SportsXpress Oshawa Nov/Dec 2015

Whitby to host World Junior A Challenge

OSHAWA BASEBALL AWARD WINNERS 2015

@oshawawhitbysxp @ajaxpickeringsxp

GET BACK IN THE GAME RESET YOUR FALL WORKOUT WITH PERSONAL AND SMALL GROUP TRAINING » » » »

Fall programs start September 8 Adult, Youth and Athlete programs available All fitness levels welcome Family and Corporate packages available

*Programs and services vary by location.

www.twistconditioning.com Vancouver | North Vancouver | Port Coquitlam | Abbotsford | Burlington | London | Whitby | Richmond Hill | Mississauga | Portland | Bangkok

Durham Region

®

.ca

thelineup

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

November/December 2015 Oshawa / Whitby Clarington Region Edition

06

We want you to make SportsXpress your magazine and www.Oshawa.SportsXpress.ca and www.Pickering.SportsXpress.ca your website, by sending in your comments, story ideas, opinions, articles and photos.

Get in the game with us and be connected with your local community sports!

Give us a call at 289-634-1390, or email ScottC@SportsXpress.ca.

health&fitness

behindthebench

15 | In-season hockey development 18 | Accepting criticism

20 | These boots are made for skating...

sports@school

sportsfiles

Informative articles on sports health & fitness.

Highlighting all school sports and athletes.

12 | Fall season wraps up for Ridgebacks 13 | Lords win softball championship on home field 19 | Lords baseball give back to their sport

teamprofiles

Profiling community sports in words and photographs.

05 | 10 |

16 |

UOIT Mens Hockey Panthers Atom AA take tournament again!

Fury buying in to a system and results beginning to show

Front cover photo credit: Canadian Junior Hockey

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

10

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

06 |

07 |

09 |

10 | 14 | 21 |

22 |

Life after hockey — The Brett MacLean Story Masters Lacrosse winter registrations begins soon 2015 Baseball Oshawa OLMBA Yearend Award Winners Skilz Program Break The Ice! Blue Jays Baseball Academy National Coaching Clinic Cobourg and Whitby to host 2015 World Junior A Challenge

19

Durham Region

Your Community

®

.ca

Sports Connection

November/December 2015 PUBLISHERS Scott Cherwaty

ScottC@SportsXpress.ca 289-634-1390

SALES/CREATIVE Tracy Magee CONSULTANT Tracym@sportsxpress.ca EDITOR Jane Penteker GRAPHIC DESIGN Wendy Ferris CONTRIBUTORS AND Ajax Minor Hockey, Ken Babcock, PHOTOGRAPHERS Tim Bates, Wally Donaldson, Durham

College, Al Fourneir, Mary Giacalone, Oshawa Baseball, Oshawa Generals, Laura Parrott, Pickering Minor Hockey, Alex Pickford,Jeff Roux, John Scanga, Twist Whitby, UOIT, World Junior Hockey various sports enthusiasts, and the SportsXpress team

PARTNERSHIP Ajax/Pickering EDITIONS Brampton

Chatham/Kent Hamilton Kingston London Niagara Ottawa Sarnia-Lambton Waterloo Region Winnipeg

PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

PARTICIPATE. INTERACT. SUBMIT. SportsXpress has a targeted readership reaching committed sports enthusiasts — 37,500 readers throughout the sports zone

Get in the Game!

Get connected to a whole new world of community sports.

CONTACT Scott Cherwaty • scottc@sportsxpress.ca Mike Taylor • miket@sportsxpress.ca Get Connected to Oshawa: www.oshawa.sportsxpress.ca

Become a community sports reporter Send us your upcoming sports events Become a local sports photographer

Contact SportsXpress at: 1-877-588-8856 or email sales: Sales@SportsXpress.ca

NATIONAL AND Scott Cherwaty REGIONAL SALES ScottC@SportsXpress.ca 289-634-1390

NATIONAL Mike Taylor MANAGER MikeT@SportsXpress.ca 289-634-1390

REGIONAL Brian Pickard SALES BrianP@SportsXpress.ca Brad Smith BradS@SportsXpress.ca 289-634-1390

PRESIDENT/CEO VP OPERATIONS Walter Browning Clint Szakacs walter@sportsxpress.ca clint@sportsxpress.ca

MAILING ADDRESS 50 Ottawa St. South, Unit 110, Kitchener, On N2G 3S7 519-208-9302 or 1-877 588-8856 Editorial Contributions: Submissions are welcome from writers, photographers, athletes, coaches and individuals. 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. SportsXpress is published six times per year. Sports Express Media Inc. is committed to protecting your privacy as our customer. We may collect personal information only if it is required for the proper functioning of our business and only share this information with our business partners. The editors and contributors who write for Sports Express Media Inc. attempt to provide accurate and useful information and commentary.

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

celerator

TM

centre

Coaching • Administration • Technology

4

Durham.SportsXpress.ca

Belleville/Quinte Brant County Guelph Halton Region Lloydminster Mississauga Oshawa-Whitby Peterborough Swift Current Windsor Northumberland

teamprofiles

UOIT Mens Hockey The UOIT men’s hockey team would like to invite all minor hockey players in Oshawa to our game on Friday, December 4th against the Ryerson Rams.

in our annual chuck-a-puck contest, including Toronto Maple Leafs tickets!

For more information, please contact scott.dennis@dc-uoit.ca.

Admission is FREE with a donation to the holiday food drive.

This is open to all Rep & NASC & OCHL players.

There will also be plenty of prizes

Rogers Hometown Hockey in Oshawa Submit Cheer Rogers hometown Hockey is in Oshawa on December 26 and 27. As part of the celebration we are encouraging all teams to get their creative helmets on and come up with a cheer.

Upload a video of your hockey team’s cheer to win big with Rogers Hometown Hockey. Share your video and encourage your team’s fans to vote for your cheer.

Durham.SportsXpress.ca

5

sportsfiles

Life after Hockey – The Brett MacLean Story

By Alex Pickford

The Oshawa Generals fan base would remember this player for his great seasons in a Gens jersey. Forward Brett MacLean was seen as a solid prospect with the potential to be a full time NHL player. However on July 2, 2012 that path dramatically changed and his life would never be the same.

I was able to sit down with Brett and talk about his life after the tragic incident.

Brett MacLean was born December 24, 1988 in London, Ontario. He is a former professional hockey player who played for two NHL franchises, the Phoenix Coyotes and the Winnipeg Jets. Brett also played for two OHL teams before moving up to the NHL. He was drafted by the Erie Otters, 11th overall, in 2014. After just one season in Erie, they traded him to the Oshawa Generals as part of a large deal. Erie moved MacLean, Eric Regan and two second round picks to Oshawa for Adam Berti and Bret Nasby.

Brett’s career took off in Oshawa, and he finished his OHL career recording 288 points in 245 games. He knows that those points were because of some help at centre position.

“I played with a lot of great players but I would have to go with John Tavares (New York Islanders All-Star). We had two great years together and a lot of great moments.

Definitely was a special time for me. Eric Regan was my closest buddy we got traded together from Erie to Oshawa so we spent the full four years together.”

Brett MacLean was drafted 32nd overall by the Coyotes in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

Speaking about that draft experience, Brett said, “It was exciting and nerve racking. Knowing I could go anywhere in the late first to early second round made for a couple long nights before the draft, but the draft was one of the best moments in my life.”

