SportsXpress London Sept/Oct 2018

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London

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.ca

Looking back on Bolts’ repeat

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018 London & Area Edition

thelineup

Submitted by the London Lightning

basketball............................................... pg 3 fitness..................................................... pg 4 baseball............................................ pgs 7-11 wheelchair rugby...................................pg 12 soccer............................................. pgs 12-17 squash...................................................pg 17 volleyball....................................... pgs 18-20 aquatics......................................... pgs 20-23 boler mountain..................................... pg 24 golf................................................ pgs 24-25 martial arts.................................... pgs 27-28 archery.................................................. pg 30 gymnastics..................................... pgs 33-36 cheerleading.................................. pgs 37-38 dance............................................. pgs 39-40 football.......................................... pgs 45-46 hockey........................................... pgs 47-53 lacrosse................................................ pg 54

The 2017-2018 National Basketball straight season.

League of Canada season saw the The final against the Halifax Hurricanes London Lightning defend their throne as offered a back and forth series that went they became back-to-back champions for right down to the wire. In the end, the the second time in franchise history. It Bolts came out on top in Game 7, 109brought the grand total of championships 101, to defeat the Hurricanes and claim to four, marking the most in NBL Canada the 2018 NBLC title. Canadian Garrett history.

Williamson took home the league’s postKeeping a large chunk of their core season MVP award. roster from the previous season, the For more information on the upcoming Lightning had a rockier start than most season, in which the Lightning will seek a predicted. Coming away with only two three-peat, visit wins in their first seven games was not www.lightningbasketball.ca. the ideal start for the reigning champiwww.lightningbasketball.ca ons. But the Lightning soon became the hottest team in the league, and it took over a full month for anyone to beat them. The team went on to win 12 games in a row, cementing themselves as a top team once again.

Another strong regular season led the Bolts to claim yet another Central Division title, securing home court advantage for the first two rounds of the playoffs.

The Lightning’s playoff run started with a best-of-5 series against Niagara, and London bested the River Lions 3-1. In the second round, the Lightning battled the St. John’s Edge.

Taking six games to close out the best-of-7 series, the Lightning earned The Lightning offered their fans plenty of exciting action last season, and they’re sure to do the same in 2018-2019 at Budweiser a spot in the NBLC finals for the third Gardens

Cover photos by: The Little Gym of London (Sam and Addison) and London Sharks Volleyball (12U Girls Great White)

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Road trip details available on page 8 or at The London Lightning celebrate repeating as NBL Canada champions last year. They’ll try to make it three in a row this coming season

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®

It’s NINJA time!

Submitted by CTC Obstacles We’ve had a great summer with camps, open gyms, birthdays and other camp visits! We’d like to say thank you to our very hard-working camp counsellors for helping make a lot of children’s summers very memorable. And with the fall here, things are changing here at CTC Obstacles … competitions, classes, birthday packages, and more!

We’re holding our first NINJA COMPETITION on October 20 for those aged 7 to 40+! Registration is $40+ tax, and the registration deadline is Oct. 18.

Please see the poster on this page (or our website) for more information.

And what better way to prepare then… training to be a NINJA WARRIOR! We’re excited to announce the beginning of our kids’ program to start the beginning of October! Get your kids off the screen and into our fitness program, where they will get fit just by PLAYING! The classes will include a lot of functional training and cross training, but they won’t even be able to tell! Through the use of obstacles, slam balls, sleds, parkour equipment, boxing bags and more, your kids are going to love getting fit! These classes will teach your children how to conquer the obstacles, create goals, push to strive hard, build muscle, stamina

Network

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018 OBSTACLES

commit. train. conquer.

and, most of all, confidence! We believe that both the camaraderie and individual achievement found in our gym will make these classes great for everyone!

Our classes will be Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-7pm and Saturdays 9-10am. The classes will be open to ages 8-13. Memberships will be $90/month for unlimited classes as well as optional $10/month for unlimited open gym. You will find detailed information on our website in September!

www.ctcobstacles.ca

PUBLISHER: Greg Matthison GregM@SportsXpress.ca, 519 619 6029 London.SportsXpress.ca

Greg Matthison and family: Sam, Jack & Kate EDITOR WEB GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Todd Devlin Alyssa MacLeod Britt Cobean

CONTRIBUTORS Richelle Hirlehey, Luis Grella, Matthew Stout, Kassandra Cherrey, Steve Boyle, Krys Kowalski, Johnny Warren, Tyson Alexander, Forest City Diving Club, The Little Gym of London, Eager Beaver Baseball Association, Family Karate, London Volleyball Club, Centrefield Sports, Forest City Volleyball Club, Preferred Insurance, George Bray Sports Association, London Gymnastics Academy, London Heat Cheerleading, Sport Clips London, CTC Obstacles, Middlesex Swimming, London Lightning, London Silver Dolphins, Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging, London Annihilators Wheelchair Rugby, Forest City Gymnastics Club, Whitecaps London, The Hood Archery Games, Komoka Kings Hockey Club, Jazzercise London, BMO Centre, London Junior Golf Development Centre, London Sharks Volleyball Club, London Tecumsehs Baseball, London Mens Baseball League, FC LONDON, Western Mustangs, London Minor Football Association, Power Cheer Gym, CheerStrike, Olympic Karate, London Aquatic Club, the SportsXpress Team and local sports enthusiasts.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTORS Rachel Vanderloop, Andrew Goodfellow, Amber Newcombe, Ray Drake, Antoine Saito, SPORTDAD Sports Photography, Dance Extreme, Family Karate, Centrefield Sports, London Volleyball Club, Preferred Insurance, Whitecaps London, Snipe Academy, Byron-NorWest Soccer, Forest City Gymnastics Club, Forest City Volleyball Club, FC LONDON, London Tecumsehs Baseball, Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging, George Bray Sports Association, Forest City Diving Club, CTC Obstacles, The Little Gym of London, London Annihilators Wheelchair Rugby, Komoka Kings Hockey Club, London Gymnastics Academy, London Heat Cheerleading, London Sharks Volleyball Club, London Silver Dolphins, London Lightning, The Hood Archery Games, Sport Clips London, Jazzercise London, Middlesex Swimming, London Junior Golf Development Centre, London Knights, London Mens Baseball League, BMO Centre, Olympic Karate, London Minor Football Association, CheerStrike, Power Cheer Gym, London Aquatic Club, the SportsXpress Team, various sports group photographers and community sports fans.

London SportsXpress is an independently owned and operated member of the SportsXpress Network

New this fall at CTC Obstacles (London’s first and only obstacle gym) is NINJA WARRIOR training, as well as a competition!

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Editorial Contributions: Submissions are welcome from writers, photographers, athletes, coaches and individuals. Please contact the publisher. We assume no responsibility for unsolicited material. Contributors are responsible for obtaining all approvals for publication of photos and content prior to submission. All submissions may not be used. We may edit, publish, reproduce, 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. London SportsXpress is published six times per year. London SportsXpress 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 London SportsXpress attempt to provide accurate and useful information and commentary. However the editors, contributors and London SportsXpress cannot and do not guarantee the accuracy of this information. We assume no responsibility for any actions or decisions taken by any readers based on the information provided.

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Featured Sylvan All-Star: Hunter Zacharias

Learning (and fun!) on the diamond

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Contributions by Tyson Alexander Fun and fundamentals might be the improve along the way. best way to describe the 2018 sum“The players all listened to the advice mer season for the St. Thomas Minor we gave them, and they put it into acBaseball Association’s Junior Rookie tion,” said Alexander, who has been Ball team. The group of youngsters, all coaching baseball (or softball) for nine learning the game together, focused on years. “To see how each player grew as a having a good time on the diamond while person and as a ballplayer was someimproving their skills. thing spectacular.”

And they managed to do pretty well, Playing out of the Centennial Sports too, finishing in a three-way tie for 5th Club Minor Baseball Complex, and wearplace (out of 10 teams). Not bad at all ing the Impressions Printing logo on their for a team that featured only one player uniforms, the St. Thomas youngsters (out of 10) who had played Rookie Ball encouraged each other throughout the before! season – whether a play was made For coach Tyson Alexander, the focus was on the basics – fielding grounders and mentally preparing where to throw the ball, a proper batting stance and keeping your eye on the baseball all the way in. And, perhaps most importantly, teamwork skills and St. Thomas Junior Rookie Ball Team Back row (left to right): Tyson (coach), Hunter, Dallas, Logan, Nixon, Kayden, Josh (coach). helping each other

successfully or not. And they took turns at various positions on the field throughout the season – with no arguments.

“Who knew that in 10 weeks time that such improvements could be made,” said Alexander, who had coached St. Thomas T-Ball two years ago. “The smiles, laughter and personal pride that each player showed will always be something I’ll remember.”

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Rain doesn’t dampen Colman Day Submitted by Eager Beaver Baseball Association A rain cloud situated right over Labatt Park could not dampen the high spirits of the young baseball players who gathered on a July day to honour Frank Colman, one of the founders of Eager Beaver Baseball Association (EBBA). Colman Day is a time-honoured tradition of youth baseball games played by all-stars from the league (as chosen by their peers).

All players, from T-Ball to Midget, were scheduled to showcase their skills on the major-league sized field at Labatt Park.

The T-Ball division played through a light rain, then played in the stands during a half-hour rain delay, before resuming their game in the outfield.

The Rookie division was able to start on the diamond, before more rain and another delay forced them to complete their game in the outfield (with the added bonus of their own coaches pitching to them).

More rain closed the field, and the Mosquito

teams packed up and headed to Mornington Park for their game. PeeWee players were diverted to Mornington Park as well. Both divisions were able to get their games in without the music and atmosphere of Labatt Park, but with all the enthusiasm. Unfortunately, the Bantam and Midget games had to be cancelled, but not without promises to meet up again next year (and requests for

drier weather).

EBBA is London's longest running youth sports league and is fully run by volunteers. To get involved with the 2019 season and to be a part of special events, such as Colman Day, please circle October 1 on your calendar for the annual meeting and go to ebba.ca for more information.

www.ebba.ca

Photo by Andrew Goodfellow - The National Rookie All Stars wait out the rain on Colman Day

Photo by Amber Newcombe - The Mosquito All Star Teams

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Time for offseason training!

Submitted by Centrefield Sports As we continue to enjoy what remains of the warmer weather, now is a great time to look ahead and prepare for the beginning of your next off-season.

The summer months were exceptionally exciting for everyone at Centrefield Sports – both indoors at our facility and also during our summer camps on the field at Byron Optimist Complex. Our building has hosted a number of teams and individuals, whether coming in from the rain, embracing the equipment we offer on a consistent basis with more space available, or just gaining a competitive edge. Our summer camps have welcomed

a number of young faces, new and familiar, enjoying the sunshine and activities offered with our experienced coaching staff.

With an eye on the future, many other familiar faces are locking in their off-season reservations early by booking times on the field and in the cages.

