Geocaching

The Carillon talks minor football and gives an outline of games for those who want to follow

victoria baht sports writer

The fall season is around the corner – some may say it is already here. Normally when we think of fall, we think of the leaves turning yellow and brown, the sunset coming sooner in the day, the crisp air in the morning and evening, and pumpkin spice everything. But the most exciting one of them all is the football season! Two weeks ago, on September 9, the National Football League (NFL) began their season. Today, we are going to talk about the game of football and teach you what football really is, and we are going to talk about a league/organization that operates in Regina – Regina Minor Football (RMF).

We are going to be talking about American football, which means that there are tackles, field goals, and touch downs – not the European football (our soccer) where there are slide tackles, goalies, and goals. The football that we are talking about today is the football that uses the CFL rules, just for younger age groups. A game of football consists of four 15-minute quarters. The goal of the game is to reach ten yards before getting tackled down, or going out of bounds. Players can reach those ten yards by running with the ball, throwing the ball, and passing off the ball to another teammate. If a team doesn’t make it that ten yards, they have two more chances, and on the last chance they can choose to run again or kick the ball to the other team. If a team does make the ten yards successfully, they keep running until the player with the ball is down or out of field. Once they reach that goal, the team keeps aiming for ten yards until they get to the end zone. Once a team brings the ball to the end zone, they are awarded a touchdown, and in a touchdown a team can shoot for a field goal or a safety.

Now, these are the rules that the Regina Minor Football League follows. This league works out to have five groups of players: the Mighty Mites (under 10), Atom (under 12), Peewee (under 14), Bantom (under 16) and the Victorias (all girls team). If you haven’t noticed, the teams go until the age of 16, which means that kids can no longer play in the league after about grade 10. This way, the league gets them ready

Marco Verch via Flickr

The most skin you’ll ever see in the Carillon. for high school teams and games. Once they are in grade 10, they can try out for high school teams with more experience. This also allows the grade nines to have that additional year, if they choose, before going up against the bigger players in grade 12.

The RMF league normally runs their games on the weekends. That means if you want to take your little ones over to go and see a game to see if they want to play, you can do that! Or you can do it for yourself before asking them, to avoid the fear of your kid getting crushed to pieces. It will be okay – football is a team sport, and they have pads to protect your kids as much as possible in a full-contact sport.

Let’s say you go and watch a game, and your kid really wants to join. Sadly, the fall season has already started, but there is a spring league! This league runs from mid-April to mid-May, so you still have time to get your kids excited and pumped for spring season. It’s fall, which means you can still take them out to go play catch, run some drills, get them ready for the season – and get yourself in the fall spirit!

Activities for the introvert: geocaching

Have no fear, geocaching is here

gillian massie staff writer

Looking for something contactless to do this fall? Don’t like people? Like being outside? Well, if you answered yes to any of the above, geocaching is the answer for you, my friend.

Think about all the scavenger hunts you went on as a kid – some could have been during Easter, or some could have been set up at birthday parties. Geocaching takes this to the next level. It takes scavenger hunts global by using a GPS system where you have to seek out each of the cache stations. Unlike the scavenger hunts you went on as a kid, geocaching is a give-and-take prize event. When you find each of the stations, you have to take what is in the container and then put something of yours in to replace it.

The beauty of geocaching is that even if you are studying remotely this semester, there are geocaches all over, so you can still participate even if you are not on campus. All you have to do is download the Geocaching app, lace up your shoes, and get tracking.

Geocaching breaks down into a few simple rules: when you find the geocache, don’t re-hide it in a different location – others will not be able to find it! Take the item within the container and leave another one, then sign the guest book and put everything back into the container, making sure it is hidden but not buried. These rules are set in place to so that geocaching goes smoothly for others – so that fellow geocachers don’t travel all the way to the location to find nothing.

Finding caches depends on a couple of different values; terrain, which means how complex the landscape is to get to the container; and difficulty, which is how easy it is to find the cache. Some caches can be tricky, such as multicaches or puzzle caches which rely on doing more steps for one go.

Geocaching shouldn’t be all about finding extravagant treasures – but it is exciting when you find something that is really cool. I have seen different items such as buttons and stickers on the smaller scale, all the way to larger-scale items such as Pez dispensers to small strings of Christmas lights. Try to steer clear of things that are just garbage – nobody wants your Starbucks coffee lid – leave something small such as a poker chip or a hair clip. In order to geocache, you do not need to break the bank to get your cache items. Look no further than Dollarama or Walmart for small items that you think would be good to receive.

If you want to create your own geocache station, you can become a volunteer by registering on the Geocaching app. It is recommended that you find 20 different geocaches before you plant your own station, just to get a feel for proper placement and good hiding locations. After that, you need to find out the proper GPS locations and put them close enough to monitor the location regularly. For more information, head to the Geocaching website, where you can find more information under the heading “Geocache Container.”

The University of Regina has piloted an intermural “geocaching” challenge from January to February and March to April, which has proven successful. The third challenge attempt will go from October 4 to November 15, where individuals can compete and be entered into a draw to win different prizes.

The peoples’ pocket-sized pastime.

