of Shared Respect.

“Rule # 9.2 spells out expectations concerning harassment of officials, unsportsmanlike conduct and misconduct.”

We accept that our game is emotionally charged, and we are not always going to be in agreement during a game. Shared Respect simply asks that we all think twice before coming off the rails – that just raises the stakes and resolves nothing.

“There is a right way to inquire about a rule interpretation. Officials will engage in polite, appropriate dialogue with team captains or team officials under reasonable circumstances.”

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sportsfiles

Local KMHA grads help Dutchmen make history

By John Thiel and photo by Kitchener Jr. B Dutchmen When the Kitchener Dutchmen beat the Waterloo Siskins 4-0 on September 17th, few would have suspected that 25 games later, the Kitchener Dutchmen would remain undefeated and be facing their Waterloo rivals yet again for two more points, and a place in the history books.

On December 15th 2013, the Dutchmen looked to beat a record that has stood for over two decades. The 1986 Stratford Cullitons were the only other team in league history to amass

25 straight wins; fittingly, the Dutchmen defeated Stratford to tie the record. In a hard-fought game, the Dutchmen saw their chance to erase the Cullitons from

Logan Schmidt, Brett Clampitt, Connor Cole, Adam Kawalec, John Divo, Taite Wirschke, Jacob Casgagnette and Alex Demrovsky all laced up for the Dutchmen during this monumental winning streak. These players, aged 16-20, are the product of a dedicated association, filled with committed coaches and volunteers that strive to develop the individual as a player, but more importantly, as a person as well.

Although the streak is over, the Kitchener Dutchmen are still enjoying a great deal of success. They currently sit atop the GOJHL standing with 55 points in 33 games played. With Elmira and Waterloo close behind, the remaining games of the regular season should prove to be very entertaining.

Recently, Kitchener Minor Hockey grad, John Divo, was voted league defenseman of the month. Another Dutchmen prospect, Jacob Casgagnette, made his debut for the Kitchener Rangers.

For more information on the Kitchener Dutchmen please visit their website at

“Although the streak is over, the Kitchener Dutchmen are still enjoying a great deal of success.”

the record books disappear when a Chase Campbell goal gave the Waterloo Siskins a 2-1 victory. The Dutchmen’s impressive run kitCHeNer DUtCHMeN sCHeDUle saw them defeat nine differKitchener @ Cambridge Sat, Jan 18 7:00pm (Galt Arena) ent teams over the course Kitchener @ Elmira Sun, Jan 19 2:00pm (Dan Snyder MC) of a three month unbeaten Kitchener @ Brampton Fri, Jan 24 7:30pm (Victoria Park) streak.

Brantford @ Kitchener Sun, Jan 26 2:30pm (K. Auditorium) There are many aspects Elmira @ Kitchener Tue, Jan 28 7:00pm (Kinsmen Arena) of this streak that are imKitchener @ Guelph Sat, Feb 01 7:30pm (Sleeman Centre) pressive, but from a local, grass roots standpoint, the Stratford @ Kitchener Tue, Feb 11 7:00pm (Kinsmen Arena) fact that the Dutchmen had Kitchener @ Listowel Fri, Feb 14 7:30pm (Listowel Arena) 10 Kitchener Minor Hockey Brampton @ Kitchener Sun, Feb 16 2:30pm (K. Auditorium) grads contribute to the run Cambridge @ Kitchener Tue, Feb 18 7:00pm (Kinsmen Arena) speaks to the success of the Kitchener @ Stratford Fri, Feb 21 7:30pm (Allman Arena) minor hockey association.

Kitchener @ Elmira Sun, Feb 23 7:00pm (Dan Snyder MC) Matt Guild, Philip Moser,

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www.jrbkitchener.pointstreaksites.com

behindthebench

Size does matter – the benefits of skill development on smaller ice surfaces Article and photos submitted by The Zone Training Hockey is a fast-paced team sport which requires many special skills such as skating, passing, puck control and shooting. It is a game that involves quick decision-making, teamwork and discipline, and many Canadians fall in love with the sport at an early age. The desire to succeed on the ice is what motivates players of all ages to develop their skills.

Training sessions can help even the most talented players improve basic hockey skills that might not be the main focus during team practice. Improving stride efficiency, edge control, shooting technique, puck control and passing can drastically increase confidence and enjoyment of the game.

Why smaller ice makes sense for young players Many parents want their children to play and practice on full-size ice because they want them to experience ‘real’ hockey. However, a child trying to skate with the puck for the entire 200 feet of the rink is the equivalent of an adult playing on a rink the size of a football field. Training sessions and games on smaller-scale ice surfaces provide an

age-appropriate environment for kids to develop basic hockey skills and to improve their understanding of the game.

Some specific advantages of small-scale or cross-ice skill development for children include: • Fast-paced action, which naturally develops quicker reaction time, skill execution and decision-making.

• Increased puck possession time for each player, which results in more shots and passes.

• More shots and repetition for goaltenders.

• Through game play, children naturally develop offensive creativity and an understanding of how to create time and space on the ice.

How small ice games can improve skill and confidence Playing hockey on small ice surfaces can create a fun and rewarding atmosphere because these games do not have the same restrictions as full-ice games.

In 5-on-5 hockey on full ice, coaches often teach team systems and concepts that bring a seriousness to the game that children do not always understand.

Hockey games in a 3-on-3 or 4-on-4 format on small ice provide a stress-free atmosphere where kids can play the game without the fear of making a mistake on a breakout, defensive zone coverage, or power play. Being able to play in all situations without the fear of failure can make hockey extremely enjoyable!

Having the ability to touch the puck more often during a game is the greatest benefit of playing on a smaller ice surface. More time with the puck increases puck control skills naturally and usually results in more shots on net for each player in the game. Repetitive skating, shooting and passing helps a player develop his or her skills and become a more complete player.

The Zone Training facility features a 110’ x 50’ rink with REAL ice, skating treadmill and synthetic ice pad located at 483 Conestogo Road, Unit 2 in Waterloo.