Be sure to secure your spot as soon as possible to ensure that your teams and players have the times they need!

Keep an eye out for upcoming information on all of our fall leagues and clinics, when we welcome young rookie, mosquito and peewee-aged players back

into the Centrefield fold to keep them on the field beyond their summer seasons.

Also keep in mind that beginning in September our hours and prices for rentals return to our fall rates. Be sure to take advantage of our extended hours starting in the fall!

As the organization’s indoor home, Centrefield Sports would also like to congratulate the Great Lake Canadians on a summer well spent. Among the program’s seven teams, three won tournament championships, with two of those coming south of the border in the U.S. All seven made it to the semi-final round of their Canadian Premier Baseball League playoffs, with five of those squads landing in the championship games, and three securing CPBL titles!

www.centrefieldsports.com

It was a great summer for Centrefield Sports, which hosted camps at Byron Optimist Complex, and also welcomed plenty of players and teams utilizing the field and batting cages

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Playoff baseball ahead Submitted by London Mens Baseball League At the time of this writing, the 2018 season continues to wind down for the London Mens Baseball League (LMBL), with playoffs just around the corner. As the season has progressed, we’ve seen some separation in the standings, as

teams have been jockeying for playoff positioning. Although we’re a recreational league, most players are still passionate about their love of baseball, and they want to put their best foot forward when they step on the diamond.

In other words, things can heat up down the stretch!

Playoff finals are scheduled for Sunday, September 23 at Dan Pulham Memorial Field, with action kicking off at noon (B Championship final), followed by the A Championship Final at 2:45pm, and the A Consolation Final at 5:30pm. We will be hosting an on-site BBQ and concession for all players, families, and fans – along with music and baseball-themed tunes for all to enjoy. Come check us out and join in the festivities to see what we’re all about!

Following the close of the season, the final wrap-up will be our Annual Dinner and Awards Banquet, held October 19 at the Willows Golf and Country Club. This event is always a fun time, as players and spouses enjoy a fine meal and the Executive presents trophies and discusses league operations (both present and future). Throw in some door prizes and raffle draws and you have an evening not to be missed! For more information, check out our website at www.lmblbaseball.ca.

www.lmblbaseball.ca

A look at last year’s LMBL Annual Dinner and Awards Banquet (held in October), which presented trophies to the ‘B’ champ Orioles (left) and the ‘A’ champ Werewolves.

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The London Mens Baseball League is an ‘over 30’ mens league based in London, Ontario (baseball, not softball or slo-pitch!).

We play most games on Sundays, from May to September, at locations including Labatt Park, Dan Pulham Field, Byron, and Dorchester. Our league ranges in age from 30 to 80

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Capturing a title in Cooperstown!

Submitted by the London Tecumsehs The 2006 London Tecumsehs attended a week-long tournament (August 4-10) at the Cooperstown All Star Village in New York State this summer, one that is widely renowned as one of the premiere events for U12 teams in North America.

A record 55 teams (including six from Canada) competed at the tournament, and the talent level was impressive, with teams ranging from local Associations all the way up to State All-Star teams.

The Tecumsehs checked in to the Village, surrounded by picturesque mountains and immaculate grounds, and the pin trading began immediately.

During the Opening Ceremonies, our Tecumsehs family members won the Team Cheering Competition! Following that was a skills competition in which the Tecumsehs finished 2nd in the Fastest Double Play event.

In round robin play (two games per day

for the first three days), the Tecumsehs won their first game, 14-1, with an allaround team effort. The night game, held on the Yankee Stadium turf field, pitted the London team against the No. 8-ranked team in America, proved to be an eye opener. This All-Star team was impressive, and they educated the Tecumsehs squad on what American Little League baseball is about – curveballs, power bats, and power arms.

After some rain delays, batting practice sessions, and team meals, the Tecumsehs finished with a 3-3 record in round robin play. They were ranked 30th out of 55 teams in the playoffs, and in their first playoff contest they earned a 6-3 win to advance to play the 17th seed out of California. Despite jumping out to a 3-0 lead, however, the Tecumsehs eventually fell short and were eliminated from the Main Championship Tournament.

Also includes Aylmer, Delaware-Komoka-Mt Brydges, Dorchester, Exeter, Lucan-Ilderton, Ingersoll, Mitchell, Sarnia, Strathroy, Tillsonburg, and Wyoming

But there was more ball to be played.

The ’06 Tecumsehs were surprisingly invited to participate in the Monster Bracket Tournament the following day – a second-chance tournament for teams wanting to play more competitive baseball before heading home. The Tecumsehs jumped at the opportunity and won their first two games. After receiving their Cooperstown Youth Hall of Fame rings at the Closing Ceremonies, they rushed over to the Chicago turf field for the semi-finals.

Playing against another very solid California team, the Tecumsehs this time knew what to expect, and they played their best baseball of the tournament in a 9-3 win. This put the Tecumsehs in the Monster Bracket Finals against the very first team they played at the tournament, and they were looking for redemption.

Behind some lights-out pitching and hits that came from the entire lineup, the Tecumsehs captured the title with a convincing 10-0 win.

The team finished the week with an 8-4 record overall, ranking them 13th out of the 55 teams. They hit 15 home runs while scoring 116 and allowing 88.

This Canadian team proved that they can compete with the best teams from North America, and they showed sportsmanship, class and respect at all times. It was a once in a lifetime experience for the Tecumsehs, and the opportunity truly allowed the youngsters to grow as ballplayers, friends, sons and young men.

www.londontecumsehs.com At the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY in mid-August, the London Tecumsehs U12 team impressively earned the Monster Bracket Tournament title. Front row (left to right): Alex Metron, Connor Stefan. Middle row: Bryson McElroy, John Gagne, Owen Babenko, Kayden Dukic. Back row: Nolan Bettridge, Carter Froggett, Cooper Clark, Andrew MacNally, Nathan Benson, Aidan Doyle

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Winning on the national stage Submitted by London Annihilators Wheelchair Rugby Another successful year for the Eric Rodrigues. in stellar performances.

London Annihilators has come to a close.

Team Ontario ‘C’ were crowned this The Annihilators would like to thank all Members of the Annihilators competed at year’s national champs under the the friends, families, sponsors and fans the Canadian National Wheelchair Rugby stalwart leadership of veteran and MVP for their great support this season!

Championships held in Calgary, Alberta. winner Frank Groenestege. Ian Crowe and Team Ontario ‘A’ won gold in Division Peter “Moose” Langenecker also turned 1 in a close game against the hometown Alberta squad.

David Willsie, Cody Caldwell, Travis Murao and Faisal Burale all contributed to the team victory.

Meanwhile, Team Ontario ‘B’ finished with a bronze thanks to the efforts of Annihilators players Matt Debly, The London Annihilators were well-represented at the Canadian National Wheelchair Rugby Championships this summer in Alberta, including on the Ontario ‘A’ team which won Shane Smyth and gold in Division 1 play

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Supporting small-town soccer

By Krys Kowalski

Proudly sponsored by

We currently reside in Dorchester, Ontario, a small community outside of London with a great passion for sports.

Our Dorchester F.C. U9 team began

play in April 2017, with 12 girls coming together for their first experience with the Dorchester Competitive Soccer Club. Our start was slow, but we had 12 young athletes that were driven, determined, and coachable wanting to learn how to play.

During the first half of the season, we developed the basic skills while struggling against some of the other more established clubs. But the girls stayed positive and progressed through to the second half of the season while working hard at mastering their skills, which began to flow more naturally.

We have been extremely fortunate this year to have had my Dorchester U9 Girls soccer team Back row (left to right): Krys (head coach), Kherington, Eve, Jailynn, Avery, Mila, Kristy (assistant employer, Roy

Inch & Sons, Service Experts, be our main team sponsor. When I first brought the idea of sponsorship to Peter Inch, there was no hesitation. He was more than pleased to help support our young girls, and we are very grateful for his generosity this season.

A great thing about Dorchester is that we always have many people who step up for the kids. Our Team Manager, Mary, who is the backbone of our team, and our assistant coach, Kristy, have both been instrumental in developing life skills while being great role models.

This season has been very successful and a wonderful experience for everyone.

I am very proud of the girls and want to thank them for their hard work and dedication. I look forward to many more coaching seasons with Dorchester F.C. and helping young athletes grow their passion for soccer.

coach), Ryle, Adelaide. Middle row: Bree, Jaelyn, Greer and Jamie. Front: Clara. Absent: Georgia

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Proudly sponsored by

WINMAR a soccer supporter Contributions by Matthew Stout and Kassandra Cherrey

Byron-NorWest Soccer – U7 Girls (Blue and Grey Teams) They’ve practiced together all season, and the young players on both the U7 Girls Blue and Grey Teams (within Byron-NorWest Soccer) have come to look forward to soccer each Monday and Wednesday. Not only that, but they come with a positive attitude and are eager to learn and work hard at improving their skills.

“The coaching staff has been focused on creating an environment in which the players can continue their development of basic skills and learn the importance of teamwork,” says Matthew Stout, the head coach of the Blue Team. “But most of all, the goal has been to have fun each and every week.”

In other words, it’s a love of soccer that Stout and Luigi Sorbara, the head coach of the Grey Team, have tried to instil in the youngsters. And they’ve done a good job. The girls have worked well together on the field, and many friendships have been established and fostered along the way.

The teams enjoyed a mid-season festival event, finishing with 1-0-1 records.

In league play, the Grey and Blue teams played to an exciting 1-1 draw. At the time of this writing, both were eagerly

anticipating the year-end Fun Fest.

And as for next year? The girls are looking forward to returning to the pitch for more soccer action!

Byron-NorWest Soccer – U7 Girls (Blue and Grey Teams) Back row (right to left): Matthew Stout (head coach, Blue Team), Ashley MacDonald, Reese Galbraith, Jessica Arthur, Harper Klassen, Whitney Stout, Luigi Sorbara (head coach, Grey Team). Middle row: Sophia Hardy, Leilah O'Neil, Sophie Mangold, Natalia Sorbara, Rachel Hallock. Front row: Samantha Sproule, Rylan Diegel, Sierra McNicol, Abbie Spicer, Nina Bowen, Ella Anderson and Julia Weber. Absent from Blue Team: Kayla Mitchell, Tia Power and Matt Mangold (assistant coach). Absent from Grey Team: Sofie Molnar and Steve Sproule (assistant coach)

Byron-NorWest Soccer – U7 Boys Royal Blue Team It’s all about learning and fun for the U7 Boys Royal Blue Team, who play in the

Byron-NorWest Soccer House League.

