SportsXpress Chatham/Kent July/Aug 2014

Hometown Hero

C-K’s Chad Laprise — first

Canadian TUF winner INSIDE

Dominique Pegg’s

Olympic story @CKSportsXpress cksportsxpress www.facebook.com/cksportsxpress

Chatham siblings step up in motocross

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JULY/AUGUST 2014

Chatham-Kent & Area Edition

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

We are so excited to be presenting Chatham-Kent’s very first edition! We decided to start our publication off with a showcase of our homegrown talent and are so excited to exhibit our local celebrity athletes.

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

Give us a call at 226.996.9100 ext 1 or email Amber Valade at amberv@sportsxpress.ca ~ from the SportsXpress team

coverstory 12 | Chatham’s Chad Laprise — first Canadian TUF winner

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05 | Get to know the publishers

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1 8 | Meet Melissa Grover 20 | Pain or pleasure - it’s up to you!

21 | Increase your performance by driving your ATP

fromthesidelines halloffame 06 | Dominique Pegg’s Olympic story 08 | Blenheim’s CJ Westfall is ripping up the OBRA 10 | Meet Aaron Norg 14 | The Bechards are burning up the track

16 | Starfire Gymnastics team shines bright for Chatham-Kent 17 | The Next Step cast visits Erin’s Dance Club

teamprofiles 22 | Chatham Kent Cougars Football Club

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Get to know the publishers Hi everyone! I’m so glad you found your copy of SportsXpress!

This is our very first issue in Chatham-Kent, so we thought we would give you a glimpse at who we are – your Chatham-Kent Community Coaches, and publishers of Chatham-Kent SportsXpress.

Amber Valade Publisher (226) 996 – 9100 amberv@sportsxpress.ca

Isaak Fehr and his wife Tina own and run I & K Contracting, a business based in Dresden that builds custom grain handling and storage equipment. Isaak purchased the C-K zone for SportsXpress when I, his office administrator, came to him with the idea. Isaak has made every step of this venture possible, and his faith in me has really been such an encouragement! Isaak is a family man to the core, and when he’s not running his business, you can usually find him on the river behind his family’s homestead, canoeing and fishing or hunting with his kids. He was raised in the jungle in Belize, so he loves to be outside! His family is his greatest passion and I have been blessed beyond words to work for him and Tina, and now to take on this magazine with them.

They are incredible people.

So if you haven’t met me yet, I’m Amber. I was born and raised here in Chatham-Kent.

My background is in photography and marketing, and my passion is entrepreneurialism and design. And I am a 9th generation C-K farm girl! When I’m not playing with my kids, you can find me at the barn, hanging out with my APHA gelding, ‘Blue,’ or on a deer trail in a bush somewhere. I love all things rural, and I’m truly a farm girl at heart.

Isaak Fehr Publisher (226) 996 – 9100 isaakf@sportsxpress.ca

I’m the proud granddaughter of C.M. Wilson and like my Gramps, I believe that when you belong to a community, you need to give back. I am passionate about ChathamKent, as he was, and I believe this magazine is a wonderful tool that will give the attention and recognition to all of the volunteers, parents, athletes and business sponsors in our community that make local sports possible. I want you to make it yours! If you have a story, a contact, photos, a story idea – please contact me! I’d love to hear about what you’re doing in our community and what you’d like to see covered in the next issue.

If you have any information about upcoming tournaments, games, events – anything related to local sports – please reach out to me or consider writing an article or taking some photos! And don’t forget to register for our free sports photography workshop (more info on page 4).

It has been a pleasure and an adventure getting this first issue into your hands, and I can’t wait to see this magazine become the local sports connection here in our community, as it has come to be in all of our other publishing communities.

Until the next issue,

Chatham-Kent SportsXpress

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halloffame

Dominique Pegg’s Olympic story Interview by Amber Valade

How old were you when you really started to focus on the Olympics?

Well I moved to Sarnia when I was just turning ten.

Dominique Pegg That’s the reason I moved to Sarnia, because I kind of had that dream of going to the Olympics, so I guess that’s when the goal really started.

And how many hours a week were you training when you really started to go for it?

I went straight into 25 hours a week when I moved to Sarnia.

How does that work with school?

Well, in elementary school it wasn’t too bad. I missed just a little bit of the beginning and a little bit of the end because I would train in the mornings and then after school as well. So it wasn’t too, too bad, but then once I got into high school I started missing like a whole period in the morning so I ended up being behind

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a little bit more, and I had to go back for an extra year and stuff to catch up, so it got tricky.

training hard, did you have someone specific that was your inspiration that really pushed you?

So you did five years then?

There was a bunch of other girls in the gym that I looked up to — older girls like Melanie Rocca. I really looked up to her, but I really looked up to my siblings.

Well, I took a year off just to focus and train for the Olympics because I was really behind in school in grade eleven.

I was traveling so much trying to get points. It got really hard so I just decided, you know what, the Olympics is kind of a main goal right now, and I have the rest of my life to do school, so I took that time.

And how does it work now that you’re at Alabama? How does it work with school and being on the team there?

It’s a little bit different because the coaches aren’t just focusing on your gymnastics, they’re also focusing on your grades and schooling. It’s just as important.

Really, it’s more important than the gym.

So they’re really gearing it toward your education.

Yeah, for sure. Yep.

When you were a kid, and you were

Yeah, you and your brother are really close! I love following you two on Instagram. He’s your biggest fan!

Yeah, (laughs), I’m his biggest fan too. I mean, my brother is really how I started gymnastics because I used to do everything that he did when I was little.

Like, when he started riding a bike I’d be like, “Well, I have to now!” and when he started gymnastics I was like, “I have to start gymnastics too!” So, he’s really the reason I started gymnastics.

When you were really gearing up to make the team for the Olympics, what was that like, trying to get on the team?

I ended up breaking my hand and needing surgery on it about eight months before Olympic trials.

Yikes! I remember when that happened.

Yeah, I was at the Pan Am games in Mexico. So, that kind of really sucked and I had to get right on healing that really quickly. And we had points too, so everyone that year was getting points for the system for the Olympics. So once I healed my hand I had to catch up with that. So I had to do a bunch of competitions right before trials to catch up. So that part was hard, trying to get back quick like that. But I mean, once I got everything to where I wanted, my routines and everything, it was kind of easy, because your body just knew what it was doing and you were so consistent at that point that it was fun. That last few months before Olympics was one of the funnest training times I’ve ever had, just because it was so easy.

Oh, so easy! “I’m just flipping through the air doing all these crazy things nobody else can do.”