Prior to the Draft, NHL teams interview prospects that they are interested in selecting. When I asked if the Coyotes had hinted that they might select him, he told me, “I did interview with Phoenix at the NHL combine but had no idea they would

6

Durham.SportsXpress.ca

pick me.”

In 2008, the Phoenix Coyotes signed him to a three year entry level deal. He was assigned to the Coyotes AHL affiliate team, the San Antonio Rampage.

He played two seasons in the AHL before being called up on December 29, 2010. In his first NHL game against the Los Angeles Kings, MacLean scored his first NHL goal on just his third shot of the game. He shared with me that, “To score my first goal in my first game was like a dream.”

On October 5, 2011, Brett was placed on waivers by the Phoenix Coyotes. His career was left to a 24 hour window for a team to place a claim and own his playing rights.

“It was a crazy experience for sure. I was told I was getting sent down but would have to clear waivers first so I headed out to Portland and after practice got called into the coaches’ office and was told I was heading to Winnipeg.

So I packed up and flew off to Winnipeg,” MacLean said about the waivers experience.

His stay in Winnipeg only lasted five games and MacLean was placed on waivers again on October 28, 2011. He was reclaimed by the Phoenix Coyotes.

“I enjoyed my time in Winnipeg, that was such a great experience being there for the first game and all the excitement around the team, but I never felt as comfortable as I did in Phoenix. I was with the Phoenix organization for five years, so it felt more like home. The crowds were great in both cities; the loyal fans love their team in both cities. Phoenix gets a bad rep, but you won’t find too many places with a better atmosphere come playoff time than they had there,” MacLean said about going back to the Coyotes organization.

Upon his return, he was then assigned to the Coyotes AHL affiliate team, the Portland Pirates. He played the full season in the AHL

and never had the chance to play in the NHL again.

On July 2, 2012, Brett MacLean’s hockey career came to an abrupt end. He was playing a fun game of pick-up hockey with his friends in Owen Sound, Ontario. It was his first on-ice practice of the summer.

MacLean collapsed to the ice after making a pass. He suffered a sudden cardiac arrest and was moments away from death.

The chance of survival is five percent for somebody in cardiac arrest. Luckily, friends of MacLean were trained in CPR and defibrillator use, and they were able to revive him. The injury forced him to retire from hockey. The hockey world can be a big support system and Brett felt that.

“I did receive a lot of support from the hockey community. I found that a lot of people reached out to me and supported me which had a positive impact on my recovery.

Andy Miele, Eric Regan and Jordan Szwarz were three of my closer friends during my career who all helped me out and I have stayed close with.”

It’s been three years since that day, but Brett says his health is improving, and he can still be active.

sportsfiles “I have been able to be as active as I want to be with no issues so far. I avoid contact sports which obviously impacted my ability to be a professional athlete, but I can and still play pick up hockey with my buddies.”

MacLean is now the assistant coach of the University of Waterloo’s hockey team. He is also a student at the University. He became the assistant coach in 2014, and he said the transition has been good from player to coach.

“I have really enjoyed the coaching side of the game and have been very lucky to learn under a guy with so much knowledge and experience behind the bench in Brian Bourque. I still have my moments where I wish I could get out on the ice and help my team but at the end of the day it has been a very positive experience.”

Brett could have picked any school he

wanted, but he felt Waterloo was the best choice.

“One big part of my decision to go to University of Waterloo had to do with being closer to my family and being in the same city as my brother. I have been away from home since 15 years old playing hockey so to finally be closer to my parents and be able to see my brother all the time were big motivators. I also found the Recreation/ Sports Business program to be of interest and something I could enjoy studying.”

Due to this life-changing event, MacLean now actively campaigns for CPR awareness with the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

“It has been a great experience to be a spokesperson for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. To see the difference that they have made over time, reducing the fatality rates of heart disease and the new

technology that is out to help save more lives is great to be a part of. It has been great on a personal side as well to be able to turn such a negative event in my life into something a little more positive.”

Masters Lacrosse winter registration begins soon

By John Scanga

Our 2016 Winter Program registration takes place on the following Thursdays, November 19, November 26, and December 3, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Oshawa Civic Fieldhouse, Field D. We are a recreational, non-contact lacrosse league for all skill levels for ages 15 and up.

Our mission is to provide a fun, safe, and healthy environment for players of all skill levels from field and box to enjoy the game of lacrosse.

Our membership includes all skill levels, from beginner and intermediate to alumni players from the NCAA, CUFLA, JR “A” , JR “B”, JR “C”, SR “A”, SR “B”, and masters clubs, including the Whitby Warriors, Brooklin Redmen, Brooklin Merchants, Clarington Green Gaels, Clarington Shamrox, Markham Ironheads, Oshawa Blue Knights Field Lacrosse, and the Whitby Jr Masters and Brooklin Jr Masters Programs.

Current players have competed in field lacrosse events such as the NCAA, CUFLA, World Jr Field Lacrosse Championships, Canadian Jr and Sr Field Lacrosse Championships.

Current players have also competed in box lacrosse events such as the Minto Cup, Mann Cup, Founders Cup, and Canadian Masters Championships.

This experience of competition and sportsmanship is passed on between the various Tier players through fun and mentoring, creating our success story.

Durham.SportsXpress.ca

7

8

Durham.SportsXpress.ca

2015 Baseball Oshawa OLMBA Yearend Award Winners HOUSE LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARDS Minor Rookie Ball House League Player of the Year - Caleb Farrell Rookie Ball House League Player of the Year - Scott Murray Mosquito House League Player of the Year - Dylan Wilson Pee Wee House League Player of the Year - Ethan Krauss Bantam House League Player of the Year - Tavish McMillan

OSHAWA LEGIONAIRES REP AWARDS TEAM BY TEAM MINOR ROOKIE BALL LEGIONAIRES – Head Coach – Shane Gillies Gold Glove Award (Best Defensive Player) —Kaleb Lamb Batting Champion – Tyson Lewis MVP – Quinntin Gillies ROOKIE BALL LEGIONIARES – Head Coach – Mike Hunter Gold Glove- Preston Vieria Batting champion -Carson Pyefinch MVP- Ryan Barker, MINOR MOSQUITO LEGIONAIRES - Head Coach – Adam Lamb Batting Champion & Top Pitcher – Macaih Meyer Gold Glove Award & MVP – Liam Longo MOSQUITO LEGIONAIRES – Head Coach – Aaron Marshall Gold Glove Defensive - Michael Quick Batting Champion & MVP- Luke Torrance Top Pitcher - Braeden Lewis MINOR PEEWEE T2 LEGIONAIRES – Head Coach – Derek Leaney Gold Glove Award - Ethan MacDonald Batting Champion - Tyler Ashwin Top Pitcher - Zack Taylor MVP - Jacob Gravina MINOR PEEWEE LEGIONIARES – Head Coach – Geoff Whent Batting Champion- Jacob Miller Top Pitcher - Tyler Robichaud Gold Glove - Josh Whent Most Valuable Player - Griffin McMillan PEEWEE LEGIONIARES – Head Coach – Kevin Wilson Batting Champion – Addam Wilson Gold Glove Award & Top Pitcher Award – Bryson Calvo MVP – Max Girard MINOR BANTAM LEGIONIARES – Head Coach – Scott Arbuthnot Gold Glove Award (Best Defensive Player) —Justin Travis Batting Champion – Carter Arbuthnot Top Pitcher – Dane Gledhill MVP – Davis McMillan BANTAM LEGIONIARES – Head Coach - Ken Babcock Gold Glove Award - Matthew Robinson Top Pitcher—Braden Babcock Batting Champion & MVP - Aaron Muravski

By Ken Babcock

MIDGET T2 LEGIONAIRES – Head Coach – Bill Arundell Gold Glove Award —Aaron Sprague Batting Champion – Josh Chaulk.