The group of 6 and 7-year-old boys were

Byron-NorWest Soccer – U7 Boys Royal Blue Team (left to right): Alexander Vlasyuk, Landon Laithwaite, Owen Micsko, Layton Nisbett, Carter Micsko, Nicholas Harper, Ryan Carter, Zach Davies and Kassandra Cherrey (coach). Absent: Christian Callaghan, Arian Dhindsa, Justin Martel, Nash Rempel

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plenty active this summer, improving their passing, receiving, dribbling and shooting.

“The team has really improved with passing and working together on the field throughout the course of the season,” says Kassandra Cherrey, who is in her first year coaching the team. “But most importantly, we’re about keeping it fun for the kids and showing them what teamwork and sportsmanship is all about.”

The team plays in northwest London at the Byron Sports Complex, and the players bring a wide range of strengths and skillsets to the pitch.

“Collectively, we’re a well-rounded team,” says Cherrey, whose son is a member of the Royal Blue Team. “They are driven and they’re excited to get out there and play the game.”

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Achieving the (near) impossible Submitted by FC LONDON In the spirit of constantly raising the bar in Ontario soccer, FC LONDON’s League1 Ontario Women’s team have done it again. With a record of 11-0-1 after the regular season, the squad launched into first place heading into the playoffs by going undefeated throughout the 2018 regular campaign, finishing with 39 goals for and only 9 against. At the time of this writing, the team was preparing for a two-game playoff between the top four teams to determine the league champion. For the third year in a row, London striker Jade Kovacevic led the league in goals (18) during the regular season.

“It’s quite an achievement to go undefeated for four solid months, but this team continues to surprise and impress,” Head Coach Mike Marcoccia said. “Now we’ll have to figure out how to top it again next year.”

On the men’s side, also under the guidance of Marcoccia, the team stepped up from last year. The unique playoff structure this year will see the final top eight teams broken into two 4-team divisions.

In Champions League style, each will compete to determine a group winner.

The top team in each group will compete in the final. The winner of the men’s competition progresses to the pool of teams entered in the CONCACAF championship in 2019 against the top teams – from Vancouver Whitecaps, Montreal Impact and Toronto FC. “We’ve got a solid squad that is competing at the highest level,” said Marcoccia. “With the right bounces, any team can take a shot at the championship, leading the way for even bigger things next year.”

One of those bigger things is the new Canadian Professional League, which starts play in 2019 and opens the door for elite players to gain ‘professional status,’ an important first Michael Marcoccia has been a step to playing not busy man this year as the head coach of both the men’s and only in Canada, women’s teams at FC LONDON.

but overseas as well.

On the youth side, FC LONDON’s ‘London TFC Academy’ completed its first year in OPDL for U13 boys and girls.

This will expand in 2019 to U13 and U14 players. FC LONDON is creating a solid pathway for players, regardless of gender or level of play. This bodes well for the continued growth and development of London and area players.

“From our professional team partner-

ship with 2017 MLS Champion Toronto FC through to our local partnerships with Strathroy United SC, St. Thomas FC and Lambeth Soccer Club, it’s an exciting time,” says club CEO Ian Campbell.

“We’re always looking for ways to create opportunities for players, and we’re on the right track to find that right formula to make it a win-win for everyone.”

www.fclondon.ca

The FC LONDON Women’s Team, who went undefeated during the 2018 regular season, are joined here by fans who travelled to Ottawa for a game

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Operations to expand in 2019 Submitted by Whitecaps London Under the full leadership of Mike Ayyash, Whitecaps London will be expanding and growing the organization in the coming year, as players will represent teams (both Boys and Girls)

at all age groups from U8 to U17. Mike will have full authority to continue to build the organization, through coaching selection, club standards and programs that fully integrate into the resources and opportunities with the Vancouver Whitecaps, as well as being aligned in partnership with EMSA and Ontario Soccer in the Ontario Soccer/Canada Soccer Pathway.

Whitecaps London was formed in 2016 as a not-for-profit High-Performance Soccer Club in Southern Ontario, sanctioned by the Whitecaps London, the youth affiliate of the Vancouver Whitecaps, will be expanding in 2019 Elgin Middlesex (under the guidance of Mike Ayyash) while launching new programs and entering teams in all age groups.

Soccer Association

and Ontario Soccer. The organization is part of the Ontario Soccer and OPDL high performance player pathway, which provides opportunities for talented youth soccer players in Ontario.

Whitecaps London recently received Ontario Soccer’s Gold Club Excellence award for 2018/2019, making them the only London and area Club to receive Ontario Soccer’s highest standard.

Whitecaps London will be a true grassroots to professional club under the direction of Mike Ayyash, and the Club will be launching new programs and entering teams in all age groups this coming fall, winter, spring and summer.

For more information and Fall Assessments / Player Orientation Session Schedules, please visit: www. whitecapslondon.com or contact Mike Ayyash at mayyash@whitecapsfc.com.

www.whitecapslondon.com

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East Location

West Location

519-455-8296 • 78 Firestone Blvd. London, ON N5W 5L4

519-473-0064 •1225 Hyde Park Rd. London, ON N6H 5K6

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Upcoming leagues Submitted by BMO Centre

Fall/Winter indoor soccer is just around the corner It may still be warm outside but registration for the fall/winter indoor soccer programs at the BMO Centre is now underway.

Registration can be done on line at www.bmocentrelondon.com and the fees are the same as last year. The BMO Centre offers a variety of programs – something for every age for every age.

Indoor Leagues - Fall/Winter Schedule October to April Monday: Men’s Division 3; Women’s Division 2; Women’s Division 4 Tuesday: Adult Co-ed – Divisions 1,2 and 3 Wednesday: Men’s Division 2; Women’s Division 3 Thursday: Women’s Division 1; Women’s Recreation 101; Women’s Master’s 30+ Friday: Men’s Division 1; Men’s Masters Saturday: Women’s Recreation 101; GWHF League 25+ Sunday: Men’s Premier; Women’s Premier; Women’s Weekend Masters 40+

BMO Academy Skills and Drills for Kids Ages 2 -14 Tuesdays: October to April 2 and 3 year olds: 10:30AM – 11:30AM; 4:30PM – 5:15PM 4 and 5 year olds: 5:15PM - 6:00PM 6 and 7 year olds: 4:30PM – 5:30PM 8 year olds: 5:30PM – 6:30PM 9 and 10 year olds: 5:30PM – 6:30PM 11 to 14 year olds: 5:00PM – 6:00PM

www.bmocentrelondon.com

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TRYOUTS 2018!

2018 Tryouts will run from September 20th to 30th!

13U - 18U Boys and Girls See Tryout Schedule at www.LVCFire.com for dates and locations.

OVA's Tryout Window Policy The 2018/2019 Ontario Volleyball Association (OVA) season will mark the sixth season that the Tryout Window Policy has been in effect in Ontario. Our Club is a proponent of the policy and we strongly believe that athletes and their families should be evaluating the long-term benefits that each Club can offer their young athlete.

Athlete Selection Athletes are assessed and selected based on the following criteria.

1.

2.

3.

Long-term potential in line with Volleyball Canada's Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) Model Physical Testing: Height, Reach, Movement (as measured by T-Test), Block Touch, Spike Touch, Hand/Eye Coordination, Reaction Time Ball control skill, reading ability/volleyball-IQ

Athletes are selected by the team's respective Head Coach and Assistant Coaches in coordination with the LVC Technical Committee.

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Academy turns into League

attitudes about competition (while continuing the fun!), both during and even after the games.

Submitted by London Sharks Volleyball

Levels:

Without question, sports can help children develop a number of positive characteristics, such as a motivation for learning, while showing them how hard work can help bring success.

With this knowledge, the London Sharks Volleyball Club continuously updates and modifies its programs to provide new schemes that intend to teach children the game of volleyball in a fun, competitive and motivating atmosphere. And as a result, the Sharks’ Junior Academy is becoming a league.

Volleyball has ingredients that can help increase and improve communication, team value and dedication, and it is these qualities that the Junior Academy

• Beginners (8-10 years old) • Intermediate (students) from 1st level (11-12 years old) • Advanced (students) from 2nd level (11-12 years old) Location: Supreme Courts Volleyball (11 Buchanan Court) When: Mondays and Wednesdays Time: 5:30pm to 7:00pm

League hopes to develop through a very basic and fun volleyball game.

It is important for Junior Academy League participants to understand competition as part of the process of sports development, as it constitutes the preferred means of learning the game itself. The Junior Academy League, which will aim to hold weekly competitions, will help contribute to the participants’ understanding of the competition as being part of the process of sports development, and recognize it as a place where they must give their best while also having fun at the same time.

Our coaches will monitor this aspect, and they will help to reshape the players’

2018-2019 Sessions: • Session 1: October 9 to December 10, 2018 • Session 2: January 7 to March 11, 2019 • Session 3: March 25 to May 27, 2019 • Session 4: June 10 to August 10, 2019 Cost: $160. All Athletes will get a program T-shirt

Upcoming London Sharks Events:

• Open house (Sept. 14, 2018) Come visit us to play some volleyball, learn about the club, and discuss with our coaching staff what may be the best program for you. Please check our website for more info (www.londonsharks. ca).

• Club Tryouts (Sept. 20-30, 2018) From Sept. 20 to Sept. 30 we will be running our tryouts for returning and new players interested in competitive volleyball. Please check our website for more info.

www.londonsharks.ca

London Sharks Volleyball is always evolving, and most recently they’re transitioning the Junior Academy into a league, which will combine competition and fun in an exciting environment

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Coach dedication the key Submitted by Forest City Volleyball Club Forest City Volleyball Club prides itself on selecting coaches who not only have a passion for coaching, but also depth and experience in the sport of volleyball. All FCVC coaches have proven ability in helping athletes further hone their natural tal-

ent and skill, along with developing their work ethic, leadership skills, and respect for others – not only for competition, but for life!

Please see our website and follow us on Facebook and Instagram for our Coaching Roster, as well as this year’s competitive tryout schedule. Check out what has made Forest City Volleyball Club successful at developing top athletes since 1992!

The popular Acorn Volleyball development program continues to grow bigger and stronger every year, providing our young athletes with age and skill appropriate exercises and drills to help enhance hand-eye coordination, movement patterns, agility, and strength and posture, all while developing a significant appreciation for volleyball and physical activity in general.

All coaches have an abundance of

experience and credentials in competitive volleyball and high-performance development. They follow the Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model, with a great coach-to-athlete ratio to give players the best start possible to their volleyball careers.

The Forest City Volleyball Club pathway begins with Mini Acorn for 4 to 8-yearolds, which prepares them for advancement to Acorn for 9 to 13-year-olds, where they will gain skill and gameplay experience to be identified for our competitive program for 12 to 18-year-olds.

Visit our website to register today for programs starting in October!

forestcityvolleyball.com | facebook: FCVCLondon | twitter: @go_fcvc | instagram: forestcityvolleyball

Swimming for all ages Submitted by the London Silver Dolphins The London Silver Dolphins swim club begins its 35th season this fall, with September 10 the official start date. The final swim of our 2018-2019 season will be June 28.