Super easy! (Both laugh) So, what was the highlight of the Olympics, outside of competing?

I had like two main things that were pretty awesome. One was the cafeteria that we ate in. It was literally like, three Walmarts big. Any food you wanted, like free McDonald’s at the back and stuff (but we didn’t eat that til after). So that was really cool, and we’d just sit in there, and just watch. And that was in the Olympic village, so it was all Olympians that were in there, and just seeing people walk by and just knowing that you’re a part of it was just the most unreal thing ever.

But the greatest moment and feeling that I had was after team finals day. So, we qualified in top eight and then we got to go to team finals which is the top eight, which we [Canada] had never done before, so that was already so awesome. We were all excited. The team finals day we just went out there and had a blast, because you know what, we came in in eighth place?

Right? So, what are we gonna do? If we fall on every event, we still came eighth, you know? So, we just went and did everything we could, but just watching the scoreboard after we were all done, and just seeing our name go up and up on the scoreboard, like our country, then knowing it was secure in the fifth spot. Just the feeling we had at that point was the just most amazing feeling I’ve ever had before.

I’m sure! I remember being back home and watching you guys on my mom’s couch. We were zooming in with our cameras and taking pictures of you on the screen — it just seemed so surreal. Was it surreal for you when you were doing it, or were you just focusing on your routine?

The first time we walked out into the arena, and just … you just look up at the crowd and how loud it is, and you see the Olympic rings, and Olympic stuff all over everything, you know, you’re kind of taken back. That’s for sure, I was. But, then I had to get up on the podium and present for my routine, so I had to bring it in to how I do it always, so, it was surreal for sure. But, then you had to bring it in when you had to.

For sure. So what are you majoring in at Alabama?

I’m majoring in exercise science, so kinesiology.

What do you plan to do after school?

Sports medicine, and kinesiology, that’s what I’m really aiming for.

Are you going to try to go back to the next Olympics?

I don’t think so? I took a year off of gym after the Olympics, and it’s been a little harder than I thought, getting everything back and getting back into that mode.

And I don’t know, I’m kind of focusing on school right now and doing that, but I mean, nothing’s really out of the question.

So my last question is, if you could say something to all the kids training in gymnastics right now who really want to go to the Olympics, what’s your biggest piece of advice for them?

Really just to never give up, and just have fun. If you enjoy it, just keep going with it and never give up on your dreams.

Dominique and her sister, Cassiah Pegg Dom’s mother, Cat Parker, coach Liz Brubaker, and sister Cassiah Pegg Dominique and her coach Dave Brubaker in front of Buckingham Palace Dominique waiting to warm up on bars Dominique warming up bars on qualifier day Dom after All Around Finals at the London Olympic Games in 2012

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halloffame

Blenheim’s CJ Westfall is ripping up the OBRA

By Chatham-Kent SportsXpress

And where are you competing?

I’m going Midwest, OBRA, and any show I can get to, really — big or small.

So tell me about your horses.

So, there’s Satan, who’s my first barrel horse. His name was Satin, S-A-T-I-N and, when I saw it, I went “Oh, Satan, okay!” and I called him Satan for about a year. Then people started coming out of the bush saying that his name is actually Satin.

That’s kinda girly for a big gelding.

CJ and his horse Mary

So , CJ, any relation to Stacy Westfall?

No. Maybe somewhere? We’re a big family. Lots of genes spread there.

Do you go to Blenheim High School?

Not anymore. I finished last year, and I’ve been out of school for about a year now.

So you’re barrel racing?

Yep. Barrel racing. Riding, every single day. That’s all I’m doing right now.

STAR GLOW PHOTOGRAPHY

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Yeah, and the name had stuck, so we kept it. So he was my first barrel horse.

We got him when I was 14. We had looked all over and tried a bunch of different barrel horses. I just ended up riding this horse by accident one day, and I ended up really liking him. “I want this horse.” I didn’t know he was a barrel horse already, I didn’t know anything about him but that I liked him. And it turned out that he had a bunch of training, English, western pleasure, and barrel racing as well. So

we bought this horse, then I started riding this horse doing barrels, and he knew the pattern and everything. He was a little sprung, a little wild, and he was sour. It took me about two years working with him to get him out of that. You can’t use whips or spurs or anything like that on him. He’s an appendix, and that breed of horse, they don’t like being forced to do anything. It has to be their idea. So it’s been going on four years now I’ve had him, and he’s turned into a great horse and he’s doing the patterns like nothing. So that’s Satan.

He’s 19 this year.

Then my next horse is Hugs Tusi. She’s an appendix. We got her from one of our customers. My dad’s a horseshoer, and she was actually one of the first horses we looked at. It turned out that the owner’s son wasn’t really riding her anymore, and she wanted her to go to a good home. She knew my parents take good care of their horses, so she gave us two horses. She

“Be persistent. You have to have persistence. If you don’t, you’re gonna stop right before you hit gold.”

halloffame gave us Hugs, and Mary. Hugs was already trained by Matt Depuyte. (Matt’s a really good barrel racer.) So, this horse is practically a push-button horse. So we took her, got her back into shape, and she’s beating Satan. She’s doing better than him now.

And my third barrel horse is Mary. She’s a quarter horse. She had three months of training… but she’s really smart. We’re working on training her right now. We’ve sent her to three different trainers to get ridden and get good experience. She’s nine years old now. She’s a dark bay with a brown muzzle. She’s starting to come along really good now.

Where have you been so far and what have you done so far?

Satan and Hugs are your main two?

It’s OBRA, guys and girls. So it’s barrel racing and pole bending strictly. That’s all they do. So, Midwest, they have other games. First of all, they have barrels.

And poles, keyhole, down and back… and yeah, those four events.

All three are. Every day I ride each horse for a half an hour to an hour and do all kinds of different exercises and practices. I try to mix it up as much as I can so it doesn’t get too boring for them.

If you do the same thing over and over again you’re going to put your horse on autopilot, and you don’t want that.

So true. So what are your plans for this summer?

My plan for this summer is to ride all these horses in the OBRA and west circuits. You can’t just stay in one circuit. You won’t push yourself to get better. You have to put yourself with other people who are doing really good, ‘cause then you see them and go, “Oh, I need to buck up and do better.” So, we’re doing OBRA this year, as much as possible, so we can get experience with the better competition. The plan is to go to every show we possibly can, get as much experience with ourselves and the horses, and then maybe make it to congress if we get enough points. There’re all kinds of other things that’ll happen along the way. Always do.

Who’s your biggest supporter?