Top Pitcher – Kurtis Worden MVP – Jason Crouse MIDGET AAA LEGIONAIRES – Head Coach – Scott Cawker Gold Glove Award - Samuel Cawker Top Pitcher & Batting Champion : Alec Brown Most Valuable Player: Brendon Dadson JUNIOR LEGIONAIRES – Head Coach – Jim Walerowich Batting Champion and Gold Glove Award - McKenzie Sullivan Top Pitcher - Tylor Johnston MVP - Zach Hoffman

HOUSE LEAGUE COACH OF THE YEAR AWARDS Minor Tee Ball Coach of the Year - Tim Scott.

Tee Ball Coach of the Year - Tom Chorley Minor Rookie Ball Co-Coach of the Year - Greg Berkhoff Minor Rookie Ball Co-oach of the Year - Rocky Luciani Rookie Ball Coach of the Year - Ken Benson Mosquito Coach of the Year - Dustin Jackson Peewee Coach of the Year - Vanessa Parfitt Bantam Coach of the Year - Ian McMillan

SELECT LEGIONAIRES MVP AWARDS Mosquito Select MVP - Dylan Wilson Pee Wee Select MVP - Diego Neira Bantam Select MVP - Dylan Topham

UMPIRE OF THE YEAR AWARDS Troy May Memorial Senior Umpire of the Year – Ben Westcott James E. Lutton” Junior Umpire of the Year – David Westcott HOUSE LEAGUE VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR Pauline Montgomery ASSOCIATION OVERALL VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR Bruce Froude REP COACH OF THE YEAR Scott Cawker, Midget AAA Legionaires REP TEAM OF THE YEAR Kevin Wilson, Oshawa Peewee Legionaires

Durham.SportsXpress.ca

9

teamprofiles

Panthers Atom AA take tournament again!

By Pickering Minor Hockey

The Pickering Panthers Atom AA team have gone two-for-two in tournament play this season, securing their second gold medal at the Motown Cup in Detroit, Michigan.

The Panthers arrived in Detroit with high expectations for the tournament, but they faced some tough competition on their way to the finals. The team emerged from round robin play with their only loss coming against the Toronto Eagles, and it was only fitting that the Eagles and Panthers met once again in the final.

The Panthers played a hard-fought final game, which ultimately ended in a 1–1 tie.

Five minutes of four-on-four overtime didn’t

deliver a winner, and it was on to a shootout, where the Panthers’ firepower was on full display.

Three Panthers shooters hit the back of the net in the shootout, while their goalie shut out the Eagles at the other end of the ice.

With that, the Panthers brought home gold for the second time this season.

The Pickering Panthers Atom AA team members are: Ethan Minogue, Ashton Smith, Mitchell Drummond, Carter Long, Daniel Crimi, Ryleigh Horlock, Jacob York, Jaden Carducci, Nico Groza, Declan Younis, Nicole York, Ethan Joseph, Brandon

Skilz Program

10

Durham.SportsXpress.ca

Morsillo, Blake Heselden, Justice Smith, Cali Tierney and Hunter Casey.

Story and photos by Ryan Douglas

As rumblings of a pilot project of removing the ice at Children’s Arena were being heard, a few people in the Oshawa Lacrosse community saw this as a great opportunity. A team of six people, Board members of the OMLA, began the footprints of what is now known as Skilz. With the approval from the OLA, Skilz began in October, and it’s the only off-season lacrosse program east of the GTA. There is a second season beginning in January 2016. The focus of Skilz is to develop players, to improve existing talent, and to draw new players to the lacrosse family across Ontario.

There are two different programs being run in Skilz. There is a four-on-four no-contact league playing, on average, about three games within two weeks. The second program consists of practices that are held on Friday nights and will be instructed by Adrian Sorichetti from Edmonton Rush and other guest instructors from the National Lacrosse League. The response in this short amount of time has been great and is growing every week.

For the second straight year, the UOIT women’s soccer team have five players named Ontario University Athletics (OUA) all-stars announced Thursday by the league.

Kylie Bordeleau and Katherine Koehler-Grassau have been named to the first-team, while goalkeeper Helen Frampton along with midfielders Mikaela Tierney and Alessia Mattucci are second-team all-stars this year.

With Bordeleau and Koehler-Grassau doing a great job of controlling the flow of the game for the Ridgebacks this season, UOIT only allowed seven goals against in 16 regular season games, which tied them with the York Lions for the conference lead.

This is the third consecutive season that Bordeleau has landed a spot on the all-star team, while Koehler-Grassau has earned all-star honours in her first two seasons with the Ridgebacks. The duo was also together on Team Canada at the FISU Games in South Korea this summer.

Female Athletes of the Month:

Kylie Bordeleau, Katherine Koehler-Grassau, Helen Frampton, Mikaela Tierney and Alessia Mattucci

On the rare occasion that an attacker managed to sneak a ball through the Ridgeback defence, Frampton was there. In her rookie season, the first-year nursing major finished third in the league in both goals against average (0.45) and save percentage (.899), while leading the league with seven shutouts. In a six game stretch earlier this season, Frampton didn’t allow a goal over the course of 632 minutes.

Tierney, who is best known for her strong defensive play, appeared in 12 games this season for the Ridgebacks, while in her first year in OUA, Mattucci finished third on the team with three goals.

Prior to the playoffs, a pair of Lords were recognized for their play throughout the regular season as Jake Legros (Whitby, Ont.) and Ben deBoer (Kendal, Ont.) won awards.

Legros, a mechanical engineering major, was named an OCAA all-star and the overall rookie of the year. In his first season with the Lords he made an immediate impact at the plate and on the mound. He finished third in OCAA batting with a .419 average, recording 18 hits, 13 runs, and six RBIs. He has also pitched in two games, both of which were wins. In the Lords’ regular season finale, Legros shut down the Hawks, holding them to just one run and five hits in the complete game victory.

Male Athletes of the Month:

Jake Legros and Ben deBoer

This is deBoer’s second straight year being named an OCAA all-star. The sport management major was nowhere close to suffering the sophomore jinx as he posted a .321 batting average and .525 on base percentage in 13 games. Nine seemed to be his magic number, as that was his total in each category of runs scored, RBIs, and hits.

(905) 435-0800 909 Simcoe St. N., Unit 1C, Oshawa

Durham.SportsXpress.ca

11

UOIT RIDGEBACKS Fall season wraps up for Ridgebacks

Mackenzie Dasti was named an OUA golf second team all-star.

OSHAWA, Ont. – The UOIT athletics department had their fall sport season come to a close Oct. 28 at home as the postseason push wrapped up for the women’s soccer team.

The Ridgebacks (9-5-2) lost 2-0 to the Carleton Ravens in the OUA eastern conference quarter-final, the school’s fourth straight trip to the postseason since adding the women’s soccer program. Freshman goalkeeper Helen Frampton had seven shutouts in her first season with UOIT, while Shynice Williams had eight goals in 16 games to lead the team.