Visit our website for more info at

www.thezonetraining.ca

2014 Spring 3-on-3 and 4-on-4 Leagues • Divisions available for recreational and competitive players – ages 5 to 13 • 11 games are held weekly, beginning the week of April 12th - 18th • ZHL numbered jersey included • 6 players and 1 goalie per team • League standings posted online & prizes for championship teams • Stats kept for goal scoring and goalie leaders • Prizes for goal scoring champion & GAA leader in each division $245 + HST per player

Team Registrations Available!

For complete details and registration information, please visit www.thezonetraining.ca

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sportsfiles kiCk4aCUre BasiCs

Kick4aCure Article and photos by Grand River Soccer Just hearing a doctor say the word “cancer” can have a profound effect on a person. Cancer will affect nearly all of our lives in some shape or form. The number of people diagnosed with cancer continues to increase; however, the overall cancer mortality rates in Canada are declining. Together we can kick cancer!

Grand River Soccer is hosting a co-ed, 5-on-5 charity tournament on February 17th at the Core Lifestyle and Recreation Complex in Kitchener and the Com-Dev Soccer Park in Cambridge. Kick4aCure is

the region’s largest single day, volunteerled charity indoor soccer tournament dedicated to raising funds for cancer research, treatment, education and awareness programs. Proceeds from this year’s tournament will be donated to the Grand River Regional Cancer Centre and the Cancer Research Society. Last year’s tournament raised $11,918.58.

Join us on Monday, February 17th, 2014 and help us kick cancer! For more information or to register, visit

www.kick4acure.com

When: Monday, February 17, 2014. Games start at 8:00 AM Where: Core Lifestyle and Recreation Complex (401 New Dundee Road, Kitchener) and Com-Dev Soccer Park (745 Fountain Street North, Cambridge) What: There will be a minimum of four 5-on-5 co-ed games. All games will be officiated.

Championship trophy, medals and Golden Boot Awards will be provided. Come out and meet new people, have fun, play footy and support a great cause!

Divisional play based on skill level if possible.

Minimum of two female players on the field at all times (goalie not included).

50/50 draws, raffles, free giveaways and more.

Tournament entry fee is $300 per team or $40 per individual.

Proceeds to benefit Grand River Regional Cancer Centre and Cancer Research Society.

Deadline to register: Monday, February 10, 2014

Grand River Soccer administers sanctioned Indoor and Outdoor Soccer Leagues, Recreational Co-Ed Soccer Leagues, and our one of a kind X-Factor Soccer Fitness program for beginner and intermediate rec players.

More info on our programs can be found at www.grandriversoccer.com

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sportsfiles

Stepping stones for Special Olympics athletes Article and photos submitted by Special Olympics Ontario (Kitchener-Waterloo) Kitchener-Waterloo is host to many sporting tournaments throughout the year. Amazing arenas, generous volunteers, and competitive athletes make our region a vibrant hub for sports enthusiasts. The Special Olympics is an important part of the sport culture in our region, and the organization holds many athletic events, such as the Regional Curling Bonspiel which took place in early December.

The regional curling tournament was a day filled with healthy competition, high

spirits, and a plenty of fun! The Special Olympics stresses the importance of focusing on the abilities of its athletes rather than the perceived disabilities.

Curlers on the Kitchener-Waterloo team were full of enthusiasm during the Regional Curling Bonspiel, and are excited to advance to the South West Provincial Tankard Qualifier in January 2014.

With plenty of hype surrounding the five local athletes attending the 2014 National Summer Games, many people have been wondering how athletes qualify for higher levels of competition.

Small regional tournaments like the Bonspiel are stepping-stones to larger competitions. When local athletes are involved in a sports league, they are offered Athletes from Kitchener-Waterloo participated in the Regional Curling Bonspiel in early December, hoping to use this meet as a stepping stone to the the opportunity to train hard and National Winter Games in 2017.

participate in qualifying competitions.

The winners from the regional tournaments then move on for a chance to participant in provincial qualifiers.

Continuous advancement throughout these tournaments can eventually allow a team to compete in the National Games which are held every four years. The Annual Regional Curling Bonspiel is a way for athletes to gain confidence and experience. The local Kitchener-Waterloo team is thrilled to be moving on to bigger meets, and knows it must work hard this spring for a chance to enter another provincial qualifier that could take them all the way to the National Winter Games in 2017!

aBoUt sPeCial olyMPiCs Special Olympics Ontario is a non-profit, charitable organization dedicated to providing year-round sports training and competition opportunities for individuals with an intellectual disability. Special Olympics is founded on the belief that people with intellectual disabilities can, with proper instruction and encouragement, learn, enjoy and benefit from participation in individual and team sports.

Kitchener-Waterloo

BE A PART OF OUR TEAM, VOLUNTEER WTH US TODAY! Positions are always available. For more information about openings and opportunities, visit our website at kw.specialolympicsontario.ca Follow us on Twitter @specialolymKW

Like us on Facebook ‘Special Olympics Ontario – Kitchener Waterloo’

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sportsfiles

Chasing the snow

Snowboard cross is a fast-paced race with tricks, banked turns, jumps, drops and rollers. Watch Maelle Ricker defend her gold medal on February 16.

By SportsXpress Team and Canada Snowboard Photos by Canada Snowboard With plunging temperatures across Canada this winter, many of us would rather hide under a mountain of blankets than race down a mountain blanketed in snow. However, colder temperatures are cause for celebration for winter sports enthusiasts, and there are few athletes more passionate about chasing the snow than snowboarders.

Once considered a counter-culture fringe sport, snowboarding has grown into one of the biggest and most-watched spectacles of winter sports – and there is no stage bigger than the Olympic Games. In Sochi, snowboarding will make just its fifth appearance as an Olympic discipline, yet it will feature a staggering ten events, which are guaranteed to draw huge crowds of spectators and television viewers.

While other winter sports can be traced back hundreds of years, snowboarding is still a relatively new discipline which

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evolved from a combination of skiing, surfing and skateboarding. One of the earliest mass-marketed snowboarding devices was invented by an American in the 1960s, and was called the Snurfer (a name born of the inventor’s vision of surfing on the snow).