My biggest supporter is definitely my mother. She is the one who makes everything happen, and she’s the one who got me into it. I didn’t even want to do it in the first place. I mean, I kind of did, but she kept pushing me and pushing me, and I started out really, really crappy… I went through a few trainers, and I got frustrated, but you’ve got to be persistent and not let things knock you down. You just keep being persistent, persistent, persistent, and look for ideas from other people, from yourself, and use that to build on what you’re going to do.

I can’t even name them all, there’s been so many — all over Southwestern Ontario.

Were you on the high school rodeo circuit at all?

Guys aren’t allowed to barrel race in OHSRA. If the guys came in, the girls would all be too distracted. They’d be flirting with the guys. (laughing)

(Laughs) They can flirt with the bull riders! (both laughing) Okay, so no high school rodeo.

Are you just doing barrels or are you doing all of them?

When I go to Midwest, I do all the games. Oh, and flag race. You know flag race? You run down, pick up the flag, run back. They have that too and sometimes they will have a little fun event. They’ll set the barrels up a different way or there’ll be a backwards barrel pattern, to mess you up. And that’s why you don’t want your horse on auto-pilot. You want them listening to you on every command, constantly doing different things. When they expect you to zig, you zag. You want to keep them on their toes.

it. The people who really want to help you are going to see you doing it, and those are the people you want around you. Be persistent. You have to have persistence.

If you don’t, you’re gonna stop right before you hit gold. Like, it’s going to seem like nothing’s working out and you’re not going to get there and it’s going to seem like everything’s going wrong, and that’s like, right before you get it. Right before.

So don’t stop. Persistence. And faith. You need to know that you’re going to get it.

Know that you’re going to do it, and walk on that blind faith. You can’t have doubt.

If you have that conflicting inside you, it’s not going to work out. Fears, fears of getting hurt? If that’s in your head, fear of hurting yourself, what others will think?

You can’t listen to that. Thinking you’re not educated enough or good enough or that you don’t deserve it … then that’s what you’ll get. But if you tell yourself you deserve it, you’ll get it. Whatever you think, is what’s going to happen. That’s the truth.

Love it. Well, thanks so much CJ! Keep us posted on what you’re doing this summer!

Will do.

So what are your biggest wins so far?

I don’t really keep track of all that. I take all my ribbons and I stuff them in a box. It’s just a ribbon. I’m more focused, not on the winning part, but on getting clean runs. I’m not going to take my horse and go as fast as I can with a sloppy pattern. I want to have a good pattern every time, even if it means taking a sacrifice and maybe not winning. I want a clean run every time, and make it look good.

If there’s anyone thinking about doing barrels, any young riders, what would you say to them?

I would say, keep it to yourself. Don’t talk about it to your friends or anybody else — just go and do it. You have to do it first. You can’t just say you’re going to do

CJ Westfall Bio:

CJ was born on August 8, 1995 and has been raised around horses his entire life. His current trainer is Bonnie Longfield and he trains in Rutherford, Ontario. He graduated from Blenheim District High School and lives in Blenheim.

His father, ferrier of 51 years, George Westfall, was a bareback bronc, bull and saddle bronc rider in his youth. His mother, Sally Kress, is a registered nurse and was also a barrel racer. The family enjoys trail riding at their campground in Sparta, Ontario.

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halloffame

Meet Aaron Norg

By Chatham-Kent SportsXpress WILMA NORG

When did you start swimming?

I first started swimming with a competitive swim team, the Tilbury Vikings, in 2007. I swam with them for three years and then took it a step forward and joined the Chatham Y Pool Sharks. After swimming with the Pool Sharks for two years (2009 –2011), I decided that I needed to be pushed more in practices so I chose to join the Windsor Essex Swim Team (WEST). This team was ranked highly in Canada and had much older and faster swimmers that could help me improve.

What first attracted you to the water?

My parents enrolled me in swimming lessons when I was young. I excelled at these lessons and flew through, skipping many grades/levels. One of my instructors, further along the lines, noticed how natural I was in the water and suggested I look into a competitive swim team, and that’s when we noticed the summer swim team in Tilbury.

Tell me about your success as a swimmer.

Each of my successes in swimming has acted as a stepping-stone for my swimming career. It started with getting multiple top-three finishes in my summer swim

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team. Then I won multiple medals at seal meets with the Chatham Y Pool Sharks.

My personal bests lead to me qualifying for a variety of provincial and national meets. I went on to more multiple topthree finishes at the Ontario Provincial Championships and a bronze medal at Age Group Nationals in Montreal.

In 2012, I was privileged to be selected for the Windsor ICG (International Children’s Games) team that went to South Korea. I was then re-elected for the team for the ICG event that was held in Windsor last summer. In Windsor, I achieved multiple personal bests and three silver medals in the 100m freestyle, 50m backstroke, and 50m freestyle.

What do you love most about swimming?

I think the thing I love most about swimming is the new friendships you make. When I went to Korea for the International Children’s Games, I gained friends from Britain, Australia, Germany, Sweden, and China. I’m still friends with these people and communicate with them via Facebook.

How long have you been swimming competitively?

I have been swimming competitively for eight years: three years for the Tilbury Vikings (2007–2009), two years with the Chatham Y Pool Sharks, and am currently in my third year with WEST.

What is your ultimate goal as a swimmer?

My ultimate goal as a swimmer is to receive a good athletic scholarship to a university in the States. I want to do the best I can with what God has given me and swim my best for Him.

What does your training look like on a daily basis?

A typical training week includes swimming from 5:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.

(Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and then a one-hour swim and one hour of

dryland training in the evening (4 to 6 p.m.). On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I swim from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. and, on Saturdays, I swim for two hours (1 to 3 p.m.) for a total of 17 hours of training/week.

What sort of cross training do you do?

We call our cross training “dryland”.

This consists of the use of stretch cords (medical cords) to help improve technique and conditioning. We also use the typical equipment, such as bar bells, medicine balls, bench press, dumbbells, etc. All of these are used in specific workouts for the swimmers, as directed by the coach.

If you weren’t swimming what would you be doing?

Well I have always been an active child and interested in sports. Originally, I wanted to play hockey, but it just didn’t work out. I’ve always played soccer, ever since I was little, and really excelled at it too. I played house league then travel for Tilbury for a while. I got offers to play on bigger/better teams, but turned them down to focus on my swimming development. So, if I wasn’t swimming, I’d most likely be playing soccer or doing some other kind of sport.

When are you most nervous while competing?