Martin Lostak via Unsplash

Fall rec: Oxygen Yoga & Fitness Studio

Learn what’s offered, how, to whom, and more…

victoria baht sports writer

The cold weather is coming, which means that working out outside is not going to be as enjoyable anymore. So, let’s say you love to work out in 30 degree Celsius heat and you are not ready to let go of working out in that heat all year long – turns out you no longer have to. The Carillon did an interview with Rachel Suttill, the owner of Oxygen Yoga & Fitness Studio, who has kept it running for five years. Oxygen Yoga ran Karma Week last week, so this interview dives into both Karma Week and the studio itself.

What is the Oxygen Yoga Studio?

“Well, the Oxygen Yoga & Fitness is not your typical yoga studio. We are an infrared studio that offers a blend of yoga and fitness classes for everybody, and every body. No matter what you are in the mood for, a relaxing stretch or a leave-it-all-on-the-mat sweat session, we have the class for you.”

What is Karma week?

This is the opportunity the studio gives to the community for a week of free classes, where they encourage new and old visitors to come and enjoy a class. It also gives the opportunity to members to bring a friend along. Suttill’s highlight of this week is that “It is so fun to see people experience the studio for the first time. It is so much fun. Our entire staff gets so excited for this week every year!”

What is something everyone should know about having a membership at Oxygen?

“At Oxygen we are obsessed with the idea of our commUNITY. As soon as you walk through the doors, you feel welcomed and supported. It won’t take long until

Dylan Gillis via Unsplash

My type of yoga is more the style of the grinch video (pls look it up), but this’ll do.

you feel all the reasons our members say, ‘I Love My Life!’ at the end of class.”

How do you guys get the infrared heat and what are some basic steps you take to run a class?

First off, the studios are heated to 38 degrees Celsius, and they do that by using a ceiling panel system. Keep in mind this is not humidity heat, it is a good heat. Now, when you first walk into the studio, you can feel the heat difference instantly. Although Suttill added that “Once you get movements, and they create a safe and effective class for you to participate in with any fitness background.

The studio is ready, the instructors are ready; what steps do members have to take before taking a class?

First, anyone interested should create an account through Mindbody or the Oxygen App and purchase the introduction offer, currently priced at $19 for three class during your first week. Before your first class, the studio will give you a call to make sure relieve the effects of chronic stress in several ways. This class is designed to release tension and teach the fundamentals of yoga. You will leave feeling refreshed and relaxed. (60 minutes)

Fast & Furious Fusion – get ready to sweat! This dynamic fitness fusion class combines a blend of exercises to sculpt the entire body using props like hand weights, yoga blocks and Pilates balls. This is one of our more challenging fitness classes, but we offer tonnes of modifications, so you leave feeling challenged but

“Well the Oxygen Yoga & Fitness is not your typical yoga studio. We are an infrared studio that offers a blend of yoga and fitness classes for everybody, and every body. No matter what you are in the mood for, a relaxing stretch or a leave-it-all-on-the-mat sweat session, we have the class for you.

– Rachel Sutthill

moving, then you begin to feel the benefits that the infrared air provides.” Not only is it 38 degrees Celsius in the room, but because they use infrared heat it manages to increase your core temperature by one degree. A little goes a long way for a really good sweat! The heat also increases your metabolic rate, and can reduce chances of muscle soreness after a workout – an amazing feeling.

The heat is great, the health benefits are great, and the instructors have a signature method – the Oxygen Method – which is where you feel safe between transfers of you bring the following supplies: a yoga mat, water bottle, towel, and comfortable clothing. They also like to make sure that you are trying a class you’re really interested in.

What are your top three classes that people should sign up for in their introduction week so that they can see what they are getting themselves into?

Suttill had a few things to say about her studio, broken down by the classes offered:

Deep Stretch & Relaxation – this class uses poses that help successful. (60 minutes)

Freedom Flow – This is our version of a vinyasa flow. Freedom Flow is a fun and dynamic class that gradually works its way into a flowing sequence, linking the breath and various yoga poses together. You will finish feeling energized, calm, and ready to face your world. This class is open to all, with flows that help you connect and tap into your inner strength. (60 minutes)

Now, as we all know, COVID-19 is active in Regina everyday. What do you guys do to keep your members and your instructors safe?

They say the safety of the “commUNITY” is top priority, and as someone who’s gone to their classes, it definitely feels that way. The Oxygen team works together by checking members temperature upon arrival, always social distancing in the entire building, the staff set-up, sanitizing and putting equipment away after class, following all public health orders, and they also will need proof of vaccination starting October 1.

What are some future events that you guys are going to be hosting?

There are a variety of workshops coming up this winter and fall to help create their community. Specifics to look forward to are Yoga Alignment Essentials and Yoga Nidra.

If someone wants to try out the studio after reading this article, what’s their next step?

Give the Oxygen Studio a call at (306)-522-9642, or email them at reginanorth@oxygenfitness. com. The team would be happy to help you and hear about your goals, interests, and hopefully find some classes that work for you.

Why should you join Oxygen Yoga & Fitness? By the sounds of it, the real question is why should you not? You have the heat to feel like summer never left, and we all know we need that living through winter in Saskatchewan. They have a strong “commUNITY,” multiple classes to choose from that are at all different levels, and best of all – it’s fun. I hope you go ahead and get a true feeling of working out at Oxygen Yoga & Fitness.