Other early pioneers based designs on a combination of surfboards and skis, and snowboarding boomed as a popular alternative to summer board sports. With improved technology such as adjustable foot straps and steel edges, athletes gained better control and maneuvering, and binding design along with increased media attention helped to grow the sport over the next couple decades. In the late 1970s, snowboarders faced strong opposition from skiers who attempted to ban snowboards from traditional resorts. By the 1990s though, almost all resorts had accepted snowboarding, and the popular new sport was a huge economic boost to

the industry.

The next step for the fledgling sport was international competition. In 1994, the International Ski Federation (FIS) added the discipline of snowboarding to its organization (something which irked much of the snowboard population, as snowboarding already had its own federation). The International Olympic Committee would eventually come to recognize the FIS as the sport’s governing body however, and at the 1998 Nagano Games, snowboarding made its debut. Snowboarding has the distinction of being one of the fastest sports to gain Olympic medal status – having done so after just a decade of World Cup competitions and with no demonstration appearances.

Canada has a strong foundation of excellence in snowboarding competition.

The first Olympic medal ever awarded to a snowboarder went to Canada’s Ross Rebagliati, and at the Vancouver Olympics Canadian athletes brought home one silver and two gold medals.

The country’s top snowboarders are dedicated athletes who train year-round, spending Canadian summers on the slopes of Argentina, New Zealand and Australia and chasing the best snow around the globe. Look for Team Canada to tear up the slopes in Sochi –right: details Snowboarding has gone from a counter-culture to on each of the five Olympic disone of the most-watched Olympic sports. Sochi will ciplines, plus Canadian medal feature five different events in each of the Men’s and contenders to watch for in Sochi.

Women’s competitions. Team Canada will look to defend its three medals (including two gold) from the Vancouver Olympics.

WaterlooSportsXpress.ca X Xpress.ca

Alpine Alpine is the original racing event.

The Parallel Giant Slalom (PGS) features a fast downhill course which requires quick turns through numerous gates. All competitors race against the clock in the qualification round, and the fastest 16 racers advance to the elimination round.

Competitors then battle it out on identical side-by-side courses and after the first run the racers switch sides. One the second run, the gate of the person who won the first run opens first (equivalent to the amount of time they led by) and it becomes a simple ‘first past the post’ race for the win. Sochi will feature a new event – the Parallel Slalom – actual speeds are slightly less than the PGS, but the course has tricky features such as jumps, berms and rollers, in addition to tighter gates.

Athletes to watch at Sochi: Caroline Calve will compete in the Women’s alpine events and look for Matt Morrison on the Men’s side.

Schedule: Wednesday, February 19 – Parallel Giant Slalom Saturday, February 22 – Parallel Slalom

Half-pipe The half-pipe is the original freestyle event which features a giant ditch in the snow with nearly vertical walls; athletes use momentum to drive up the sides of the walls and perform aerial tricks. The size of the half-pipe and the expertise of the riders have grown proportionately over the years. Within the last decade, wall heights have more than tripled from 6-foot ditches to 22-foot monsters. The half-pipe competition is a judged event, and each run is evaluated on criteria such as amplitude, risk, trick variety, execution, landing and overall impression.

After the qualifying round, athletes will make two more runs – the highest scor-

ing run is used to rank riders and determine a winner.

Schedule: Tuesday, February 11 – Men’s half-pipe Wednesday, February 12 – Women’s half-pipe

Snowboard Cross Snowboard Cross is the Nascar of snowboarding, providing intense fast-paced action with big banked turns, a little occasional bumping and grinding and the odd crash. Athletes require a full skill set of power, finesse, speed, technical maneuvering, and tactical choices for line, passing and positioning. In qualifying rounds, athletes run the track one at a time against the clock, with the top 32 moving on to the next round. Racers are then typically placed in heats of four or six and start at the gate side-by-side. Once the gate drops, the race is on and the first to the bottom of the track wins. Courses features gate flags, turns, berm corners, jumps, drops, rollers and other crowd-pleasing obstacles. Usually the top racers move on and the bottom two are eliminated until a final heat determines the three podium finishes.

Athletes to watch at Sochi: Defending champion Maelle Ricker, along with

History oF sNoWBoarDiNG eVeNts at tHe olyMPiCs: 1998 Nagano Games – snowboarding appears for the first time as an Olympic sport. Disciplines include the Giant Slalom and Half-pipe.

2002 Salt Lake City Games – Giant Slalom is replaced by the Parallel Giant Slalom (in which two racers go head-to-head), and the Half-pipe ups the ante with a larger ‘super-pipe.’

2006 Turin Games / 2010 Vancouver Games – the discipline of Snowboard Cross is added to the roster, and quickly becomes one of the most popular events.

2014 Sochi Games – These games will see two additional events added for both men and women: the Parallel Slalom, and the Slopestyle event.

Sources: www.olympic.org/www.fis-ski.com/www.canadasnowboard.ca

Dominique Maltais on the Women’s side, and Chris Robanske and Rob Fagan on the Men’s side.

Schedule: Sunday, February 16 – Women’s Snowboard Cross Monday, February 17 – Men’s Snowboard Cross

Slopestyle Slopestyle is one of two new snowboarding events, and this rock-star discipline has taken the snowboard world by storm since it debuted in the 2011 World Cup. Riders compete individually on a course containing a wide variety of large jumps, terrain features and rails. Similar to the Half-pipe, athletes are judged on a variety of criteria, and are expected to flow smoothly through the course without stopping, throwing down a variety of gravity-defying tricks. Look for this to be one of the biggest events in Sochi.

Athletes to watch at Sochi: Mark McMorris and Seb Toutant on the Men’s side, and Spencer O’Brien on the women’s side.

Schedule: Thursday, February 6 –Slopstyle qualification Saturday, February 8 – Men’s slopestyle Sunday, February 9 – Women’s slopestyle

WaterlooSportsXpress.ca X Xpress.ca

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sports@school 2013–2014

Sixth annual Think Pink campaign continues to raise the bar

Over 20 Waterloo Warriors cut or shaved their heads in front of an emotional Think Pink crowd this past November. To date, the school’s athletics department has donated over $120,000 to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

Article and photos submitted by University of Waterloo Department of Athletics The Department of Athletics is pleased to announced that the sixth annual Think Pink campaign has raised over $37,000 and counting for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF) - Ontario Chapter. Thanks to the dedicated students, athletes, and promotional staff, the amount raised has well exceeded the goal of $30,000. Over a span of five years the University of Waterloo Warriors will have donated over $120,000 to the CBCF - Ontario Chapter.