For the second straight season the UOIT men’s soccer team (5-9-2) returned to the postseason, but lost their OUA eastern conference quarter-final 2-1 to the Queen’s Gaels. Graduating senior Travis Martin earned five shutouts over 16 games in goal. Erik Petrovic was the leading scorer with six goals this season.

This fall UOIT hosted two OUA championships, golf and field lacrosse, both of which the school also hosted in 2014.

The Ridgebacks men’s golf team finished in a tie for eighth at the two-day championship held at Oshawa Golf and Curling Club. Returning golfer, Mackenzie Dasti, finished in a tie for eighth overall in the individual category and was named to the OUA second all-star team.

The UOIT women’s field lacrosse team (6-6-1) were

looking to benefit from home field advantage once again at the 2015 provincial championship, after advancing to the OUA final four for the first time in program history last season at home, where they were narrowly defeated by the Toronto Varsity Blues in the bronze medal match.

This season at home the Ridgebacks ran into a hot Brock Badgers team to open the three-day tournament before a heart-breaking overtime loss to end up in the seventh place game, a rematch of the 2014 bronze medal game.

Toronto topped UOIT to have the Ridgebacks finish eighth in the province.

Ridgebacks Taylor Milburn and Taylor Landry were both named to OUA second team all-stars following the championship.

On the water the UOIT rowing team experienced success at numerous events, with the most notable results being gold medal races by the novice men’s 4+ crew of Bilal Bhatti, Maxim Hamel, Victor Vang and Christien Soosaipillai at the OUA developmental regatta and novice 4+ crew of Bhatti, Jamie Barletta, Christian Langevin, Frobisher Moses and Khalil Sidawi at the Head of the Welland.

UOIT now turns their attention to the hockey, dance and curling seasons, which will conclude in February and March.

www.uoitridgebacks.com • facebook.com/uoitridgebacks

Taylor Milburn was named an OUA field lacrosse second-team all-star.

Erik Petrovic was named the CIS athlete of the week on Sept. 9. He is only the second Ridgeback to receive the award.

DURHAM COLLEGE LORDS Lords win softball championship on home field

Upcoming Home Games Basketball

OSHAWA, Ont. – The Durham College women’s softball team is back on top after winning the 2015 OCAA championship.

The host Lords defeated the Humber Hawks 7-3 at Durham Field to win the OCAA title, the programs first since 2011.

Championship MVP Caitlyn Omelanchuk (Whitby, Ont.) pitched a complete game for Durham, allowing three earned runs on nine hits and six walks in the win. She struck out three in the final.

Myranda Pierson was the losing pitcher for the Humber Hawks. She threw 3.1 innings, allowing six earned runs on nine hits and two walks. Amanda Van de Graaf pitched 2.2 innings in relief, allowing one earned run on three hits and a walk.

“It’s always good to win at home, but it’s also good to win anywhere,” said Durham College head coach Jim Nemish. “We’ve been looked to put a new (championship) sign up there (outfield fence) cause it’s been a few years. It’s just special to win at home on your home field.”

At the plate, player of the game, Justine Pike (Whitby, Ont.) led the Lords going 2-for-2 with a walk and an RBI. Humber’s player of the game was 1-for-4 with an RBI, while tournament all-star Kaitlyn Pitek was 2-for-4.

Hilary Redrup was also named a tournament

all-star for the Humber Hawks, while Durham shortstop Rebecca Ropp (Milverton, Ont.) finished the tournament with a .538 batting average to also be named an all-star.

Durham College made their way to the championship by defeating the CCSA national champion St. Clair Saints 8-5 and Fanshawe Falcons 11-3 on Friday.

“They’re a young team and we’ve been up and down all season, but last Sunday we had a good talk with the girls and told them they’ve got to play with the heart,” said Nemish. “This game is played with heart, discipline and being able to make adjustments. They bought into that and we went on a roll, sweeping Fanshawe, Conestoga and then went undefeated this weekend. They bought into the system and played great ball, right from our pitchers to infielders to outfielders.

“You can use the cliché ‘peaked at the right time,’ but the girls played solid ball and believed in themselves this weekend.”

The Humber Hawks lost their opening game of the championship against the Falcons, 6-0, but rebounded by eliminating St. Clair with an 11-1 victory in six innings.

In the bronze medal game Humber won a slugfest 19-15 over Fanshawe to advance to the final.

Nov. 6 vs. Loyalist - 6/8 PM Nov. 13 vs. Fleming - 7 PM (Men’s) Nov. 20 vs. Algonquin - 6/8 PM Nov. 21 vs. La Cité - 6 PM (Men’s) Jan. 19 vs. George Brown - 6/8 PM Jan. 22 vs. Centennial - 6/8 PM Jan. 29 vs. Georgian - 6/8 PM Feb. 6 vs. Canadore - 7 PM (Men’s) Feb. 19 vs. St. Lawrence - 6/8 PM March 3-5 • WBB OCAA Championship @ Niagara College March 4-6 • MBB OCAA Championship @ Humber College

Volleyball

Nov. 7 vs. Algonquin - 6/8 PM Nov. 19 vs. Loyalist - 6/8 PM Nov. 29 vs. La Cité - 6/8 PM Dec. 3 vs. Georgian - 6/8 PM Jan. 7 vs. Centennial - 6/8 PM Jan. 21 vs. Trent - 6/8 PM Feb. 2 vs. Fleming - 6/8 PM Feb. 7 vs. Canadore - 6/8 PM Feb. 11 vs. Seneca - 6/8 PM Feb. 25-27 - OCAA Championship Men @ Seneca Women @ Canadore *All home games played at CRWC

DurhamLords @durhamlords123 @durhamlords

www.durhamlords.com • facebook.com/durhamlords

sportsfiles

Break The Ice!

By Ajax Minor Hockey

The Ajax Minor Hockey Association hosted their first Break the Ice A & AA Early Bird Tournament on September 10-13, 2015. With 96 teams, 235 games, three venues and eight rinks, the arenas were filled to capacity with players, coaching staff, parents, and spectators from as far away south as Windsor, east of Ottawa and north to Timmins. The tournament saw disappointment and jubilation as competition was tough in all divisions. It saw teams lead their division from start to the finish while underdogs never gave up their drive and at times some were successful in eliminating the first place team to take the championship trophies.

The host Midget AA team and Minor Peewee A team captured their respective division titles and were ecstatic to raise their championship ice trophies on home ice.

Midget AA Wins Break the Ice Tournament The Midget AA team battled hard through three close round robin games, ending up with a loss and two ties. They came out strong in the quarter and semi-final games, taking them 3–0 and 4–2 respectively.

Ajax then faced the Markham Waxers in the championship game. After losing to Markham in the round robin, Ajax took an early 1–0 lead in the game. Markham tied it up late in the game on a power play opportunity and forced it into overtime.

After the first overtime period solved nothing, the teams played five-minute periods starting at four-on-four. After each period, the teams removed a player from the ice, ending up with a final overtime period of one-on-one.

Markham had two breakaways during this period but C. Novia shut the door with two

14

Durham.SportsXpress.ca

unbelievable saves. K. Stiles then took a face-off in his own end. He out-muscled the lone Markham player for the puck and took it end to end, slipping it between the goalie’s legs with only four ticks remaining on the clock. What an exciting way to end a championship game! Congratulations to both teams for an outstanding game.

