SportsXpress London Mar/Apr 2016

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MARCH/APRIL 2016

Submitted by Connect Sports London

London & Area Edition

Adult Sports Community Connect Sports London would like to thank all players, volunteers and community members who have been crucial in our growth. We anticipate a very big 2016 year as we begin to introduce new leagues and grow our existing player base. Community is a huge aspect of Connect Sports, and in 2015 we raised and donated over $3,300 (and $,1500 in-kind donations) to local organizations. Adult sports fostering positive change locally is our goal, and we have a number of projects in store!

New Office Connect Sports London is moving into the new Innovation Works building at 201 King St. in early June. A community space in the old Goodlife Headquarters building, which was purchased by Pillar Nonprofit.

“Innovation Works is a collaborative community filled with socially minded innovators dedicated to positively transforming our community” (courtesy Pillar Nonprofit Team). Connect Sports is excited to be joining a fantastic com-

thelineup

Accessible Sports News.......................... pg 5 Pickleball................................................ pg 6 Running............................................. pgs 7-8 Baseball............................................pgs 9-12 Soccer............................................. pgs 12-18 Football...........................................pgs 20-21 Basketball............................................. pg 22 Lacrosse................................................ pg 23 Aquatics......................................... pgs 25-28 Volleyball........................................pgs 29-31 Golf................................................ pgs 32-35 Cheerleading................................. pgs 36-38 Gymnastics.................................... pgs 38-39 Karate................................................... pg 40 Climbing............................................... pg 40 Rugby....................................................pg 41 Dance.................................................... pg 42 Hockey........................................... pgs 43-53

munity designed for social innovation.

Learn more about the space at

www.innovationworkslondon.ca Spring/Summer Sports Due to our summer leagues selling out quickly last year, we have opened an early bird waiting list online! Visit www.connectsportslondon.com and select upcoming sports to save your spot. We are playing all sports this Spring/Summer at some of the best facilities in London, including Western University for all our turf sports. Sports Include: Turf Soccer, Turf Flag Football, Turf Ultimate Frisbee, Beach Volleyball, Beach Dodgeball, Basketball.

Have any ideas on new sports or activities in London? Give us a shout at 519-859-9714 or send us an email. We are constantly looking to evolve and improve the local sports landscape.

Special thanks to London St. Georges Rugby Club and the The Little Gym for the cover photos.

www.connectsportslondon.com

BEST. GIFT. EVER!

Champions Wall

Road trips from London & Area to watch Pro Sports!

Upcoming Road Trips Mar 13

Toronto Maple Leafs at Detroit Red Wings

Mar 24

Montreal Canadiens at Detroit Red Wings

Mar 26

Pittsburgh Penguins at Detroit Red Wings

Apr 8, 9 & 10 Boston Red Sox at Toronto Blue Jays Fly Swatters (Volleyball Champions)

Kilworth FC (Futsal Champions)

Apr 12

New York Yankees at Toronto Blue Jays

May 28

Boston Red Sox at Toronto Blue Jays

July 1

Cleveland Indians at Toronto Blue Jays

July 9

Detroit Tigers at Toronto Blue Jays

Sept 24

New York Yankees at Toronto Blue Jays

Road trip details available on page 24 or at Wolfpack (Basketball Champions)

Weapons of Mass Consumption (Flex League Champions)

@SportsXpressLON

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Treetop excitement at Boler

Your Community

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Sports Connection

London and Area

MARCH/APRIL 2016

Submitted by Boler Mountain There’s a reason Boler Mountain’s Treetop Adventure Park quickly became TripAdvisor’s #1-ranked London attraction shortly after opening. It offers a totally different experience for those who have a sense of adventure and crave thrills and excitement.

And the novelty hasn’t worn off.

The Park is as fun as ever, as it offers an exhilarating experience for individuals, groups, sports teams, businesses and birthday party guests. Open from April to November, the Treetop Adventure Park is located behind the ski trails and includes zip lines, ropes courses, and other treetop challenges, including wobbly foot bridges, Tarzan swings, ladders, pirate nets, multi games, tightropes and hanging logs -- all suspended up to 30 feet in the air.

Of course, Boler Mountain is dedicated to safety, and employs the latest technology to ensure a safe and fun experience for partici- With five separate courses (Junior, Beginner, Intermediate, pants, teams and corporate events. Advanced & Full Zip Course), the Treetop Adventure Park truly has something for everyone With five separate courses (Junior, are also available. Reservations are Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced required and can be made by phone or & Full Zip Course), there is something online. Contact Boler Mountain at 519for everyone. End your adventure with 657-8822 x226 or treetop@bolermouna Big Zip Finish – a tandem, 1,000 ft. tain.com. You can find Boler Mountain high speed zip that takes you back to located at 689 Griffith St., London, ON. the chalet!

Meeting space and catering options

®

Check out our website at LondonSportsXpress.ca PUBLISHER Greg Matthison GregM@SportsXpress.ca 519–619–6029

EDITOR WEB GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Todd Devlin Jim Taylor Alyssa MacLeod

CONTRIBUTORS

Tyler Schepens, Andrea Chisholm, Richelle Hirlehey, Andrew Power, Whitney Eansor, Justin Snively, Dr. Natascha Wesch, Elgin Middlesex Chiefs, Bandits Hockey, Byron Soccer, Runners’ Choice, EMSA, Community Softball League, The Little Gym of London, MEC, EBBA, Boler Mountain, Connect Sports London, St. Thomas Soccer Club, Extreme Indoor Golf, Eurostar Football Academy, Junction Climbing Centre, London Knights, London Gymnastics Academy, London Minor Football Association, Oakridge Aeros Hockey, London Sharks Volleyball, Forest City Volleyball Club, Sportmax Nutrition, FC LONDON, London Minor Lacrosse Association, Power Cheer Gym, Middlesex Swimming, Game Time Football, London Annihilators, London Wheelchair Basketball, City of London Municipal Golf, CheerStrike, TGA Premier Junior Golf, Forest City Diving Club, Olympic Karate, Puckstoppers, London Volleyball Club, St. George’s Rugby Club, Western Mustangs, Progressive Hockey Development, London Synchro, London Aquatic Club, London Lightning Basketball, the SportsXpress Team and local sports enthusiasts.

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Suzanne Whitmore, MEC, Boler Mountain, Connect Sports London, London Devilettes, Dance Extreme, Byron Soccer, Runners’ Choice, Huff n’ Puff Seniors Fitness Association, EBBA, Extreme Indoor Golf, EMSA, LDBA Baseball, London Volleyball Club, London Knights, Ball Hockey International, St. Thomas Soccer Club, Oakridge Aeros Hockey, Forest City Volleyball Club, London Minor Lacrosse Association, London Gymnastics Academy, City of London Municipal Golf, London Annihilators, London Wheelchair Basketball, FC LONDON, London Minor Football Association, London Sharks Volleyball, London Lightning Basketball, Middlesex Swimming, Game Time Football, Forest City Diving Club, The Little Gym of London, TGA Premier Junior Golf, Eurostar Football Academy, Junction Climbing Centre, CheerStrike, St. George’s Rugby Club, Puckstoppers, Olympic Karate, Power Cheer Gym, Sportmax Nutrition, London Synchro, Western Mustangs, London Junior Golf, Progressive Hockey Development, London Aquatic Club, Elgin Middlesex Chiefs, Dan Gilbert , the SportsXpress Team, various sports group photographers and community sports fans.

PARTNERSHIP EDITIONS

Ajax/Pickering Belleville/Quinte Brant County Chatham/Kent Hamilton Kingston London Niagara Oshawa/Whitby Peterborough Waterloo

PARTNERSHIP INQUIRY

Contact SportsXpress at: 1.877.588.8856 or email Sales@ SportsXpress.ca

www.bolermountain.com/treetop

NATIONAL & REGIONAL SALES

Greg Matthison GregM@SportsXpress.ca

PRESIDENT/CEO

Walter Browning walter@sportsxpress.ca

VP OPERATIONS

Clint Szakacs 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

Boler Mountain’s Treetop Adventure Park is open from April to November, and it offers exhilarating experiences for guests

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and individuals. We assume no responsibility for unsolicited material. Contributors are responsible for obtaining all approvals for the publication of photos and content prior to submission. All submissions may not be used. We may edit, publish, reproduce, distribute and archive submissions in any form or medium without any compensation. We are not responsible for lost or damaged submissions. Contents copyrighted. All rights reserved. Reproduction or transmission of any article, photograph or artwork in any form or by any means without permission from the publisher is prohibited. SportsXpress is published six times per year. For detailed circulation information, contact Sports Express Media Inc. Sports Express Media Inc. is committed to protecting your privacy as our customer. We may collect personal information only if it is required for the proper functioning of our business and only share this information with our business partners. The editors and contributors who write for Sports Express Media Inc. attempt to provide accurate and useful information and commentary. However, the editors, contributors and Sports Express Media Inc. cannot and do not guarantee the accuracy of the information. We assume no responsibility for any actions or decisions taken by any readers based on the information provided.

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Accessible Partners

Accessible Sports News Submitted by London Annihilators Wheelchair Rugby and London Wheelchair Basketball

London Annihilators Wheelchair Rugby Have you ever wanted to try Wheelchair Rugby (also known as Murderball)? The London Annihilators Wheelchair Rugby Club holds open practices every Saturday at the Dorchester Flight Exec Centre; all skill and participation levels are welcome!

Whether you're new to team sports and looking for a great workout, or you're a serious competitive athlete looking to make the Canadian National Team, the London Annihilators welcome you to try out our sport.

The London Annihilators have a long and storied history of excellence that spans 32 years! During that time, the team has won six national championships, and seen multiple athletes go on to represent Canada as members of the Canadian National Team. London Annihilators alumni have gone on to win an incredible 24 Paralympic or World Championship medals and have com-

London Wheelchair Basketball Association The LWBA was formed in 1974 by Keith Cartwright and Gilbert Blanchette. They saw a need for a distinct sports organization that catered to the needs of the disabled citizens of London, Ontario.

We offer outreach programs to schools, we have a junior ‘minis’ program that parents find fun, where sportsmanship and leadership is at the forefront and follows the Sport Canada Long Term Athlete Development Model. We build leaders and mentors and have Paralympic Gold Medallist players and coaches in our program.

Our sport offers both the congenital and newly injured athletes of all ages an opportunity to have Sport4Life and remain active healthy members of society.

Athletes can start at a young age and compete for as long as they want. Along that route, there are educational opportunities, leadership and personal growth opportunities, national team opportunities, as well as the opportunity to inspire communities to see the ‘ability’ these athletes possess, and not the ‘disability.’

The London Annihilators won the 26th annual Best of the West Quad Rugby Tournament in San Diego, beating the Phoenix Heat in the finale. (Left to right): Joe Boudreaux, David Willsie, Cody Caldwell, Travis Murau, Patrice Dagenais, Garett Hickling Back row: Richard Hawkins, Wendy Giroux, Dave Caldwell (the best tire man around)

peted across all corners of the globe.

Four members of the current team are in the middle of preparations to represent Canada and London at this summer's Paralympic games in Rio de Janeiro.

Looking to book an exciting demo for your business? The London Annihilators are also a registered charity fully capable of hosting fun, interactive, and

engaging demonstrations of our sport!

There's nothing we like more than to share our passion for the game with others. We also take pride in fostering mutually beneficial partnerships with the local business community. Do your part to support your hometown athletes as they go for gold in Rio!

There are potential athletes in our area that have never been exposed to disabled sport. The minimally disabled athlete who doesn’t use a wheelchair, but cannot compete in sports, needs to know that this could possibly be a lifeline to community involvement knowing that a competitive sport exists for them to play. People with bad knees, ankles, any lower body extremity injury that makes them feel like they are ‘former’ athletes don’t have to feel that way. Our sport is very athletic and challenging. The wheelchair is simply a piece of equipment, not unlike a pair of skis, a golf cart or rowing skull. And there is strength in numbers!

London is fortunate to have current National Team program coach Paul Bowes as its head coach. Mr. Bowes has been coaching since 1987, and has attended five Paralympic Games, has been head coach of the Jr. Men’s National Team in 1997, 2001 and 2013, and is the lead in our Junior Minis program as well as our Senior Program. His leadership and mentorship of young athletes and coaches is far reaching, and he is committed to continue in this role into the foreseeable future. @SportsXpressLON

Assistant coach Jordan Medeiros passes on some knowledge at the Jr. Camp in Dorchester.

Our Jr. program is the entry level for younger kids or even newly injured teenagers.

We recently held a Jr. mini camp and tournament in Dorchester against a team from Brampton with resounding success, and the kids are eager for the next tournament.

Canada’s men’s team is the reigning Paralympic Champion and Canada’s women’s team is the reigning World Champion.

London Forest City Flyer Darda Sales is part of that gold medal winning team.

For more information on how to get involved, please email or call Billy Langeveld at billylng@quadro.net or Paul Bowes at pbowes4189@rogers.com.

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Pickleball picking up steam Story By SportsXpress Team

Proudly supported by You may not have heard of it yet, but net. The ball is served diagonally, and one of the fastest-growing sports in points can only be scored by the side Ontario is already a hit at the Huff n’ that serves. Players on each side must Puff Seniors Fitness Association of let the ball bounce once before volleys London. It’s called Pickleball, and it has are allowed, like a tennis match. grown over the last five years to 196 It has really taken off at the Huff n’ hat was once considered boys’ night atPuff the old participants at Huff n’ Puff, an organizaSeniors Fitness Association, an moky pub hasoffers now37become one oftothe organization fastest that invites people aged 55 tion that different activities its members. and over and their spouses (who may owing sports across the country!

Currently, pickleball is scheduled also join at the age of 50) to participate around the province throughout the season, kids four times a week in different parts of in a wide range of art leagues are sprouting up everywhere London. It is widely reported that the activities to encourbetween the ages of 7 and 18 are taking the d London leading the pack with of fitness the and social sport isiseasier on different parts of the oneage sport by storm! body thanmembership, other activities, which seems contact. ea’s largest the London District to increase its popularity within the Interested in learnWhether it’s a registered league or just some en’s Dart League.

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sportsfiles

Boston Marathon qualifier added Story and photos submitted by MEC We are excited to kick off the 2016 race season, which will offer five races with multiple distance options available in both road and trail format. This year we have even added a certified Full Marathon to the mix. This distance starts out in Pottersburg Park, running alongside the Thames River. Our course guides you on a flat and fast route as you head from South East London to South West London, gliding through the downtown core and Western University. The course was designed with our participants' best interests in mind. A scenic view of the city with an elevation gain of 225m, this certified course is sure to be a crowd pleaser for those looking to qualify for the Boston Marathon.

If 42.195 kilometres is a little intimidating, we have got a solution. All MEC Race Series events offer a fun and welcoming environment with race distances for all levels and abilities. With an entry fee of $15, we provide certified courses, chip timing, post-race snacks, and division awards with a relaxed environment that everyone can enjoy. MEC is dedicated to the grassroots and makes this experience very affordable for anyone looking to sign up for their first race, or those trying to hit a new personal best this season.

Don’t forget to come out to our Meet Up road runs at Gibbons Park and Trail

Meet Up at Komoka Provincial Park to get a few extra training session. Check out our event dates at events. mec.ca.

We are edging ever closer to our first race and we’re hoping to see a beautiful sunny day greet our participants at the starting line. Until then, Londoners have been experiencing the full force of winter and we are here to support those runners looking to ‘stick it to old man winter’ and bravely run through the ever changing conditions. Come in and talk to our staff about the technical elements of clothing and appropriate layering, footwear and traction, as well as training and location tips.

In addition to four other exciting events, the MEC London Race Series has added a Boston Marathon qualifier into the mix for the 2016 season

www.mec.ca

MEC RACE SERIES Race Race

Race

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1: Saturday, March 12, Springbank Park – 5K/10K/15K Road Only 2: Saturday, April 16, StoneyBrook Area – 5K/10K/15K Road & 6K/12K Trail 3: Saturday, May 28, Pottersburg Park – 5K/10K/Half Marathon/ Full Marathon Road Only 4: Saturday, September 10, Fanshawe Conservation Area – 5K/10K Road & 6K12K/Half Marathon Trail 5: Saturday October 22, Gibbons Park – 5K/10K/15K Road & 5K/10K Trail

Come join us for MEC London’s 2016 Race Series!