I really get nervous just before a race. I always — always — yawn behind the blocks! My parents and I originally thought it was due to lack of sleep, so we lowered bed times and I tried to get more rest. But, one day we were invited to go and listen to a former swim coach and he mentioned that different athletes react to nerves in different ways — and one of them was yawning.

Who is your hero, and why?

I would have to say that, being a swimmer, my biggest hero would obviously have to be Michael Phelps. As a maturing swimmer, I grew up watching Phelps, with his many world records and gold medal victories that he had achieved even before Beijing. But, the thing that really

inspired me with Phelps was the fact that he had competed in the Sydney Olympics when he was just 15 years old. This really impacted me because I am around the same age as him, and it helps me push towards my goals, seeing how he had done the same thing.

Who is your biggest fan and why?

I would say without any hesitation that my parents are my biggest supporters/ fans by far. They’ve always supported me 100 percent in whatever I chose to pursue, and gave me guidance when I didn’t know what to do. They drive me back and forth to wherever I need to go.

What has been one of your biggest disappointments as an athlete?

You know, there have been lots of disappointments in my swimming: not making qualifying times, missing out in a top-three finish by a hundredth of a second. But, all of these things aren’t so much disappointments as they are things that push me further. They help me keep focused on what I’m doing and what I need to do to achieve my goals.

What is your most memorable moment as an athlete?

My most memorable moment as an athlete would have to be my secondplace finish in the 50m backstroke at the International Children’s Games. They had just built a new pool and this medal

would be the first one won for Windsor in it. The crowd was going wild afterwards when they called my name to go onto the podium. It was a great day and a fantastic memory that will be with me forever.

How do you balance work, school, family, friends and training?

When dealing with school, family, friends, and training, a lot of the time my family (not just me) has to sacrifice time for my swimming and swim meets.

It takes a lot of time management, using every spare minute to do homework, catch up on sleep, eat or just spend time with the family. But like I mentioned earlier, with my training come sacrifices.

I don’t get to go and spend social time with my friends that often, or as often as other people, and I don’t get to do much extracurricular activities or sports. You have to set priorities and find what you are truly dedicated to.

Do you have a favourite quote or mantra that inspires or drives you?

My favourite quote comes from Colossians 3:23–24, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.

You are serving the Lord Christ.”

This reminds me that this gift of swimming was a gift, and I must use it to serve the giver, not myself.

TAMMY EBERHERD

At the Division 1 Provincial Team Championships held in December 2013 in Nepean, Aaron, competing in the Boys 15-16 age bracket, won three first-place finishes (50m freestyle, 100m freestyle and 100m backstroke), took second in the 400m Individual Medley and finished third in the butterfly. He was also on the Windsor Essex freestyle relay team.

Aaron, a Tilbury native born in 1998, now attends Maranatha Christian Academy in Windsor and swims for the Windsor Essex Swim Team.

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coverstory Chatham’s Chad Laprise — first Canadian TUF winner Interview by Todd Valade

Tell us a little a bit of your MMA journey leading up to TUF.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship produces the television reality show called TUF or The Ultimate Fighter.

The UFC is one of the largest and fastest growing promotions in the world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). The TUF series debuted on January 17, 2005 and has successfully churned out numerous stars and champions. The 18th eighteenth installment of the popular series titled The Ultimate Fighter Nations: Canada vs. Australia featured veteran Canadian Patrick Cote with middleweight standout Kyle Nokes representing Australia. The series was officially announced by the UFC in June 2013. This was the second time, following The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes, that featured two coaches who were former contestants on The Ultimate Fighter show. Contestants had to attend tryouts in September 2013 in both Sydney and Toronto. From those sessions, fighters were selected in the middleweight (185 pounds) and welterweight divisions (170 pounds). The 16 fighters, eight in each division, then competed in a singleelimination tournament, with the two division winners crowned in a TUF finale bout that took place on April 16, 2014 in Quebec City. The television show aired on Fox Sports and Sportsnet in Canada and on FX Australia.

Chad has been busy training since his time on The Ultimate Fighter. He was pleased to take a break and give us this telephone interview.

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I was one of the top guys in Canada in my weight division and when I went in on the (TUF) show I was 7–0. I was undefeated. I was also blessed. I had fought in Bellator before that, twice, and won, and that’s the second biggest promotion in the world outside of UFC and so I just kept winning fights.

I wouldn’t be in the UFC yet if it wasn’t for the Ultimate Fighter avenue. I probably needed two more wins, so it fast tracked me to kind of jump start my career with the UFC. It was definitely a huge blessing to have that show and it changed my whole life.

What impact will this have locally?

It’s definitely a great for sports for kids.

I did most of my training in Chatham. I started at the KO Boxing Club when I was 15 years-old. I actually opened up my own gym in Chatham when I was 20. I trained most of my life in Chatham. It’s been the last three years I’ve been training in London and Montreal and kind of all over the world. The majority was done in a small town, so you definitely don’t have to be from the big city and train with superstars. It’s just a lot of hard work and dedication and good things will happen.

Do you think more kids will want to do MMA with a home-town hero in their midst?

Yeah, and MMA is obviously the fastest growing sport in the world right now, so when kids see me coming up in Chatham, I’ve had a lot of people say “I want to be like you, I want to be a fighter, I want to be in the UFC.” …

This is my full-time job. This is all I do, every single day. I train in every single discipline. Obviously my base is striking, that’s what I’ve been doing for ten years, but I work religiously on my wrestling and my jujitsu, my strength and conditioning.

I’m blessed with 15 different coaches. It’s absolutely amazing. I’m just trying to be one percent better every single day.

Most young guys coming up in MMA these days really do train in all the martial arts. Do you think there is one particular style that rules or what do you find is the best combination?

Obviously, I’m a firm believer that wrestling dictates everything in MMA. If you’re a striker and you have no wrestling, then guys are just going to take you down at will, right? If you’re a grappler and you can’t wrestle, then you’re never going to be able to get somebody down on the ground. So I think wrestling is definitely the most important skill set in MMA.

Where do you see yourself stacking up in the 170-pound division?

My natural weight class is 155 pounds but I competed at the show at the 170-weight limit, which actually worked out great for me because I had to fight more than once. For me to make lightweight, sometimes I walk around at 185 to 190 pounds and I cut down to 155. So, I do that more than once! I had to fight three times, right? So there’s no way I would have been able to do the show at lightweight and the welterweight just worked out perfect. But, moving forward, I will be fighting at my own weight class of 155 pounds, which is also stacked.

There are so many killers in the UFC that fight at lightweight.

Anyone you want to call out? There must be somebody you see yourself fighting in the next year.