Minor Peewee A Wins Break the Ice Tournament The Minor Peewee A team finished first in the round robin to move on to the semifinals against the Toronto Shamrocks. It was a nail-biter, but Ajax came through, winning the game 2–1. Then, it was on to the finals against Niagara Falls. The boys came out strong, and their determination paid off with a 6–2 win. The team was undefeated and never trailed throughout the entire tournament.

Break the Ice Tournament Winners Novice A—Brampton 45’s; Novice AA —Clarkson Hurricanes; Minor Atom AA —Willowdale Blackhawks; Minor Atom A —Oshawa Generals; Minor PeeWee A—Ajax Knights; Peewee AA—Ted Reeve Thunder; Peewee A—Orillia Terriers; Minor Bantam A—Oshawa Generals; Minor Bantam AA— West Hill Golden Hawks; Bantam A—Grimsby Kings; Minor Midget A— Toronto Aeros; Minor Midget AA—GCMHA St. Catharines Jr Falcons; Midget A —Scarborough Young Bruins and Midget AA —Ajax Knights.

Congratulations to all participants, finalists, and champions for making the first Break the Ice Tournament a huge success!

Don’t miss out on next year’s Break the Ice Tournament. Check out our website, www.ajaxminorhockey.com in the spring for the 2016 date and further details.

Ron Sharpe Memorial Spring Classic Tournament The AMHA will be hosting their 10th Annual Ron Sharpe Memorial Spring Classic Tournament on March 24-27, 2016 (Easter Weekend). Divisions will include Tyke, Novice, Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Minor Midget and Midget/Juvenile. This tournament is non-contact and for house league and local teams only.

$899 for OMHA Teams $949 for Non OMHA Teams 3 game guarantee plus semis and finals Periods: 10-10-10 Round Robin 10-10-15 Semi-Finals and Championship For more information, contact Jason Bradimore, Tournament Director at amhatournament@gmail.com or 416-209-5278.

New to Hockey Program The AMHA is once again running the New to Hockey Program this year. This program is open and free to all first year players in the AMHA or to those who are interested in joining the AMHA. This program focuses on teaching the fundamentals of hockey. If interested please check out our website at www.ajaxminorhockey.com.

The program begins September 20th and runs Sundays at the Ajax Community Centre located at 75 Centennial Road, Ajax on Pad 2 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

health@fitness

In-season hockey development: keep getting better!

By Jeff Roux

Long term player development in any sport is not just about training hard in the off season. Players who begin their preparation with a purposeful, progressive off-season program set themselves up mentally and physically to be prepared for what the season will bring. Once the puck drops to start the timer on the new season, the focus often shifts from preparation to performance, but for those players who want to continue to get better every day, the opportunity never ends.

season hockey conditioning program will allow players to reset at the end of the offseason and re-focus on stability, mobility and efficiency of movement as the season begins.

The hard work athletes have done to improve their strength and conditioning all summer is often at its peak as the season begins. As teams hit the ice and set their sights on competition, the opportunity for development does not go away. Certainly the emphasis on proper game preparation, training, and learning shifts as the season progresses, but individual players must also focus on their own needs in order to continue to make themselves and the team better. Individual development often takes a back seat as coaches establish team tactics, positional play, and special-teams preparation.

• Strength (Force Production AND Force Absorption)

Many athletes move away from developing their individual strength, fitness and conditioning, and they try to simply maintain their fitness level and put all of their time into on-ice development.

Does this seem like a wise move for a sport where the most competitive part of the season comes six months from the start? For true performance success in the competitive season, ongoing development, and injury prevention, it is essential to not only maintain but continue to improve all of the training, nutrition, recovery, and regeneration habits that were (hopefully) developed in the summer.

In-season strength and conditioning is an essential element to all sports. The key is following a program that maximizes the efficiency of training and does not take away from the development and learning of the game. A properly designed in-

and within the tactics and philosophies of the team so that all of the elements of the game can be brought together to maximize performance.

In-Season Hockey Conditioning Focus • Injury Prevention (stability, mobility, muscle activation)

The game of hockey can be won or lost by a stride or a stick length, and it is the players with ability to control their body from fingertip to fingertip who have the greatest chance to make game changing plays. Being game ready isn’t always as simple as shooting and passing. The best players seem to always “find the puck”, but in fact much of that offensive creativity or gap control comes as a direct result of stride efficiency, edging, and skill execution under fatigue to create breakaway speed!

• First Step Quickness & Acceleration • Quick direction changes and reaction to opponent and situations

• Skill execution under fatigue (shift specific) • Seasonal Conditioning and Recovery (game and tournament specific) • Attention to schedule volume and peak performance focus (tournaments, playoff, etc.)

• Nutrition for fueling performance and accelerating recovery Quality of movement, and low volume, efficient training sessions allow athletes to maximize their schedule time and balance their energy for training, practice, school, family, and life. Proper nutrition, hydration, rest, recovery (both mental and physical), and regeneration are all important to performance success.

Team training is a great way to maximize training in a team environment, allow the players to bond and build chemistry off of the ice (without helmets), but sometimes the needs of each individual player can easily get lost in the wrong environment.

Individual needs should be highlighted based on physiological weaknesses and limitations, positional demands, and injury history. The schedules of young athletes are extremely tight and any wasted time in the training room leads to wasted effort and wasted energy that could be applied to something else. Players need to be able to integrate their development on the ice with their training and athleticism off the ice

Forget the notion that talent comes naturally. The most talented players work endlessly to tie the little pieces of the game together through synchronized work on and off the ice. Putting together a challenging workout or skate is easy; putting together a progression for developing athleticism and integrating a program that ties together on and off of the ice takes knowledge, experience, and skill. Ultimately this integration provides the player with the best opportunity to get better and be at their best when their best is needed.

Athletes should establish a specific set of goals and objectives to start every new season. These may be individual goals, team goals, life goals, or a combination of all of the above. They can then prioritize how they are going to achieve these goals and how all of this fits into their training schedule. A qualified strength and conditioning coach will be able to assess these goals and help come up with a plan and a schedule that meets the players’ needs, helps them accomplish their goals and helps them keep shooting for their hockey dreams until the final horn sounds and the off-season arrives again.

Durham.SportsXpress.ca

15

teamprofiles

Fury buying in to a system and results beginning to show Whitby turns back the Muskies for second straight victory

By Wally Donaldson

Although they are still making a determined bid to climb out of the cellar, Whitby Fury coach Scott McCrory is beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel. In essence, his players are finally buying in to a game plan and the results are beginning to show.

It might have taken longer than McCrory anticipated, but recent outings seem to show a sincere bid by the players to better themselves.

And it indeed was brought to light when the Fury easily handled the Lindsay Muskies 8–2 in Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) play at the Iroquois Park Recreation Complex.

The Fury turned back the Spirit 5–3 in Stouffville, a hint of more wins to come, according to McCrory.

“Knock on wood,” laughs the Whitby skipper, “but it looks as though the guys are buying into our KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) system.

“The whole idea is to not turn pucks over, and the guys have been doing that, and it’s good to see.

“Ryan (Kitchen, assistant coach) and I went to scout Lindsay on Friday night, and we picked up a few cues on their game. We brought the scouting report back to the boys, and they bought in to it. They forced down low and left our defencemen open. Our first and third goals were the results of shots from the point. They were wide open, so we capitalized on the report.”

Leading 2–1 after one period, the Fury extended the margin to 6–1 after two periods.