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Revamped Race Series Story and photos submitted by Runners’ Choice The upcoming 2016 season brings with it change for the London Honda Race Series. After many years of the same, we are making some big changes to offer a new experience, not only to those who have participated in some of our events in the past, but also to those new to the Series. Our 2016 Series will be comprised of six exciting events: Downtown 5k in support of the London Abused Women’s Centre; Run for Retina in support of Ivey Eye Institute; Rock the Road in support of Bethany’s Hope; There will be some changes to the London Honda Race Series in 2016, and Summer Night in support the six events are expected to bring both excitement to runners and support of Bereaved Families; for some great organizations in the community.

Springbank Road Races towards families with children looking at in support of YOU; and getting involved.

Halloween Haunting in support of Track 3 Also new this year is that our Ski School.

Halloween event will be held at dusk and We are excited that all events in the will fully embrace the Halloween theme Series this year will offer a 5k distance, and two will offer half marathons (Run for of the event. Come join us for an exciting year of running with the London Honda Retina, and Springbank Road Races). This Race Series. We look forward to seeing will offer an event distance for everyone you out on the roads! from beginner to experienced racers. All events also offer shorter distances geared www.runnerschoice.ca

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Proudly Sponsored by

CSL registration in full swing Submitted by the Community Softball League The 2016 Girls' House League fastTeams are determined according to A full season schedule (mid-May ball season fast approaching. You can registrations within each of the nine lo- to mid-August), including mid-season get involved and be part of the season. cal member associations from an area tournament, and playoffs provides REGISTER NOW! (for information e-mail: that stretches (approximately) from the opportunity to learn, develop and fastball@londoncsl.com).

Ilderton to Dorchester to Glanworth compete as a team player in a chalThe Community lenging fastball environ“'CSL is intended for female players with an interest in a ment. Everyone involved Softball League (or as it is works to make our house house league experience and an enjoyable learning and league as enjoyable as known, locally, CSL) 'CSL is inpossible to have our playdevelopment opportunity.� tended for female ers return year after year. players with an interest in a house to Delaware. Member Associations More than 150 volunteers are looking league experience and an enjoyable include: Nelson Park, Oakridge, South forward to another GREAT season in learning and development opportunity, London, North London, Southwest 2016 full of FUN and SUCCESSES. at every division (from U10 to U21) and London, Byron, Dorchester, Delaware, www.londoncsl.com skill level. and Ilderton.

@SportsXpressLON

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Gearing up for ‘16 Story and photos submitted by EBBA Eager Beaver Baseball Association is preparing for its 62nd season of youth baseball in London. Along with providing a structured program for players aged 4 to 21, EBBA has been developing volunteers while strengthening family ties along the way.

The Schofield sisters, Keaton (Tball) and Sydney (Little Sluggers), found their Saturday mornings on the ball field to be a family affair. Sydney was very proud of the fact that her mom, Lindsay, ran the Little Sluggers program. Keaton was most proud of the fact that her dad coached her Tball team. However, the thing they liked best about EBBA was the colours of their uniforms.

The Terry brothers, Joe and Owen, played in the PeeWee division in 2015 and were coached by their dad, Wayne. The

Owen (left) and Joe Terry

Fintan (left) and Declan Cullen

boys (and dad) volunteered with the Tball division on Saturday mornings, which was a great help to their mom, Kelly, one of the Tball directors. According to Joe, his favourite part of EBBA was not just being picked to play on Colman Day at Labatt Park, but also staying and watching the older kids play. He also liked coaching the young players in the Tball program and can't wait to do it again this year. Owen preferred the social aspects of EBBA and enjoys the friends he has made with his teammates and getting together with them once the season ended to continue to play and practice baseball.

The Cullen brothers, Fintan (Mosquito) and Declan (PeeWee), shared the same

Toronto Blue Jays vs

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Keaton (left) and Sydney Schofield

team colours. They were also each other’s biggest fan (after their mother, Maureen, that is). Maureen said her favourite thing about EBBA was watching her kids play, seeing the huge improvement from that first game to the last game. She loves how EBBA fosters teamwork and the love of the game. Declan really liked his coaches. “They have taught me so much that I even love practices now!” he said.

There's still time to join the EBBA family. Final in-person registration is March 19. On-line registration is open 24/7. For full information on registration and the entire EBBA program, please visit the league's website: ebba.ca.

www.ebba.ca

Boston Red Sox Apr 8, 9, 10 & May 28

Spring Fever hits the Forest City Submitted by Justin Snively Old man winter may still be holding strong, but spring fever has hit the Forest City. London and District Baseball Association players, both young and old, are dusting off their gloves and heading to indoor training facilities in preparation for what is sure to be another exciting season of LDBA baseball.

The 2016 season will be a changing of the guard for the LDBA, as long-time president Joe O’Neill hands the reins over to incoming president Derek Brooks.

“I'm pleased to see that Derek Brooks has taken over the big chair as the president of the LDBA,” said O’Neill. “I've known Derek and worked with him as a volunteer for many years. He is all about what's best for the kids and best for local baseball.”

Brooks takes over after having spent time with the London Badgers as a coach and several years on the St. Thomas Minor

Baseball Board of Directors. He was also instrumental in the enormously successful 13U National Championship hosted by the LDBA in 2014.

“We are looking forward to working with the local associations this year to continue to improve registration and keep kids engaged in baseball,” said Brooks. “We have some exciting local tournaments and a national championship in London this season.”

The recent announcement by Baseball Canada that the LDBA had secured the bid for the 2016 13U National Champi-onship and the 2017 18U National Championship means that the City of London will once again be on the national radar.

London last hosted a national championship in 2014, and has been very successful in promoting the city to baseball players from across Canada.

“It’s an honour for London to be placed on the national stage again, the organizing committee will work hard to put on a first-class event for all players, coaches and parents,” Brooks said.

“It allows us to showcase our first-class facilities and our extremely London West Tincaps (Front) Charlie, Cal, Robert, Thomas, Ryan, David (Back) Coack K, Coack Jay, Coach dedicated volunteer Chris, Brendan, Tyler, Nolan, Colin, Drew, Coach Pat, Coach Jesse. Photo - Paula Bowman

New York Yankees Apr 12 & Sept 24

Cleveland Indians Jul 1

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

base within the LDBA.” The London Badgers 13U team will once again represent the LDBA at the Nationals, and the team is hoping to improve on back-to-back bronze medals in the last two years at the 13U Nationals.

Two years ago in London, the Badgers finished atop their pool going undefeated in the round robin portion of the event, outscoring their opponents 33-9 before falling to BC in the semi-final and then coming back with a 6-2 win in the bronze medal game.

The LDBA will offer a full complement of baseball for every age category and skill level. The St. Thomas Cardinals, London West Tincaps, North London Nationals, London Tecumsehs, Lucan-Ilderton A’s, DKMB River Cats and Dorchester Diamondbacks all join the London Badgers on the competitive circuit, while several other associations will also field House League and Select Division teams.

Registration is now open.

ldbabaseball.ca

Detroit Tigers Jul 9

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EMSA debuts new youth league Submitted by EMSA The Elgin Middlesex Soccer Association is pleased to announce that our Youth Soccer League will be operated by EMDSL - Elgin Middlesex District Soccer League. Thanks to all the Board members for their efforts to make the new League possible. All Clubs have registered with the new League and are ready to participate in the Tiered structure offered by the League.

Participation in soccer is now, more than ever before, focused on player development and having fun. Players will have an opportunity to play at their skill level initially, and as they develop and become more skilled, they can move to a more appropriate playing level. The support and guidance from coaches will assist in the development of this process for our youth players.

There will be a Development Division for Under 8 to Under 12 players. Also, a Recreational Division for Under 11 to Under 18 players at the Tier 3 level.

The other two Divisions, Competitive and Intermediate, are Tier 1 and 2, respectively.

This format will meet the needs of the players by providing an opportunity for skill development, competition and fun.

EMSA Featured Team Indoor Under 18 Ontario Cup Champions

The London Youth Whitecaps Under 17 Boys team were crowned U18 Ontario Indoor Cup Champions this year. Back Row (left to right): Head Coach Alan Alderson, Daniel Oshana, Ethan Gopaul, Michael Sneddon, Vladimir Popovic, Juan Vargas, Noel Franklin, Grant Takacs, Logan Wright, Assistant Coach Al Melo. Front Row: Sokol Qamili, Jonathan Kam, Zach Witt, Patrick Melo, Engell Qamili, Ethan Vigario, Calvin Gallina

www.emsadistrict.com

10 locations to serve you in Southwestern Ontario

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A True Man of Soccer in St. Thomas Submitted by St. Thomas Soccer Club The St. Thomas Soccer Club has always held the belief that the best growth comes from within. It was with that mindset that they appointed Phil Trueman as the new Club Head Coach for 2016. Phil worked with the YC program in 2015 as a Technical Coach, helping to implement the technical plan developed

by Ian McClurg. Phil is very eager to continue to help the program grow in his new role as Club Head Coach.

“STSC is a blank canvas, as far as I’m concerned,” Trueman said. “We have a huge opportunity to advance the game, both locally and nationally, by developing coaching standards at the grassroots level of the game. I feel my role is to mentor our excellent staff of coaches to develop their skills through a better understanding of the building blocks of the game. I also believe my own personal coaching development is crucial to this.”

The Club Head Coach role is one that Phil has grown into since getting involved with the STSC following his emigration from the UK in 2010. He held a few coaching positions within the club, as well as developed and implemented the current Keeper Training offered. Phil currently holds an OSA B licence, a Diploma in Goalkeeping, plus

Club Head Coach, Phil Trueman, training U9 players from STSC

many UK qualifications. All that being said, Phil’s experience is not limited to his time with STSC. “I have lifetime involvement in soccer dating back to a father who was a professional player in England, an uncle who was a top semi-pro player, as was my brother, and a son who played for Southampton in the BPL until his career was ended prematurely by injury.”

@SportsXpressLON

With that type of resume, as well as his inherent passion for the game, the STSC was more than pleased to name Phil Trueman as their Club Head Coach.

Phil really is a ‘True Man of Soccer’ in the area.

www.stthomassoccer.com

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sportsfiles Building Muscle

WHAT’S NEW • Gender Specific Divisions U6-18 Inclusive • East and West London U4-U6 Options • ‘Gotta Wear Shades’ U7-U12 Festival • Added Development Options U7-U10 • Champions Cup for U14-18 Divisions • ‘Western Loop’ for all U14-U18 Divisions • Added Festival for U7-U12 Players (June 25) • Added Development Program

Submitted by Sportmax Nutrition Too often, people give up too quickly after making a resolution to get into shape. Here are the three biggest keys for you to be one of the successful ones and build muscle: 1. CONSISTENCY Discipline and consistency are the most important things in bodybuilding. Simply put, if you aren’t consistent in your approach, you will not make progress. So, what does it mean to be consistent? It means you always go to the gym, even when you don’t feel like it. If you committed to doing four days a week, then you go no matter how busy or tired you are.

2. TRACKING PROGRESS This one frustrates us a lot because it can help alleviate a lot of the causes for lacklustre gains.

Don’t go complaining on some bodybuilding forum that “only guys that take steroids make gains,” simply because you weren’t progressing. Chances are that you weren’t tracking your actual routine and therefore had no idea if you were progressing or not. With a training log, you could have gone back and looked at previous workouts to identify lifts where you have stalled.

3. CONSUME ENOUGH PROTEIN The key word here is enough – because for every person out there who doesn’t get enough protein, there is one who goes overboard and consumes too much, not allocating enough macros for carbs and fats which are also essential for muscle growth. You want to aim for 1g of protein for every pound of bodyweight and do that consistently – that means every day! This amount will be sure to give your body exactly what it needs without going way over and above.

www.sportmaxnutrition.com

LTPD Stage of Development

Intended 2016 House 2016 Fees 2016 Fees League Rec. Session Days Feb & Mar Apr & May and Times DIVISON

Tentative Fields

Active Start

2012 = U4 Co-Ed

Sat. Mornings 9:00 AM

$110

$145

West Park & Stoney Creek

Active Start

2011 = U5 Co-Ed

Sat. Mornings 10:00 AM

$110

$145

West Park & Stoney Creek

Active Start

2010 = U6 Co-Ed

Sat. 11:00 AM & Thurs. 6:00 PM

$135

$175

West Park & Stoney Creek

FUNdamentals 5 v. 5

2009 = U7

Mon & Wed Nights Girls 6:00PM Boys 7:00 PM

$165

$200

Hasting Park

FUNdamentals 5 v. 5

2008 = U8

Tues &Thurs Nights Girls 6:00 PM Boys 7:00 PM

$165

$200

Hasting Park

Learn to Train 7 v. 7

2007 = U9

Mon & Wed Nights Girls 6:00PM Boys 7:15 PM

$165

$200

TBA - will be North of Oxford St.

Learn to Train 7 v. 7

2006 = U10

Tues &Thurs Nights Girls 6:00 PM Boys 7:15 PM

$165

$200

TBA - will be North of Oxford St.

Learn to Train 9 v. 9

2005 = U11

Mon & Wed Nights Girls 6:00PM Boys 7:15 PM

$165

$200

TBA - will be North of Oxford St.

Learn to Train 9 v. 9

2004 = U12

Tues &Thurs Nights Girls 6:00 PM Boys 7:15 PM

$165

$200

TBA - will be North of Oxford St.

Soccer for Life 11 v. 11

2003 & 2002 = U14

Mon & Wed Nights Girls 6:00PM Boys 7:15 PM

$165

$200

TBA - will be North of Oxford St.

Soccer for Life 11 v. 11

2001 & 2000 = U16

Tues &Thurs Nights Girls 6:00 PM Boys 7:15 PM

$165

$200

TBA - will be North of Oxford St.

Soccer for Life 11 v. 11

1998 & 1998 = U18, No longer co-ed

Games Sun. 6:00 PM No Practices Premium Fields

$165

$200

Windermere North London

All available at: www.norwestsoccer.com COMING SUMMER 2016 Rec U14, U16, U18 Champions League

Kevin DeLuca, the guru at Sportmax Nutrition, knows a thing or two about building muscle

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SPONSORS & COACHES NEEDED FOR 2016!

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Balling with Byron Soccer Story and photos submitted by Byron Soccer

Recreational programs at Byron Soccer are filling up quickly. Byron Soccer offers recreational programs for U4 up to U18. However, this isn’t just the usual ‘kick and chase’ soccer - our recreational programs include a progressive technical curriculum and lots of game playing opportunities throughout the Outdoor season.

Many players also choose our recreational programs to develop complementary skills for other sports, like hockey, ringette, basketball, and volleyball. Our programs, by teaching the technical skills starting at U4, improve the game experience, and allow players to easily transition into our development programs when they are ready (even if it is at U10 and older). Our programs ensure that no player is left behind.

In addition to our recreational programs, Byron Soccer has several ‘a la carte’ programs that give players more opportunities to develop their skills and get some

exercise. These programs include Centre of Excellence (academy style training, but grouped according to ability so that no one is embarrassed), Fundamental Movement Skills (conditioning drills for strength, coordination, and injury prevention which is great for ALL sports!), 3v3 Tournaments, Summer Camps, and more!

Of course, adults are not left out of the fun at Byron Soccer. Our Adult 7v7 league is filling up fast for its second year.

Come play a fast-paced game, with lots of

touches, on the ball, for a great workout in a fun, safe environment. Cash prizes and social night included!

These are just a few of the exciting things happening at Byron Soccer this year. Check out www.byronsoccer.ca for additional programs and exciting news about our Indoor 2016-2017 programs.