The Think Pink campaign originated from the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) women’s basketball coaches association, and has now expanded to a department-wide initiative that runs on a yearly basis. Many schools across Canada have taken on this initiative and have provided thousands of dollars in donations to the CBCF. Throughout the month of November the athletics marketing team put on a series of events to attract students and fans to varsity games and campus recreation programming to help raise money and awareness. Fans and students were treated to seven different

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varsity games, pink hip-hop/yoga/zumba, a dance show, a 3-on-3 indoor soccer tournament, and many more events to help raise awareness and money for the cause. The promotional team and campus recreation staff should be commended for their hard work and dedication throughout the campaign.

This year the events crew played a significant role in the fundraising efforts, bringing in over $3,500 for the campaign, while St. Paul’s University College led the way in money raised with over $7,000 in donations. St. Paul’s was also awarded the Think Pink banner for having the highest percentage of students in attendance at the men’s basketball game.

Other teams with strong fundraising initiatives include the men’s hockey team (who had nine members of their team – players and staff – shave their heads during the first intermission of their game against Laurentian), raising $3,253.30.

Women’s basketball also played a big role with over $4,215 in donations (an impressive amount considering the size of their roster).

The highlight of the 2013 campaign came during halftime of the men’s basketball game in the final varsity event of the campaign.

Over 20 brave Warriors cut or shaved their heads in

front of an emotional Think Pink crowd.

Those receiving hair cuts were made up of student-athletes, staff, fans, and alumni, and each played a big role in raising money and awareness for the cause.

The hair cut on Saturday was donated to Pantene Beautiful Lengths program, Locks of Love or Little Princess Trust; these programs encourage women and men to grow, cut, and donate their hair to make real hair wigs.

Three of the campaign’s top supporters also shaved their heads for the cause.

Taya Devlin, Jennifer Hagerman and Ameesha Isaac have all been tremendous supporters of this year’s campaign and collectively raised over $8,000.

Individually, Taya has led the way in donations with an astounding $6,007.13.

Marketing and events coordinator Jenny Mackay, who has spearheaded the campaign since it all started in 2008, can’t thank the supporters enough.

“Every year more and more support is given for the campaign,” said Mackay.

“This year was no exception and I’d like to thank everyone who helped make the sixth annual [Think Pink campaign] such a success. A big thank you goes to Taya Devlin and all of her donors. She has been a strong advocate for the campaign and helping to spread the word.”

Warrior Athletics would like to thank the following corporate sponsors for their support: Holiday Inn Kitchener, Boston Pizza Waterloo, Federation of Students, Campus Pizza, McGinnis Front Row, the Canadian Breast Cancer FoundationOntario Region, First Impressions Hair Salon Kincardine, and Chainsaw Saloon.

sportsfiles

Community sports take to the air on FM 98.5 CKWR Story and photo submitted by CKWR CKWR is a volunteer-based community station and can be found at FM98.5 on your radio dial, on the web, and on Rogers TV channel 945. The community sports program, hosted by Ron VanDerZwaag and Sarah Fuchs, is proud to be part of the station’s programming and airs Monday evenings from 6:00 to 6:30pm.

Ron VanDerZwaag is a local businessman with strong ties to the community.

He has been a sports coach and volunteer for over 25 years in the KitchenerWaterloo area, having coached girls’ and ladies’ fastball (house league and allstar), and senior ladies’ fastball. Ron has also served on the board of directors and has coached ringette, as well as boys’ baseball. He has also volunteered at Rogers TV and Ami audio as well as doing some voice work. At AMI Ron recorded magazine and sports articles for the visually impaired, or those who do not have ready access to papers or magazines.

Sarah Fuchs is a graduate of the Broadcast Journalism program at Conestoga College, and she brings her

knowledge and expertise in radio journalism to the program.

She is well versed in technical operations and interview techniques.

Assisting Ron and Sarah is David Prabahker, who contributes regular reports to the program. Starting in January Andie Kowk will also be joining the team.

The community sports program covers a wide range of local sports and activities for youth, adults and seniors. On a weekly basis the community corner has contributions from our local centers and provides updates on activities available for all ages, from dance/aerobics to mall walking and everything in between.

We chat with community leaders from Kitchener-Waterloo, Stratford, Cambridge and Guelph and hope to reach out further as a resource for our communities.

Involvement and participation is our goal.

We conduct interviews live in-studio, as well as taped and phone in interviews.

Our guests have included our local MP (talking about fishing), as well as 10 and 11 year-old cricket and ball players. We have covered a variety of sports such as sailing and rowing, to ringette and hockey. Soccer and football have been represented on our show, as well as some sports that may seem offbeat, such as roller derby. We pride ourselves in the depth and range of activities and sports covered.

The show is lively, fun and fast paced.

Join Ron and Sarah every Monday at 6:00pm on FM98.5 CKWR. To promote your sport or event as a guest on our show, please call 519 222-2795 or e-mail sports@ckwr.com.

Canada’s First Community Station The Community Sports show with Ron and Sarah every Monday evening at 6:00p.m.

News Scores and More Interviews with local sports leaders and athletes A source for Community Sports and Activities for all ages

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health&fitness

Icing the best physique: Improve your core strength with the plank

By John Thiel Last issue we looked at the importance of leg strength when it comes to the sport of hockey, introducing the squat.

In this issue we will be focusing on core strength, and one of the most effective exercises hockey players can do: the plank.

To begin, let’s look at what makes up ‘the core’ of your body. The common misconception about the core is that it is made up of only your abdominals, or the ‘six pack.’ While the abdominals are an important part, the core also includes musculature throughout the entire midsection of your body, from your thighs to

your shoulders. The structural integrity of the body depends on the core – making it one of the most important muscle groups in the entire body.