Last season we had 90 members,

Outdoor swimming at Thames pool

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ranging in age from 18 to 88. We swim at the Canada Games Aquatic Centre on Wonderland Road from September until late May. We then move to the 50-metre Thames pool for our brief outdoor season.

Our swimmers have varying goals. Some are competitive swimmers who train hard for medals at swim meets. They represent about 15 percent of our team. Some are triathletes, perfecting their front crawl and profiting from coaching tips. Some join our team because their children swim for the London Aquatic Club (LAC). Others swim for fitness, while also improving their stroke, stamina and speed in the pool.

Our competitive

Award winner Joanna with daughter Julia

focus every year is the Provincial Championships, held in March. After that competition, we reduce pool time from five swim options each week to three. At the 2018 Provincials, the Silver Dolphins placed 11th of 44 teams, and many individual medals were won.

Coach Vince, with help from Jenna, keeps our workouts challenging and fun.

Besides pool time, our members enjoy an end-of-the-month pub nite at Crabby Joe’s and a mid-month Sunday brunch at The Early Riser cafe. Other social events include a Christmas bowling party and a summer Awards celebration.

Participation and friendship are team priorities. Please check out our website and consider swimming with the Dolphins!

www.londonsilverdolphins.ca

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New season in the pool Submitted by Middlesex Swimming It’s time for another exciting season for Canada to offer this combination. The polo. Swimmers must be 18 years of age the Middlesex Swimming Club, and there water polo program runs in conjunction or older. Middlesex Swimming produces is plenty to anticipate, with a full lineup with Western University Water Polo to elite level athletes and should be considof programming for the 2018-19 swim create a pathway from grassroots up to ered by all swimmers to become the best season – for swimmers and water polo senior and all the way to masters-level they can be. players aged 5 and up. programming.

For swimming/water polo schedules, Located in London, St. Marys and The Middlesex Masters group is a and for more information about the Stratford, Middlesex Swimming is a comFINA-recognized Masters Team, and is Middlesex Swimming Club, visit middlepetitive Swim, Water Polo and Masters considered one of the best Masters swim sexswimming.ca or email info@middleClub. The organization offers professionclubs in Canada, consistently achieving sexswimming.ca. al coaching and technique instruction impressive results in the pool. www.middlesexswimming.ca with programs for all ages.

We encourage adults of all ages Time and time again, the feedand abilities to participate in the back from athletes is that Middlesex sport of swimming and/or water Swimming fosters an environment in which its members can learn to love and appreciate swimming and water polo, while also developing skills like commitment and hard work.

Athletes who graduate from the Middlesex Swimming Club remain active in the pool for life.

The multi-sport aspect, with competitive swimming and water polo, makes Middlesex Swimming one of only Water Polo is also a big part of the Middlesex Swimming Club, and players Middlesex Swimming athletes have enjoyed numerous highlights in the pool in a handful of Clubs in of all ages are enjoying the exciting water sport

recent years, winning a number of medals and setting personal bests along the way

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MacNeil medals, Juniors set PB’s Submitted by the London Aquatic Club In Edmonton at the Canadian Swimming Trials (July 18-22), Maggie MacNeil once again performed well. In the 100m butterfly event, the London Aquatic Club athlete earned a silver medal, finishing 7/100ths of a second behind Olympic gold medalist Penny Oleksiak. In the 100m freestyle, MacNeil placed 4th in a personal best and club record time of 56.05s.

As a result of her continued success, MacNeil was nominated to the senior Pan-Pacific team (her first senior national

Maggie MacNeil continued her impressive performances in the pool with a silver medal at the Canadian Swimming Trials in Edmonton this summer, finishing second to Olympic gold medalist Penny Oleksiak. In Fiji she won gold and set a Junior Pan-Pacific record in the 100m butterfly, as well as winning a silver and 2 bronze medals in relays.

Calendar of Events

contact London@SportsXpress.ca

September 10-16 Freedom 55 Financial Championship, Highland Country Club September 14 Run The Runway, London Airport-Diamond Aircraft September 14 Easter Seals London Charity Golf Classic, Firerock Golf Club September 14 Squash Exhibition & Open House, Central YMCA September 14-15 Great Canadian Weekend, Delaware Speedway September 15 OCAA Cross Country Invitational, Fanshawe Conservation Area September 18 Terry Fox Run,Springbank Gardens & UWO September 18-22 The Nash Cup, London Squash Club September 19 Free Introduction to Squash program for kids and adults, Central YMCA September 20-23 Drew Doughty Ronald McDonald House AAA Invitational, Western Fair Sports Centre September 21 London Knight Home Opener vs Windsor Spitfires, Budweiser Gardens

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team nomination). Maggie represented in the 200m backstroke and improved Canada and the LAC at the Junior Pan her placing from 41st to 27th.

Pacific Championships in Fiji Aug. 23-26. www.londonaquaticclub.ca Meanwhile, LAC’s four swimmers at the Canadian Junior Championships in Winnipeg (July 25-29) this summer performed very well. Swimmers were Carter Buck (14), Katherine Callon (16), Lauren Campbell (13) and David Hickey (17). Between them, they swam a total of 18 individual events and set 16 new personal bests.

Carter and David each had two top 8 finishes, with Carter’s who represented LAC at the Canadian Junior Championships, (left to right), best finish (4th place) coming in The four athletes Carter, Katherine, Lauren and Dave, set a combined 16 new personal bests the 200m backstroke. David’s best finish, meanwhile, was 6th in both the 100m and 200m backstroke events. Both Carter and David established new LAC club records, with Carter setting new standards in both the 100m and 200m backstroke in the 13 to 14-year-old age category, and David establishing a new record in the 15 to 17-year-old 100m backstroke.

On the girls side, Lauren swam in the ‘B’ final in two events, and Katherine, in her the London Aquatic Club was represented by 36 only race, swam a personal best At the Nova Scotia Championships in Halifax, swimmers

September 22 Pull A Plane To Defeat Duchenne, Jet Aircraft Museum September 23 Smash Wrestling's London Vacation-Filming For Fight Network, London Music Hall September 28 10,000 Paces For 10,000 Faces, Springbank Park September 29 Pumpkin Smasher, Delaware Speedway September 29 Ontario Grand Nationals (Martial Arts), Carling Heights Community Centre September 30 Springbank Road Race, Springbank Park September 30 CIBC Run For The Cure, Victoria Park September 30 Lung Association’s 6th Annual Exhale MTB Race, Fanshawe Trail September 30 50th Annual Hardick Chiropractic Centre 1/2 Marathon & 5K Run and Kiddie Trot, Springbank Park October 1-3 OCAA Golf Championships, Fire Rock Golf & Country Club

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October 4-7 Jr Knights AAA Wendy Dufton Memorial, Western Fair Sports Centre October 6 Ice Maker Enduro 150, Delaware Speedway October 12-14 London Junior Knights Triple 20 Shootout, Western Fair District October 20 MEC Race Five, Gibbons Park October 27-28 Monster Jam, Budweiser Gardens October 27 2018 FCVC Girls E-School Tournament, Supreme Courts November 2-4 London Junior Knights Green & White Tournament, Western Fair Sports Centre November 3 2018 FCVC Boys E-School Tournament, Supreme Courts November 3 Thank You Canada Tour Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir, Budweiser Gardens November 3-4 Canadian Baseball History Conference 2018, Middlesex County Courthouse

Proudly Sponsored by

November 8 London Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Carousel Room November 8-11 London Lynx Ringette Tournament, Western Fair Sports Centre November 9-11 Bob Stark Novice Classic, Oakridge Arena November 16-18 North London Classic, Western Fair Sports Centre

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Season ends in style Submitted by Forest City Diving Club FCDC ended its 2017-18 season on a high. Eleven FCDC athletes (Jaime Dutz, Anika Holland, Camryn Hughes, Faith Zacharias, Joshua Inglis, Nathan Marshall, Katelyn Fung, Julia Parybak, Abbigail Haygarth, Alexa Fung and Daria Chambers) attended their respective Jr. Nationals in May and July, and they returned with Top 12 finishes against the best in the country.

Results at the Nationals ranked FCDC 3rd overall for Age Group A/B, and 8th for Age Group C/D. Congratulations to Joshua Inglis, who received a Bronze medal in Photo by Antoine Saito - Joshua the Men’s A 1M Inglis was a Bronze Medalist at the event, and to Jr. Elite Nationals on 1M

Alexa Fung who received two Gold medals and a Bronze in the Women’s D 1M, 3M and Platform events, respectively.

Congratulations also to all of our coaches and athletes for their perseverance, commitment and dedication to the sport of diving!

FCDC hosted the 2018 Ontario Summer Games from August 3-5. The Games brought in well over 2,500 athletes and coaches from across Ontario. In the diving event, 64 athletes qualified to compete at these games, of which nine were FCDC athletes. And FCDC had three athletes with Triple Gold Standings, including Nathan Marshall (B), Katelyn Fung (B), and Alexa Fung (D). Other medalists included Daria Chambers (one Gold/two Silvers), Abbigail Haygarth (two Silvers/one Bronze), and Raquel Scratch (one Bronze). Our top 10 Finishes include Abbie Wright, Emma Mutiu, and Bethanie Fournier. This was an exciting time for our younger athletes, who experienced team travel and residing at Western University dormitories.

Senior Nationals also took place on the Civic Holiday.

Congratulations to Joshua Inglis who placed 4th in the Men’s 1M and 3M OPEN Finals in Gatineau, Que. Our Diving The team at the 2018 Jr. Elite Nationals

FCDC hosted 64 diving athletes in London at the Summer Games

Photo by SPORTDAD Sports Photography - Alexa Fung, the Jr. Development National Champion on 1M and 3M

Program starts up in September. FCDC offers a standardized diving program called PLOUF for children aged 5 and up. The only requirement is comfort swimming in deep water. The program teaches the fundamentals of diving. PLOUF consists of six skill levels and progression to the next level is dependent on having mastered a set of given tasks.

Are you an adult who wants to give the sport a try? We offer adult classes on Friday evenings. With a convenient 10-pass, you can come any Friday that you are free and will not be tied within the 10-week sessions. We also offer March break and Summer Camps. Have an athlete from gymnastics, dance, figure skating or Martial Arts who wants to try a new sport? These disciplines may already have the requirements for a competitive diver. Send us an email to inquire!

For any questions, please contact us by email at forestcitydivingclub@gmail.com or visit our website at www.forestcitydiving.com for more information.

www.forestcitydiving.com

Forest City Diving Club athletes at the 2018 Ontario Summer Games

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FCDC at the 2018 Jr. Development Nationals

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Kellett solid, Team London at OSG Submitted by London Junior Golf Development Centre

Kellett continues strong season

continued with Golf Ontario’s Junior Boys Championship at Loyalist Golf Club, as well as Golf Ontario’s Men’s Amateur Championship at St. Thomas Golf & Country Club. Cam finished tied for 14th in the Junior Boys tournament, and tied for 8th in the Men’s Amateur, and he qualified for the National Championship for each event.