Register now and see why 1,400+ players return to Byron Soccer every year!

www.byronsoccer.ca

No player is left behind at Byron Soccer, which offers recreational programs for U4 up to U18

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sportsfiles

Time to grow

By Greg Matthison It’s been a staple in the London sports community since 2011, and the hub of soccer in the region, with close to 5,000 people accessing the facility weekly – not only for soccer, but for playing other sports, using the walking track, and accessing the meeting rooms. Now, the BMO Centre is getting ready to expand in order to offer even more Londoners access to what will be the largest indoor soccer facility in Canada.

“We’ve always planned to have to expand, and now we’re excited to bring more than 1,500 additional users to the facility, said Tom Partalas, the president of the London Optimist Sports Centre (LOSC), which owns and operates the BMO Centre. “This project has always been about providing a safe, clean and world class experience for kids, and we’re thrilled to make it even more accessible to the community.”

will be able to provide that experience The BMO Centre location will expand to many more active Londoners,” said later this year, adding two more indoor Partalas. “It’s truly an exciting time for fields plus dressing rooms, washrooms, the BMO Centre and for indoor soccer in and storage and office space. The old the London region.” soccer dome on Cuddy Blvd. is slated to close in the spring of 2017, and many www.bmocentrelondon.com users will move from that location to the expanded BMO Centre. Both are run

by LOSC, which is a uniquely volunteerled non-profit organization in London.

“Ever since we opened, players and coaches alike have all raved about the quality of soccer at the BMO Centre, and now, with this expansion, we BMO Centre treasurer Fred Benenati (left) and president Tom Partalas

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sportsfiles

Eurostar welcomes the pros Submitted by Eurostar Football Academy Eurostar is excited to host a special SS Lazio Summer Camp this coming summer, which will be held at Fanshawe College July 18-22, 2016. The camp is open to players aged 8 to 18, and will feature high level and specific training provided by coaches from SS Lazio.

Advance registration will be available until May 1.

• Two individuals who attend the camp may be selected by the Lazio coaches to participate in a January 2017 Lazio camp in Rome, Italy (travel expenses not included).

• Eight individuals who attend the camp may be selected by Lazio coaches to attend one week of training with the Lazio Academy in Rome, Italy (travel expenses not included).

The camp will also feature coaching courses (minimum 18 years of age). The camp will run from 9am-12pm with a one hour lunch break and then more action from 2-4pm. Players can arrive as early as 7:30am and can be picked up between 5:30 and 6pm.

For more information, contact Luka at 1-800-742-3076 or by email at eurostarluka@gmail.com.

Eurostar players take in a Seria A match (Lazio vs.

Fiorentina) at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy

Talent Showcasing

The focus this season will be on preparing pathways for senior high school age players. On the heels of recent success in Cleveland, Ohio, the Academy is planning other opportunities that will highlight player talent.

This includes a visit to a training camp in Spain, tours of some U.S. universities, and participation in additional North American tournaments/ showcases.

Eurostar Outdoor Season

Eurostar players took part in a Lazio Christmas Camp from January 2-7, 2015, and also trained with the Lazio Academy

Preparations are well under way for the upcoming outdoor season at Eurostar Football Academy. The Soccer Academy Alliance of Canada league will commence in April and continue through to November with more than 20 games per team on the slate. Eurostar will be entering seven teams to participate, ranging from U11 to U20. Here are some highlights of planning for this coming summer:

Lazio Coaching Clinic

During the SS Lazio Summer Camp at Fanshawe College, a coaching clinic will be held on July 23 & 24, as Lazio coaches will continue their work in London by offering a two-day clinic.

Any London and area coaches interested in participating should register on the Eurostar website. Space will be limited.

www.eurostarsoccer.com

S.S LAZIO SUMMER CAMP INFO

JULY 18-24, 2016

FANSHAWE COLLEGE, CANADA

People from SS Lazio who are attending: • Joop Lensen (Director Academy SS Lazio) • Selena Mazzantini (Coordinator Lazio Women / Football school 2010-2003 / Head Coach 2005) • Mauro Girini (Coordinator Scouting Youth / Head Coach 2002) • Michele Santoni (Head Coach 1999-2000) • Matteo Bonavollante (Goalkeeper coach)

RESIDENTIAL CAMP AND DAY CAMP AT FANSHAWE COLLEGE

YOUTH 8-18 YEARS | TRAIN LIKE THE BIANCOCELESTI | HIGH LEVEL & SPECIFIC TRAINING | COACHING COURSES FOR MIN AGE 18 | MAKING NEW FRIENDS | PRE SALE TICKETS TILL 1st MAY 2016 FOR MORE INFO CALL US: 1-800-742-3076 WWW.EUROSTARSOCCER.COM

Camp start: Residential arrive on July 17, and camp start on Monday July 18 - 22, 2016 Time 9am-12pm, one hour Lunch time and 2-4:00pm Players can come from 7:30am and pick up 5:30-6pm or early.

Contact info: t: 1-800-742-3076 E: eurostarluka@gmail.com For more information you can see in web: www.eurostarsoccer.com

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sportsfiles

FC LONDON to feature men and women in 2016 Submitted by FC London "We’re thrilled to have FC LONDON London Marconi, London Galaxy and said Campbell, confirming that young loand their ownership group as part of Forest City London have had in the past.” cal players will be exposed to the game League1 Ontario,” said Dino Rossi, The team has also selected coaches at the highest level in the province. chairman of League1 and member of the including Women’s coach Michael Schedules will come out in mid-March CSA Professional Soccer Committee.

Marcoccia, a former professional player with the men playing a 22-game season These words rang loud and clear at with head coach & technical director with 11 Friday home games in their own the launch press conference held at experience. The League1 Men’s team division plus crossover games with the Joe Kool’s. As of 2016, FC LONDON is a will have Mario Despotovic at the east division. The season will run from member of League1 early May to the Ontario, a standardsthird week of based league September plus operating with cup games to Ontario teams at crown an East vs. the highest amateur West Champion. level for young men The Women will and women under play a 16-game age 23. With the new season with eight team comes a new Saturday games logo representing plus cup games London’s architecrunning from May tural heritage and to the first week the addition of the of September colour green to repwith Cup game FC LONDON Press Conference (left to right): Mario Despotovic, Dave Debenedictis, resent the Forest City. weekend set for Ian Campbell, Mike Marcoccia.

League1 Ontario is July 30-31, 2016. a semi-professional men's and women's helm. Mario is a former professional With the League1 Men’s division breaksoccer league in Ontario, Canada, and is player and is one of a handful of UEAFA ing into two conferences, FC LONDON sanctioned PRO License holders with experience will play against the Oakville Blue by the Canadian Soccer Association coaching at the U15 and U21 level with Devils (2015 champions), Sigma FC, TFC and the Ontario Soccer Association as a Dynamo Zagreb.

Academy (2014 champions), Windsor Division III league in the Canadian socThe team will be made up of many Stars, Sanjaxx Lions, Pro Stars FC and cer league system. League1 is proving young talented soccer players from North Mississauga SC. Games will be to be a pathway to National team recLondon and surrounding areas. The played at the German Canadian Club on ognition and to the MLS with Orlando team will conduct open trials in the Cove Rd., a venue that is regarded as City FC’s most recent central midfielder spring and is already working with one of the best places in North America playing with Sigma FC's 2015 League1 coaches at Fanshawe and Western to to watch a soccer game.

Ontario squad in the first round of the maximize the synergies with post-secThe club has already lined up equip2016 MLS SuperDraft. For the 2016 ondary teams and with local clubs who ment sponsor UMBRO for the 2016 seaseason, FC LONDON will compete as an operate U17, U18 and U21 programs. FC son. UMBRO, in coordination with Source amateur team in League1.

LONDON will also operate U21 teams for Sports, has an outstanding reputaMajority owner, Ian Campbell, is in both men’s and women’s Ontario tion in their support of local elite soccer. joined by several local investors to divisions. The league is focused on the Campbell is enthusiastic about the backstop the new venture. development of talent for the pro ranks upcoming season.

“League1 represents a new day for and national team identification, and to “Our goal is to provide the London London soccer, especially with the that end has put standards in place to soccer community with affordable family alignment with LTPD [Ontario’s Long ensure local player development. entertainment through individual and Term Player Development program],” “No less than eight players on any season ticket packages, all of which will said Campbell. “With the addition of a game sheet must be U23, no less than be available online at www.fclondon.

League1 Women’s team, it truly gives four of those players must be on the ca in the coming months,” he said. “It’s London the opportunity to continue the starting 11, and no more than three nongoing to be a great season ahead." championship run that teams such as Canadian players on any game-sheet,” www.fclondon.ca

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sportsfiles

Building on a great tradition Story and photos submitted by London Minor Football Association Since 1958, the London Minor Football Association has been London’s only minor football program. With a place for every child aged 7 to 13, regardless of size, athletic ability or experience, our mission is to prepare players for high school football and create football fans for life.

After another successful season in 2015, the next generation of football players is working hard in the offseason to get better. Every Friday night for 10 weeks in the winter, over 100 young athletes attend the LMFA indoor skills camps at Centrefield Sports. The skills camps are now five years old and have grown every year. LMFA coaches are joined by guest coaches and LMFA alumni to teach football skills and keep kids active in a fun, relaxed setting.

This year we are lucky to have current Waterloo Warrior Ben Shanley running

receiver drills every week.

While the current generation of LMFA athletes are preparing for the season that opens in August, their coaches are training to get better as well. Many LMFA coaches completed the Safe Contact course from Football Canada over the winter with another course scheduled for the summer. Summer will also see the annual LMFA Women’s Clinic – a football introduction for moms.

Registration for the fall 2016 season opens online April 1st - the season’s registration fee of $275 includes the rental of all football equipment, a jersey to keep, as well as a team picture.

For more information on registration and the 2016 LMFA season, please visit www.lmfafootball.ca or call 519-852-4465.

www.lmfafootball.ca

Ben Shanley

Hunter Vale and Nathan Johnston

Every Friday night for 10 weeks this winter, over 100 young athletes have attended the LMFA indoor skills camps at Centrefield Sports

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Proudly Sponsored by

of the season seven or eight of those kids signed up to play tackle football with the LMFA in the fall.

“The goal is to make the football experience for our players as safe, fun, and captivating as possible. We strive to make each player feel like they are getting a professional league type of experience in a recreational league setting.”

Divisions and teams are divided as evenly as possible based on age, experience and skill level. Games are played 5-on-5 and there is NO tackling and NO blocking. The season runs from the beginning of May through June with games played Saturday mornings between 9am and 12pm in St. Thomas.

Changing the game Submitted by Game Time Football Game Time Football is looking to build on the success of its inaugural season, which saw approximately 85 young athletes take the field on Saturday mornings for some good old-fashioned flag football fun.

A recreational league designed for everyone who loves to play the game, as well as those who have never played before, Game Time Football is open to both boys and girls, ages 6 to 14. A strict non-contact policy enables players of all sizes and levels of ability to compete in exciting football action in a safe and fun manner.

League founder and President Paul Chapman is a longtime coach with the London Minor Football Association (LMFA)

and was named Atom Coach of the Year this past season.

“I absolutely love football, and I love what the LMFA does in teaching kids the proper way to play the game safely,” he said. “But I also understand that tackle football might not be for everyone. It might seem a little intimidating for some kids, and their parents, so we thought we’d see if there was any interest in a flag league to help introduce kids to the game who otherwise might not get the chance to play.”

Turns out, the interest is definitely there. Of the 85 youngsters that played in the league last season, about 90% had never played organized football before, and at the end

Registration now open

For more information, please email Paul Chapman at flag_football@ hotmail.com or visit us online at http:// paulchapman0404.wix.com/game-time

Game Time Football, which debuted last year, is the only youth flag football league in the region

Calendar of Events March 6 Woodstock Recreation and Leisure Fair, Cowan Park Indoor Soccer Fields March 10-13 Disney on Ice, Budweiser Gardens March 12 MEC London Race One: 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, Springbank Park March 12-13 London Golf Show, Western Fair District March 13-19 March Madness Youth Soccer Tournament, BMO Centre March 14 London Knights Scavenger Hunt, White Oaks Mall March 17-18 West London Hockey Tyke Festival Tournament, Various arenas March 19-21 Speed and Custom Car Show, Western Fair District

April 16 MEC London Race Two: 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, North London (End of Windemere) April 22 - 24 Bhi April Fools - All-Ontario Cup, Ball Hockey International

To promote your event contact London@SportsXpress.ca

May 28 MEC London Race Three: 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, Potterburg Park May 28 Boys & Girls Club - Race for Kids, Boys & Girls Club of London

June 17-19 Beer & BBQ Show, Western Fair District

April 24 Forest City Road Races, Victoria Park

May 28-29 Slow Pitch Ontario Superseries, London Area

April 30 London Sports & Activity Expo, BMO Centre

May 29 Run the District Running Series: Chuckle Run, Western Fair District

April 30 - May 1 Slow Pitch Ontario Superseries, London Area

June 3-5 London Pickleball Tournament, North London Optimist Centre

April & May OBA basketball events at Western Fair, Agriplex

June 5 Rock the Road 10K, Masonville Place

June 24-26 Mopar Nitro Jam Nationals, Grand Bend Motorplex

June 4-5 Slow Pitch Ontario Superseries, London Area

June 25-26 Slow Pitch Ontario Superseries, London Area

June 8 KidSport London Golf Tournament, The Oaks Golf Course

June 25 London's Corporate Challenge, Harris Park

June 10-12 London Badgers Tournament, Headquarters – Stronach Sports Complex

June 25 UFE Showdown - Natural Fitness, Centennial Hall

May & June London Summer Senior Games, Various locations May 8 Stars on Ice, Budweiser Gardens

March 25 he McFarlan Rowlands Downtown 5K Run, Victoria Park

May 14-15 & 21-22 Slow Pitch Ontario Superseries, London Area

April 3-9 2016 Canadian Ringette Championships, Western Fair Sports Centre/Nichols Arena

May 27-29, June 3-5 11th Annual Cardinal Classic Tournament (baseball), Doug Tarry Sports Complex

April 10 Run for Retina, Harris Park

May 28-29 Play On! 4 On 4 Hockey Tournament, Victoria Park

June 11-12 Slow Pitch Ontario Superseries, London Area

May 29 Kids Tri 4 Kids, Carling Heights Community Centre

June 17 Run the District Running Series: Run to the BBQ, Western Fair District

April 14 The Harlem Globetrotters 2015 World Tour, Budweiser Gardens

June 17-19 London Badgers Tournament, Headquarters – Stronach Sports Complex

June 11 Fanshawe Dragonboat Festival, Fanshawe

June 18 Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame Celebrity: Game, Golf & Induction Ceremony, St Marys June 19 Runners' Choice Father's Day Walk/ Run, TD Waterhouse Stadium

July 10 MEC London Century Ride: 60K/ 100K/160K, Railway City Brewery July 13 West Haven Charity Golf Classic, West Haven Golf and Country Club July 15 Barking Frog Summer Night 5K, Barking Frog July 17 Running the District Series: I Run for Ice Cream, Western Fair District July 23 Rug-Rat Back Pack Beach Volleyball Tournament, Port Stanley July 23-24 Slo-Pitch Super Series, Slow Pitch City July 23-24 Rona MS Bike Tours, Grand Bend to London July 30-August 1 STIHL Timbersports at Rib Fest, Victoria Park August 6 5K Foam Fest, Boler Mountain

June 27 Lexus of London Golf Classic, The Oaks Golf Course

August 20-21 Slo Pitch Ontario Superseries, Slo Pitch City & Dreamers

July 1 Embro Highland Games, Embro

September 17 & 18 Air Show London, London International Airport

July 8-10 Slo Pitch Ontario Eliminations, Slow Pitch City

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teamprofiles

Lightning striking again in 2016 Submitted by the London Lightning The London Lightning have struck downtown London through the dead of winter and have provided a surge of electricity throughout the entire city.

A hot start and a nine-game winning streak paved the way for the hometown Lightning to lead the league in wins early in the season. Kyle Julius was named Coach of the Month by the National Basketball League of Canada in January, while Tyshawn Patterson, Stephen Maxwell, and Nick Okorie collected Player of the Week honours on three separate occasions.