With respect to athletics, almost every sport and activity requires motion to occur between the pelvis and shoulders.

The bending and twisting movements that occur regularly in hockey are controlled by your core muscles. They provide stability, power and strength to the rest of your body. In fact, most movement will be inefficient without a strong core.

There are many exercises that help strengthen the core of the body, and one

of the simplest (and most effective) is the plank. The plank requires no equipment and can be done anywhere in the house (although having a mat underneath your forearms always helps with comfort).

The plank has many benefits: it helps strengthen your core as well as your arms and legs; it also increases body awareness, stability, balance, posture and injury prevention.

To properly execute a plank, follow these steps: 1. Begin in the push-up position. Lower your forearms to the ground so that both your elbows and fists are flat to the ground. Your elbows must be directly below your shoulders.

2. At this point your body should be in a straight line, with the weight of your body on your toes and forearms. Brace your midsection (this should feel like you are pulling your belly button to your spine).

3. When parallel to the floor, hold the position for as long as possible (try aiming for one minute or longer).

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25

health&fitness

Body building brings out the competitive instinct

By SportsXpress team

A new challenge Kristy Adeniyi is a full-time teacher and mother of two with a serious competitive streak. A track athlete in high school, Adeniyi decided to try playing rugby after hearing how much fun it was from friends. As it turns out she had a knack for the game, and after playing during her senior year of high school she made the varsity team at the University of Waterloo.

It was while playing for UW that Adeniyi Kristy Adeniyi first got involved in the sport of body building was spotjust 11 months after having her ted by the first child – and the training coach of Team brought back her competitive edge as she went on to place Canada – and fourth at her first show.

she would go on to spend five years as a member of the Canadian National Rugby team, playing in tournaments all over the world.

Fast forward a few years, and the new mom was looking for a way to get back into competitive sport (and back into prebaby shape). An elite athlete, she needed a new goal to chase after – and body building ended up being just the kind of challenge she was looking for. Adeniyi jumped into her first competition just 11 months after delivering her first baby, and placed fourth in her very first show.

Luckily, she had her husband (who was already involved in body building) to help her along the way.

What is bodybuilding?

Bodybuilding is the process of developing muscle fibres through a combination of weight training, specific caloric intake, and rest. Athletes appear in lineups and perform specific poses for a panel of judges who rank competitors on criteria such as symmetry, muscularity and conditioning. Preparation for competition depends on the category entered; for men, there are physique and body-building (or weight) categories, and for women

there are body-building, figure, bikini and physique categories.

Adeniyi says that for her, one of the major benefits of body building is the motivation it provides for staying in shape – even life-long athletes need specific goals to motivate them to get out of bed and into the gym each morning. Adeniyi says that the biggest challenge with body building is not actually the physical aspect, but rather the mental discipline required to maintain such a strict diet.

Success in body building is incredibly dependent not just on what you eat, but when and how much you consume. It requires a lot of planning, weighing, proportion control, and preparation. Another challenge of the sport is the fact that competitors train to be in peak condition for shows, but it is not realistic to maintain this appearance 100% of the time.

The events themselves however, can be extremely rewarding. Adeniyi says that all the competitors understand the discipline required to get into shape, which creates camaraderie and an atmosphere of supportiveness.

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sportsfiles

A pre-Olympic chat with the Minister of State (Sport)

By Alizeh Jaffrey

“Every team should be able to send their best players to the games. No matter what league they play for, the most deserving players should have the chance to participate on the Olympic stage.”

With the 22nd Winter Olympics taking place this February, the Honourable Bal Gosal, Canadian Minister of State (Sport), was kind enough to sit down with SportsXpress to give his insight on the upcoming games in Sochi.

Appointed as the Minister of State (Sport) in 2011, Minister Gosal was an integral part of Canada’s preparations and participation in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games. Once again, the Canadian Government, along with the Canadian Olympic Committee and the Canadian Paralympic Committee, is busy with preparations. Proudly wearing a red jersey, the Minister answered questions before taking to the ice with the Canadian National Sledge Hockey Team: Q: The upcoming Winter Games bring back great memories from Vancouver 2010. In what ways has Canadian Sport benefitted from hosting the Olympic Games?

On this subject, Minister Gosal said that hosting any international competition creates both interest and unity within the country. Anytime Canadian

– The Honourable Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport)

athletes excel on the international stage, it is a source of inspiration for all Canadians – especially young children. This effect is enhanced when the competition takes place on home soil. In reference to Sidney Crosby’s overtime game-winning-goal in the 2010 men’s ice hockey gold-medal game, the Minister said, “When Sidney Crosby scored that goal on home ice, every kid wanted to be [him].” In essence, the inspiration taken from the success of our athletes manifests itself as a way of getting more children involved in sport and physical activity.

Q: The launch of the Active at School Campaign – a program that encourages Canadian children to regularly participate in physical activity – was recently announced. In what ways will this program be implemented throughout Canada?

The Active at School Campaign is a Canadian Tire initiative that is supported by a number of private corporations.

Minister Gosal commended Canadian Tire for bringing together every sport organization in Canada in order to facilitate increased physical activity and sport involvement for children across the country.

Q: Which sport are you most looking forward to following at the upcoming Games?

The answer to this question highlighted the exciting nature of the Minister’s

job. Constantly attending sporting events across the country, he often gets the opportunity to attempt some of them as well.

One of the sports that Minister Gosal looks forward to following in Sochi is bobsleigh, as it is a sport that he recently tried for himself! Besides bobsleigh, the Minister said that he loves all sports, and gave a special mention to ice hockey. Finally, based on Canada’s stellar track record, he looks forward to watching curling at the games.

Q: One of the most anticipated sports in the Winter Olympics is ice hockey.

Do you feel that it is important for the National Hockey League to send players to the Games?

After much debate, the National Hockey League (NHL) and the National Hockey League players’ Association (NHLPA) agreed in July to the participation of NHL players in the men’s Olympic ice hockey tournament. According to Minister Gosal, every team should be able to send their best players to the games. No matter what league they play for, the most deserving players should have the chance to participate on the Olympic stage.

reaDy For soCHi Canada’s prospects at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games are looking bright. New sports in which Canada has a strong international record (such as freestyle skiing and women’s ski jumping), have been added to the list of events; of course, Canada defends gold in many traditional events including both men’s and women’s ice hockey as well as men’s curling. Canada’s Olympic success is due not only to the many skilled athletes that our country boasts, but also to the people who are involved behind-the-scenes, including the Honourable Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport).