Ironically, all Whitby goals were of the single nature. Ryan Sarris, Nik Coric, Zach Viminitz, Jacob Durham, Brock Welsh, Kevin Dimagno, Ryan Heeps, and Jeffrey Gauld connected for the Fury, who outshot the Muskies 39–27.

Scott Kirton chipped in with three assists.

Brandon Washer and Cedric Ralph replied for the Muskies, who held down bottom spot in the North Division with a 5–10–0–2 record.

16

Durham.SportsXpress.ca

Whitby sported an 8–10–0–2 record in the East Division.

It took the Fury only 50 seconds into the game to make their point, as Welsh redirected a Reilly Smith drive for the opening goal of the game. Jacob Durham extended the lead on the power play with 5:33 left in the frame.

Fury, once again, went to work on the Muskies early in the second period with Sarris scoring just 18 seconds in, and after Lindsay’s Washer closed the game with the man advantage, Whitby extended its margin on goals by Heeps, Viminitz and Dimagno’s shorthanded goal with 1:08 left in the frame.

Coric and Gauld kept the goals coming before Ralph was able to capitalize on a twoman advantage, all in a penalty-filled final period.

“We know that any team can compete against us, so the boys are starting to work a system, and it’s working,” says Sarris, a talent on the blue line. “We’re following a system the coaches have been telling us since day one.

We picked it up three games ago, so if we keep that up, we’ll be good.”

The ability to listen and buy into the program appears to be the answer inside the Whitby dressing room, says McCrory.

“The veterans have stepped up, but I tell yah, the rookies came in and showed the vets

teamprofiles

Wally World

what they do — the disturbers I call them — they go and go and don’t stop. They have played the system and scored some goals for us.”

George Burnett, head coach of the Ontario Hockey League’s (OHL) Hamilton Bulldogs, was in the house checking out the array of talent. His club has been smitten by the injury bug of late and was in Oshawa to play the Generals Friday, November 6. A former coach of the junior C Port Perry MoJacks, Burnett, noting a sparse crowd, recalled the days, “When we played Lindsay, you could count on up to a 1,000 at the games. The league has changed the rules. If a kid came from Port Perry, he played for Port Perry.

That’s not the case anymore. The same here in Whitby. Maybe that’s why they don’t get the following.”

Whitby Fury graduate Devin Shore was recently recalled by the Dallas Stars and was in the line-up when they took on the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Air Canada Centre.

The Fury will needed to be at the top of their game on Tuesday, November 3 at Iroquois Park when they play host to front-running Trenton Golden Hawks, who come into this one with a 15–2–1–0 record. Game time is 7:40 p.m.

Durham.SportsXpress.ca

17

health@fitness

Accepting criticism

By Laura Parrott

In a world where winning and being number one is celebrated and desired, hearing that we have faults or areas for improvement can be hard to take. However, dealing with criticism effectively is an important skill that will help you to improve your game and will help you get to the level of performance you want to achieve.

Tips for Accepting Criticism 1. Accept that you’re not perfect and that you don’t always know better than someone else.

2. Release control of the situation and open your mind to consider another person’s perspective.

3. Try not to take it personally and remember that it’s not your heart and soul that are suggested to improve, but your skill, strategy, behaviour, actions, perspective, etc. When a child is disciplined for misbehaving she must remember that she as a human being is not bad, rather the behaviour is bad.

Doing something bad does not change the fact that she is kind, smart, thoughtful, etc. In the context of sport, just because an athlete receives constructive criticism on her technique, does not mean that she is a poor competitor. She merely has room for improvement in a certain area.

4. Remember that in sport, the majority of

people delivering constructive criticisms are those who care about you so much that they don’t mind being blunt and telling it like it is. Such people may include coaches, teammates, support staff, etc. They are giving you suggestions for improvement to make you better and help you develop as an athlete and person.

5. Get involved in the constructive criticism conversation. If you don’t understand where the other person is coming from, or why they believe their comments are warranted, engage and ask questions.

Sometimes you may not agree with the criticism, and that’s okay. Just because someone gives you a suggestion, it doesn’t mean that you have to take it. You should question it, while being open to understanding their perspective, and then make an informed decision whether to take action to make changes or not. Don’t blindly accept all criticism because some people are not criticizing you for your benefit, rather they just enjoy hearing themselves speak. Be wary of these people.

6. If you’re feeling down from hearing negativity, take a deep breath and take a moment to think about all of the times when you were great. Think about all of the positive contributions you’ve made to

your development as an athlete. Think of everything you’ve done to get where you are. Then, remember that this criticism does not determine your future in sport.

Yes, you’re receiving criticism and that might be hard to hear, but that doesn’t mean you’re a failure. Make sure you keep criticism in perspective.

7. Know that each time you hear criticism you may be presented with an opportunity to improve in your sport. This gives you a challenge and a goal, and reaching your goals feels good! Once you’ve reached this new goal you’ll be that much better at your sport.

Laura Parrott, Mental Performance Consultant Director/Owner of Wheelhouse MPC MHK, University of Ottawa 289-927-3039 www.wheelhousempc.com facebook.com/wheelhousempc twitter.com/Wheelhousempc instagram.com/wheelhouse_mpc/ “Laura is a mental performance consultant and owner of Wheelhouse Mental Performance Consulting

GO GENERALS GO Good luck in the 2015-16 OHL Season From the SportsXpress Team - Proud Supporters of the Oshawa Generals

18

Durham.SportsXpress.ca

sports@school

Lords baseball give back to their sport Written by Durham College Athletics

Baseball is booming in Canada right now.

The Blue Jays made a significant run in the playoffs. Minor baseball registrations are up. Canada has fallen back in love with America’s pastime.

In 2015, the Durham College baseball team finished in the final four of the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) while doing their part to grow the game internationally, having teamed up with Play Global!

Play Global, which was formed in 2012, teaches baseball to coaches and youth in developing countries and areas of conflict.

They use baseball as a way to help kids see past their differences, respect others, and

“With all of the challenges kids face in Uganda (poverty, malnutrition, malaria and AIDS), they still want to play baseball.”

play as a team.

players growing up, so we are excited to be able to give back.”

“It is really important for our guys to give back,” said Durham College head coach Sam Dempster. “With all of the challenges kids face in Uganda (poverty, malnutrition, malaria and AIDS), they still want to play baseball. The sport has given so much to our

Throughout the entire 2015 season, Durham held a fundraiser in support of the charity. The Lords, in conjunction with Baseball Oshawa, collected equipment at all home games to send overseas for the less fortunate. Humber College, who is Durham’s rival on the field, also got on board and donated equipment to the cause.

Through barbecues and raffles at home games, the team was able to raise money that the charity will be able to use to further develop programing.

Durham also purchased special t-shirts that they wore during warm ups, that they donated following the conclusion of the season.

For more information on the Durham College baseball team, visit www. durhamlords.com.

For more information on Play Global, visit www.play-global.org.

Durham.SportsXpress.ca

19

behindthebench

PHOTO BY TIM BATES

These boots are made for skating…

By Mary Giacalone Head Instructor/Owner of Scary Skate Inc.

The impact of properly fit skates on the mechanics of your skating stride We at Scary Skate Inc take skates very seriously. Parents often buy skates for their children based on what they have worn or on advice given to them by others.

Players sometimes choose skates that are worn by their favorite players or from watching TV and internet commercials.

This is the biggest and most important piece of equipment you will need to buy for young ringette or hockey player. Do your homework, and choose wisely.