Not yet. I’m not really in a position to kinda call people out yet. I guess whoever Dana White and Joe Silva want me to fight, I’m gonna fight ‘em. Hopefully they’ll give me somebody who’s a striker, somebody who will kind of stand and bang with me, and that can make for a really exciting fight.

“Don’t do something just to be famous.”

Follow Chad: www.chadlaprise.com twitter: @ChadLaprise

Tell us what pushed you while you were on TUF? What discouraged you? What encouraged you?

I’ve trained with many guys who’ve been there before so they told me exactly what it was going to be like. So I knew 100 percent that that was going to be one of the hardest things that I would ever have to go through. I’m a family man. I’m married, so it was six weeks away from my wife. It was definitely the hardest part. You know, being on the show you get no phone, no internet, no TV, no books. They actually let me bring a Bible in, because I’m a Christian, but that was the only book that was in the house. You know, it was very, very hard. They’re filming you 24 hours a day and you get no privacy — there are no doors anywhere.

Whatever you’re doing is on film so it was definitely very challenging in that aspect and then you have to fight on top of it!

I knew going in there that I was probably going to have to fight a teammate, knowing how good the Canadian guys are. So I’m training every single day with these people knowing, in the back of my mind, that I might have to fight the guy sleeping next to me in the house. So it was definitely very mentally challenging going in there but I knew that’s exactly what I had to do for my career and things worked out great for me.

You have a very strong and supportive personal support base. What was it like not having all those key people during the filming of TUF? It was definitely hard. One thing that definitely helped me out was that our coaches on the show were absolutely amazing. They trained me very well.

Actually one of my striking coaches who I train with in Montreal was there so there was some familiarity. So, once the show was done and I got four more months to prepare for the finale, I was back at home.

Back with all my coaches and my support system, it was a whole new ball game. It was definitely so much easier that way.

I knew that going into the show would definitely be so tough and you really have to step out of your comfort zone being there, and you just kinda have to go with the flow. And you know, I felt that being there really helped me grow as a person and definitely made me a better fighter.

hard work that will get you through. You have to really enjoy what you’re doing. I love this sport, and just train, train, train. You know, like, I can’t stress how much hard work is important.

What does your future look like without fighting MMA in the UFC? My actual fighting career is a very small part of my life. It’s only going to be maybe ten years, if I’m lucky, so once I’m done, I’m definitely 100 percent going to be coaching. My ideal goal is to be a pastor after and open up a fight church, where guys can come train with me and we can learn about God as well.

I want to thank everyone from the Chatham area for all the support. You know, everyone down there has always been by my side and it’s amazing to see my dreams are finally coming true.

What advice do you have for young athletes that hope to make it in professional sports?

The first and foremost is just hard work.

You have to be dedicated day in and day out.

This is not something you can do part time.

You know, even as a young guy, I was always very motivated, I was very focused. My friends would go out and party at night and I wouldn’t do any of that stuff at all. You definitely have to be focused and you have to know what your goals are, and stick to them.

And, one other big thing I want to tell kids, is don’t do something just to be famous. When all the fame and the money is gone, it’s just

Chad Laprise Fight record: 9–0–0 Nickname: The Disciple From: Windsor, Ontario Fights out of: London, Ontario Age: 27 Height: 5’ 10” (177 cm.)

Weight: 155 lbs. (77 kgm.)

Chatham-Kent SportsXpress

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halloffame

The Bechards are burning up the track

By Chatham-Kent SportsXpress

For Justin and Danielle Bechard, two siblings from Chatham, motocross has always been a family thing.

They describe motocross weekend events as racing dirt bikes over jumps, and it’s getting bigger and bigger each year.

Justin says it’s a very family-oriented event you can take your kids to, and it’s a whole lot of fun.

Justin, who is 20 years old, and his sister Danielle, 19, have been riding for over seven years. Justin’s grandpa owned a shop and had mini bikes, which opened the door for Justin to buy his first dirt bike. He began racing it the following year. Between the two of them, they have won over 70 awards in their careers.

Danielle Bechard - #18

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“He got me into it,” says Danielle. “I saw him do it, and after I went to his first race in Delaware and saw one of the girls out there riding, I wanted to get into it too.”

Justin says their family members have been their biggest supporters, but Danielle says Justin has been hers, “He’s helped me get there. Over the past few years, working with me, and doing my bike work… Our mom and grandparents and dad took us but now that we can drive, Justin takes us.”

“The dealership here, Bob’s Motorsport, helps us out with parts and stuff,” says Justin.

Justin hopes to race pro-national in August, plus a big amateur event in September.

Danielle rides a 2007 CR 125. “I’ve had it for five years now. I just love it so much, I never want to get rid of it. It’s a twostroke, and it’s getting beat up, but we just take care of it and fix it all up.”

Justin has two bikes: a 2011 RMC 250 Suzuki, and a 2012 RMC 450 Suzuki, both with four-stroke engines. Danielle says they’ve raced each other’s bikes, but she still likes hers best.

While racing is mostly in the spring, summer and fall months, training through

Justin Bechard - #13

halloffame

in C-K

Summer Camps

the winter still involves going to the gym a lot and jogging. Justin explains that it’s hard to get out to ride during the week when they work late, so on the weekends they ride as long as they can, as hard as they can. Smaller races are 12 minutes long, but the big races last 20 to 30 minutes.

“I worked with a gym through the winter to keep up my cardio. It’s really just riding as much as you can,” Danielle explains.

Their favourites in the sport include Ryan Dungey, who Justin describes as being consistent with great finishes, Chad Root and James Stewart. Danielle appreciates them for their strong mental attitude.

Danielle notes, “If they crash, they stay positive about it. They’re good role models.”

Justin says, “Last year, I didn’t race much in the spring, but then in the summertime I raced a series of eight races and I ended up finishing second and third overall. Then I raced in the fall series and got first and second overall and then I went down to Michigan to race and won every race but one. Then, Halloween weekend, I did a race in Michigan and did really well there too so 2013 was definitely my best year by far.”

Danielle talks about her biggest disappointment, which ultimately led to her biggest accomplishment. “Two years ago, I broke my wrist pretty badly in a

race in the states. It just bummed me out because riding is a way to get away from everything. I look forward to it. I thought it was just a little break and it would be like six weeks but it turned into surgery after surgery, so it kind of sucked. By the time I was done with my cast, it was winter so I couldn’t ride very much so, that was my biggest disappointment. In 2013, I did pretty good. I finished first in CMX ladies’, and then second in the guy’s open… so coming back after breaking my wrist and doing really well was great.”