But there’s more to success than just the on-court product.

The Lightning have hosted workers from General Dynamics, Lafarge, Libro and more, contributing to the largest and loudest crowds of the season.

In early February, the guys made their way to ‘Wich is Wich’ to taste test some new sandwiches and vote on an ‘official’ London Lightning sandwich.

The winner was the ‘Big Bolt,’ a shocking experience for your tastebuds, which is available now whenever youwant at the sandwich shop on King St. The Lightning have also made school visits to Central Secondary, F. D. Roosevelt, Holy Family, Westmount

Public, Bonaventure, St. Paul, and Byron Northview, to name a few.

The London Abused Women’s Centre will be the host of the Lightning game on March 19. ‘Be a Kid Day’ takes place on Apr. 6, which is likely to be one of the most well-attended games of the season.

Regular season play wraps up at the end of April when the Lightning will find out who they’ll face in the first round of the playoffs beginning in May. Tickets are available through the Budweiser Gardens box office or online.

London is Scouting to fill a Sports Sales & Marketing position Contact GregM@SportsXpress.ca for details.

Volunteer/Intern jobs are also available as a: • Reporter/Writer/Editor • Photographer/Videographer • Events & Promotions Co-Ordinator

Apply online att sportsxpress.ca/volunteer LondonSportsXpress.ca

all games at Bud Gardens at 7pm (* = 2pm)

Mar 05 vs Orangeville A's Mar 19 vs Halifax Hurricanes Mar 30 vs Orangeville A's Apr 02 vs Orangeville A's Apr 06 vs Niagara River Lions Apr 16 vs Orangeville A's Apr 30 vs Windsor Express

www.lightningbasketball.ca

In early February, London Lightning players made their way to ‘Wich is Wich’ to taste test some new sandwiches and vote on an ‘official’ London Lightning sandwich. The winner? The ‘Big Bolt’.

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Try Lacrosse, You’ll LOVE it!

Story and photos submitted by London Minor Lacrosse Association London Minor Lacrosse hit the ground running this year with preparations for the upcoming 2016 season. LMLA has already signed up several hundred excited youngsters (boys and girls, aged 3 to 21) for their house league and travel teams. Registration continues into early March, with the season in full swing by April.

Unlike other mainstream sports, lacrosse still struggles for recognition. One would wonder why, considering it is not a new game.

In fact, it’s an ancient game with Aboriginal origins. And London Minor Lacrosse has been bringing ‘the fastest game on two feet’ to the local area for over 50 years.

Lacrosse is also Canada’s National Summer Sport, and for good reason! Canada holds three of the four current FIL World Championships (Men’s Field, Men’s Indoor/Box and U19 Women’s Field). According to the Canadian Lacrosse Association, lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in Canada. If that doesn’t convince you to take a closer look at our sport, maybe you’ve heard of Wayne Gretzky who said “I played lacrosse every summer, and

I loved it! I think it was a big part of my success in hockey.”

In order to help grow the sport locally, LMLA holds annual Try Lacrosse sessions for those who remain unsure about signing up.

Again this year the program was well attended and resulted in a new crop of ‘laxers’ who will wear the Blue Devil logo. Young TrinityLee excitedly reported after her first try at lacrosse, “I didn’t like it, I loved it!” Perhaps she’ll be the next Great One! For more information about London Minor Lacrosse, visit

www.londonlacrosse.com

London Minor Lacrosse boasts house league and travel teams for boys and girls aged 3 to 21, who get the opportunity to be part of a 50-year-old organization while playing the fastest growing game in Canada.

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health&fitness

Make pain your friend

By Dr. Natascha Wesch, PhD If you’re an athlete who enjoys (and I mean LOVES) the pain from going to the max in training and competition, then it’s likely you have made friends with pain (I’m talking about exertion pain, not injury pain). This is the pain you feel when you push yourself to the limit.

How this affects performance is largely a matter of perception. Some athletes interpret pain as a sign of weakness, or a signal to slow down. They get frustrated and discouraged, and these negative feelings increase the perception of pain.

Pain is their enemy. However, some athletes interpret exertion pain as a sign they’re going hard and coming closer to achieving their goals. They’re motivated and inspired by their persistence and tenacity, and these positive feelings not only diminish their perception of pain, but increase confidence, motivation and focus. Pain is their friend.

Natascha Wesch Maggie MacNeil, a local international-level swimmer

For Maggie MacNeil, a local international-level swimmer, pain has helped her achieve greater results because of this perspective. Instead of fearing it, she uses pain to her advantage.

“With the help of Natascha and sport psychology, I have learned that I am able to push through the pain to get maximum results,” said MacNeil.

I give pain a personality. His name is Pain, with a capital P. He’s blue, with sharp teeth and claws that can sink into my muscles and lungs, and send fire throughout my body. I don’t let Pain drag me down, though, and I don’t fear him.

We have a love-hate relationship.

I try to anticipate when Pain will show up. There’s a certain point in a hard training set when I know I’ll begin to feel the

burn in my legs and the fire in my lungs.

When it arrives, I think to myself, “Hello Pain! Welcome to my workout.” Then I breathe through it, focus on my technique, and keep working. Acknowledging Pain doesn’t make him go away, but by making Pain my friend, I don’t fear Pain.

When Pain shows up, I know I‘m working hard, pushing myself to the edge, and expanding my capacity. I’m getting better, stronger, faster. That’s why I make Pain my friend!

Dr. Natascha Wesch is a Mental Performance Consultant Counsellor & Coach in private practice who works with athletes, coaches, and teams of all levels and sport backgrounds. To learn more and to contact her, visit her website:

www.elitemindperformance.com

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Hst to be added (13% for Canadian games and partial 4% for US games). NFL includes all you can eat/drink tailgate party.

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Diving may be for you!

Story and photo submitted by Forest City Diving Club Looking for a new sport to learn?

Look no further! Forest City Diving Club (FCDC) offers Learn to dive (LTD) programs, March Break and Summer Camps for children aged 5 to 12. The only requirement is that your child must be able to swim.

Diving is defined as the sport of entering the water from a raised position, often while executing tumbles, twists, and other acrobatic maneuvers.

Springboard diving is done from a flexible board. The board’s flexibility allows divers to jump high into the air to execute various maneuvers before entering the water. Platform diving can be done from different heights (3, 5, 7.5 and 10m). As with springboard, diving on the platform can be initiated with hurdles or from a standing position.

A hurdle is a step sequence with which the diver approaches the edge

of the board.

FCDC has been producing National level divers since 2003. All national level divers made their start from a LTD or camp program. The strength of this sport lies in learning the basic fundamentals of diving. With a good foundation, there are no limits. Enthusiasm, excellent training and fun will lead to great success, not only in the sport of diving but will also help your child develop skills necessary to succeed in school and life in general.

Come by the Canada Games Aquatic Centre to check us out or sign up for a week of camp during the March Break or summer to get a taste of what diving is all about. A week not enough? Then consider the LTD program. Visit us at

The Forest City Diving Club (FCDC) offers Learn to dive (LTD) programs, as well as March Break and Summer Camps to introduce youngsters to the sport of diving

www.forestcitydiving.com

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Swimming: A lifelong sport Submitted by Middlesex Swimming Are you looking for a life-long sport for your child? It could be swimming.

Middlesex Swimming has developed its own long-term athlete development program. Swimming is a sport that can last a lifetime with our approach. Graduating members that follow our program will stay active for life in the pool.

Life-long benefits of swimming 1. It is a low impact exercise on the skeletal system.

2. Increases muscle tone and strength.

3. Improves flexibility.

4. Strengthens the heart.

5. Weight control.

6. Improved cholesterol.

7. Lowers risk of diabetes.

8. Lowers stress.

Middlesex long-term athlete program

• Learn more about our program and how your child can become active for life in the pool. E-mail: info@middlesexswimming.ca.

Middlesex Swimming History • Competitive swim team established in 2007 (two athletes and 4.5 hours per week at one location) • Masters swim team established in 2011 • Water polo team established in 2015 • Western Mustang water polo partnership established in 2015 • Middlesex now boasts over 200 members swimming out of six different locations

middlesexswimming.ca

• Swimmers learn to become active for life at a young age.

• Children are recommended to start with Middlesex at the early age of 6 or 7.

• Our athletes stay healthy and sharp by learning to swim and play water polo.

• Fitness, skills and commitment are learned behaviours that are formed by age 12.

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Wave of top finishes for LSC Story and photos submitted by the London Synchronized Swimming Club

The beginning of the Provincial Season started with the Lisa Alexander Figure Meet held January 17 & 18 in Toronto with competitors in the Western, Northern and Central areas of the province. It can be an intimidating start to a long competitive season with so many girls from all over the province. Judging by the results of the competitive provincial team, though, the London Synchro club was making waves in all age categories.

Larissa Loucks took home a silver medal in 10U, while teammate Karina Rayburn placed 9th in a field of over 150 swimmers. In the 13-to-15-year-old age group, Bridget Koza took home Silver, Allison Major placed 5th, and Sydney Clarke finished 6th. In an exceptionally tough field, Emelyn Kupinski placed in the top 20 in the 16-20 age group. While these are highlights of the meet, many more of our swimmers had excellent scores and placed in the top percentage of their age ranges.

Next up, the girls headed to the Waterloo Invitational on January 31.

Once again, LSC did not disappoint and had outstanding placements. The LSC 10U team took silver in a field of 11 provincial teams, while the 12U team earned an 8th place finish behind Mississauga. Our 13-15 age group Yellow team was 4th, and our 13-15 Blue team took home gold in an impressive field of 17 provincial teams. Soloist Allison Major took home gold in 13-15 solo,

while Bridget Koza and Millie SweetBoulay came away with an impressive silver medal in 16-20 duet.

After two back-to-back meets, the girls geared up for West Regionals held in Guelph February 27 & 28. That meet is a qualifier for the Ontario Age Groups, which is held in Nepean in May. We wish the girls continued success this season!

Allison Major 1st and Sydney Clarke 4th (13-15 Solo)

www.londonsynchroclub.ca

Coach Sabrina Lucier with Millie Sweet-Boulay and Bridget Koza - Silver 16-20 Duet

15yr Team receives the Gold out of a staggering 17 provincial teams

10U Team showcasing their Silver

13yr Team receiving their 4th place finish

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LAC proud of coaching crew Submitted by London Aquatic Club The London Aquatic Club hosted its annual 12 & Under Celebration swim meet in mid-January at the Canada Games Aquatic Centre, with 12 teams and 340 swimmers from across southern Ontario competing. LAC also competed on the same weekend at meets in Etobicoke and at the University of Toronto, and its swimmers will be racing in February at championship events in Montreal, Markham, Brantford and Ottawa.

Among Ontario competitive swim clubs, LAC’s 22 coaches represent the highest number of certified coaches, and each day they strive to provide opportunities for each and every young swimmer to be the best they can be, always in a positive, caring and safe environment.

Three of those coaches include: Jen Campbell, coach of LAC’s Age Group Bronze group, which has 25

swimmers aged 9-11. Jen has been coaching with LAC since 2011 and also coaches LAC’s Intro to Para-Swimming program at the StoneyCreek YMCA, which provides opportunities for children with disabilities to learn the sport of competitive swimming.

Liz Moskal, Head Age Group Coach, oversees the entire Age Group swim program, which consists of four different groups and over 100 swimmers in total. Liz has been coaching with LAC for 10 years.

Donna Moskal is LAC’s Team Manager and Coach Mentor. Donna has been with LAC for over 30 years, is an NCCP-certified Skills Coach Learning Facilitator, and leads coaching courses across southern Ontario.

www.londonaquaticclub.ca

#: 34416-49 Color(s): 4C LAC coaches demonstrate start technique with some of theJob club’s youngest swimmers.

Size: 7.375" x 3.125" Branch: 343 London

Three of LAC’s amazing coaches! (Left to right): Campbell, Liz Moskal, and Donna Moskal.

Bleed?: Y Jen Pub: Sports Xpress Mag

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Early success for FCVC!

Forest City 15U Boys Evan West with teammates Justin Vader, Aiden Duffy, Xavier Duerdin and Caelan Brosnan covering

Submitted by Forest City Volleyball Club We are excited and impressed by the potential and performance of the 2015-16 Forest City Volleyball Club boys teams!

FCVC is committed to providing the highest calibre coaching possible to ensure that our young athletes develop their skills and their love of volleyball, and that our elite senior athletes have access to regional, provincial and national programs, as well as post-secondary volleyball programs in both Canada and the United States.

Forest City 13U boys have had a great first half of the season while learning and competing every time they take the court. The 13Us have finished fifth in two OVA tournaments thus far and continue to show good sportsmanship and strong teamwork. The boys are working hard at practice preparing for OVA Provincials in April.

The Forest City 14U Boys program is in full swing with our FC Blue and FC Green travelling team. Building on a fifth-place finish in Tier 2 last year at the Provincial Championships, the boys won bronze medals at their first two tournaments and finished fourth playing up in the U15 McGregor Cup. The coaching staff is extremely excited at the potential this group brings to the future of our FC Boys Program. Look for them to be at or near the top for years to come.

The Forest City 15U Boys program has attempted to develop its Green and Blue teams this year through a process that encourages both teamwork and competitive spirit. Rather than determining set team rosters at the end of September, the coaches decided to invite 18 athletes into a months-long program where they would all train together and only separate into

Forest City 13U Boys. Front row (left to right): Owen Young, Matthew Carr, Mitch von Dehn, Caleb Kyle, Hayden Janzen, Owen Gray. Back row: Coach Jason McKee, Brayden Oldham, Michael McCallum, Christiano Filice, Caelan Schmitt, Marshall McKee, Andrew Kerkhoff, Coach Tom Kerkhoff, Coach Stu Pow. Absent: Brett Sweeney

specific rosters for the single-day OVA tournaments. The experiment seems to be paying off, as players have continuously pushed themselves and each other to improve, and 14 of the 18 athletes have won medals in 15U and 16U tournaments.

The FCVC 18U Boys participated in their third OVA tournament on Jan. 30, traveling to Chatham to play in the McGregor Cup hosted by the Ballhawks. The team is showing progress, and the fruits of their labour came to bear during that tournament. The boys had an outstanding weekend, losing to only one team the entire day, a hard fought match in the finals. It was a great team effort en route to a silver medal.

Congratulations to all of our Forest City Volleyball teams. We look forward to seeing continued success on the court from all of our athletes!

Forest City 18U Boys. Back row (left to right): Owen Poczik, Mark Simon, Pete Sidler, Jacky Liu, Mathew Baxter, Matt Forbes, Eric Pierce, Loudon Herold, Mark Peckham, Brent Walters. Front Row: Jacob Farquharson, Najeem Javeed, Nate Aliga, Nick Cook, Darrith Peo, Nick Tales, Colten Roberts

Forest City 14U Boys

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

New York Yankees Apr 12 & Sept 24

Cleveland Indians Jul 1

Detroit Tigers Jul 9

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sportsfiles

LVC bursting at the seams!

Submitted by London Volleyball Club We would like to send a huge THANK YOU to the London volleyball community for your energy and passion throughout the 2015-2016 season! We've grown exponentially this year, just eight registrations shy of 1,000 across all programming! We added 13U/14U Offseason Training in the spring, REPS on REPS in the summer, Holiday REPS over the Christmas break, and Setter REPS in the winter. For the first time ever, we added another session of Feed the Fire for 10-13-year-olds ... and filled that too! The city is exploding with volleyball!

Our next program getting underway will be our summer day-camp!

For more information, head to www.LVCFire.com.