All my head instructors and I wear Graf skates. We spend many hours on the ice daily, and our skates need to feel like slippers. We had a Graf representative do a custom fitting, and we were able to specify and design exactly what we needed from our skates. Everyone has a different shaped foot and needs to choose a skate based on support, comfort, and individual needs. It’s important to consider the negative impact your skates will have on your skating stride if they do not fit properly. Here is a great article by Doug Ingraham of Graf Canada with lots of information that we at Scary Skate were taught on skate fitting.

Whether it’s to become a good skater as an amateur or to continue to improve your skating skills as a professional, you have to have good skating mechanics to continue to improve. You have to understand the basic fundamental movements of skating, which include multiple joints, muscles, ligaments, and tendons. This chain of movement must be free-flowing and rhythmic, not jumpy and choppy. If any part of the chain is restrictive, it will hinder your stride and skating muscle development, overall speed, and power. As an example, the strongest tree in the forest is the tree that has the best stabilizing roots.

Skates that are fitted properly represent strong stabilizing roots to a skater. Your skates and blades should be an extension of your foot. Properly fitting skates allow you to generate all of your power to the ice through the fundamental skating movements. Improperly fitting skates will not allow this. The movement and power from your skating stride begins at the ice surface. Everything is expressed from the ice upward through multiple joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons. If your skate is

20

Durham.SportsXpress.ca

not properly fitted or rooted on your foot, that will be reflected in the fundamental movement of your skating stride.

The properly fitted skate becomes a flawless extension of your foot, which is powered by your core, reflected by your arms, and manifested in your hands.

Athletes must be able to use ground reaction from the ice surface. Simply put, skating is gravity driven. In relation to the ice, the terms open and closed chains can be used. The gait or stride is the gliding or stance leg, which represents the closed chain, and the thrusting leg or free leg represents the open chain. An efficient stride is demonstrated in the interaction and timing of the chain opening and closing.

The key to skating performance is the ability to import force to the ice and in turn derive appropriate useable ground reaction. The ability to control and use ground reaction force as well as wearing properly fitting skates significantly increase your ability to control the ground reaction force.

One of the theoretical solutions in controlling and dissipating ground reaction force has been to make a skate taller, stiffer and lighter. This has actually created more problems than it has solved.

It is important to think of the skate as the interface between the foot and the ice. The skate cannot make up for what the body is incapable of doing. The structure of the body must be trained to reduce the force through as many joints as possible by using the elastic properties of the muscles, ligaments and tendons. It is critical to choose a skate that will allow the foot to act naturally, to work with your body to produce force. The best skate is one that locks in the foot and does not hinder your stride (gait).

When you are properly fitting a skate, take the following factors into consideration: the shape and width of the heel, the depth of the instep and forefoot, and the length of the foot.

Most skate manufacturers take these factors into consideration when building a skate, but they miss the critical step of fitting the skate properly. When skates are not fitted properly, the following can occur:

1) Improper heel width and shape — creates heel movement, bone spurs, gives one a feeling of no support, leaves one constantly having to tie up skates, causes a lack of skate control or ground force 2) Depth of instep and forefoot (too deep) — causes lace bite, premature break down of the skate boot, sore ankles, a feeling lack of support in the boot, encourages the common error of over-tightening laces in an effort to get support, lack of effective energy transfer 3) Depth of instep and forefoot (too shallow or tight) — causes cramping of the arches and balls of the feet, ankle soreness, lack of effective energy transfer 4) Length (The skate is too long; toes not brushing toe cap) — causes excess foot movement, heel spurs, premature break down of the skate, lack of effective energy transfer

Mechanics of the Skating Stride • Coil (Knee bend) • Thrust (Push, edges) • Follow-through (Toe snap) • Return (Back under your body) The overall shape of a skate boot should follow the shape of the foot; i.e. heel, instep, forefoot, and toe cap. If a skate is laced up to high it will impede the coil causing a shorter stride and lack of power.

If the skate boot is too stiff it will impede ankle flexibility, which impedes edge control, and follow through. This will also give you a feeling of no edges. The boot should work with the foot regardless if you are beginner or a professional. Not allowing ankle flexibility will negatively impact your skating mechanics regardless of your skating experience. As a skater, you must skate with your ankles, knees, and hips. If you restrict your ankle flexibility through improperly fitted skates, you will cause undue stress on your knees, hip ligaments, and tendons. As a result you could be unknowingly increasing your risk of injury while at the same time significantly reducing the power in your skating stride.

Until next time, Scary Mary says, I will see you at the rink…..

sportsfiles

Blue Jays Baseball Academy National Coaching Clinic The fourth annual Blue Jays Baseball Academy National Coaching Clinic will be returning to the Rogers Centre in January. All Baseball Oshawa coaches should consider attending.

The Toronto Blue Jays have the perfect winter weekend planned for coaches.

The clinic will take place January 8-10, 2016 and the cost for the weekend is $175 (plus HST).

Participants will be broken into two groups (based on coaching experience and coaching level). Coaches will rotate through 10 to 12 stations which include: hitting, pitching, infield, outfield, and base running.

minor league coaches. There will be a four-hour NCCP module happening Friday, January 8 (this is not mandatory, it is offered as a bonus for coaches at no additional charge). On Friday night there is a coaches social.

For more information, please visit the Blue Jays website.

There will be two days of on-field coaching from members of the Blue Jays coaching staff. Instructors include alumni coaches, current members of Blue Jays staff, and Blue Jays

http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/ tor/baseball_academy/national_ coaching_clinic.jsp

HAve A Better sCHool yeAr WitH oxford leArning

Payment Plans Available

All Ages. All grades. All subjects.

enrol todAy! Ajax 905.683.6660

Bowmanville 905.419.2428

Courtice 905.723.6999

Pickering 905.420.3141

oxfordlearning.com

Brooklin 905.655.9500 Whitby 905.668.6800

Join the conversation!

Durham.SportsXpress.ca

21

sportsfiles

Cobourg and Whitby to host 2015 World Junior A Challenge Tournament celebrates 10th year with first visit to Ontario Submitted by World Junior Hockey

Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Junior Hockey League, has announced that Cobourg and Whitby, Ontario will host the 2015 World Junior A Challenge from Dec. 13-19, 2015.

The 2015 tournament will be the 10th edition of the World Junior A Challenge and will mark the first time the event will be held in Ontario.

The 2015 World Junior A Challenge will follow the same format as previous years — two Canadian entries will be joined by four international teams, making up two groups of three teams. The group winners will receive a bye to the semifinals, while the second-place and third-place teams will cross over for the quarter-finals.

The 2015 World Junior A Challenge will be based out of the Cobourg Community Centre, home of the OJHL’s Cobourg Cougars, and the Iroquois Park Arena, home of the OJHL’s Whitby Fury.

“The World Junior A Challenge has grown to be one of the highlights of the international hockey calendar for players, fans and scouts, and as it reaches an important milestone in its 10th year, we’re

excited to be taking the tournament to Ontario for the first time,” said Tom Renney, president and CEO of Hockey Canada. “The host committee has shown its passion to bring the event to Cobourg and Whitby, and we’re confident it, and the hockey-mad fans in southern Ontario, will make the 2015 World Junior A Challenge one to remember.”

“The CJHL continues to build its brand across Canada through elite events showcasing our players such as the World Junior A Challenge,” said Kirk Lamb, president and chairman of the CJHL. “This is the first time that the World Junior A Challenge will be hosted in Ontario and by the OJHL and we are very excited to award this world class international junior hockey event to the great communities of Cobourg and Whitby.”