Where do the pair see themselves longterm? Danielle says, “I see myself racing, maybe not as much, but I still want to do it for as long as I can. Someday I want to win the Canadian Nationals. It’s something I look forward to.”

Justin says, “I love racing. I see myself doing it all the time. I don’t know how long. All it takes is one crash and you could be done riding forever. So, I see myself riding as long as my body can take it. Competitive? Probably another year or two for sure but I’ll always ride — until I can’t anymore.”

When prompted about their hobbies outside of the sport, Danielle explained, “We don’t do much besides work and ride!”

However, they both enjoy fishing, going to the dirt car races at South Buxton, tractor pulls, the beach, having friends and family over for a fire.

“Anything outside! We hate being inside,” says Justin.

Best of luck, you two, and keep us posted on your 2014 successes!

“We don’t do much besides work and ride!”

OASIS @ St Paul’s Community Church

Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Chatham-Kent

9am-12pm or 1-3pm day camps for the month of July www.spcchurch.com - 519.436.0255

Girls & boys separate one week summer day camps www.bigbrothersbigsistersofchatham-kent.com 519.351.1582

Starfire Gymnastics Half days and full days available www.starfiregymnastics.com - 519.354.8205

Soccer Camp 4 Christ by Grace Reformed Church July 14th – 18th www.chathamgrace.com

Erin’s Dance Club Full week day camps www.erinsdanceclub.ca - 519.676.0097

Salvation Army of Chatham-Kent Weekly themed day camps through the summer church@chathamsa.org - 42 Harvey St, Chatham

Chatham Basketball Camp July 14th-18th www.chathamsummercamps.com - 519.784.7678

Chatham Fitness and Activity Camp Week 1 July 7th-11th Week 2 July 21st-25th www.chathamsummercamps.com - 519.784.7678

Chatham-Kent SportsXpress

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fromthesidelines

By Chatham-Kent SportsXpress

Sue Wilson-Valade has been coaching competitive gymnastics for 14 years and has been the head coach of three gyms in Ontario, and assistant head coach at one of Ontario’s largest. She was a provincial athlete herself in her youth.

After becoming head coach at Motion Gymnastics in Chatham, Sue’s personal investment in her competitive team meant not taking a paycheck one summer just so her girls didn’t have to quit training.

“Summer training is the most valuable training of the year as you need to acquire new skills during the time that you’re off school. It’s more dedicated training.

Recreational gymnastics has a large decline because of cottaging and vacations and things like that, so you have to lean up your payroll and make sacrifices.

Missing summer training would mean starting from scratch in the fall, so I felt it was imperative to sacrifice for the sake of the girls’ training and their best interest,” explained Sue. Four years into her career at Motion, Sue and her husband Todd, now the gym’s general manager, decided it was time to either pull the plug or take the reins altogether. The former owner was willing to sell the club, so they bought it and never looked back.

Sue explained, “We more than doubled our rec program the first year. We changed the name, rebranded ourselves, and invested all our profit into building the business. We hired brand new coaches and an office administrator, and

restructured and improved all our programs. We are promoting growth.

We want to start competitive trampoline, we’ve started a new competitive boys’ program (with our amazing new boys’ coach), and we are in the process of raising the funds for new floors, beams and bar maximizers. We want to continually refresh our gym, and we use all our profit to invest back into our equipment.”

Their first competition as Starfire was quite the meet.

Their girls walked in completely unknown to the other clubs, and within the first flight the hub in the stands was, “Who is this Starfire?” They brought home 25 medals out of a possible 40 in their first competition! They also won the sportsmanship and team spirit award, exceptional line and amplitude on bars, most dynamic vault, and most confident on beam.

When asked why they chose the name Starfire, Sue had quite the answer.

“Inside every child is a fire that burns to do something – a passion of some sort.

And at Starfire, when we find gymnastics is their love, we want to spark and fan that fire! Some are a north star, and the brightest star in the sky. Some are flickering and small, and we want to bring out the best in every child to make them shine brighter! We chose the star, because they shine at night – when things are tough and hard, and through rips and sweat and tears and guts - they light up the sky and inspire others.”

“Inside every child is a fire that burns to do something – a passion of some sort. And at Starfire, when we find gymnastics is their love, we want to spark and fan that fire!”

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In 2012, their first year as Starfire Gymnastics, they won a total of 74 out of a possible 130 medals, cleaning up for the little-known Chatham gym. In 2013, they won 51 out of a possible 125 medals and, so far this year, they have won 23 out of a possible 35 medals. Note that these results do not reflect the girls who are seven and eight years old, as they only receive stickers based on their scores.

Parents of the athletes attribute their child’s success to Todd and Sue’s passion for their gym, their desire to constantly evolve and improve their facility, and the gym’s coaches.

Sue and Todd have also invested in starting a boys’ program and are working hard to ensure that female stereotyping has no place in the gymnastics world.

“We branded our logo to include both a male gymnast and a female gymnast. We want our boys to know they are as crucial to our program as the girls are, because they are,” said Sue.

fromthesidelines

The Next Step cast visits Erin’s Dance Club Submitted by Erin’s Dance Club

Recently some cast members of the hit Family Channel TV series ‘The Next Step’ made their way to Chatham-Kent. ‘The Next Step’ is a Canadian teen drama series. The show focuses on a group of dancers on a competitive dance team as they strive to win a series of dance competitions.

On Sunday June 8th , cast members Jennie Pappas (Chole), Samantha Grecchi (Stephanie), Jordan Clark (Giselle), and Megan Moniz (Sarah) taught a workshop at Erin’s Dance Club in Chatham. The classes were open to all dancers in the area and some even travelled from the Windsor area to attend.

Erin and Kent McCord own and operate Erin’s Dance Club located in Blenheim and Chatham, but also own Dance Attack Workshops. This allows them to bring in some of Canada’s biggest names for workshops, classes and choreography.

Due to the overwhelming popularity of the first workshop, they decided to bring cast members back down at the end of June.

This workshop included Samantha Grecchi (Stephanie), Megan Moniz (Sarah), Megan Mackenzie (Beth), Natalie Krill (Phoebe) and hip hop super couple Miles Faber and Alex Crenian. It took place at the John Bradley Convention Centre and more than 125 dancers were in attendance. It was an amazing experience for all to meet some of their favourite cast members. These workshops not only provide unique opportunities for the dancers in attendance to

take classes from people they admire but to also ask them questions and learn more about what it’s like to be on television and how they got the job on that show.

