Hitting the slopes hit the spot

Freezing temperatures were fared well and nobody got hurt, so future trips are already in the works

campbell stevenson contributor

The University of Regina Ski and Board Club delivered on their promise to provide an “opportunity of a lifetime.”

Reading Week couldn’t have arrived any sooner. For many, it was a well needed break from the constant pressure of university life. For 92 students, this time off meant spending a few days experiencing one of Canada’s most treasured ski resorts. Those who reserved their spots on the ski trip to Banff, Alberta didn’t know what to expect.

Thrilled to have been able to cross skiing off his bucket list, campus friendly face Zuhruf Zarooq enjoyed his time in Banff. “This was the first ski trip I’ve been to. I would have never learned to ski if it wasn’t for the Ski and Board Club,” said Zarooq. “It was fabulous. The accommodations were good, I would probably go to the next one.”

The university’s Ski and Board club is proud of their accomplishment, and everyone is savouring the success of the trip. “It was great. It took us a lot of effort to organize it, and it took a lot of time. We were able to do everything to the best of our extent,” said club president, Damond Wagner.

The trip to the Sunshine Ski Resort was off to a rocky start the morning following their arrival, as extreme cold weather conditions delayed their excursion to the hill. Having to adjust to this would be no small feat, and being responsible for almost 100 people on a trip can be nerve-racking.

However, advanced skier and environmental systems engineer Mathew Saleski saw no stress among the club organizers. “I think the club organized it pretty well, and handled the hill being delayed due to the cold pretty well,” said Saleski. Once the weather was tolerable, everyone was successfully brought to the hill. From there, skiers of all skill levels enjoyed themselves.

“Sunshine was a good mix of easy and harder trails, and I think no matter the level of the skier there were trails for everyone,” said Saleski. It comes as a relief that no matter what skill level, all students were able to enjoy themselves and leave Banff with no in- juries.

“I’m glad I’m still alive,” Zarooq jokingly said. “Going to Banff as a beginner, I feel lucky.”

A survey the club posted showed positive feedback to the trip. “Out of 43 responses that we got in the survey we did, 20 of them told us it was a 10 out of 10 [experience], 16 of them told us it was a nine out of 10, four that said it was an eight, and three that

Brady’s legacy pre- and post-retirement

said it was a seven. Overall, that’s pretty good reviews,” said executive assistant Solstice Morrell.

“I think it just shows how our teamwork came together,” said Wagner. The overwhelming positive response has influenced the club to begin planning for future trips almost immediately. “Right now, we’re planning a couple Mission Ridge nights coming up. For our trip next year, we’re going to start planning in the summer,” said Wagner.

“To get good prices and stuff in Banff, the trip needs to be booked months and months in advance,” said club vice-president Aidan McMahon. The main goal will be to acquire more funds from a diverse group of local business owners. They will also turn to URSU for future funding. However, a higher demand of students for future trips would require a larger sum for funding.

“We would like to take more but the big problem with that was the funding, and we can’t supply lessons just because of the prices and we just didn’t have the funding for that. That’s something in the future that we want to try to lower the cost of or incorporate within our trip,” said Wagner. The university’s Ski and Board Club is pre-emptively planning for the next big trip. Moving forward, they hope to offer more opportunities and unforgettable experiences.

Started at the bottom (of the draft pick), now we’re here (holding enough records to make heads spin)

Who is the greatest athlete of all time? This is the ultimate question for sports fans, and is a hotly contested debate across all sports. One of the athletes considered to be the greatest of all time is former NFL quarterback Tom Brady.

Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. is considered one of the greatest football players of all time. He is the most accomplished and successful National Football League quarterback in the league’s history. Brady is known for his extreme health regimen, which allowed him to play 23 seasons in the NFL.

His health regimen involves transcendental meditations, yoga, hydration, and a diet known as the 80/20 diet. His diet avoids most fruits, mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, coffee, Gatorade, white sugar, flour, gluten, diary, pop, cereal, white rice, potatoes, and bread. Brady explains his diet through the TB12 method, which includes recipes that follow his strict diet – a diet which has been seen as controversial. Athletes who are considered the greatest of all time often use extreme regiments in all aspects of their lives in order to accomplish their goals, dreams, and aspirations. Tom Brady is no exception.

Brady started his elite football career at the University of

Michigan. He was then selected 199 overall by the New England Patriots in the 2000 NFL draft. He became the starting quarterback during his first season when Drew Bledsoe got injured in week two of the 2001 season. Brady spent 20 seasons with the New England Patriots, where won six Super Bowls in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2015, 2017 and 2019.

During his 23-season, career Brady started 381 games, which included 333 regular season games and 48 playoff games. Brady’s 2008 season was the only season he didn’t play due to an ACL injury. He also has the most career games in the Super Bowl, with 10 games. In 2020, Brady joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he won his seventh Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Brady has been awarded Super Bowl MVP five times, NFL MVP three times, NFL Offensive Player of the Year twice, NFL Comeback Player of the Year once in 2009, and has made the Pro Bowl 15 times. He holds records for most career quarterback wins, most career passing attempts, most career passing completions, most career passing touchdowns, and most career passing yards.

On February 1, 2023, Brady announced his official retirement from football. Brady will be eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame starting in 2028. In addressing speculation that he would run for political office, Brady explained in 2022 that he doesn’t “think anyone’s fond of politics these days.”

In 2020, the New York Post reported that Brady signed a $375 million deal over 10 years with the NFL on Fox. Brady is set to begin his role as a lead colour commentator for the NFL on Fox in 2024, where he will join playby-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt to offer background information and an expert look into each game. It will be interesting to see his transition into the commentary booth, since some athletes’ transitions to commentary have been rocky.

His career is considered extraordinary due to having a career of over 20 years in the NFL – a league whose acronym has been parodied as ‘Not For Long’ – along with his incredible accomplishments throughout his career, and all considering he was drafted 199 overall back in 2000.