Join us and #lovethegame #weareLVC

www.lvcfire.com

With nearly 1,000 overall registrations, the London Volleyball Club is growing exponentially to meet the demand for volleyball in the community

LVCamp 2016 LVCamp #1 – July 25-29, 2016 (5-10 yrs old, 11-17 yrs old) LVCamp Setter/Libero – August 3-5, 2016 (11-17 yrs old) LVCamp #3 – August 8-12, 2016 (5-10 yrs old, 11-17 yrs old)

SPORTS COMMUNITY PROFILES David-Lee Tracey David-Lee Tracey played plenty of sports while growing up. He lived on the Bruce Trail and did a lot of skiing, and he was good enough to make the cross-country ski team at the University of Western Ontario. In fact, he was close to making the football and basketball teams as well. But it was in his fourth year at Western when Tracey found his calling. He tried out for and made the cheerleading team, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Tracey continued competing with the team into grad school, where he took kinesiology, and then he transitioned into a coaching role. That was in 1980, and he is now in his 36th year with the program, a remarkable run that has included almost too many tournament and championship medals to count.

In 1986, Tracey started up Power Cheer, and in

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1998 he opened the Power Cheer Gym, which today is the largest dedicated cheerleading gym (10,000 square feet) in the London and Southwestern Ontario area. It has two stand-alone sprung floors, tumble trak, trampoline, large lobby and an amazing parents’ loft that overlooks the gym floor.

Over the years, ‘Trace’ has coached thousands of local athletes and has enjoyed an iconic career in the field, running cheerleading camps around the country and bringing countless teams to competitions throughout North America. He is both the coach of Western University’s cheerleading team and the cheerleading program at Fanshawe, which he started in 2007. So well-respected is Tracey that he is also currently a coach with the national team.

He’s truly a cheerleading lifer, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

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Programs making an impact Story and photos submitted by London Sharks Volleyball Three years ago, the London Sharks volleyball club started the developmental league for boys and girls aged 10 to 14. This year, the 14U girls, formed mostly by players that started their volleyball career in the league, have earned one gold medal and one silver medal, and are now competing at the Premier level.

The 13U girls, meanwhile, are also doing their part with two gold medals and one silver medal this season, which places them among the 10 best 13U girls team in Ontario. And in the boys division, the 13U team, also formed mostly from players from the developmental programs, have finished 5th in all of their tournaments this year.

All those achievements wouldn’t be possible without the work done by the Little Sharks coaches. Little Sharks is a program for boys and girls 5 to 9 years old that provides these future athletes with the necessary motor skills to participate in any sport activity they choose (with an emphasis, of course, on the game of volleyball). Little Sharks graduates have the opportunity to join the Sharks Academy and participate of the 11U teams that will participate in different volleyball festivals organized by the clubs in the region. Sharks

LVC Academy

Academy program is designed for kids 8 to 10 years old with advanced skills interested in competitive volleyball.

This year, in partnership with Ontario Volleyball Association, London Sharks has started SMASHBALL. This is a new innovative program for boys 7 to 11 years old, which seeks to increase the participation of boys in the sport of Volleyball. The game is very dynamic and brings a lot of excitement to the participants while at the same time improving their volleyball skills. To watch a video of SMASHBALL, visit the club’s website at www.londonsharks.ca.

The London Sharks developmental programs make sense. The club’s goal is to introduce young athletes to the sport, improve their motor skills, teach them the sport, and immerse them in a competitive environment while avoiding, as much as possible, the stress that participating in sports can bring to families.

For more information, visit the club’s website at www.londonsharks.ca.

Little Sharks

14U Girls Hammerheads - Bronze

14U Girls Great Whites - Gold

www.londonsharks.ca

13U Girls Great Whites - Gold

SPORTS COMMUNITY PROFILES Ricardo Alvarez For Ricardo Alvarez, it’s all about volleyball. And it always has been. In Columbia, Alvarez played on a provincial team and in university, and then transitioned into a coach in his native country.

And if there’s a sporting event on his tv, you can guarantee it’s volleyball.

When he moved to Canada, however, Ricardo was not involved in the game for five or six years.

But when his daughter was old enough and wanted to play, he decided it was the perfect time to get back into it. In fact, he took the opportunity to start up a new volleyball organization, the London Sharks, in 2009, and he has since turned it into a formidable club.

Today, the organization offers the Little Sharks, a developmental program, a competitive indoor program (which runs from September to April and competes in tournaments organized by the Ontario Volleyball Association), and an academy. In 2013, Alvarez opened Supreme Courts, a full-service sporting complex that features over 19,000 square feet of VERSA playing surface.

Supreme Courts is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of health and wellbeing, mainly among youth and children under 18 years old, through their participation in multi-sports programs. It’s a world class volleyball centre, and it has certainly cemented Ricardo’s status as a true volleyball builder in London.

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Extreme the next best thing Story and photos submitted by Extreme Indoor Golf Extreme Indoor Golf, London’s best known secret, is London’s only alternative to outdoor golf. Offering practice, game play, lessons, clinics, corporate and private events, we have become the leader in the industry in Southwestern Ontario. State-of-the-art technology offers our clients a realistic alternative to outdoor golf and our unique and welcoming facility is the only one of its kind in London and the surrounding area. Based on the foundation of customer service, Extreme Indoor Golf has quadrupled in size in two years. What began as a small, one simulator facility has now grown to a 5,300 square foot facility with four simulators, liquor licence, leagues and a large membership base. The AboutGolf technology (as seen on the Golf Channel) offers the most accurate results in simulated golf, basing results on ball flight as well as impact and club head speed. Comfortable, climate controlled private and semi-private lounges come together to make the perfect environment for practice and game play in the off season.

Call 519-601-6625 to book your tee time or event today

What they are saying (TripAdvisor reviews) “Great experience, next best thing to being on the Links” December 2014 “Extreme Indoor Golf has just re opened in a new location, the new site is much better suited to its purpose with an excellent opportunity for expansion, making the experience either perfect for business meetings or an unforgettable Family outing. With our London Weather, EIG is perfect for either the Golf addict (Me) or lessons for the beginner. I'll be using both options. Looking forward to joining their Indoor Golf league. Crissy is an excellent host and often checks in to ensure that everyone is enjoying themselves. I'll be back next week.” – Richard L.

“Heaven in Canada during winter golf indoors” December 2015 “In Canada, we have the winter season which can start as early as October.

This closes the golf courses, as snow makes it difficult to golf outside. Indoor golf is a friendly warm place where the four of us can go and play a round of golf. This allows us to keep our swings through the winter so that we are not rusty in the spring. We hope. This facility offers a choice of many golf courses to play. We have sampled pebble beach and St. Andrew’s and were really happy with the results. I think that if you are looking for a way to pass some time during the dreary cold winter, this is the way to go. But not too many please, as the four of us do not want to fight over tee off times.” – Johann P.

www.extremeindoorgolf.com

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Expansion success Providing thea best golf experience

By Steve Nancekivell

By Tyler Schepens

The 2014 season, our 26th overall, saw the continued of London Another season resurgence of the London Junior Lightning Fastball.

It was another Golf League is about to begin.

Thismajor junior expansion year, with Fastball league provides an Lightning experience that inadding ‘game-like’ another twosituations teams to bring the volves in practice total number of girl’s competitive fastball along with on-course play. The first introteams totosix. duction the game of golf for most kids Noviceeither Blue (U14), theirat second involves a golfinclinic a range or season and led by head coach Chris going to the driving range. And while it Askew, entered three tournaments.

Theas may seem cool to whack balls as hard girls always played hard and earned the respect of the top teams.

“I'm very proud of the hard work my players displayed this year,” Coach Askew said.

Novice Red (U14), led by head coach Darren Walz, picked up where last year's team left off, winning one gold, two silvers and a bronze medal during tournament play this season. The Novice Red team also accepted an opportunity to head to White Rock, B.C. to compete at the Canadians in the Tier II division in early August.

Woods and the London Lightning

Bantam beganthis their you can Blue into (U16) a big field, first experi- ute to the team! inaugural withhas a bang, win- to do ence with season the game very little Coaching from PGA Professionals & ning the five game of six games with itself. at the season Parents - most recreational sport proopening tournament and continued Junior/Intermediate coached byhave Bill Our junior league allows children to ex- grams are coached team by parents who Bantam Blue (U16) did a lot of winning in 2014, including their winning ways for most ofofthe perience the ups and downs the game a passion for the sport and enjoy helping a 3rd place finish at the Port Perry tournament year, a third-place at the in theearning company of other finish children (typi- young people learn games. The PGA Jr. Port Perry tournament in June. cally friends) and under the supervision League is no different - parents coach the Red (U16), led by head Sword.

Having played in the Tri-County of Bantam an experienced coach. team with support from LJGDC staff who coach Tim Burden, competed in four league,and theinstruct ladies had fun and successcoach theapractices. areone theinkey points fulSpring, tournaments, What including Canton, first season.

Summer and Fall seasons – vaMichigan. Theabout team won in the 'A' London Lightning Fastball would like by our bronze Junior League? riety in seasons allows participation division at a tournament in Barriedesign in June,– to thank all of our head coaches, as“Little League” all. and won silverprovides at the Provincial teams ofQualifiers boys and sistant coaches, parent volunteers and, in the Tier II division. do I register my child or supfind out of course, our sponsors for their girls, ages 13 and under, a How Long-time London Lightning Fastball port and commitment throughout the structured learning envi- more information? player, coach,ronment association and 2014 workouts/tryouts for member young golfers Theseason.

LondonOpen Junior Golf Development newly-appointed Fanshawe Falcons are scheduled for early for to compete and have fun.

Centre welcomes you September and your family, fastball coach Catherine Arthur and her squirt (U12) ages and up, and our winter Team Format for all skills regardless of experience or equipment, Midget (U18) team had a successful year workouts will take in the January – - each team in the league to start golfing thisplace season.

For more inmoving up to the Tier I division. They March timeframe.

Check out our website will play games against formation, or to register, visit us at: www. competed in Brantford, Humber College, for more details. other teams in a two-per- londonjuniorgolf.com.

Port Huron and the Motor City tournalondonlightningfastball.com. sonMichigan. team scramble format. www.londonjuniorgolf.com ment in Canton, The team As long the player can putt (Left to Right) Kennedy, Gavin and Brooklyn give their junior league finished 7th in Ontario. canLLF contribexperience three thumbs Head coach and LLF President Terry up!

This was theand firstchip, year they for the

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s a week.

all locations. Please see the regular member green fee charts below.

sportsfiles $475 $900 $1,425 $1,275

Regular Membership The City of London Municipal Golf System Youth (9-18) $150 consists of five great golf courses at three Intermediate (19-24) $235 facilities.

AdultThames (25+) Valley, Fanshawe and River $275 Road Golf SeniorCourse.

(65+) All sites offer a fully stocked $235 Any golf course 7 days a week pay a reduced pro shop, food and–beverage services as wellgreen as fee.

Unlimited golf at all sites – 7 days a week.

Youth (9-18) Intermediate (19-24) Adult (25+) Senior (65+)

$475 $900 $1,425 $1,275

3.5625

Unlimited Value (25+) $1025 Unlimited play at any golf course Monday to Friday.

Unlimited play at River Road, the Quarry and the Hickory 9 on weekends at no charge. HMay play the Traditional and the Classic on weekends for a regular member green fee.H

great courses

Unlimited Hickory (19+) $625 Unlimited golf on the Hickory Course - 7 days a week

City Golf eyes 2016 $1025

charts below.

Monday to Friday. member and Valley private tournaments.

Thames Hickory (19+) $150 Quarry and the Hickory 9 7 days a week - pay a reduced green fee on the Hickory 9. y play the Traditional and Golfers haveof theLondon option to pay guest fees as Submitted

by City Municipal Golf $50 gular member green fee.H Junior Thames Valley Hickory (7-18)

5

they play or purchase a regular or unlimited 7 days a week – pay a reduced green fee on the Hickory 9. $625 golf membership. initiation fees, by Juniors underMunicipal 9There years ofare ageno must be team accompanied The City of London Golf rse - 7 days a week sharesa parent or monthly assessments with the or guardian. is excited to get the 2016 season under$250 City of London Municipal Golf Course System. and we areThames hoping youreasonable are too!and The All fees are considered in rse only – 7way, days a week.

Valley Classic & Fanshawe Traditional st be accompanied by a London City of Municipal System keepingPRIME withTIME: a publicGolf course operation. $21.00

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3.5625

Guest Green Fees Unlimited Memberships: Unlimited Youth Hickory (7-18) $250

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Juniors under 9 years of age must be accompanied by a This membership to PRIME TIME: gives you access with no restrictions $42.00 parent or guardian. all PRIME of our golf a one-time fee.

TIMEcourses GOLF for & CART PACKAGE: $50.00 All memberships age categories will be defined by NON-PRIME TIME: $34.00 Unlimited Membership August 31, 2016.

TWILIGHT: $22.00 Unlimited golf at all sites – 7 days a week.

Youth (9-18)(9-18): $475 JUNIOR $20.00 2016 Payment Plans

consists of five NON-PRIME great golf TIME: courses at three $17.00 Questions? We are at your service. Please stop TWILIGHT: $11.00 Thames Valley Golf orCourse, by one of our pro shops call 519-661-4450.

JUNIOR (9-18): Fanshawe Golf Course and River Road Golf $10.00 Intermediate (19-24) $900 The City of London Municipal Golf System Adultpayment (25+) plans will be available for select Unlimited $1,425 Course. Each course offers a fully stocked Monthly consists of five great golf courses at three Senior (65+) $1,275 Golf Memberships.

Five month payment Fanshawe Quarry & River Road Fanshawe Quarry & River Roadplans will be ailable for select proUnlimited shop, food facilities. and beverage services, Thames Valley, Fanshaweas and River available starting in March ayment plans will be Unlimited Value (25+) and four month plans starting $1025 PRIME TIME: $17.00 PRIME TIME: $34.00 Road Golf Course. All sites offer a fully stocked well as member and private tournaments. in April.

Membership payments will Monday be divided into equal ur month plans starting Unlimited play atQUARRY any golfPRIME course to Friday.

FANSHAWE TIME FANSHAWE QUARRY PRIME TIME st prooption shop, foodtoand beverage services as well as $30.00 .

Payments installments with final payment occurring July 1 pay guest fees ill be dividedGolfers into equal have the Unlimited at River Road, the Quarry and the Hickory$42.00 9 GOLF &play CART PACKAGE: GOLF & CART PACKAGE: member and private tournaments. mayon beweekends made by at credit card orHMay directplay debit your bank ccurring Julyas 1st. they Payments no charge. thefrom Traditional and play or NON-PRIME purchase NON-PRIME TIME: $29.00 TIME:a regular or $14.50 account.

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There areguest nofees $11.00 Payment plans are not available after April 30th. d for payment plans.

Unlimited Hickory $625 th JUNIOR (9-18): (19+) $20.00 JUNIOR (9-18): $10.00 they play or purchase a regular or unlimited . after April 30initiation fees, shares or monthly assessUnlimited Adult (25+) $1500 Unlimited golf on the Hickory Course - 7 days a week golf membership. There are no initiation fees, Unlimited Senior (65+) $1325 $1500 ments with theshares City or ofmonthly London Municipal assessments with the Unlimited (7-18) $250 Unlimited ValueYouth (25+)Hickory $1075 $1325 Thames All Valley Hickory 9 considThames Valley Hickory 9 Golf Course System. fees are City of London Municipal Golf Course System.

Unlimited golf on the(19-24) Hickory Course only – 7 days a week.

Unlimited Intermediate $950 $1075 ADULT: $10.00 ADULT: $20.00 JuniorsYouth under(9-18) 9 years of age must be accompanied by$525 a Unlimited All and fees are ered reasonable in considered keepingreasonable with a and in $950 parent or guardian.

JUNIOR (9-18): $8.00 JUNIOR (9-18): $16.00 keeping with a public course operation. $525 All memberships are subject to HST. public course operation. To see our 2016 All memberships agerates. categories will pricing be defined

by HST.) Please check the website and pro shops for more information on non-prime time and twilight (Green fee includes ST. Unlimited and Regular packQuestions?Membership We are at your service.