This is not the first time Erin’s Dance Club has provided classes or opportunities of this nature for local dancers. Since opening it’s doors in 2008 Erin’s Dance Club has brought in 13 ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ alumni from Canada and the US including Nico Archambault, Miles Faber, Tara Jean Popowich, Jordan Clark and Joshua Allen. Other top industry professionals not only come to teach classes but also provide choreography for their competitive dancers. Erin’s Dance Club has also offered specialized classes from professionals like Olympic Gymnast Dominique Pegg and local experts Emily Stirling (fitness and nutrition), and Sarah Ytsma (chiropractor).

Dance Attack Workshops travel all over Ontario putting on workshops of this nature in smaller centres. They bring in top instructors from Toronto, Montreal, New York and LA. Miss Erin is also a sought after instructor for Dance Attack teaching not only at their workshops but private studio classes across Ontario as well.

“Next Step” cast members Megan Moniz (Sarah), Jennie Pappas (Chloe), Jordan Clark (Giselle), and Samantha Grecchi (Stephanie) with Erin’s Dance Club and Dance Attack staff members Kent McCord, Cassiah Pegg, Hailey Verstraete, Erin McCord, Olivia Verstraete, Avery Case and Braydn Millson at Erin’s Dance Club in Chatham.

Erin’s Dance Club in Chatham is located at 162 Queent St, above Maple City Office Equipment, and in Blenheim at 245 Marlborough St S

Chatham-Kent SportsXpress

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health&fitness

Meet Melissa Grover Submitted by Melissa Grover, Photos by Healthy Vision Photo how to work out but I didn’t know the first thing about training for a show.

She is a three-time world figure champion and knows this sport inside and out. She created my diet plan, tracked my progress and coached me on stage presence and posing. She also helped with all the extras like which supplements to take, suit selection, spray tanning, etc. Without her knowledge and encouragement, I would have been lost!”

What was the training like?

“To prepare for the show, I had to put on some muscle which meant training at the gym five days a week. I was lifting heavy weight with low repetitions to help put on some size. I also did one day of low intensity cardio, usually 20 minutes on the stepper or bike.”

What was your diet like?

Melissa Grover 1st place UFE Showdown

What made you decide to do a fitness competition?

“I really enjoy working out and I love to challenge myself. A girl from my gym who was training for her first show approached me to do one as well. The timing seemed right for me and after doing some research I registered for UFE Showdown in June 2013. That gave me five months to prepare.”

How did you prepare for the Show?

“The first thing I did was hire my amazing coach Emily Stirling. I knew

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Chatham-Kent SportsXpress

“To most people, when you think of a diet you think of eating less. With my “diet”, I was actually eating more food, more often. I ate three meals plus three snacks a day, so I was basically eating every three to four hours. The meals were simple and healthy and actually tasted really good. The only thing I really missed was my sweets. My diet plan was eight-weeks long and changed slightly as the competition got closer. During the first four weeks I got one cheat meal a week, which means I got to eat whatever I wanted. Pizza and Sushi were at the top of my cravings list!”

Can you give us an example of a typical lunch?

“For lunch, I always had an Ezekiel wrap with either chicken or salmon, baby spinach, fresh veggies and salsa.”

Did you take any supplements?

“The only supplement I took was protein powder. It’s a great way to add protein to your diet without having to eat three cans of tuna a day (gross), ha-ha!. Protein helps your muscles grow and keeps you feeling fuller longer. I add a scoop to my shakes, oatmeal and plain Greek yogurt.”

Tell us about Show day...

“Show day, I woke up feeling excited and nervous. At that point, before I had even stepped on stage, I felt like I had accomplished my goal. Competition prep isn’t easy. It takes a lot of time, effort and sacrifice. As much as I enjoy working out, I’m just like everyone else, and there were days that I was tired and didn’t feel like going to the gym but I put my headphones on and went anyways. Saying no to a cookie is hard for me on the best of days but I did it for 56 days straight. Because I had committed to myself that if I was going to do this, I was going to give 100 percent. No skipping workouts, no cheating on my diet. Discipline, drive and constant encouragement from my friends, family, coach and teammates helped me make it

“Show day I woke up feeling excited and nervous. At that point, before I had even stepped on stage I felt like I had accomplished my goal.”

MMelissa is a two-time Elite Fitness Model Champion who competes at Ultimate Fitness Events (UFE). She won the Female Fitness Model and the Female Open divisions at the UFE Showdown held in August 2013 in London, Ontario.

MThe UFE World Championship is being held in Toronto on November 9, 2014.

UFE through to the end. Now it was time to go on stage and have some fun!

The morning was a blur of big smiles, dark tans, sparkly suits and stage lights. It was a great atmosphere backstage. All the girls that I met were very friendly and encouraging to one another. I had entered into the fitness model category. It consisted of a bikini round and a sportswear theme round.

I ended up winning first place out of 18 girls. I was completely shocked. For my first show I definitely wasn’t expecting that. That qualified me to also compete in the evening show for Elite level competitors. I had a short two-hour break then hit the stage again. I walked away from the second show with another first place trophy. I remember the moment they called my name looking down into the audience and seeing my friends literally jump out of their seats. They were screaming and cheering and jumping up and down. It was an amazing moment.”

Do you have any plans for future Shows?

“I’m currently prepping to compete in my first pro show this fall with UFE.”

What is your advice for anyone who’s interested in doing a fitness competition?

1

“First, hire a great coach! Make sure they have at least a few years of stage experience, ask for recommendations from people they have coached and check to make sure they have education in both personal training and nutrition. I would definitely recommend my coach, Emily Stirling, if you’re looking for the best!

2

Second, research which organization you want to compete with.

A good coach can help give you an overview of each organization, what it offers and help narrow down which one would best suit you and your goals. I picked UFE and my experience with them was amazing from start to finish.

3

Third, don’t give up, enjoy the process and most importantly — keep a healthy perspective going into show day. Remember, ‘A flower does not think about competing with the flower next to it, it just blooms’.”

Chatham-Kent SportsXpress

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health&fitness

Pain or pleasure — it’s up to you!

Submitted by Kim Iles When it comes to health and wellness, it’s all a matter of choice. We all make choices each day, every day - what to drink, what to eat, what to think, what to watch on television, what to focus our energy on, who to be around – and on and on and on.

We make these choices based on the only two things that your subconscious can recognize – pain and pleasure. So once you can start to attach more pleasure to the healthier choices, you will slowly, day by day, be attracting more of the things that are good for you. It will become second nature to choose a healthy lifestyle.

Start small with baby steps, and never get overwhelmed with trying to change too many things. Start with the basics. I tell people, start with the things you were born needing. And the highest one on that list is good water.