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Waterloo skaters dance their way to the Olympic stage Article by the Canadian Olympic Committee and SportsXpress team Photos by Canadian Olympic Committee Kitchener-Waterloo ice dance pair, Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje, will finally be able to fulfill their Olympic dream this winter as they head to Sochi to represent Canada on the world stage.

It has been four long years since the team missed qualifying for Vancouver 2010 by just three-tenths of a point, but they have battled through numerous challenges – including severe injuries and surgery – to fulfill their Olympic dream, and they have their sights set on the podium.

Weaver and Poje began their partnership in August 2006. They knew one another from competing against each other with previous partners. When they both became available at the same time, they had a tryout and found an immediate connection. The new duo decided to compete for Canada (a big move for the American-born Weaver at age 17), but one that she was willing to make to follow her Olympic dreams.

Just five months after forming

their partnership they debuted at the Canadian championships, where they won the bronze medal. They also won bronze at the 2007 World Junior Championships. After competing at the 2007 and 2008 World Championships, they came up just short of qualifying for the global event in 2009 and 2010.

After Weaver was sworn in as a Canadian citizen in June 2009, they changed training locations to be in a more competitive environment. Working with coaches Pasquale Camerlengo and Angelika Krylova in the Detroit area, they became stronger technically. When they returned to the World Championships in 2011 they were a much-improved team, as evidenced by their fifth place finish before hitting a career-high of fourth place at the 2012 World Championships.

They had hoped to reach the podium at the 2013 World Championships on home turf in London, Ontario, but their preparations were stalled when Weaver broke her right fibula in December 2012. She underwent surgery, causing them to miss the National Championships. However, Weaver battled back and returned to the ice in early February – the pair was able to compete in London, finishing an incredible fifth.

Watch for Weaver and Poje to pull out all the stops during the ice dance competition in Sochi on February 8-9th, and 16-17th.

Career Highlights Three-Time Canadian Silver Medalists (2012, 2011, 2008); 2010 Four Continents Champions; 2012 Four Continents Bronze Medalists; 4th place at 2012 ISU World Championships.

Historical Context Canada has won two Olympic ice dance medals: gold by Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir at Vancouver 2010, and bronze by Tracy Wilson and Rob McCall at Calgary 1988.

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ANDREW POJE DATE OF BIRTH: FEBRUARY 25, 1987 AGE AT SOCHI 2014: 26 BIRTH PLACE: KITCHENER, ONTARIO HOMETOWN: WATERLOO, ONTARIO RESIDENCE: TORONTO, ON/BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 191cm/85kg COACHES: PASQUALE CAMERLENGO, ANGELIKA KRYLOVA PERSONAL WEBSITE: www.weaverpoje.com TWITTER: @WeaverPoje LANGUAGES: ENGLISH OLYMPIC HISTORY: NONE PERSONAL INFO Getting Into Sport: Poje started skating at age six. His mother used to figure skate, so she enrolled his sister in figure skating and since he was always at the rink anyways, she also enrolled Andrew. His mother knew that he would be a good ice dancer – while he couldn’t jump very well, the stuff between the jumps was really good.

Outside Interests: Poje enjoys cooking, anything automotive, and outdoor sports. He is currently working towards an honours science degree from the University of Waterloo.

KAITLYN WEAVER DATE OF BIRTH: APRIL 12, 1989 AGE AT SOCHI 2014: 24 BIRTH PLACE: HOUSTON, TEXAS HOMETOWN: WATERLOO, ONTARIO RESIDENCE: TORONTO, ON/BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 167cm/53kg COACHES: PASQUALE CAMERLENGO, ANGELIKA KRYLOVA PERSONAL WEBSITE: www.weaverpoje.com TWITTER: @WeaverPoje LANGUAGES: ENGLISH, RUSSIAN OLYMPIC HISTORY: NONE PERSONAL INFO Getting Into Sport: Kaitlyn Weaver started skating at age six when she received skates along with a skating skirt and sweater for Christmas. She first went to the rink on Boxing Day and loved the sport immediately. She has always been an ice dancer because she wasn’t a strong jumper.

Outside Interests: Weaver enjoys ballet, yoga, writing and learning foreign languages.

She is currently studying for her Bachelor of Arts at the University of Waterloo. She co-founded the charity Skate to Great to help give all Canadian children the opportunity to get on the ice.

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Healthy recipes for growing athletes Rapini and Shrimp Pasta Serves: 4 to 6 Ingredients: 3 cups penne or rotini pasta 1 bunch rapini (about 1 lb/500g) trimmed and coarsely chopped 2 tbsp canola oil, divided 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp hot pepper flakes 1 tsp dried basil 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 large red onion, very thinly sliced 1 ½ cups sliced mushrooms (1/4 inch thick slices) ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions: Step 1: In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl.

Step 2: Meanwhile, in a saucepan, bring 3 cups (750 ml) water to a boil over high heat. Add rapini, reduce heat to medium-high, cover and boil for 3 to 4 minutes or until just tender. Drain and rinse under cold running water; set aside.

Step 3: In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil over medium heat. Sauté garlic, hot pepper flakes and basil for 1 minute or until garlic starts to soften but does not brown. Add shrimp and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until starting to turn pink. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 2 minutes, until shrimp are pink and opaque. Transfer shrimp to a bowl and set aside.

Step 4: Wipe out skillet. Increase heat to medium-high and add the remaining oil. Sauté onions and mushrooms for 3 to 4 minutes or until onions are softened. Add rapini and shrimp and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through.

Step 5: Pour shrimp mixture over pasta and stir to combine. Sprinkle with Parmesan.