Please stop August 31, 2016. by one of our pro shops or call 519-661-4450. ages, please visit our website at:

will be defined by facilities:

www.london.ca/golf

Monthly payment plans will be available for select Unlimited Golf Memberships. Five month payment plans will be available starting in March and four month plans starting in April. Membership payments will be divided into equal installments with final payment occurring July 1st. Payments may be made by credit card or direct debit from your bank account. Cheques cannot be used for payment plans.

Payment plans are not available after April 30th.

All memberships are subject to HST.

LondonSportsXpress.ca

3.5”

Thames Valley Hickory (19+) $150 7 days a week - pay a reduced green fee on the Hickory 9.

Junior Thames Valley Hickory (7-18) $50 7 days a week – pay a reduced green fee on the Hickory 9.

Juniors under 9 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Regular Memberships:

Designed for the golfer who plays a minimum of 15 rounds Thames Valley Classic & Fanshawe Traditional per year and is looking for affordable, reduced green fees.

PRIMEwill TIME: $21.00 Golfers pay the initial regular membership fee and then aNON-PRIME reduced green fee all season long – 7 days a week$17.00 at TIME: all locations. Please see the regular member green fee TWILIGHT: $11.00 charts below.

JUNIOR (9-18):

$10.00

Regular Membership Youth (9-18) $150 Intermediate $235 Fanshawe (19-24) Quarry & River Road Adult (25+) $275 PRIME TIME: $17.00 Senior (65+) $235 FANSHAWE QUARRY PRIME TIME Any golf course – 7 days a week pay a reduced green fee. $30.00

GOLF & CART PACKAGE:

Thames Valley Hickory (19+) $150 NON-PRIME TIME: $14.50 7 days a week - pay a reduced green fee on the Hickory 9.

TWILIGHT:

$11.00

Junior Thames $50 JUNIOR (9-18):Valley Hickory (7-18) $10.00 7 days a week – pay a reduced green fee on the Hickory 9.

Juniors under 9 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Thames Valley Hickory 9

ADULT: $10.00 Thames Valley Classic & Fanshawe Traditional JUNIOR (9-18): $8.00

Gue

Tham

PRIME PRIME NON-P TWILIG JUNIO

Fansh

PRIME FANSH GOLF NON-P TWILIG JUNIO

Guest

Tham

Thames V

ADULT

PRIME TIM JUNIO PRIME TIME: $21.00 PRIME TIM Please check the website and pro shops for more information on non-prime time a NON-PRIME TIME: $17.00 NON-PRIM TWILIGHT: $11.00 TWILIGHT: JUNIOR (9-18): $10.00 JUNIOR (9

2016 Payment Plans

Unlimited Adult (25+) Unlimited Senior (65+) Unlimited Value (25+) Unlimited Intermediate (19-24) Unlimited Youth (9-18)

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Regular Membership Youth (9-18) $150 Intermediate (19-24) $235 Adult (25+) $275 Senior (65+) $235 Any golf course – 7 days a week pay a reduced green fee.

LondonSportsXpress

$1500 $1325 $1075 $950 $525

Fanshawe Quarry & River Road PRIME TIME: FANSHAWE QUARRY PRIME TIME GOLF & CART PACKAGE: NON-PRIME TIME: TWILIGHT: JUNIOR (9-18):

Fanshaw $17.00 $30.00 $14.50 $11.00 $10.00

Thames Valley Hickory 9 ADULT: JUNIOR (9-18):

PRIME TIM FANSHAW GOLF & CA NON-PRIM TWILIGHT: JUNIOR (9

Thames V $10.00 $8.00

ADULT: JUNIOR (9

Please check the website and pro shops for more information on non-prime time and t

sportsfiles

Free Junior Golf from TGA! Submitted by TGA Premier Junior Golf The always forward thinking Zarko Frkovic, Owner, and Peter Henderson, General Manager, of the multi award winning Crumlin Creek Golf Club, have partnered with TGA London to bring junior golf into the 21st Century. TGA London and Crumlin Creek ran a highly successful summer camp pilot in 2015, which set the foundation for a full schedule of nine weekly Summer Camps beginning July 4, 2016.

Every child between the ages of 4 and 14 who registers for a TGA golf enrichment class, clinic or summer camp will receive absolutely free as part of their graduation package a junior golf club membership to Crumlin Creek.

This special membership will allow TGA London Premier Junior Golf students of any age to play golf at Crumlin Creek at any time absolutely free when playing with an adult.

All details and summer camps are ready for registration now at www.PlayTGA.ca/ London. Just choose the camp dates you like from the nine Crumlin Creek camps listed, and register away!

Those who have attended TGA golf enrichment classes and camps will tell you that there's nothing like TGA golf programs ‌ nothing! Generous discounts will apply to parents registering more than one child for the same camp or lesson series.

TGA London, teaches golf indoors/ outdoors 12 months a year at school gymnasiums, community centres, YMCA facilities, golf courses and golf performance centres in the London area.

Chances are very good that TGA London has a class, clinic or camp starting near you very soon. Check out TGA London on line at www.PlayTGA.ca/London for current locations and information or call our office at 519-457-1473.

www.playtga.ca/london

40 Every child between the ages of 4 and 14 who registers for a TGA golf enrichment class, clinic or summer camp will receive absolutely free as part of their graduation package a junior golf club membership to Crumlin Creek.

To claim your discount use promotional code londisc20

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www.crumlincreek.com | 1720 Crumlin Side Road, London | 519-659-7070 @SportsXpressLON

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Leadership starts with great coaching Story and photos submitted by Power Cheer Gym The Power Cheer Gym Vipers started off the second half of the 2015-16 competition season with a bang, earning four 1st place finishes at the C-E Winterfest in St Catharines, Ont., and then following up with a 1st, 2nd and 3rd run a week later in Sandusky, Ohio. Between January and April, all nine PCG teams will be active around southern Ontario, as well as a special competition weekend in Orlando for the advanced level squads.

The driving force behind all successful

sports programs is the coaching staff, and PCG is extremely proud to have three former members anchoring the various age groups and levels. Despite being one of the younger head coaches, Youth teams director Natalie Mills has been with the Vipers for over a decade.

Mills specializes in gymnastics and development of all athletes under the age of 11, and she lays down the foundation on which the older teams build upon.

Her exuberant personality and boundless energy make her a favourite of all

the kids and parents.

Head of the Junior teams (ages 11-14), is Coach Brandon, the busiest coach at PCG. On top of running the advanced level junior and senior coed teams, he coordinates all camp programs and tumbling classes, and is an administrative member of the Ontario Cheerleading Federation. Senior Coach Garrett Skinn is the longest serving Viper coach, and despite coaching a senior team, an open level team (18+), and co-coaching the National Champion Western All-Girl team, he is highly active with every level of athlete and virtually lives in the gym. He is often the first person a prospective gym member meets when they tour the facility, and he is the person at the counter helping parents outfit their athletes from the pro shop. PCG is extremely proud to have these three outstanding coaches on its staff.

It is never too late to get involved with a team at the PCG, and the fully credentialed, friendly and fun staff and coaches are always welcoming new athletes. Interested athletes/parents are invited to call the gym (519-667-0565) or drop in any day of the week to tour the facility and even participate in a team workout.

www.powercheergym.com pcgvipers

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@PCGVipers

sportsfiles

On the podium Submitted by CheerStrike The competitive cheer season started strong for the CheerStrike Royals! In December, our Tiny Knights in Armour placed 1st at the Power Cheer Christmas Competition. Meanwhile at the Frozen at the Falls Championships, our Mini Monarchs, Junior Empire and Youth Imperial all placed 1st, with the Youth Imperial team winning the Grand Champs title.

Three teams travelled to Buffalo to compete at the CheerSport Buffalo Grand Championships. All three finished as the highest placing Canadian teams in their divisions, with Mini Majesty placing 2nd, Youth Reign placing 3rd and Junior Nobility placing 2nd. We are looking forward to all our teams competing at upcoming Ontario and National Championships in Kitchener, Mississauga and Niagara Falls.

Are you considering competitive cheer for your son or daughter next year? We have a team at CheerStrike for every age, 3-18, every commitment and cost

level, and every ability, starting with even Recreational and Prep Teams that allow athletes to get some experience developing skills safely Members from the Majesty, Reign and Nobility teams pose for a photo and competing before moving on to levels 1, 2 or 3.

We will be holding our team placements for season 4 from May 2-5, 2016. If you are curious, come take a tour of our facility in the Northwest corner of the city and we would love to answer all of your questions about the many programs we offer.

At CheerStrike, the owners also coach teams and play a hands-on role with the development of every athlete.

We are very excited to announce that we will be running 12 teams for our 2016/2017 season. If you think you have what it takes to ‘be Royal’, come by and check us out in person or online!

CheerStrike — Imperial Team

www.cheerstrikeroyals.com

Madison Wilson-Walker Lord Dorchester Secondary School Madison Wilson-Walker has overcome many obstacles in her life to excel both in athletics and academics. Diagnosed with meningococcal disease at three years old, her illness was complicated with respiratory distress syndrome, septicemia and gangrene. But despite undergoing a below knee amputation on both legs and partial amputation of her fingers on her left hand, she not only learned to walk again with prosthetic legs, but she has lived a life filled with physical activity, including figure skating, horseback riding, and swimming.

In high school, Madison has competed in javelin and also the ambulatory sprint category, the first student to do so at Lord Dorchester Secondary School. With the London Western Track Club, she earned gold medals in the para 100m, 200m and Javelin at the youth Nationals in B.C., and claimed two bronze medals (100m and Javelin) and two fourth-place finishes (200m and 400m) at the Junior Nationals in Edmonton.

Madison has also done extensive volunteer work, completing more than 500 community service hours. She has been accepted to the Child and Social Institutions Program at Kings University College. Her goal is to get a Masters Degree and pursue a career as a social worker. She is truly an exceptional role model for others with disabilities, and is very deserving of this scholarship. Congratulations Madison!

@SportsXpressLON

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sportsfiles

LGA BRINGING THE HEAT Story and photos submitted by the London Gymnastics Academy London Gymnastics Academy kicked off its 2015-2016 competition season in mid-November in Quinte Bay for the Tour Selection Meet. Congratulations to our LGA athletes for placing in the top 8 all around! Alena Beniamin placed 4th to earn a spot on the Level 8 Ontario Team, while two Level 9 athletes, Rachel Simpson and Kayla Sanidad, earned a spot on the Level 9 Ontario Team.

Rachel placed 7th all around and Kayla placed 1 st!

The first-place finish secured a Team Coach position for Jen Kraemer (Head Coach and owner of LGA), and she led the Level 9 Ontario Team to success! These athletes then traveled to Phoenix, Arizona, to represent Team Ontario at the 2016 Arizona Grand Invitational Competition the weekend of January 22-24.

And LGA brought the HEAT in Arizona!

Kayla Sanidad placed 1st overall and Rachel Simpson placed 3rd in the Level 9 category, while Alena Beniamin placed 3rd overall in the Level 8 category. Congratulations to all of these Team Ontario athletes and coaches. Wow! A job well done by our LGA superstars!

LGA's competitive gymnasts also had an amazing 1st Qualifier on Nov. 21-22 at Rose City Gymnastics in Windsor, and an outstanding 2nd Qualifier on December

4-6 at Burlington Gymnastics. The team had one more qualifier in February, and all hope to make it to the Ontario Championships later this year. We wish all of our athletes the best of luck for the remainder of the season!

It’s a busy time at LGA! In addition to our successes at competitions, LGA celebrated Canadian Gymnastics Week during the week of February 6-13. The week was a joint effort between Gymnastics Canada and all of its members to increase the awareness of the sport and to celebrate the positive benefits of gymnastics in all its forms. It brought together thousands of Canadians of all ages and levels who participate in gymnastics, and encouraged all other Canadians to try the sport. Check out our I LOVE GYM photo! (www.facebook. com/londongymnasticsacademy) Stay tuned for the next edition of SportsXpress where we will have an update on our fabulous London Heat Cheerleading teams! They are rocking the cheerleading world. Check out our Heat Facebook page at: www.facebook. com/LondonHeatCheerleading.

Registration for our recreational Spring Session is well underway, as well as registration for our Summer Camps.

Don’t miss out! Spots fill very quickly!

www.londongymnasticsacademy.com

(Left to right): Rachel Simpson, Kayla Sanidad and Alena Beniamin

Front row: Bailey Inglis, Alice Zaric, Mia Sellars. Middle Row: Rachel Simpson, Shayla Kellett, Daniela Beckett, Alison Brown, Chloe Burridge. Back Row: Morgan Lewis, Helene Bouffard, Alena Beniamin, Kayla Sanidad, Hannah McKillop

‘Stangs squash wins 33rd straight title Story and photo submitted by the Western Mustangs The streak continued for the Western Mustangs men's squash team, as they won their 33rd consecutive OUA Men's Squash Championship earlier this winter at the White Oaks Resort and Spa. With legendary Western coach Jack Fairs in attendance, the Mustangs continued the unprecedented streak that began during the 1983-84 season, as well as

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winning the 43rd men's title in university history. Western took the top spot with a perfect 6-0 record, followed by Toronto in second at 5-1 and Waterloo in third.

Western took third place in the women's championship, finishing with a 3-2 record.

The Queen's Gaels won the title after going 5-0 on the weekend, while Toronto

earned silver at 4-1.

The Mustangs men's team finished off the tournament on Sunday with a 4-2 win over the host Brock Badgers and a 6-0 victory against Queen's. Stefan Houbtchev, Farzin Habib Pour, Bryan Hill, and Pierce Masuhara each won their individual matches against the Badgers and then did the same against Queen's,

“The Mustangs men's squash team has won the OUA title every year since 1983-84.”

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TLG Midseason Showcase Story and photos submitted by The Little Gym of London Halfway through our session, The Little Gym has a Midseason Showcase that does two things: 1. It gives the kids a chance to SHOW OFF all the fun skills they have learned so far. This includes new physical skills (whether it be gymnastics, dance or sports), social skills or emotional skills (being able to demonstrate their physical skills in front of a large group.

2. It gives the newer members a chance to review and see what the kids have worked on AND what they will be learning in the second half of the season.

A favourite at The Little Gym is the SPORTS SKILLS DEVELOPMENT class for kids 3-6 years old. Sports covered are Golf, Soccer, Football, Hockey, Parkour/ Extreme Sports, Volleyball, Baseball, Track and Field and more! The kids get a chance to learn about the different terminology associated with the sport, experience the different positions in the sport, and learn to work together as a team.

Yes, it’s cute to watch the entire 3-year-old team chase the soccer ball down the field together, but how cool is it if it’s your child standing off to the side waiting for the pass? Yup, that’s a kid who came to The Little Gym! Miss Erin, Mr. Dan, Mr. Ed and his

team will have your child cheering for each other, high-fiving the coaches, and feeling just darn proud of what they have learned!

We have open enrollment for our classes, so give us a call if you want to join the fun. Classes will run until the end of June and then you get to check out our Summer sports for July and August too. Visit us online or give us a call at 519-642-0660.

www.tlglondoncan.com

At The Little Gym of London’s Midseason Showcase, kids get the chance to show off what they’ve learned, and parents get the chance to see what’s in store for their kids in the second half of the season

with Nick Guest and Alex Seto also helping to complete the sweep of the Gaels.

On the women's side, the purple and white finished the championship with a 6-0 win over Waterloo. Holly Delavigne, Michaela Khan, Nicola Crich, Karen Lam, Robyn Lewis, and Joanna Macleod each earned the win at their position, and following the tournament Delavigne was also named an OUA All-Star.

www.westernmustangs.ca The Western Mustangs continued their record breaking streak in men’s squash, capturing their 33rd consecutive title at the end of January. The current winning streak has been running since the 1983-84 season.

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sportsfiles

Summer means karate camps Submitted by Olympic Karate Summer is around the corner, and Olympic Karate couldn’t be more excited. This summer we have our annual day camps, and we are starting to register students. The day starts with a warm up, exercise, then a karate class.

Throughout the day, students/campers will get to play some games, play outside at the local playground, go for a swim at the Oakridge pool, and much more. Each day has a special theme encouraging fun and learning.