In August, Cam travelled to Alberta for the Canadian Junior Boys Championship, where he finished tied for 11th overall. The following week, the young golfer travelled to British Columbia for the Canadian Men’s Amateur. Fatigued, admittedly, Cam ended up missing the cut.

Overall, this season was one of the best that a junior golfer in the London area has Team London golfer Bennett Hawrelak turns jumper and sprinter at the Ontario Summer Games enjoyed.

The summer season for Cam Kellett continued to be a series of fantastic finishes. Our last SportsXpress article highlighted a great start to the spring season for Kellett, who earned two consecutive 2nd place finishes at Golf Canada Future Links events.

In the middle of June, Cam won Golf Ontario Men’s Match Play event – a tournament that requires seven match victories to raise the trophy. In early July, Cam’s season

Team London golfer Julia Davis at the Ontario Summer Games (OSG)

Cam Kellett strikes an opening drive at the Canadian Junior Boys Championship

Book your next Team Party

Juniors compete in Summer Games London hosted the Ontario Summer Games (OSG) in August, and Team London golfers represented the program – in two sports. Julia Davis competed in the golf competition as part of the Tyson Tour team. And although she wasn’t particularly pleased with her performance, the experience was outstanding.

Meanwhile, in addition to competing in golf, Team London junior Bennett Hawrelak also participated in Athletics.

Bennett competed in two events – the 80 metre dash and the long jump.

Congratulations to Bennett and Julia on your achievements!

How do I register my child or find out more information?

The London Junior Golf Development Centre welcomes you and your family, regardless of experience or equipment, to start golfing this season. For more information or to register, visit our website.

www.londonjuniorgolf.com

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Pizza Slice & a Drink

*Must be booked during regular operating hours. *If you have a group of 20 or more, we will open the course at any time.

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2019 CITY OF LONDON MUNICIPAL GOLF MEMBERSHIP PROMOTION! 2019 CITY OF LONDON MUNICIPAL GOLF MEMBERSHIP PROMOTION! Purchase your 2019 Golf Membership starting on September 10th and enjoy its privileges and benefits for the rest of the 2018 Golf Season (Green fees apply to certain memberships) Municipal Golf Memberships can be purchased in person or over the phone at Thames Valley, Fanshawe or River Road Golf Course. Memberships are also available through City of London Customer Service (519) 661-5575 Call one of our golf courses at (519) 661-4450 for more information or visit www.london.ca/golf

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Obstacles present opportunities Submitted by Family Karate Recently, legislation in Ontario related to Sport Karate competitions have taken effect. These new rules are changing the landscape of karate competition in Ontario, and coaches, parents and competitors alike are all learning to navigate uncharted waters. In the long run, these changes are aimed at raising standards of competition and potentially aligning

multiple organizations. In the short term, however, these changes can prove to be challenging, possibly frustrating, and may mean that some competitors need to change or re-plot their course to achieve success.

But as with any obstacle we face in life, these new rules also present an opportunity – to grow, to learn, and to persevere.

One of Family Karate’s main goals is to teach life skills through karate (in fact, it is our motto!), and the competition team is no different. What better an opportunity to teach and learn about perseverance? When things seem to be getting harder, rather than easier, when obstacles catch you off guard, and when plans and goals have been set astray, what can we do? We persevere! We keep training, we keep testing ourselves, keep pushing our limits, and we seek to help and, in turn, seek help from those around us.

If there is any group of competitors suited to take up this challenge, it is the Family Karate competition team. While summer means that we sometimes take our foot off the pedal and take it a bit easier, it can also be said that there are dedicated team members who have been training as hard as ever (and that was the case this past summer). Keep training hard!

Family Karate athletes have been busy training hard. The organization teaches that obstacles present opportunities for growth, learning and perseverance

www.familykarate.ca

Young black belts head to Worlds Submitted by Steve Boyle and photo by Ray Drake Kaleb and Athena are two London eight-year-old black belts from Family Karate Centres. They have both recently qualified (at the nationals in Ottawa) to join Team Canada at the World Karate Championships in Dublin, Ireland October 26 to November 3.

Athena will be competing for her second time at the worlds in point sparring. She finished third place in 2017. Athena also recently received the highest marks in her black belt testing, including all of the adults, earning her an honours belt – at just eight years old.

Kaleb, also eight years old, received his black belt in December 2017, and this

will be his first experience on the world stage. Kaleb will be competing in two events. The first will be his creative weapon, using his bow staff, and the second event will be continuous sparring.

The World Karate Championships are the equivalent to the Olympics for the sport of karate. At just eight years old, Kaleb and Athena are certainly going to be two kids from London that you will want to keep your eyes on over the coming years.

We wish them luck on their journey this fall!

“The World Karate

Championships are the equivalent to

the Olympics for the sport of karate.”

www.familykarate.ca

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Athena and Kaleb, two impressive eight-year-old members of Family Karate, will be competing for Team Canada at the World Karate Championships (in Dublin, Ireland) this fall

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Family Footsteps Submitted by Olympic Karate Master Stephen Donovan began his martial arts training at age 4 when his father, Professor – 9th Degree Black belt Mike Donovan, started Little Dragon Classes (4 to 6-year-olds) in 1985. Now,

Sensei Steve, as he is known by his students, is taking Olympic Karate into the future. He is developing new programs, new techniques and helping his students to improve their confidence and leadership.

When asked why he is so connected with his classes, Sensei Steve says the following: “First, I learn every student’s name.

I remember what it was like to be a beginner, or even a rookie black belt. And I make time to listen to the parents and to reinforce family values. It’s not good enough to

Everything at Olympic Karate starts with Sensei Steve, Stephen Donovan, who oversees the entire program as Head Instructor, following in his father’s footsteps

just teach block and punch; our goal is to work to help each student learn to be their best!”

Sensei Steve is working towards his 6th Degree Black Belt at Olympic Karate. He also holds Black Belt ranking in Modern Arnis. He has also trained in Systema, Bondo, Kung Fu, Kali Silat Evolution, Applied Eskirma, Balintawak, Judo and Jiu Jitsu with Grand Masters in these styles and other prominent Masters.

Sensei Steve is the Head Instructor, or Lead Instructor, at Olympic Karate.

He leads all the classes, sets the teaching curriculum, and leads the Black Belt classes, as well as the Children’s program.

www.olympickarate.on.ca

Progress is intense.

Introducing the all-new Audi A4.

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©2016 Audi Canada. *Base MSRP of a new and unregistered 2017 Audi A4 2.0 TFSI quattro Komfort S tronic is $45,822, including $2,095 freight and PDI, $10 OMVIC fee, $22 EHF (tires), $100 a/c levy and $395 dealer admin fee. License, insurance, registration, options, and applicable taxes are extra. Dealer order/trade may be necessary. Dealer may sell or lease for less. European model shown with features that may be available on the Canadian model. Vehicles shown for illustration purposes only. “Bang & Olufsen” is a registered trademark of Bang & Olufsen A/S. “Audi”, “A4”, “Vorsprung durch Technik”, and the four rings emblem are trademarks of AUDI AG registered in Canada. To find out more about Audi, visit your Audi dealer, call 1-800-FOR-AUDI, or visit us at www.audi.ca.

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Battle of the Bows Submitted by The Hood Archery Games Summer may be over, but something fun is always happening at The Hood Archery Games. In September, more specifically, that means the Forest City Battle of the Bows! The Hood Archery Games is

hosting this charity Archery Wars tournament in Kiwanis Park on Saturday, Sept.

15 to raise money for Ronald McDonald House Southwestern Ontario.

Up to 18 teams, consisting of 6 players (with up to 2 subs), will compete across three fields in Archery Wars (like dodge ball but with bows and foam-tipped arrows). In addition to team signups, the event is seeking sponsors and donations – both cash and in-kind (prizes, items to help with the tournament, etc.).

Promotional sponsorship packages are also available.

If you would like to submit a team, or you’d like to find out more information about sponsorship and donations, check out the Facebook event page or visit thehoodarchery. com/fcbb.

Starting in September, The Hood Archery Games will return to its regular Meanwhile, in September, The hours for its exciting (and fun!) Archery Wars, Nerf Wars and Flight School Hood’s indoor facility will be resumsessions.

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ing regular hours for Archery Wars, Nerf Wars and Flight School sessions. Friendly staff will see to it that you and your group have an awesome experience. Check out the website and social media pages for game footage, photos, and upcoming deals!

THE HOOD ARCHERY GAMES 1116 Dearness Drive #20, London ON 519-681-4663

www.thehoodarchery.com

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BOOK NOW! FOR SUMMER SWIMMING GUARANTEE!

Beat the heat with your own Backyard Oasis!

Installation of Inground Swimming Pools, Concrete Patios & Cabanas.

Fiorino Concrete & Pools 19 1/2 Clark Rd, London, Ontario • (519) 471-1488 • admin@fiorinoconcrete.com

sportsfiles

A community-driven organization Submitted by Sport Clips London Sport Clips Haircuts is a very community-minded organization. Here in London, for instance, the local franchises have participated in parades like the 24th Annual London Pride Parade and the Hyde Park Santa Claus Parade.

Meanwhile, Sport Clips has also been fortunate enough to participate in charity events including the Make-AWish Go Blue! Go Bald! campaign, the

29th Annual Make-A-Wish Golf Classic, the 10th Annual Boston Pizza London Charity Golf Tournament, the 35th RMH Annual Golf Classic, and the 18th Annual Lexus of London Golf Classic for the fight against prostate cancer.

Open every day, Sport Clips Haircuts has three locations in London (all locally owned and operated): 1985 Hyde Park Rd, 1103 Adelaide St. N, and 3059

Wonderland Rd S. Sport Clips’ mission is to provide a ‘Championship haircut experience for men and boys in an exciting sports-themed environment.’

www.sportclips.ca

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New building, new beginnings!

Submitted by London Gymnastics Academy

London Gymnastics Academy After many years as the premier gymnastics facility on Wonderland Road South, London Gymnastics Academy – and London Heat Cheerleading – have moved to their NEW FACILITY! We are now located at 2946 Bateman Trail in a brand new, state-of-the-art, air-conditioned, custom facility … only a hop, skip and a jump away from our old location (just three minutes from our old facility – off White Oak Road between Southdale and Bradley).

Families in the neighbourhood have welcomed us with open arms, and we are already enjoying the area, including small excursions to the nearby playground and park with our summer camp athletes.

The facility itself boasts over a whopping 23,000 square feet with two beautiful gyms – one for gymnastics and the other for cheerleading! These two gyms are joined by a spacious, open-concept reception area with a merchandise boutique, parent viewing area and Birthday Party Room! Inside the gyms, we have brand new equipment, tons of floor space, two new Tumbl Traks, two foam pits, an Olympic-sized trampoline, and much more!