“The entire Cobourg Cougars Junior A Hockey Club and the Town of Cobourg are very honoured to have been selected as cohost for the 2015 World Junior A Challenge,” said Ashley Haynes, Cobourg chair. “I am very excited to work with the amazing team of people that we have assembled to act as the Cobourg organizing committee. We

look forward to working with the Whitby Fury and our governing partners to bring international junior hockey to all supporters of the OJHL.” “We are thrilled to be one of the co-hosts for the 2015 World Junior A Challenge,” said Mark Vinintz, Whitby chair. “Partnering with such a strong OJHL franchise such as the Cobourg Cougars and our governing partners, we are excited to bring this world class international junior hockey event to Ontario and the fans of the OJHL.” Since the first World Junior A Challenge in 2006, more than 230 NHL draft picks have played in the tournament, including 32 first-round selections (Beau Bennett, Brock Boeser, Alexander Burmistrov, Joe Colborne, Kyle Connor, Nikolaj Ehlers, Nikita Filatov, Mikhail Grigorenko, Denis Guryanov, Dmitri Kulikov, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Elias Lindholm, Hampus Lindholm, John Moore, Vladislav Namestnikov, Riley Nash, Valeri Nichushkin, Dylan Olsen, David Pastrnak, Ilya Samsonov, Jordan Schmaltz, Nick Schmaltz, Jaden Schwartz, Brendan Smith, Evgeny Svechnikov, Vladimir Tarasenko, Kyle Turris, Alexander Wennberg, Andrei Vasilevski, Jakub Vrana, Nail Yakupov and Jakub Zboril).

Seven of the nine gold medal games at the World Junior A Challenge have featured at least one Canadian team. Canada West won gold at the first two tournaments, in 2006 and 2007, before taking the top prize in 2011; it also earned silver in 2008, 2009 and 2012, and won bronze in 2013. Canada East was silver medallist in 2006, 2007, 2010 and 2011, and claimed bronze in 2008.

22

Cobourg and Whitby join Yorkton and Humboldt, Sask. (2006); Trail and Nelson, B.C. (2007); Camrose, Alta. (2008); Summerside, P.E.I. (2009); Penticton, B.C. (2010); Langley, B.C. (2011); Yarmouth, N.S. (2012, 2013); and Kindersley, Sask.

(2014) as host cities for the World Junior A Challenge.

Durham.SportsXpress.ca

WORLD JUNIOR A CHALLENGE Cobourg/Whitby, ON / December 13 - 19, 2015

GAME SChEDULE

GROUP A GROUP B Canada East/Est (CAN-E) Canada West/Ouest (CAN-W) Russia/Russie (RUS) Czech Republic/République tchèque (CZE) GROUP A GROUP B Switzerland/Suisse (SUI) Canada East/Est United(CAN-E) States/États-Unis (USA) (CAN-W) Canada West/Ouest

GAME SChEDULE

13:00 17:00

Russia/Russie (RUS) Czech Republic/République tchèque (CZE) Justin Danforth Teams Arena Location 2011/2012 WJAC (USA) Switzerland/Suisse (SUI) United States/États-Unis Alumnus/Ancien Sunday, December 13, 2015 / Dimanche 13 décembre 2015 Cobourg Cougars Preliminary B # CZE Centre Cobourg, Ont. Location Time–(ET)CAN-W Round Cobourg Group Community Teams Arena Sunday, December 13, 2015 / Dimanche 13 décembre 2015 Preliminary A SUI – CAN-E Iroquois Park Sports Centre Whitby, Ont.

19:00 19:00

Monday, December 14, 2015 / Lundi A14 décembre 2015 Iroquois Park Sports Centre Whitby, Ont. 2 17:00 Preliminary SUI – CAN-E Preliminary B USA – CZE Monday, Cobourg Community Centre Cobourg, December 14, 2015 / Lundi 14 décembre 2015Ont. 19:00 – RUS PreliminaryIroquois B USA –Sports CZE Centre Cobourg Community Preliminary A 3 CAN-E Park Whitby,Centre Ont. Cobourg, Ont.

19:00 19:00

Tuesday, December 15, 2015 / Mardi 15 décembre 2015 Tuesday, December 15, 2015 / Mardi 15 décembre 2015 Preliminary B 5 CAN-W USA Cobourg Community Cobourg,Centre Ont. Cobourg, Ont. 19:00 – Preliminary B CAN-W – USA Centre Cobourg Community Preliminary A 6 RUS Whitby, Ont. Whitby, Ont. 19:00– SUI PreliminaryIroquois A Park RUS –Sports SUI Centre Iroquois Park Sports Centre

# Time (ET)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Round

Group

1

13:00

Preliminary B

CZE – CAN-W

Cobourg Community Centre

Cobourg, Ont.

4

19:00

Preliminary A

CAN-E – RUS

Iroquois Park Sports Centre

Whitby, Ont.

Devin Shore

Wednesday, December 16, 2015 / 2015 Mercredi 16 décembre 2015 Wednesday, December 16, 2015 / Mercredi 16 décembre 7 19:00 Quarter-final -TBD Cobourg Community Centre Cobourg, Ont. Quarter-final -TBD Cobourg Community Centre Cobourg, Ont. 8 19:00 Quarter-final -TBD Iroquois Park Sports Centre Whitby, Ont. Quarter-final -TBD Iroquois Park Sports Centre Whitby, Ont.

2011 WJAC Alumnus/Ancien Whitby Fury

19:00 19:00

Thursday, December 17, 2015 / Jeudi 17 décembre 2015 9 19:0017, 2015 Semifinal TBD 2015Cobourg Community Centre Thursday, December / Jeudi--17 décembre 10 19:00 Semifinal -TBD Iroquois Park Sports Centre Semifinal -TBD Cobourg Community Centre Cobourg, Ont.

Cobourg, Ont. Whitby, Ont.

9 19:00 10 19:00

Semifinal

--

11 19:00 12 19:00

5th Place Bronze

-L7 – L8 Saturday, Cobourg Community Centre19 décembre Cobourg, December 19, 2015 / Samedi 2015Ont. -- 13 16:00 L9 – L10 Gold Iroquois Park– Sports Whitby,Centre Ont. Cobourg, Ont. -- W9 W10 Centre Cobourg Community

13 16:00

#WJAC

TBD

Friday,Iroquois DecemberPark 18, 2015 / Vendredi 2015Ont. Sports Centre18 décembre Whitby, 11 19:00 5th Place -L7 – L8 Cobourg Community Centre Friday, December 18, 2015 Bronze / Vendredi--18 décembre 12 19:00 L9 – L10 2015Iroquois Park Sports Centre

Saturday, December 19, 2015 / Samedi 19 décembre 2015 Gold -- W9 – W10 Cobourg Community Centre Event Partners / Partenaires de l’événement

#WJAC

Cobourg, Ont.

Cobourg, Ont. Whitby, Ont.

Premier Sponsors / Commanditaires principaux

HockeyCanada.ca/WJAC

HockeyCanada.ca/WJAC

#WJAC

#WJAC

w w w. a d r e n a l i n e d e s i g n . c a

Get more:

POWER S TA B I L I T Y COMFORT from your skates!

GET

10

OFF

JUST ENTER

PROMO CODE: XPRESS

P E R F O R M A N C E N E V E R F E LT T H I S G O O D !