Although led by our Master instructors Michael and Stephen, we also have over five junior helpers to help with special instructions for new students, monitor campers during outdoor activities, and provide constant supervision during swimming. The camper-to-supervisor ratio is three-to-one, maximizing safety, ensuring fun for all campers, and giving parents peace of mind regarding their child’s wellbeing.

At Olympic Karate, summer campers spend days enjoying karate class, playing games, playing outside at the local playground, and going swimming at Oakridge Pool

Camp runs from 9:00am to 4:00pm, with drop off at 8:30am and final pickup at 4:30pm. We have all weeks in July available and some weeks in August remaining. Please email or call for additional information, including pricing,

date availability, and general questions.

Feel free to contact us at 519-473-5444 or sensei@olympickarate.on.ca.

www.olympickarate.on.ca

Ladies night at the Junction Submitted by Junction Climbing Centre While the stereotype of rock climbers is that of macho thrill seekers, the reality is far different. Climbers come in all shapes, sizes and ages. One common quality amongst all climbers is that they are looking for an alternative to traditional sport. Some feel out of place in mainstream athletic culture, or need a change from the repetition and routine of standard workouts. They enjoy the problem solving aspects of climbing, its skill, and its social atmosphere.

Women make up one the fastest growing segments involved in climbing.

Climbing is a sport demanding balance and flexibility, not just strength.

Climbing gyms, with their dozens of climbs set at all different levels, allow participants at any level of ability to find a climb that matches where they are.

To encourage participation, the Junction has set aside monthly nights

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One of the fastest growing segments in rock climbing is women, of all ages, and the Junction Climbing Centre has now set aside monthly nights after regular hours for women only.

after our regular hours just for women.

These nights have been popular with women looking for a way to try climbing in a supportive atmosphere, or for a break from traditional workouts. They happen monthly from 8pm to 10pm on Saturday nights. Regular workout clothes are all that is required, rental equipment is available and our friendly staff will orient any first-timers to the facility and how it works. See you there!

LondonSportsXpress

Ladies Night Dates for Spring 2016 February 20 March 12 April 9 May 14 June 18 8-10 pm

www.junctionclimbing.com

sportsfiles

Rugby Practice 101 Submitted by St. Georges Rugby What to Expect When Trying Rugby for the First Time Trying rugby for the first time can be intimidating, or downright scary. But it doesn’t have to be. Here’s a quick guide about what to expect and how to get through your first practice …

What to bring: Shorts – You don’t need rugby shorts.

Any athletic shorts will do. Just avoid anything with zippers, buttons or pockets.

Shirt – A regular t-shirt is great, but don’t wear anything you’d be upset about getting ripped or dirty.

Cleats or runners – If you have rugby cleats, great, if not you can grab them later; until then, just wear runners.

Water – It’s important to stay hydrated.

Water is just as important as your mouth guard.

Mouth guard – Most early practices won’t involve much contact, especially at the beginner level, but it’s a good idea to mould a mouth guard.

Other – Bring a few layers. A garbage

bag is great to keep your things dry while practicing, and a towel is useful to avoid getting muddy What can you expect from your first rugby practice? Some nerclothes on car seats. And vousness, perhaps, but much more importantly, a lot of fun and a don’t forget the sunscreen! welcoming feeling.

What to expect: Everyone is welcome. Everyone. No exceptions – No matter your skill level, athletic ability, race, sexual orientation, knowledge of the game, etc., you will be welcomed to the pitch with open arms.

There will be other people there that are in the same situation as you – I guarantee that the team you’re looking to join is not made up entirely of pro rugby players.

Everyone started somewhere, and rugby players are good at remembering what that was like.

Nobody is going to try and kill you – Everyone at practice is playing for the same team. No one is trying to hurt you. Coaches will go over the correct way to tackle (and be tackled) before contact is introduced, so you’ll have lots of

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time to warm up to tackling.

It’s okay to ask questions – No one was born knowing how to play, so don’t feel embarrassed about asking questions.

Don’t get discouraged – Nobody turns pro after their first practice. Mistakes will be made, things might even be a bit confusing, but don’t worry, everyone else is learning too!

You're going to get hooked – Be prepared to fall in love with rugby. It’s okay, it’s 100% normal.

What to expect: When can you start? – Practices start in late April or early May, depending on the weather.

Updated information is available at www. londonrugbyclub.com. See you on the pitch!

www.londonrugbyclub.com

LondonSportsXpress.ca

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The art of practice Submitted by Richelle Hirlehey for Dance Extreme We often hear the idiom ‘practice makes perfect.’ It’s repeated to us during school and extra-curricular activities, and even more often at practice or rehearsal for a sport that we are passionate about. But when we take a moment to pause and think about this phrase, does practicing really make a skill ‘perfect’?

As a dancer and athlete, we spend countless hours working to achieve ‘perfect’, and what we consider perfect differs from sport to sport and art to art. In dance, ‘perfect’ could be considered an esthetically pleasing piece of choreography, performed with exquisite technique and polish, leaving the piece free from mistakes. Dance shares commonalities with performance-based sports such as cheerleading, precision skating, figure skating and gymnastics.

These sports are based on the ability of the performer to execute a routine to a high level of precision and artistry in combination with their fellow teammates. However, unlike team sports such as hockey, lacrosse, soccer and baseball, dance does not engage in the unknown variable of ‘the other team.’

With the arrival of Competition season in the dance world, dancers from our competitive team are continually

striving for perfection in their routines.

Many hours of practice go into each piece that is performed. From solos to group numbers, each routine is cleaned to achieve precision amongst the dancers and to achieve an overall effect of cohesiveness.

Sometimes, what parents of these dancers and dancers themselves do not realize is that the ancient idiom above should actually read ‘perfect practice makes perfect.’ When rehearsing or practicing, as with any skill, if it isn’t practiced correctly then the body remembers the skill incorrectly.

And without taking those corrections and adjusting how the body moves or reacts, the dancer is just rehearsing the mistake over and over. This is something we do our best as choreographers and instructors to instill in our dancers.

This theory also applies to any skill learned and executed during other sports practices. Our advice to young athletes and dancers: take the time to learn the skill or choreography correctly the first few times it is presented to you, ask questions if you are unsure and then practice the skill or phrase correctly both in isolation or as a whole dance or play. From there, the body’s muscle memory takes over and

Hanna Miller (top) and Kiera Hunter (bottom)

it is much easier to achieve the precision required when it comes time for performance.

www.danceextreme.com

SPORTS COMMUNITY PROFILES Chad Asselstine Chad Asselstine is a true sports fanatic. You name it – hockey, football, baseball, basketball – and he watches it. The Londoner is also a talented athlete, having played football during his time at Western University. Today, his playing passion is ball hockey.

He’s been playing competitively since 2004, and he has not only excelled in the sport, but he also plays important administrative roles with a couple of organizations. Asselstine has been with Ball Hockey International (BHi) for eight years, and he currently serves as general manager and director, overseeing play from London to Niagara, as well as some special events.

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He’s also the CEO of the Canadian Lacrosse League, which is the stepping stone to the National Lacrosse League (NLL). He has truly become a builder and developer of sports leagues and organizations. But by no means has he retired from his playing days.

Chad loves getting together with friends and playing in leagues and tournaments. And there are more than a few exciting 3-game series against tough opponents during his time playing at BHi that he’ll never forget. He’s a true sports nut, to be sure, and he’s found a great organization to be involved with at BHi.

Photo by Dan Gilbert London

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Celebrating a half century

By SportsXpress Team It’s the 50th anniversary for the Navy Vets, and the team has enjoyed plenty of fun along the way. There was alumni night, as players enjoyed connecting with other players from the past. There were receptions before those games with old memorabilia, and alumni were then paraded into the arena with the Navy Vet band.

And, of course, things concluded with a reception at the Navy Club after the game.

On the ice, fans were treated to a free home opener this year, and more than 1,100 Vets faithful were on hand for a 4-0 win. This year’s average attendance was up, and it has almost doubled in the past two seasons. More than 8,000

fans came through the turnstiles during the regular season, and 2,000 turned out for the three home playoff contests.

During that postseason, the Vets got off to a good start, winning their first two games against Paris, one of the top offensive teams in the league and a longtime arch nemesis.

The Vets also jumped out to a lead in Games 3 and 4, but Paris ended up coming back to win both of those contests to force a Game 5.

Unfortunately, the Paris foes took Game 5 and 6 as well, ending the Vets’ playoff run.

There were plenty of highlights during the 50th anniversary season, on top

of the spiffy new uniforms worn by the players. A trade in November opened up the starting goalie position for North Davies, and the rookie netminder played well all season, even earning Goalie of the Month honours for December.

Scoring was a pesky issue for the Vets in 2015-16, and it is something the team will address in the offseason. As far as team cohesion goes, the Vets will be in good shape entering training camp in August. For the first time in a long time, this year’s Vets players will all be eligible to return next season, which should bode well for the team this coming year.

“It’s the 50th anniversary for the Navy Vets, and the team has enjoyed plenty of fun along the way.”

www.woodstocknavyvets.ca

SPORTS COMMUNITY PROFILES Andrew Craven Andrew Craven’s sports career began on the ice, as the Londoner enjoyed playing hockey in his youth. But at 14 years old, he traded in the skates and headed to the pool to begin what has turned into a long love affair with swimming.

Craven has been coaching swimming since 1986, and he’s been doing so at the London Aquatic Club since 1992. Now also a board of director, he has coached thousands of kids over the years within the LAC, and he’s been honoured with many awards at the local and national level.

What’s his favourite memory after all these years? There are many, but Craven says serving as head coach of the 2000 Paralympic team in Australia tops the list. That was the coming out party, the coach says, of Canada’s presence at the top of the swimming scene.

But he hasn’t forgotten about hockey. In fact, Craven has gone on record saying the Toronto Maple Leafs will win the Stanley Cup this decade.

If his hockey predictions are anything like his coaching abilities in the pool, Leafs fans will be very happy.

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PHD 3-on-3 returns Submitted by Progressive Hockey Development (PHD) PHD is pleased to announce the return of the PHD 3-on-3 summer development league. This small area, cross ice game and specific skills rotation keeps the focus on translating the learned core skills from the neutral zone into the tight area 3-on-3 game.

The idea is to create a training session where the player is blending skill sets and using them in a fast-paced, tight area game scenario. The structure will teach each player to make quicker decisions on a regular basis.

“My goal as an instructor is to improve every skater’s ability to recognize the opportunities within the 10foot game in front of them,” said PHD Head Instructor Mike Ellis. “This development series will provide the repetitions of these game type occurrences to help each player improve rapidly. I feel this structure and schedule is a great way to help players condense their skating and skill work into one session per week through the summer months. It keeps all skillsets progressing and keeps the rust out!”

The program will run in July and August and will have divisions in 2002

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- 2009 born players.

Breakdown:

• 2 x 15-minute Periods • 1:30 shifts in-game, followed by 1:30 skills and shooting zone before playing next shift.

• PHD instructors will be in each game zone, including in the Neutral zones • Puck Protection, Puck control, passing and shooting Techniques.

Areas of Development • • • • • • • • • • • •

Skating techniques Puck control skills Stick Handling Shooting Tight area game skill development Balance, stability and core Agility and speed Explosive movements Heads up game play Fast-paced Quick decision-making Goalie Instruction

Benefits:

• More puck touches

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• • • • • •

More More More More More More

passes shooting shots for goalies skills development directional changes puck battles

For more information and registration, visit www.progressivehd.com.

www.progressivehd.com

fromthesidelines

How do you judge a successful hockey season?

Submitted by Andrew Power As I sit here and reflect back on my minor hockey career my memories are awesome. I remember team parties, mini hockey tournaments in the hallways of who knows what hotel in who knows what city and seeing which teammate can produce the biggest cannon ball at the hotel pool. Those days were some of the best memories of my life.

Now when I look at minor hockey today, both as a parent and coach I am troubled be what I am seeing. I see too many coaches more concerned with winning then they are with developing the whole team. Maybe the state of minor hockey has always been this way but it needs to change. Far too often too many people determine the success of a season by wins and losses.

A parent or coach should never judge a season based on wins or losses, trophies or championships or how many points my little 99 gets. A successful season should be determined what your child has learned on and off the ice to become a better person. I coach young age groups and I see coaches and parents berating

kids, yelling and screaming and worst of all, coaches sitting kids on the bench.

Can you imagine a 7 or 8 year old sitting on the bench, just so a coach can have his glory, his precious victory!

I understand and agree with that teams have their stronger players, some kids may see some extra time on the power play or the penalty kill, or some kids may see the ice during that couple minutes of a close game of an elimination or championship game, but outside of that, if you want to further develop the team, all kids, need a chance to play.

You are only as strong as your weakest player. Your duty as a coach is to develop everyone and that starts at practice. According to Hockey Canada, 1 individual practice will give a player more skill development than 11 games combined. On average a player will have the puck on their stick for 8-12 minutes in practice and only 8 seconds in a game.

This is where a lot of people need to realize that development is so important.

Coaches, organizations and parents should demand skill development in prac-

tices for young player’s not systematic play as it will help so much more during games and for future development. Don’t teach young kids breakouts, offensive zone face-offs or neutral zone traps it’s detrimental to their development. Usually teams consist of 15 players and 2 goalies. If I have to sit a kid I have failed as a coach, and I have crushed that kid's spirit and confidence. The other side of it is if I sit a kid and we don’t achieve the outcome we were hoping for then what’s the point. I chose that kid or kids to play on our team and it's my failure if I haven't given them the proper development to be used in every situation of a game.

People need to be more educated on what minor hockey is about and not be so concerned on outcomes. When's the last time you asked your child why they play hockey, if you haven’t, do it and remember it’s for the kids.

Because playing matters

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Bandits Hockey booming Submitted by Bandits Hockey and photo by Suzanne Whitmore When a merger took place between the South Southeast Minor Hockey’s SSE Wild and the London Minor Hockey Association’s LMHA Thunder, the London Bandits were born. The organization offers an opportunity for young kids (up to Juvenile age) to improve their skills and

learn how to be an effective member of a team.

The Bandits run a seeded program, an MD program, and a house league program. There are roughly 700 kids in the organization. The seeded league falls under the jurisdiction of Alliance Hockey, and regular season play begins in midSeptember. Playoffs and Playdowns begin early in February and continue through the end of March or early April. After each team has played a home and home series with the other teams in the league (mid November), the league is split into two divisions with the top teams being classified as AA (Constellation) and the lower ‘seeded’ teams being classified as A (Bristol).

London Bandits Minor Bantam Black The divisions then continue playBack row: Coaches Ted Best, Mike Branco, Graham Babbage, Nick Moniz. Next row: Owen Branco, Brady Halliwell, Cullen Stevens, Jaedan Marche, Isaac Sturgeon, Jake Haak, Jamison ing within their own group (not McGann, Ethan Whitmore, Jordan McDougall. Middle row: Charlie VanHagen, Clayton Deyell, Marcus Beck, Mickey Given. Front row: Will Kiefer, Owen Apthorp, Alex Haak, Mitchell Hunter against the other) to determine REGIS TODATER Y! RECEIV

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playoff positions. Bandit ‘seeded’ teams play against and travel to: London Jr. Knights (x2), Brantford, Burlington, Cambridge, Kitchener (x2), Sarnia, Stratford, Waterloo (x2), Woodstock, St. Thomas, North London, Oakridge, and West London.

The MD league also falls under the jurisdiction of Alliance Hockey. It is administrated by the Bandit Committee, comprised of six members of SSE and six members of LMHA. Regular season play begins in early October. Teams include West London, North London, Oakridge, Sarnia, Stratford, and two Bandit teams where numbers allow. MD teams play against all teams in their division throughout the entire regular season and these same teams in playoffs based on regular season finishing positions.

Bandits Tournaments We have had three tournaments this past year: the Dan Pulham Memorial Tournament, Dec. 3-5, 2015, named after an individual who volunteered his time for LMHA for many of years; the Jayden Elmore Tournament, Jan. 4-6, 2016, named after a young boy who was tragically killed in a tunnelling accident in the snow; and the Neil Barker Tournament, Jan. 13-15, 2016, named after a member of the LMHA community who was killed in a tragic accident on his motor bike.