Whether you are an athlete, weekend warrior, or a couch potato, your body is 70 percent water and you will never change that. So in essence, 70 percent of your health and wellness is actually the quality of water you drink. Choose wisely, and you have affected 70 percent. That’s a big chunk.

After more than 20 years in this wellness gig, I see another huge factor,

and that is your thoughts and your outlook on life. Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change. This phrase is more than true.

If you focus on poor health, your ache, your pains, your will have more of that.

If you focus on battling a disease, or killing a disease, you will have a completely different result. If you choose to focus on getting healthy, getting well, being your best ever, then you will get that.

The wellness industry has so much to offer. There are pills, powders, drinks, foods, bars, etc. Now more than ever, the science is here to prove what was once looked upon as snake oil. Our industry has come into its own terms of credibility. We can prove with science and government approval that our products here in Canada do what they say.

So, at this point, my advice is to always choose quality, and know your ingredient labels. The non-medicinal ingredients can tell you more than the others. If you value your health and wellness choices, you will begin to shift toward those ingredients that support the health you want, and away from cheap fillers and toxins.

But again, whether you are a sports

enthusiast, or a mom needing energy to make it through your day, you will need help. Natural supplements are available for every chemical choice out there. For headaches to cancer, we have it all. But it all begins with you, and those thoughts I mentioned earlier. All of those “what’s” – what you drink, what you eat, what, what, what!

So make a new choice. Start something new and exciting and make one new healthy choice each day. Who knows, you just may be a healthier you in a very short amount of time.

Remember – pain or pleasure. It’s up to you.

Kim Iles has been a health & wellness professional for more than 20 years, and is well known in Chatham-Kent for her extensive knowledge in this industry. You can find Kim at the Healthy Berry in Chatham.

Fall Registration is NOW OPEN! REGISTER ONLINE OR BY PHONE Classes starting at $25 +HST per month

FREE CLASSES at both locations Aug 25-28th!

Come try any classes you like for FREE!

6 week summer sessions start in July! $48-60 +HST

Full Week Summer Camps $99 +HST

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www.erinsdanceclub.ca Email: info@erinsdanceclub.ca BLENHEIM: 245 Marlborough St. S | (519) 676-0707 CHATHAM: 162 Queen St. | (519) 355-1456

health&fitness Increase your performance by driving your ATP Submitted by Greg Foster

So what is ATP (adenosine triphosphate)?

ATP is a simple chemical that provides muscle contractions. Without it, you could not walk, talk or chew bubble gum.

It is essential.

Your ATP is replenished by creatine phosphate, also known as phosphocreatine. Fatigue results when those stores are depleted and your strength and motor skill ability is hindered and eventually exhausted.

Creatine isn’t something new as it was discovered back in 1832. Then, in 1927, researchers discovered the phosphocreatine (CP) stored in muscles. Modern science confirms that 95 percent of the total creatine pool is stored in skeletal muscle tissue.

Creatine is an essential, natural substance required for energy metabolism.

The human body synthesizes creatine from three amino acids (glycine, arginine, and methionine) and loses approximately 203 grams of creatine daily through normal activity.

How do you drive your ATP? You can drive your ATP with creatine phosphate (CP), a unique high-energy compound which is stored in the muscles.

Creatine provides almost instantaneous transfer of its energy to adenosine diphosphate (ADP) molecules to regenerate APT!

What about the athlete and athletic performance?

High-quality creatine supplementation has shown to enhance the ability to maintain power output through high-intensity exercise across the board in virtually every sport including track and field, football, martial arts, hockey, basketball, wrestling, tennis and more.

Performance is increased because the greater the total creatine pool, the greater the efficiency of the ATP CP cycle early on. On average, taking 10 to 20 grams of creatine supplementation daily will show an effective increase in ATP turnover rates. This recommendation, for teen athletes and adults, should be part

of the athlete’s training and diet routines — never just by itself. There are no known side effects from long-term usage.

What about muscle cramps?

I love addressing this one! To date, when using pure high-quality creatine monohydrate, there is no known association with cramps. That stated, there are many products out on the market with fillers, subpar creatine and refined sugars that will cramp up the athlete.

With proper H20 (high-quality) hydration and electrolytes (natural ones), there will be no incidences of cramping.

Conclusion

Essential to life and health, creatine is an amazing and unique substance. Scientific studies support the improvements shown in sports performance and the increase of the overall energy levels through the use of creatine supplements.

Positive results come with proper usage!

As with everything you put in your body, make sure the creatine you ingest is of the highest quality.

Gagner

Chiropractic Health Centre

Dr. Ken Gagner BHK C.K. BED B.SC D.C

Family Chiropractic Sports Injuries Workplace Injuries Hydro & Laser Therapy Personal Training & Nutrition Custom Orthodics 3rd Party Insurance Accepted

300 Lacroix Street | Chatham, ON | PH: (519) 436-1551

Chatham-Kent SportsXpress

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Chatham-Kent Cougars Football Club Mission The Chatham-Kent Cougars Football Club is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide all interested youth in the Municipality of Chatham-Kent the opportunity to safely develop football fundamentals through participation. The organization teaches fair play, life skills, and how to have fun playing the game. The goal of the program is to teach good sportsmanship, personal responsibility, honesty, loyalty, teamwork and commitment. These skills and ideals are developed through youth and adult participation in organized Minor football teams, competitive travel teams and flag football activities.

Goals and objectives

Provide a safe environment for all youth learning football fundaments. n Make it affordable compared to other minor programs so all youth can participate. n

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Chatham-Kent SportsXpress

Create an action plan to involve kids outside of Chatham (Tilbury, Dresden, Ridgetown, Blenheim, Wallaceburg, etc). n Create volunteer opportunities. n Develop our coaches, administration, and officials through opportunity and training. n

Minor football (house league) Started in 2008, the Cougars Football League operates house-league tackle football programs under the ChathamKent Cougars Football Club banner. The programs are designed to help young athletes (boys and girls) play football in an environment that develops physical fitness and team, social and fundamental football skills — all while, most importantly, having fun.

Registration information The Cougars Football League provides Chatham-Kent youth, aged 7 through 13,

an opportunity to play organized tackle football in our own community from late August to early November. Games, played mainly on Sundays with some night games possible, typically take between 1 and 1.5 hours to play. Most teams practice twice per week on dates set by the coaches based on field availability and conflicts with other sports.

Registration fees are $195 with all equipment, minus cleats and socks, provided by the Club. Mail the Fall Minor Registration Form and cheque to: Chatham-Kent Cougars Football Club 30 Riverview Drive Chatham,ON N7M 6G5

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