We are thrilled to have the space to accommodate our growing programs, both in recreational and competitive gymnastics and cheerleading. In addition to offering tumbling classes, new accelerated gymnastics programs, cheerleading classes, and private lessons, we are also excited to announce our brand new NINJA classes. These highly anticipated classes are perfect for those kids who

love to jump and flip while building strength and self-confidence!

Back by popular demand, birthday parties are available again at this amazing facility! In the past, our parties were booked well in advance and were loved by children of all ages. Now, parties will be even better! With a dedicated party room and two full gyms, children can choose parties of various themes and make it super special! For more information and details, visit our website or come see us at the office to book!

Registration online can be found through the ‘Events’ tab.

Registration for the Fall 2018 Session, as well as for all of our other classes, is open both online and at the office, and spots are filling very quickly! You will definitely want to register quickly to secure a spot for your child! Please visit our website at www.londongymnasticsacademy.com for available days and times for all of our programs. If you have any questions, please call us at 519-652-1385 or email us at info@londongymnasticsacademy.com.

The London Gymnastics Academy is enjoying its brand new, state-of-the-art, air-conditioned facility with new equipment and excited athletes!

londongymnasticsacademy.com London Heat Cheerleading We are in our NEW FACILITY! London Heat Cheerleading is super excited to be training in an amazing new gym with two full floors, new Tumbl Trak, rod floor, and more! And the best part? We now have plenty of room to continue expanding our growing cheer program! Our competitive teams have been training hard all summer, improving their skills with guest instructors and bonding with their new cheer friends – and they’re looking

London Heat Cheerleading is thrilled to be training in a brand new facility, as the program continues to offer high quality opportunities to both competitive and recreational cheer athletes.

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forward to choreography and routine building/training coming soon.

If you are interested in competitive cheerleading this season, please contact Jamie, our cheer director, at info@ londonheatcheerleading.com. Anyone interested in cheer is welcome to contact us for a private tryout with one of our coaches!

Do you just want to try recreational cheerleading first? Our new CHEER 101/102 classes will be starting in September. These classes replace the old Tumble and Cheer classes and are a great introduction to cheerleading, including jumping, tumbling and stunting.

This program will also work on a routine throughout the session leading up to a special performance on the last day for parents, family and friends.

Be sure to check out our websites for all new announcements and programs as we continue to transition and grow into our new facility. We look forward to continuing to serve all of our fabulous LGA and London Heat families in this new season!

londonheatcheerleading.com London.SportsXpress.ca

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sportsfiles 2449 Dundas Street E London ON N5V 3C8 Phone: 519-452-3242 E-mail: recreation@forestcitygym.com Web: www.forestcitygym.com

FCGC classes are for boys & girls of all ages, levels & abilities starting at 18months up to and including adult.

No matter the age we have a class for you!

RECREATIONAL CLASSES:

Our recreational program runs year round with 4 sessions per year (Fall, Winter, Spring & Summer) Parent & Tot 18-36 months Novice 6-9 Advanced (11-14 yrs.)

Kindergym - Preschoolers (3-4 yrs.)

Tramp & Tumbling ( 8+ & 11+) Novice 1-2 Beginners (5-7 yrs.)

Intensive Rec. (By Invite) Novice 3-5 Intermediate (8-10 yrs.)

Adult (18+) Competitive Program– By Invite Only

BIRTHDAY PARTIES:

September - June Up to 8 children - $125.00 Up to 12 children - $155.00 *Above numbers include the birthday child. *Birthday Parties are plus HST Birthday parties are 2 hours in length First hour in the gym with our certified coaches & second hour in our party room. Cost of a party is based on number of children attending & number of coaches required. We are a Peanut Free Facility.

LOTS OF CAMPS:

For ages 4+ *Children must be fully toilet trained

March Break Camp– March 11-15, 2019 PD Day Camps– September 28th & November 16, 2018 & April 5th, 2019 Summer Camp– 2018 Year- July 3 to August 31 2019 Year-July 2 to August 30 Camps include gymnastics, games, crafts and special activities planned for each day and a special activity planned for each week such as Mad Science, Bowling, Ray’s Reptile Zoo, Ceramics painting, East Park Day Park, & movie outings

ADDITIONAL SERVICES WE PROVIDE

Corporate Team Building Private Lessons - Great for Strength, Conditioning & Tumbling skills Group Visits- Bring your gym class, daycare, church group– Coach led class setting.

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sportsfiles

Fall means new beginnings Submitted by The Little Gym of London Summer at the Little Gym of London was just amazing! We had our busiest year ever with our full- and half-day summer camps with weekly themes, such as Pirate Week, Cheerleading, Ninja Warrior and Home-Town Heroes, among others.

We also had our busiest SchoolReadiness Camp for children who plan to enter kindergarten for the first time in September 2018. This is a big life event, and we want them to be as ready as possible. We do so through our Wonderkids Club program. Taught in a classroom setting, it includes two hours of learning and craft stations and one hour of gym time in one of our regular classes. And it’s not just a summer offering! We run this program all year long, with classes from 9:15am-12:15pm on Mondays, and 9:30am-12:30pm on Thursdays for 3 and

4-year-olds who plan to enter kindergarten in the fall of 2019. It’s a great supplement to daycare to help children get ready to separate from parents and learn to problem-solve and follow directions from a teacher.

Also offered are our Parent Child classes (4 months to 3 years old), PreK (3-6yrs) and Grade School (7-12yrs), which feature programs in gymnastics, dance or sports skill development. We also offer Awesome Birthday Bashes for ages 1-12, and Parent Survival Nights on select Fridays each month. For all our schedules, check us out online at www.tlglondoncan.com and click on ‘schedules.’

What is The Little Gym? Our best answer to that question is that we help socialize children. That’s our goal, and

it’s what our team is focused on each day. We do that by using many tools. One of those tools is the challenge of gymnastics (as well as other sports). So, along with the social and cognitive benefits of our programs, there are physical benefits as well.

Studies show that if a child is not properly socialized by the time he or she is age 4, then it becomes increasingly difficult for them as they get older and enter school and life. We don’t want that for anyone! Our curriculum is professionally designed to lay the foundations for socialization and problem-solving in children starting as early as 4 months old. So, the sooner you join the better!

Visit us in Sherwood Forest Mall, or call (519) 642-0660.

www.tlglondoncan.com 4 Fanshawe Park Rd.

The Little Gym of London offers a number of different programs geared to help young children in their development – socially, cognitively, and physically – while having a lot of fun!

FOR AN IN-HOME DESIGN CONSULTATION CALL 519 661 - 6895

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London.SportsXpress.ca

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d.

Richmond St.

rn R Wes te

Wharn

Oxford St.

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Rd.

Sarnia Rd.

Wonderland Rd.

Hyde Park Rd.

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22

sportsfiles

Exciting new program ahead Submitted by Power Cheer Gym September means Back-ToCheerleading, and the Power Cheer Gym is ready for a great season. PCG Viper teams start at 5 years old (Tiny/Mini) and run all the way up through Youth (7-11), Junior (8-14), Senior (12-18) and past University to the ‘Open’ division (17-Adult). There are four different levels of competitive teams, and novices are always welcome. The Vipers Special Needs program will also be starting their fifth year on September 8.

Sadly, there are no longer any competitive or stunt-based cheer teams at London high schools, but PCG is open and ready for all levels of high schoolers looking to

Western All-Girl lifts, flips and runs all summer

get involved in this demanding and diverse performance sport. It is never too late to start Power Cheering.

Call now: 519-667-0565. Or email PCG@PowerCheerGym.com.

The Academy

NEW at PCG at this year is The Academy, which we are proud to introduce. It’s an exciting new acrobatics, aerial arts and dance Every Mustang summer practice ends with Hill Spring training. program that promises to be an Professional Circus Coaching. Meaghan awesome addition to the lineup at toured globally with Cirque du Soleil, PCG. The Seven Fingers, and various other The Academy will offer a year-round international companies, and she’s now program for committed members of its focused on coaching the next generaperformance team, as well as tion of dancers and acrobats through her casual drop-in classes and work as Division Manager at Acrobatic specialty workshops open to Arts. Meaghan is also the founder of the public. Members of the Move With The Beat dance competiteam will follow a structured tions, and she looks forward to sharing acrobatic, aerial and dance sylher experience at The Academy @ Power labus, with their efforts culminating in live performances and Cheer Gym. The Academy launches September 10. participation at various dance For more information, email Meaghan. competitions around Ontario. coaching@gmail.com.

Program Director Meaghan Wegg attended the National www.powercheergym.com Circus School in Montreal and obtained diplomas in pcgvipers @PCGVipers Western Coed getting tuned up at Training Camp in Ohio Circus Arts Performance and

Academy Director Meaghan Wegg

The Academy offers classes in Contortion, Acrobatic Arts, and numerous other dance and performance specialties

Viper Elite Skills Camp for youth, junior and senior athletes

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Academy Hoop/Lyra performer

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sportsfiles

CheerStrike Royals: It’s all in the family Submitted by CheerStrike

www.cheerstrikeroyals.com

38

London.SportsXpress.ca

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Bringing it Home

By Richelle Hirlehey Dance Extreme’s competitive team season runs from late February to the end of May, during which most dancers compete in a minimum of three competitions – and up to a maximum of five.

Occasionally, our whole team will participate in a National or Finals competition to end off our season, and these usually take place in July. Even though our season finishes with the school calendar, our students and teachers are always looking for additional opportunities to participate in other competitions and performances.

During this past July, five Dance Extreme competitive dancers took to Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto’s downtown core to compete at the Toronto

International Youth Dance Festival. The piece, ‘On The Horizon,’ choreographed

by Ms. Rebecca Zizek (rehearsal assistant Ms. Kiana Simler-Fuoco) took home 1st place overall in the whole competition!

Dancers Isabela Filice, Ewan Hartman, Kayla Cohen, Kiera Hunter and Julia Beaton were thrilled to take part in this International dance festival. Per its website, the Toronto International Youth Dance Festival is a ‘multi-cultural celebration of culture and diversity through the art of dance. Started by the Canada International Dance Culture Association in 2014 in the heart of Toronto, it serves as a medium to promote, develop and

exchange knowledge between all people of all background. More importantly, it is an opportunity for children to express themselves while learning to be a part of this growing family that enriches us all.’

Dance Extreme is very proud of all its dancers, and we are thrilled that this team was able to compete with such success, sharing their love of dance with an international audience.

www.danceextreme.com

A group of Dance Extreme competitive dancers had the opportunity in July to compete (and win!) at the Toronto International Youth Dance Festival at Nathan Phillips Square

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For your Life!