Together, these tournaments filled the London Community Hotels and brought in over 350 teams from across Ontario.

The money raised from the tournaments goes towards the London Bandit Organization, and of course ultimately goes back to our players, reducing fees and providing funds to keep our organization afloat.

It takes many volunteers to help our tournaments run smoothly, and we’re grateful for the support of our sponsors, volunteers, and the City of London.

Among those sponsors is Jack Ross, a sponsor for LMHA many years ago, who has continued to support us by providing trophies each year and sponsoring a team or two. Thank you to all our supporters!

www.londonbanditshockey.com Toronto Blue Jays vs

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Devilettes host 26th annual tourney Submitted by Andrea Chisholm The London Devilettes Girls Hockey Association held its 26th annual tournament February 5-7. The event saw 178 teams competing in 17 divisions, including House League (HL) and Competitive (A, BB, and B) level hockey. Teams came from as far away as Iqaluit and various parts of the United States as well as Ontario.

Many Devilettes teams advanced to the semi-finals. Novice A, Atom HL, Atom A, Bantam HL, and Midget A

teams won Silver.

A big THANK YOU goes out to the volunteers for their huge commitment, from the parents of the players from each of the London Devilettes teams entered, and by other people both currently and formerly involved with Devilettes hockey. Without you this tournament could not have been the success it has been!

www.londondevilettes.ca

Novice A player Berlynn Ballard

2016 Tournament Winners Novice HL London Devilettes Black Novice A Whitby Wolves

PeeWee A Sault Ste. Marie Wildcats

Novice B Aurora Panthers Atom HL Clarington Flames Novice HL - Devilettes Black gold winners. Back Row: Wendy Ward, Jeff Straughan, Brodie Watson, Mark Hannam. Second Row: Avery Hagle, Tatum Watson, Ivy Potts, Alex Chircoski. Third Row: Abby Straughan, Olivia Caron, Abigail Hannam, Bridget Speiran, Claire Ward, Emme Moore, Emma Scott, Katie Hayman-Abello, Gabby VanDerPloeg. Front Row: Chelsea Claypole. Missing: Jason Speiran (on the bench with White Icebreakers)

Intermediate HL - London Westminster Trails. Back Row (left to right): Katie Strauss, Erin Turnbull, Emma Hamber, Brenna Schmitt, Kaitlyn Van Pratt, Jenn Donoghue, Halle Johnson, Andrea Mellon Front Row: Lettie Mckee, Paighton Fieldhouse, Kayla Hopkins, Alex Lalonde, Monica Topher, Victoria Ross, Danielle Hoskins, and goalie Rachael Young

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PeeWee BB Livonia Knights

Midget BB Whitby Wolves

PeeWee B Leaside Wildcats

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Bantam HL Lakeshore White

Devilettes Bantam A gold winners. Front Row: Goalies Braelyn Dennis, Isabelle Sprenger. Second Row: Kayla Heckman, Maddy Wright, Tori Gavin, Julia Solomon, Mikayla Vanyolai Back Row: Katie Lessard, Cecile Boudreau, Kailey Dennis, Mikayla Hanson, Allie Johnson, Payton Harrison, Catherine Dodds, Maxine Graham, Maddy Powell, Danielle Clerc

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Aeros making strides on, off ice Submitted by Oakridge Aeros Hockey The 2015/16 Oakridge Aeros Novice 2 team has had a great season to this point. The year started with a group of kids who didn't really know each other, but they have since developed into a close group of friends. During the last five months of hockey, the players have developed their hockey skills, and more importantly, improved their teamwork and sportsmanship. The Aeros made it to the playoff round of their last two tournaments, and are currently in the playoffs of the Alliance West Division. No matter the outcome of the game, the team is always smiling and having fun.

Apart from all the hockey, this group of boys has been involved in some local community charitable events. In November, the boys walked in the Hyde Park Santa Claus Parade, and helped the Hyde Park Lions collect canned goods to be donated to the London Food bank. A second event also involves the Food bank. For the last month, the boys have been participating in food drives at several Oakridge locations, collecting donations and canned goods for the Coach 4 Food program. Both are great experiences for the boys to develop a strong sense of community.

The driving force of our team Submitted by Whitney Eansor

The London Nationals would like to thank our sponsors who play a vital role in our team's success.

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The 2015-16 Oakridge Aeros Novice 2 Team Front row (left to right): Carter Robertson, Naithan French.

Second row: Ben Ferguson, Luke Burnett, Ryder Correia, Peter Gallagher, Spyros Lerikos, Anthony Sousa, Kaeden Chortos Third row: Jonathan Bulla, Brady Milne, Bryson Haak, Connor McLeod, Jack De Grandpre, Stephen Burnett. Back Row: Matt McLeod, Rich De Grandpre, Greg French, Peter Gallagher, Mark Chortos.

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fromthesidelines

Year of winning for Chiefs Submitted by Elgin Middlesex Chiefs The Chiefs regular season is near completion, and our organization has had a very successful journey. All seven of our teams will finish .500 or above, which is truly an amazing accomplishment. The players, coaches and parents should be very proud.

In particular, the 2015-2016 Minor Atom team (2006) coached by Marc van de Ven has been very successful. Their win record is outstanding, but they are even more proud of the overall development of the players. From the moment the team was selected, Marc and his coaching staff took a very strong stance with regards to the implementation of a coaching philosophy that not only

focuses on improving technical ability of the young hockey players but also instilling the belief of a team concept system. Team unity has been critical to their success, and the team motto for the year has worked around the acronym ‘TEAM’, meaning: ‘Together Everyone Achieves More’.

The success in this system and coaching style is well documented, with the team's current league record of 26-22, and their overall record, which includes four highly-competitive tournaments, of 36-7-7. The Minor Atoms are #1 in the Western Division at the time of this writing, and #1 overall with 54 points and the potential of gaining four

more points in their remaining games.

This young team has proven time and time again that hard work and working as a team on and off the ice makes for a very successful year.

Good Luck to the Minor Atoms and all other Chiefs teams as they begin their journey into the playoffs! Compete hard and leave it all on the ice … ‘Go Chiefs Go!’

www.elginmiddlesexchiefs.com

The Minor Atom Chiefs have enjoyed a spectacular season in 2015-16, as evidenced by their firstplace spot in the standings

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It’s tournament time!

Story by SportsXpress Team

All Ontario Cup

The Adult All Ontario Cup will consist of four preliminary tournaments (starting with the Spring Teaser) followed by the Weekend of Champs in late October in St.

2015 MIDGET CHAMPS LONDON JUNIOR WARRIORS

2015 ATOM CHAMPS LONDON DANGLE, CELLY AND SNIPE

Catharines. Each tournament will have an Open, Intermediate, Recreational and Barn Division, and each winning team will choose from a variety of prizes, including items like team tracksuits, sublimated jerseys and/or warmup shirts and shorts, or a Bauer equipment package. All 1st and 2nd place teams will receive invites to the Weekend of Champs tourney, and the winner of each division will receive team rings.

Youth All Ontario Cup

The Youth All Ontario Cup will feature three preliminary tournaments, followed by the Weekend of Champs in mid-August.

Each tournament will have a Midget, Bantam, Peewee and Atom division, and each winning team will choose prizes from a list including: Sublimated Jerseys, Bauer equipment package, sublimated hoodies and custom hat or toque.

All 1st and 2nd place teams receive an invite to the Weekend of Champs Tournament,

2016 All Ontario Cup Tournament Tournaments Spring Teaser

Dates

Location

Mar 11-13, 2016 BHi St. Catharines

and the winner of each division will receive team track suits. Contact Don Elliott (delliott@ballhockeyinternational.com) to enter a team.

london.ballhockeyinternational.ca

2016 Youth All Ontario Cup Tournament Tournaments Youth Spring Teaser

Dates

Location

Apr 8-10, 2016

BHi St. Catharines

April Fools

Apr 22-24, 2016

BHi London

Summer Showdown

June 24-26, 2016

BHi London

Summer Showdown

July 22-24, 2016

BHi Welland

July Jammer

July 8-10, 2016

BHi Welland

Sept 9-11, 2016

BHi Brantford

Weekend of Champs

Aug 12-14, 2016

BHi Brantford

September Shootout

Weekend of Champs

Oct 21-23, 2016 BHi St. Catharines

Contact Don Elliott for all tournament info

Contact Don Elliott for all tournament info

Dates are subject to change

Dates are subject to change

delliott@ballhockeyinternational.com

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26th Season

ADULT HOCKEY LEAGUE (SPRING, SUMMER, WINTER) MOST ICE TIME, MOST FUN, MOST VERSATILE REGISTRATION

JFFHL is for everyone Submitted by Puckstoppers

Most adults can remember playing pickup hockey with ‘the gang’, be it on an outdoor rink or late at night at the local arena. It was sticks in the middle, and ‘game on’. Everyone was there to have fun and the score wasn't that important (although bragging rights until the next week were always nice!).

Those were the best times to play the great game of hockey. No pressure, no fear, and great friendships were made.

The Just For Fun Hockey League (JFFHL) provides this, while making it organized and structured. In short, it offers organized

The JFFHL, now in its 26th season, is adult hockey for everyone, without the ‘beer league’ problems.

shinny, with a twist and computerized organization.

Now entering the 26th season, the JFFHL offers the most ice time of any adult league in London and provides its members with absolutely the most versatile and unique registration of any league, anywhere! Players can choose their game times, or even miss games and make them up later. Playing more than once in an evening is also an option. No other league can offer this.

The JFFHL was created to provide adults and teenagers a place to play where there would be no politics. There are strict guidelines that prevent the ugly type of incidents you often see in ‘beer leagues’.

Players UPCOMING NEWS/EVENTS who Daily Private Goalie Instruction play for Summer Goalie Schools 10 Summer Program Options - August 2016 the right Scoring Genius School reasons, Learn How to Score More Goals - August 2016 simply Coaches Certified Goalie Trainer Course Designed for Minor Hockey Coaches love the JFFHL Adult Hockey League league Spring & Summer, prime time, Thursday evenings and www.jffhl.com come

JFFHL Adult Hockey JFFHL.com Year Round Private Goalie Instruction: puckstoppers.com Scoring Genius: scoringgenius.com

back season after season.

Everyone, regardless of skill or ability, has a blast, and the result is a fast-paced game that brings everyone back to hockey at its simplest level with friendly competition.

The league operates year round with 7 Spring season games and a Summer 12-game season, running on Thursday evenings between 7 and 9 pm. Throughout the winter, a 23-game schedule operates on Sunday evenings from 6 to 9 pm.

Goalies, Are You Tryout Ready?

Puckstoppers offers daily private oneon-one goalie training sessions to help you hone your game, just in time for the most important segment of your season.

With our dedicated training, over 80% of our students advance to higher levels.

SCORING GENIUS

Partnered with BASE Hockey, this program teaches all the tricks, developing scoring prowess by understanding the movements and tendencies of the goaltender. This program has proven very effective.

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

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Piccinich playing like a pro Story and photo submitted by the London Knights If you’ve been to a London Knights game this season, you’ve probably gotten to know a bit about #84, JJ Piccinich, a first-year Knight who describes himself as a ‘blue-collar, lunch pail type of guy.’

The Paramus, New Jersey native, born John Jr., spent one year in the NCAA at Boston University alongside the likes of Jack Eichel and Matt O’Connor, and then decided to head north and join the green and gold for the 2015-16 season.

Drafted by the Knights in the 6th round (118th overall) in the 2012 OHL Priority Selection, JJ decided in early August to bring his talents to London after his rookie season at Boston University, where he recorded 1G and 3A in 25 GP. Despite not putting up the points he was accustomed to, the 19-year-old was still part of a team that enjoyed much success, including winning the coveted Beanpot Championship and being crowned the 2015 Hockey East Tournament Champions en route to the NCAA Frozen Four final.

So what was his desire and motivation to come and play for the London Knights?

“At the end of the day, you have to look out for what’s best for you,” JJ said.

“I want to be more of an impact player, and when you see names like [Marner, Dvorak, Tkachuk and Jones] up front, it helps your decision to come.”

JJ says he believes the challenges

JJ Piccinich, a Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick, is enjoying a solid first OHL season. Through half the season, the 19-year-old sat second overall in the league with 12 power play goals through 32 games.

he faced last year will only make him stronger.

“You always want to play more, but I JJ has found success off the ice as well, think I did the best I could to control what and he has quickly become a fan favouI could, and do whatever I could in order rite among Londoners who identify with to get more ice time,” he said. “I learned a his strong work ethic. Between games lot from experiencing something like that and practices, Piccinich has carved out … to fight day-in and dayout… I took valutime to be involved in the London comable lessons from that.” munity through a variety of appearances These are lessons the Toronto Maple and events, including toy drives and Leafs draft pick (4th round, 103rd overall coaching clinics. in 2014) hopes to build on. JJ reported Through his first 32 GP this season, JJ earlier than most players to prepare for his found himself tied for 18th in the league first OHL campaign, and he had an electric in scoring (and 4th on the team) with 21 start to the season with 15 PTS in his first G and 45 PTS to go along with a +22 rat7 GP. He has especially excelled on the ing.

Most importantly, the 19-year-old is power play where he sits second overall focused on continuing to work hard. in the league with 12 PPG in 32 games “My skillset may not always get me played, trailing only teammate Christian there,” he said, “but I know I have my Dvorak (13 PPG). work ethic to make up for it.”

The youngster’s game perfectly fits the With the season half over, JJ says he is Hunter model, and that is a strong reason focused on continuing to work hard and why he’s been trusted in all situations so improve his game in hopes of helping lead far this season. When asked to define his the Knights on a long playoff run that will strengths, JJ replied: “My battling ability see him playing into the month of May. along the walls and my G A TP PIM +/SEASON TEAM LEAGUE GP will to drive to the front 2011-12 North Jersey Avalanche 16U AYHL 16U 22 23 19 42 16 of the net, which leads 2012-13 Youngstown Phantoms USHL 63 3 12 15 4 -14 to a lot of my goals 2013-14 Youngstown Phantoms USHL 60 27 31 58 31 -12 scored. I really just like U.S. National U18 Team USDP 1 0 0 0 0 to find that spot that 2014-15 Boston University NCAA 25 1 3 4 2 -6 other guys don’t want 2015-16 London Knights OHL 32 19 21 40 11 21 to go to or won’t.”

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Bentley Hearing recognizes Sporting Seniors Featured Organization: Huff N’ Puff Seniors Fitness Association

Keeping active with Huff n' Puff

By SportsXpress Team It’s one of the largest senior fitness associations in Canada, and the sports offerings include activities such as hockey, biking, curling, volleyball, darts, and carpet bowling, to name only a few. Add in social functions like picnics and dances, as well as day trips and multi-day vacations, and there really is something for everyone at London’s Huff n' Puff Seniors Fitness Association.

The organization invites people aged 55 and over and their spouses (who may also join at the age of 50) to participate in a wide range of activities (37 in total!) to encourage fitness and social contact. And it’s a big hit with the community. Huff n’ Puff, which has grown immensely since its humble beginnings 27 years ago, now boasts more than 2,000 members. The organization is centred at North London Optimist Community Centre, but hosts several activities at other sites as well.

Interested in activities like aerobics, aquabics, badminton, basketball, bocci, 5 Pin bowling, carpet bowling, bus trips, clogging, curling, cycling, darts, golf, hockey, horseshoes, line dancing, monthly dances, pickleball, roller skating, shuffleboard, singing, slo-pitch baseball, snooker, squash, socials, swimming, t'ai chi, tap dancing, tennis(court), tennis(table), volleyball, walk-fit, or yoga? Then maybe Huff n’ Puff is for you! You can find more information by email (huffnpuff. sfa@gmail.com), phone (519-661-5854), or online (www.huffnpuffsfa.com). All activities are designed as social activities, and new members are always made to feel welcome.

www.huffnpuffsfa.com ®

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