Carrot and Almond Cake Preheat oven to 350°F Grease a 13x9 inch metal baking pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Directions:

Ingredients: 2 ¾ cups ground almonds 1 ¾ cups finely grated carrots ¾ cup fine dry bread crumbs 1 ¼ tsp baking powder 1 tsp ground ginger ½ tsp ground nutmeg ½ tsp ground cinnamon 6 eggs, separated 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar 2 tsp grated lemon zest 3 tbsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice

Step 2: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on high speed, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form (do not overbeat). Set aside.

Cream Cheese Glaze ¼ cup light cream cheese, softened ¼ cup butter, softened ½ tsp vanilla extract ½ cups icing sugar, sifted Water or milk, if necessary

Step 1: In a medium bowl, combine almonds and carrots. Stir in bread crumbs, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon. Set Aside.

Step 3: In another large bowl, using electric mixer on high speed, beat egg yolks and sugar for 2 minutes or until thick and a ribbon trail forms when beater is lifted. Stir in lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir in carrot mixture until well blended. Gently fold-in egg whites until fully incorporated.

Step 4: Pour batter into prepared baking pan. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Invert cake onto a large plate and remove parchment paper.

Step 5: In a medium bowl, using electric mixer on high speed, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Gradually add icing sugar, beating until smooth and of glaze consistency. If too thick, add ½ to 1 tsp (2 to 5ml) water or milk. Drizzle over cooled cake.

sportsfiles

Plenty of options for elite golfer

By Garret Rank and SportsXpress team Photos by Garret Rank Elmira native Garret Rank has some difficult choices ahead of him: pursue a career with his Economics and Business Finance degree, continue on the path towards becoming an NHL referee, or focus his energy on his thriving amateur golf career. With options like these, he really can’t go wrong.

The 26 year-old graduate of the University of Waterloo was recently named to Canada’s Amateur Men’s Golf team for the third year in a row, and he is also an official in the Ontario Hockey League with hopes of making the jump to the American Hockey League (AHL) this season. Despite his accomplishments in such diverse arenas, Rank has managed to keep everything in perspective, especially after a severe health scare a couple of years ago helped him learn not to sweat the small stuff.

thought it was a convenient babysitting tool. Eventually he began to get more competitive with his game, and started playing junior tournaments at the club level before branching out to the provincial tournaments. Rank started out on

program is intended to provide support and services to elite athletes in order to help propel them into professional golf careers. Golf Canada provides funding and year-round support which encompasses fitness, sports psychology, nutrition, technique, equipment and international competition. Rank, along with the other members of the team, receives a personalized program tailored to his needs. In return, players are expected to be fully committed to the program with the goal of becoming one of the top-ranked golfers worldwide.

The team attends three to four training camps during the winter in the southern United States, and Rank will play close to 20 events during the year around the world – competing against the best amateur golfers and participating in some professional tournaments as an amateur.

“I used to play with a lot of pressure and frustrate myself really easily,” says Rank, “it kind of opened my eyes to how fortunate I was to receive all these opportunities.”

Growing up on the course Garret Rank grew up playing the Elmira Golf Club. He followed his brother and friends onto the course, and when he was old enough he worked in the back shop. Rank thought that golf was a great summer sport to keep him busy when he wasn’t playing hockey, and his parents

Elmira golfer Garret Rank was recently named to Canada’s Amateur team for the third year in a row. The elite amateur player is also an OHL referee with ambitions of one day making it big on two of the world’s most prestigious sport stages – the NHL and the PGA Tour.

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the Ian Leggatt Junior Tour in the tri-cities area, and from there he moved on to Golf Association of Ontario (GAO) events. In 2010 he experienced his first national and international success, and in 201112, he was named to Team Canada for the first time.

Making Team Canada The handful of athletes awarded places on Canada’s Amateur team is determined by objective performance results which are reviewed by committee. The

Putting things in perspective When asked what golf has taught him, Rank says that he learned about respect and integrity from a young age, saying that “golf is called the gentleman’s game” for a reason. He also says that learning the rules and history of the game (and playing five-hour rounds) helped him to learn patience. While he certainly takes his game seriously in his pursuit of a pro career, a cancer scare back in 2011 helped him put everything into perspective. “I used to play with a lot of pressure and frustrate myself really easily,” says Rank, “it kind of opened my eyes to how fortunate I was to receive all these opportunities.” Since undergoing surgery for testicular cancer at 23, he has learned not to worry as much as he used to about a bogey out on the course.

Arena ambitions Aside from golf, Rank’s other love is the Canadian pastime: hockey. As a student-athlete playing both hockey and golf collegiately at the University of Waterloo, he eventually found himself

Garret raNk ProFile Age: 26 Place of Birth: Elmira, Ontario Years on Team Canada: 3 Homeclub: GAO Public Player School: University of Waterloo

too busy to continue in both sports and had to give up playing hockey. Shortly after, he was approached to start refereeing, and since then his officiating career has taken off. Even though he no longer has time to play, Rank says that he loves hockey, and refereeing allows him to stay active and sharp. He hopes one day to take officiating to the highest level – the National Hockey League.

Career HiGHliGHts: Stroke-Play Medalist – 2013 U.S. Amateur Public Links 2nd – 2013 Ontario Amateur Championship T15 – 2013 Sahalee Player’s Championship T17 – 2013 Northeast Amateur Invitational T14 – 2013 Monroe Invitational Championship 2nd – 2012 U.S. Mid Amateur Championship T15 – 2012 Porter Cup 2012 U.S. Amateur Public Links Round of 32 Champion – 2012 Canadian University/ College Championship T28 – 2012 Dogwood Invitational Champion – 2011 Toronto Star Amateur Runner-Up – 2011 Canadian University College/ Championship Champion – 2011 OUA Golf Championship Medalist – 2011 U.S. Men’s Amateur Qualifier Round of 64 – 2011 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship 5th – 2011 Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship 3rd – 2011 Glencoe Invitational 6th – 2011 Porter Cup 7th – 2010 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship Champion – 2010 OUA Golf Championship T5 – 2010 Canadian University/College Championship T10 – 2009 Canadian University/College Championship

Balancing Act While Garret Rank certainly has no shortage of high-level goals, he seems to be quite adept at balancing his interests. Even though he missed a lot of school due to his golf career, he worked hard to catch up and complete his University degree: “school was important to me. It was something I took pride in and was motivated to finish,” says Rank. It is determination such as this which is certain to help him achieve success in whichever path he chooses to pursue. With his education completed, Rank is now working towards becoming a successful player on the PGA Tour, and still hopes to one day become an NHL referee. “In the end, I know I won’t be able to do both, but when I get there I will have done everything I can to be successful at something.”