TURN THE MUSIC UP • COME DANCE WITH US

Submitted by Jazzercise London Love to ride a bicycle? Or maybe you enjoy skiing (on the water and/or the snow)? Perhaps it’s golf? Do you run?

Prefer to walk? Maybe you just want/ need the cardiovascular and upper body strength to keep up with your children and/or grandchildren, regardless of their size and age?

Well, not only will you have a blast at Jazzercise – we incorporate elements of jazz dance, pilates, yoga, kickboxing and more, all while working out to the latest music by artists like Meghan Trainor, John Mayer and Bruno Mars – you’ll also discover that attending classes regularly gives you that oomph that you’re looking for to fully embrace all that life has to offer.

OVATIONS

No more sitting on the sidelines watching while everyone else has all the fun.

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Please ensure you have read the notice below before providing your approval.

Verify all copy for accuracy and indicate corrections clearly. Direct Response Media Group Inc. is not responsible for errors not marked. Colours (if any) displayed on proof may not match advertiser agrees that DRMG Inc.’s liability shall not exceed an amount equal to the total consideration actually paid to DRMG. Other than corrections, design or copy change may result in add to DRMG that their supplied subject matter is not copyrighted or the trademark property of a third party. To support these warranties, the customer agrees to indemnify and hold DRMG h attorney fees that may be incurred in any legal action connected with copyright infringement involving the work produced or provided. Note: Maximum number of revisions per ad is 4. A at $30 per revision.

MONEY SAVER DEALS NOW ONLINE! Please note, by approving a Money Saver ad, you also agree to have your deal posted online at clipdeals.com and will accept mobile and printed coupons. This is a FREE basic listing service. *Ad must have a redeemable offer to qualify for an online coupon.

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A look at some Jazzercisers participating in the MS Bike event, from Grand Bend to London

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SUNNINGDALE

The Sunningdale neighbourhoods have earned a reputation of being the finest in the city. With a short commute to the University & hospital, the masterplanned development along the Medway valley is stunning. Only one access in or out makes it quiet, & an ideal safe place for kids to play outdoors & more! TEXT: T40335411

Right out of the pages of Architectural Digest is this stunning completely renovated masterpiece by renowned London architect. The home was designed to take advantage of the unobstructed views overlooking the Thames river. Located next to the Thames Valley Golf Club you will never miss your tee-off time. Too much to List! TEXT: T40335410

Harasym Developments, renowned for innovation and design, showcases their Kingsdale model here! The design is perfect for those seeking a home that is family friendly, while also catering to those who love to entertain. Features a spice/wok kitchen or large pantry. Live in this desirable, north London, Sunningdale neighbourhood. TEXT: T40365972

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Luxurious, immaculately kept, one floor home, backs onto Pinnacle Park West. Entertain guests in this spacious, stunning residence, which features a main floor master bedroom, California shutters, corner pantry with door activated light, 14’x14’ composite deck, power awning, and a finished basement space with a 3 piece bathroom. TEXT: T40335413

This huge Stoneybrook, 5 bedroom home is waiting for it’s next family to call it their own. Located on a quiet crescent in North London, this is one of the most desirable streets in the Jack Chambers school district. With 5 bedrooms on the second floor, you shouldn’t outgrow this home, and there is still more room in the partially finished basement. TEXT: T40343913

Located on one of Westmounts most sought after streets, this Wasko built, family crafted home boasts a chef’s dream kitchen featuring a ‘Wolf’ stove & is open to the four season glass family room to take full advantage of the views overlooking the back yard oasis w/in-ground pool. Complete w/home theatre on the main level. TEXT: T40335414

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Situated In the most desirable neighbourhood in Canada Wortley Village, steps from Village Green Park & Wortley Public School. This property has been extensively renovated inside and out, and is on the strip of Langarth Street with neighbouring homes exceeding 1 million dollars. It is also situated on a large 40’ x 189’ lot.. TEXT: T40351649

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TEXT: T40351650

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LIVE ON TOP OF THE CITY with epic northerly views is this remarkable, architecturally designed home to be built by DOMDAY Developments with over approximately 5200 sq.ft finished. Stunning features, soaring ceilings with open plan, lit with floor to ceiling windows and doors, three car garage, complete with walkout basement. Situated in a serene natural treed setting all on a 125 by 180 foot site, just walking distance to Springbank Park and close to downtown.

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TEXT: T40320271

EDGEWATER ESTATES

A new Plan from Harasym Developments Inc - this is a must see! Unique 4 bedroom, 3.5 bathroom luxury home, has a welcoming layout, with spacious rooms and all the finishes you would expect from Harasym. Move in and enjoy this new build in the heart of Waterside at Edgewater Estates!

TEXT: T40320272

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Sought after North London community. Situated on a larger lot, the upgrades here are sure to impress! Spacious main floor.

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Reeves earns volunteer award Submitted by London Minor Football Association London Minor Football coach honoured as volunteer of the year.

Recently, the London Minor Football Association was happy to nominate longtime coach and volunteer Lucas Reeves for the City of London volunteer of the year award. A successful candidate, he was then recognized at a reception at the Western Fairgrounds as one of the volunteers of the year in 2018.

Lucas started out as an assistant coach in the tyke division (ages 9 and under), and he has coached with the Panthers at all three age groups for the past six years. Many of his former players have graduated to great success at the high school level in London, and his team won the LMFA Championship in 2016.

The annual City of London reception honours hardworking, long-time volunteers from sports organizations across London. Like most non-profits, the LMFA relies on our incredible volunteers all year long.

Many people work countless hours behind the scenes so that we can provide almost 700 young athletes the chance to play football every fall.

LMFA is a house league that welcomes all boys and girls across the London and St. Thomas area – from ages 7 to 13. We accept all players, regardless of experience or ability, offering them the chance to join a team, make friends, stay active, and learn about teamwork and sportsmanship.

Lucas Reeves, a long-time coach with the London Minor Football Association, was honoured recently with a City of London volunteer of the year award.

Every Sunday in the fall, the 24 teams compete on the fields at Citywide Park, leading up to LMFA Championship Day on November 4.

For more information on the 2018 LMFA fall season, please visit www.lmfafootball.ca or call 519-852-4465.

www.lmfafootball.ca

In 2016, Reeves guided his Peewee Panthers team to an LMFA Championship

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Bentley Hearing gets active The Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging

Exercise and activity key for seniors Submitted by the Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging If you’re looking for evidence of the benefits of exercise for older adults, there’s no need to go any further than the hundreds of Londoners from their late 50s to their mid-90s who go through their paces every week at the Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging (CCAA).

Part of Western’s Faculty of Health Sciences, and situated across Richmond St. from the main campus, the centre runs combined fitness classes, personal training, and strength and dynamic balance training. The

programs are open to the public, and anyone can join after completing a fitness assessment.

The CCAA is unique in Canada, according to Executive Director Clara Fitzgerald.

“We promote physical activity, exercise, and well-being for older adults through a combination of exercise programs, basic and applied research, educational resources, and training,” Fitzgerald says.

Beyond fitness classes, the CCAA is a national leader in current research and program development for improved physical activity and healthy aging, offering leadership trainingacross Canada.

More than 500 individuThe balance segment of a typical seniors’ fitness class at the CCAA … (left to right): Karen Tarkowski (participant), Mary-Anne Alexander (participant), Mary Absolon (partici- als are certipant), Vicki Noble (participant), Grace Wren (participant), Tedd Tarkowski (participant), Nathan Garber (participant), Mary Lou Douglas-Dubois (volunteer), Giulia Scarponi (International Student - Italy), Mary fied through

CCAA as Seniors’ Fitness Instructors, and interest in the programs is spreading. This year alone, two groups of students from the University of Verona, Italy have taken part in intensive training at the centre, consisting of three courses, four weeks of practical experience, certification, and the invaluable opportunity to interact with participants at the centre – something the students have noted is not readily available to them elsewhere.

“The interactive lessons led us deep into the comprehension of group physical activity classes,” says student Alessandro Cavallo. Added classmate Giulia Scarponi: “The theory lessons were interactive, and the practical ones were fun and useful for me – and for the seniors too!”

Most importantly, the benefits realized by participants are easy to see – and hear – in the gym, the weight room, and throughout the CCAA. For more information about CCAA’s programs, visit the website: www.uwo.ca/ccaa or call 519-661-1603.

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Moxley to lead Western women Submitted by the Western Mustangs and photo by Rachel Vanderloop The Western Mustangs are pleased to welcome Candice Moxley as the new head coach of the women’s hockey program.

“We’re thrilled to have Candice joining our team and continue the success that has established our program into one of the best in the nation,” said Christine Stapleton, Western Director of Sport and Recreation Services. “Candice has a phenomenal depth of experience from across North America, and we’re excited to see her step in and lead our team.”

“I’m really excited to join the Western Mustangs this year,” said Moxley. “The team has had a lot of success the past few years, and I’m looking to help build

Candice Moxley takes over as the Mustangs Women’s Hockey head coach this season, joining Western from the Markham Thunder of the CWHL where she won the Clarkson Cup last season as an assistant coach.

and grow the program for the future.

“With the team having the success that it’s had over the past few years, we’re looking for that consistency piece and the recruiting piece,” Moxley added. “Every woman that comes into our program, we’re looking to develop them as a player and a person, and ultimately put the best product out on the ice to win hockey games.”

Moxley comes to the Mustangs from the Markham Thunder of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League, where she won the Clarkson Cup last season as an assistant coach.

Prior to her time with the Thunder, she served as the head coach for the women’s hockey team at SUNY Buffalo State from 2013-17, dramatically improving that team during her four years behind the bench. Moxley led the Bengals to the playoffs in each season and earned the first national top 10 ranking in program history in 2016-17.

While at SUNY Buffalo State, Moxley also worked as the video coach for the Canadian National Development Team, winning the Nations Cup in 2015 and 2016. Moxley is currently an assistant coach with the Canadian National Development Team and will continue to serve in that role while at Western.

Moxley also has extensive experi-

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ence as an elite athlete, receiving a full scholarship to play for Niagara University in Division I. While with Niagara she was named to the College Hockey America Conference All-Academic team on three occasions, was named a CHA Second Team All-Star, and served as a two-year captain with the Purple Eagles. She was a member of the 2002 squad that reached the NCAA Frozen Four.

Following her university playing days, Moxley played three seasons in the CWHL. She also represented Canada on the international stage, playing with the Canadian Ball Hockey Team in 2013, and won a silver medal with Team Canada at the 2014 World Inline Hockey Championships.

Hailing from Markham, Moxley has a multitude of degrees, holding a Bachelor of Science in Business Commerce, a Masters in Business Administration, and Bachelor of Professional Studies from Niagara University. She also completed a Masters in Science Instructional Leadership while at Robert Morris University.

Moxley’s first OUA regular season game is set for October 19, when the Mustangs begin defence of their McCaw Cup title at home against the Queen’s Gaels.

www.westernmustangs.ca

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sportsfiles

Helping kids have their #BestFirstDay Submitted by Preferred Insurance It’s a wonderful story of teamwork and partnership that is having a huge positive impact on the community. This year marked the sixth time that Preferred Insurance has participated in the ‘Rock Back To School’ Program alongside partner Classic Rock 98.1FM, and it has been another great example of teamwork at its finest.

The program reached its goal of 100 loaded backpacks yet again, and rang up their 6-year total to 562 backpacks!

Thanks to a bulk purchase deal from

partner Real Canadian Superstore, the dollars raised go further for back-toschool supplies for kids in need. The school supplies are distributed by program partners The Salvation Army and The Thames Valley Education Foundation.

As a thank you to their generous business partner supporters, Team Preferred hosted a special day at their office – complete with lunch and Classic Rock 98.1FM broadcasting live-on-location to acknowledge and celebrate their joint success.

Preferred Insurance would like to give

Preferred Insurance held a special day, with a live-on-location broadcast by partner Classic Rock 98.1FM to celebrate the program reaching its target of 100 backpacks for kids in need heading back to school. The total since the program started? 562 backpacks!

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a big thank you to their many 2018 ‘Rock Back To School’ Partners. They include: Westminster Mutual Insurance Co. Marlo Homes CARSTAR Collision & Glass Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Co SelectPath - Ken McKinley AVIVA Insurance Carr's Shell Intact Insurance Co. Downtown Auto Glass CARSTAR London West CARSTAR London East BMW London BELFOR Property Restoration Heartland Mutual Insurance Co. Pacific Marine London Majors PAL Insurance Pembridge Insurance Co.

‘Sally Ann’ checks out the great work Preferred Insurance did this year (once again) helping to fill backpacks for the ‘Rock Back to School’ programs for kids in need

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Skill improvement at all levels Submitted by Johnny Warren for Snipe Academy There is no shortage of talented players who train at Snipe Academy, which was launched by a AAA hockey coach and provides high-quality instruction and programs for players looking to improve their games. And that includes a trio of youngsters – Owen Kindree, Ryan Jonsson and Jacob Couchie – who play for the London Jr. Knights’ Major Bantam AAA team.

And perhaps no one at Snipe knows these particular players better than Johnny Warren, who serves as their shooting and puck handling coach at the Academy. That means working on different types of shots, from in tight around

the net to further out shots, as well as performing a number of puck handling drills.

“We get a lot done in the one-hour sessions,” says Warren, who is in his second year of coaching at Snipe Academy.

“They’re all so highly-skilled, and a characteristic these boys all share is a strong work ethic, so there’s so much we can work on.”

Kindree, Jonsson and Couchie attend Snipe sessions at least once per week in the summer, and they also go in frequently during their winter seasons as well.

And their coach says it has showed.

“Their shots have all improved, and

Owen Kindree

their puck control keeps getting better all the time,” says Warren, who himself played for the Jr. Knights and then the St. Thomas Stars and the London Nationals before spending a season with the London Knights and Saint John Sea Dogs before retiring. “These boys work hard, and we get a lot done. They are here with a purpose – to get better and to learn.

Every time they’re in they always compete and push each other to get better … it’s fun to watch.

“We also have a lot of laughs,” Warren says. “And they’re three of the nicest kids I get to work with at Snipe.”

www.snipeacademy.com

Jacob Couchie

Ryan Jonsson

Kings Ready to Roll Media Release from Komoka Kings Hockey Club Hockey is Canada’s national winter sport. However, for the Komoka Kings’ organization, hockey is a year-round operation. We always have our sticks on the ice – even after the final faceoff of the season and through the offseason.

“The entire Komoka Kings club, from the front office to the behind the scenes team, stickhandle between the off months to make improvements to the fan experience, build upon our successes, fix weaknesses and make necessary changes to grow stronger and better in all areas,” says Owner and GM Roop

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Chanderdat.

“Our team had a remarkable inaugural season in Komoka and made it into the first round of the playoffs. The goal of the Komoka Kings for the 2018-2019 season is to enhance the entire fan experience.”

The Kings have a new coaching staff, led by Head Coach Ron Horvat and Assistant Coaches Mike Reati and Chris Golem. Together, they have more than 50 years of experience behind the bench.

The Kings believe we have made some great strides by signing new players and bringing back fan favourites to strength-

en the team.

We’ve added to our off-ice team, with a Play by Play commentator, a new game announcer, a merchandiser for the Kings’ Haberdashery, plus many other exciting changes, like our website (www. komokakings.com), Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, which will be ready for the first drop of the puck to begin the season.

The Komoka Kings – A team above all.

Above all, a team!

www.komokakings.com

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teamprofiles

50 years and still growing!

• September 19 – from 6:00pm to 9:00pm • September 22 – from 9:00am to 12:00pm • September 26 – from 6:00pm to 8:00pm (if necessary) Registration information and forms can be found and downloaded from our website at www.georgebraysports.ca.

Our 50th season starts with the first puck being dropped at 8:00am on Saturday, September 29. If you are not sure that the GBSA is right for you or your player, come and check out the action! We know you’re out there ... Everybody knows somebody who can benefit from this league.

Teachers, Educational Assistants, relatives, friends, and neighbours – we need your help to spread the word. At GBSA, you have to be here, to see it, to believe it!

Visit our website at www.georgebraysports.ca and ‘Like’ us on Facebook!

Submitted by George Bray Sports Association As the summer season comes to an end, the George Bray Sports Association gets ready to ‘drop the puck’ on our 50th hockey season.

And as we kick off our 50th season, we do so in our new home, the Kinsmen Recreation Centre. While we are sad to leave Glen Cairn (it has been our home for over 10 seasons now), we are excited to move to the larger – and definitely warmer – Kinsmen.

With the move to the larger facility, we will have access to two ice pads and can run our entire program on one day!

For the first time in decades, all of our 18 teams will play on Saturdays between the hours of 8:00am and 1:30pm. We will still maintain our hockey school on Wednesdays from 6:00pm to 7:00pm, as well as our no-cost equipment loaner program. The GBSA board members, coaches and on-ice skaters are all volunteers which helps to keep our fees low, and they are among the most caring people you will find in sports.

Our program has something for everyone: • Fundamentals for

our players new to hockey – this program includes our Hockey School with registration • Junior for our younger players who are familiar with basic skating and hockey – players are typically in elementary school • Intermediate for our players who have skating and hockey skills – players are typically (but not always) in their early to mid-teens • Senior for our players that are skilled in both hockey and skating – players are typically in their late teens and beyond.

Registration for the upcoming season is being held at Kinsmen Recreation Centre (20 Granville St.) on the following dates: • September 15 – from 9:00am to 12:00pm

www.georgebraysports.ca

Celebrating our 50th at the annual Silent Auction and Dance

Parnell Foods team photo – circa 1980

Joining the ranks of the Komoka Kings (from left to right) are Defenceman Jacob Howard, Forward Blake McConnell-Barker, Goalie Owen Say, Defenceman Griffin St. Onge, and Forward Luc Arsenault (who also played for the London Junior Knights last season). Joining the new recruits here are (left to right): Assistant GM Ray Giffen, Owner and GM Roop Chanderdat, and two new additions to the coaching staff, Assistant Coach Mike Reati and Head Coach Ron Horvat.

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Green and gold poised for success

By Luis Grella and photo by London Knights The London Knights are gearing up to begin the 2018-2019 season with a deep roster ready to make another strong run towards the Wayne Gretzky Trophy and the J. Ross Robertson Cup. The Knights are gaining a boost after a successful NHL draft that saw four members of last year’s team being selected.

Evan Bouchard (Edmonton Oilers), Liam Foudy (Columbus Blue Jackets), Alec Regula (Detroit Red Wings), Jordan Kooy (Vegas Golden Knights) were all selected in the summer’s NHL Entry Draft.

The Knights will be looking to improve on the 82 points they finished the regular season with last year. The blue-line will be anchored by Captain Evan Bouchard, who finished the season with 87 points while being the only defenseman in the top 10 in points and top five in assists (62). Joining Bouchard on the backend is recently signed Swedish defender and recent Chicago Blackhawks draft pick (8th overall) Adam Boqvist. The righthanded defenseman recorded 24 points in 25 games (14 goals and 10 assists) with Brynäs IF J20. Boqvist adds an extra layer to an already potent attack from the backend.

Meanwhile, the already strong defensive group will include NHL returning prospects Alec Regula (Detroit Red Wings) and Jacob Golden (Minnesota Wild). Add to that the continued development from players like Andrew Perrott, Riley Coome, and Tim Fallowfield, and Knights opponents will be challenged to record shots on net.

On offense, the leading point trio of Nathan Dunkley, Alex Formenton, and Liam Foudy will look to increase their totals while leading the Knights to a successful season. Foudy finished tied for second in the OHL in shorthanded goals last year, with five, while Formenton was not far behind with three tallies on the penalty kill. Both players, along with Bouchard, recently participated for Team Canada in the World Junior Summer Showcase.

The upcoming season will also see the addition of Russian native Matvey Guskov, who was drafted 36th overall in the import draft and is a possible future

first round selection in the upcoming the regular season (3.11).

NHL entry draft. Guskov, a highly-skilled This iteration of the London Knights centre, registered 32 points in 25 games looks to continue to build and add to its (14 goals and 18 assists) playing for prestigious history with the season beCSKA Moskva in the Russian U17 League ginning at home against the rival Windsor last season.

Spitfires on Friday, September 21.

The Knights will welcome back the www.londonknights.com goalie tandem of Joseph Raaymakers and Jordan Kooy. Both netminders produced strong numbers and are expected to continue to improve on last year’s results. Raaymakers ended last season in the top five in goals against average (2.84) and save percentage (.910) while recording three shutouts. Kooy returns as a recipient of the F.W. “Dinty” Moore Trophy, which is given annually to a first-year goalCaptain Evan Bouchard, who was selected by the Edmonton Oilers during the tender who posts the best summer’s NHL Entry Draft, will return to the Knights this year looking to build on his goals against average during 87-point season a year ago

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LONDON BLUE DEVILS MAKE IT TO THE ONTARIO SUMMER GAMES

This year our Midget boys team made it to the Final Six which gave them a chance to compete in the Ontario Summer Games. This was the first time a London Blue Devils team has made the Final Six, and we couldn’t be prouder of these young men. They played 28 games before heading into the Ontario Summer Games and went 14-12-2 for the season ranking #12 before qualifiers.

They came up against some great teams in the Ontario Summer games and ended up placing #6 in Ontario. They made us proud, and we thank them for their dedication and perseverance this season.

GO BLUE GO! 8 Week Fall Session starting September 9th (excluding Thanksgiving) 2hours every Sunday Skills/Drills/Games Tyke/Novice 3-5pm & Peewee/Bantam/Midget 5-7pm

Check out our website for more details

www.londonlacrosse.com

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