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Woolwich community helps young player in his toughest battle Article and photos submitted by the Woolwich Minor Hockey Association It’s hard enough battling for a puck in the corner or in front of the opposition’s net. The competitive nature of hockey requires determination, perseverance and courage.

Although the game is rough and players frequently leave the ice battered and bruised, the wounds incurred typically heal quickly and without any serious implications. Sometimes, the characteristics needed to be a successful hockey player transcend the arena and become critical in our regular lives. Austin Whittom, an Elmira youth, has found himself fighting something much more troublesome than an opposing defenseman. The Woolwich Minor Hockey player was diagnosed last

October with Leukemia, the most prevalent form of cancer in children and teens.

After facing the disease head on,

need to undergo more chemotherapy until he is in remission again, and then the Whittom family will have to travel to Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto where Austin will undergo a bone marrow transplant. Austin is lucky to have a donor, but it will mean even more pain for the family since Austin’s younger brother will donate the bone marrow for him. Austin’s mom (Jen) will stay in Hamilton with him while he goes through all his treatment and testing.

This is something no family should ever have to go through, but the community has shown just how tight-knit it is through its support of the Whittom family in this difficult time.

“Sometimes, the characteristics needed to be a successful hockey player transcend the arena and become critical in our regular lives. Austin Whittom, an Elmira youth, has found himself fighting something much more troublesome than an opposing defenseman. The Woolwich Minor Hockey player was diagnosed last October with Leukemia, the most prevalent form of cancer in children and teens.”

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Austin was able to endure the hardships of his treatments and see the cancer into remission. Unfortunately, his return to normalcy would be brief, as this September the cancer returned and forced Austin back into hospital. He will

sportsfiles The Woolwich Minor Hockey Association, home of the Woolwich Wildcats and the Minor Bantam team on which Austin plays, launched a campaign to support the Whittom family both spiritually and financially. When informed of Austin’s condition last year, the WMHA organization encouraged players to wear orange bracelets in a show of support for Austin and his family. When they learned

of his recent diagnosis, the WMHA wanted to contribute far more substantially.

The “Orange Lace Campaign” was based on an idea from Austin’s Aunt Anne, and it quickly drew support from near and far.

The Orange Lace Campaign encouraged all players and families to support the Whittom family by purchasing orange skate laces for $5/pair in order to help cover the costs associated with car-

The Woolwich Minor Hockey Association launched the Orange Laces campaign in support of Minor Bantam player Austin Whittom, who has been battling Leukemia since last October. Over 850 orange laces were purchased, representing over $3000 raised forAustin’s family.t

ing for a sick child (gas, hotels, missed work etc.) Local support for Austin was instantaneous – every team in Woolwich Minor Hockey purchased laces. The Woolwich Girls Minor Hockey Association and Centre Wellington were some of the the first to join the endeavour, and it did not take long before teams from as far as Owen Sound and Port Perry were offering up their skates and support for Austin.

The Owen Sound Midget AE team was scheduled to play Woolwich in a St. Thomas tournament in November. The manager went on the Woolwich website and noticed the Orange Lace campaign, so the team went out and purchased orange laces for all their players. They also brought a gift pack for the Woolwich team to bring back to Austin to show their support, which included a financial donation as well as an autographed Owen Sound Attack stick and many other Owen Sound souvenirs.

The Port Perry Minor Bantam team saw the campaign on the website as well, and knew they would be playing Woolwich in the Woolwich Weekend tournament in November. The Port Perry team purchased orange laces for all their players and had a picture taken with the Woolwich Minor Bantam team before the game to show their support for Austin.

The Woolwich Midget LL team won the tournament and sourced Austin as the inspiration for the players. The Elmira Sugar Kings Jr. B team also purchased laces for all their players and extended an offer for Austin to be their guest of honour. Luckily Austin was home for that weekend, and was able to attend as their guest where he dropped the ceremonial puck before the game.

In the end, over 850 orange laces were purchased, representing over $3000 raised for the family. With the help of Sportzone, all proceeds of the campaign went to the Whittom family.

The Wildcats organization has exemplified how hockey is more than just a sport, but rather a large family that extends well beyond the team, the city and the region. Their efforts have inspired many to open their wallets and their hearts to the Whittom family. If you would like more information on the campaign please contact the Woolwich Minor Hockey Association at

www.woolwichminorhockey.ca WaterlooSportsXpress.ca

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fromthesidelines

Paving the Road to the Roar

By SportsXpress team Photos by Sydney Mann The sport of curling dates back over half a century, with evidence of the game being played on frozen ponds in Scotland well before the formal rules of curling were adopted in the 1500s. Now contested at the highest international level – the Olympics – curling has become a worldwide sport which has gained tremendous popularity in Canada.

This past November, Kitchener played host to the second-to-last stop for Canada’s Olympic hopefuls at the 2013 Capital One Road to the Roar. The tournament was held at the Aud (which had previously hosted another major curling tournament, the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, back in 2003). The top two teams from both the men’s and women’s division at the Road to the Roar would qualify to participate in the Olympic Trials held in Winnipeg in early December.

Cynthia Roth, head chair of the bid committee for Road to the Roar, knows first-hand just how much effort it takes to run a meet of this calibre – and like many other sports, it all comes down to the volunteers. The community volunteers

who made sure the national event ran like a well-oiled machine lived by their motto of “good curling, great volunteers” to get the job done – and the rest is up to Canada’s curlers (Team Jones and Team Jacobs) in Sochi.

12 men’s teams and 12 women’s teams from across Canada qualified for the Captial One Road to the Roar (held in Kitchener in November) – the tournament determines which teams compete in the final Olympic Trials before just two teams head to Sochi carrying Canada’s Olympic hopes.

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