Wilfrid Laurier University
5TH QUARTER CLUB NEWSLETTER
From the home of Golden Hawk Football
Volume 11, Issue 1
OFF-SEASON EDITION
News and Notes
Hawks to Build on Successes of 2007 Football Season
Regular Season Record: 7-1 Playoff Record: 0-1
The accomplishments of this past Laurier Football season go far beyond producing a 7-1 record and their fifth straight playoff appearance. Featuring players with league leading statistics and delivering performances reflective of a never say die attitude, the 2007 Golden Hawks football team solidified their reputation as one of the premier programs in the country.
OUA All-Stars & Awards First Team Anthony Maggiacomo Scott Evans Tyler Felber Steve Turner Ryan Lynch Taurean Allen Second Team Jahmeeks Beckford Dante Luciani Defensive MVP Anthony Maggiacomo Lineman of the Year Scott Evans CIS All-Canadians & Awards First Team Scott Evans Second Team Anthony Maggiacomo Taurean Allen J.P. Metras Award Scott Evans Dates to Remember Friends of Golden Hawk Football Dinner and Reception Wednesday, April 23 Spring Training Camp March 26 - 30 Fall Training Camp August 18 - September 1 Home Opener Monday, September 1 vs University of Guelph
A varied spread saw the Hawks gain yards in leaps and bounds on the ground and through the air. Running back Ryan Lynch (Waterloo, ON) rushed for over 1,000 yards during the season, making him the fourth Golden Hawk in history to do so. Towards the end of the season this Golden Hawk team suffered a character building loss to the defending Yates Cup champion Ottawa Gee Gees which stopped Laurier’s chance for a perfect season. Finishing second in the OUA allowed the team to have a first round playoff bye enabling them to continue the tradition of the scout bowl on their off week.
Playing with a missed Yates Cup opportunity on their minds from last season, the Laurier squad shouldered the pressure to perform. With the deep-seated team concept guided by Coach Jeffries acting as their touchstone, the purple and gold racked up six straight wins to start the season.
When the playoff road ended for the #35 OUA All-Star Running back In a campaign that bore witness to Hawks on Knight-Newbrough field a more evenly matched high level Ryan Lynch of Waterloo, Ontario. will at University Stadium, it brought of competition within the OUA back the mantra of unfinished busibe returning for his 5th year. than in recent memory, the Hawks ness, however the season remained emerged from the regular season in sole posession an outstanding campaign for the close-knit Laurier of second place. football family to be proud of. Seven players were recognized as OUA All-Stars with three also recogFrom the season’s outset the Golden Hawks fielded nized at the national level. Scott Evans (Cambridge, a stellar defensive unit. Allowing the third fewest ON), graduating this year after four seasons as yards in the league, holding an up and coming an offensive lineman for the Hawks, became the Queen’s team to four points and cross town ricals second player in Laurier history to receive the J.P. Waterloo to three points. Anthony Maggiacomo Metra’s Trophy as the CIS Lineman of the Year. (Cambridge, ON) was an imposing figure in the backfield as he led the OUA in tackles and set a These individual honours reflect the solidarity of team record. the football program which allows such standout performances to be realized. Team is the mantra Working with a group of electrifying receivers and at the core of the Laurier locker room and this is a backfield boasting multiple weapons, quarterback a team with the strength of many dedicated supIan Noble (West Vancouver, BC) settled into the porters behind them who look forward to the next task of leading the Golden Hawk offensive attack. chapter of Golden Hawk football history.
Jack Lengyel to Speak at Football Reception & Dinner The former coach of Marshall University’s Thundering Heard football team from 1971 to 1972 is speaking at Laurier’s Friends of Golden Hawk Football Reception and Dinner on April 23rd at the Waterloo Inn and Convention Centre.
Jack Lengyel took over the football program at Marshall University following a plane crash that killed nearly the entire team in 1970. A graduate of the University of Akron, Lengyel has since worked for many athletic departments in the U.S. including Louisville (1980), Missouri (1981-84, 1987-88), Fresno State (198586) and most recently the United States Naval Acad-
emy (1988-2001).
The event, a major fundraiser for the Golden Hawk football program, has raised over $431,000 in the nine years of the event, with last year’s event total just over $100,000. The movie We Are Marshall, reJack Lengyel leased in 2006, is based upon the story at Marshall University and Jack Lengyel. More information about attending and/or sponsoring the event is on the back page of this newsletter.
www.laurierathletics.com
2007 Football Donor Report - A Record Breaking Year! The 2007 year shattered all fundraising records for Laurier Football. During the calendar year, a total of $3,268,526 in new gifts and pledges was contributed to the Golden Hawk Football or projects directly impacting the team’s success. Subtotals are broken down as follows: • $3,061,742- University Stadium Renewal Project (gifts and pledges, including $1.5 million committed by Laurier students) • $100,000- 2007 Friends of Golden Hawk Football Dinner & Reception • $60,000- Gifts to Football Scholarships • $46,784- Unrestricted gifts to the football program and Adopt-a-Hawk To all our donors listed below, thank you for helping transform the Laurier Football experience and we are truly grateful for your support! 1972 Golden Hawk Football Team 1978 Golden Hawk Football Team 1987 Golden Hawk Football Team Alex Poole Alex Troop Alfred Mamo All Treat Farms Limited Alliance Homes Alphabeta Student Housing Inc. Amsterdam Brewing Co. Ancaster Paving Ltd. Art Lestins Ayrton Kipp Barbara Humphrey Bill and Denise Burke Bob Cooper Bradley McMillan Brian Breckles and Leanne Breckles Bruce and Jodi Martin Bryan Monteith Bryan Reiner Catherine Payne Charlie Olver Craig Nickel Dan Chaput Dave Yurincich David Cork David Leeming David Robertson David Tartaglia Donna Thompson Ed and Paula Lynch Ernst & Young Fred and Marlene Nichols Fred Grossman
Fred McLean Garry Beach 011345 Gary Jeffries Gerald Schaus Gerry Ruth Glassford Motors Gloria Jean Williams Greg Newbrough Grenville Printing Harold Ballard Henderson Rankin Associates Ian Troop Jack Vaughan James Karn James Pinder James Slater Jason Burke Jay and Nancy Wilgar Jefferson Carefoote Jeffrey Allin Joey O’Born John and Joanne Glassford John and Jodi Arnoldi John Weber John Webster John Whitney Jon Graffi Joseph and Carole Luciani Julie and Bob Hamilton Kuntz Electroplating Kyra Kristensen-Irvine Laird Hickaway Larry and Frances Hale Larry Scott Laurier Annual Giving Donors
Laurier Bookstore Les Protopapas Linda Emberley Luke Fusco Mae Cartwright Marcia Powers-Dunlop Maria Zivoin Mark Campbell Marty Jane Wamsley Mass Insurance Brokers Melloul Blamey Michael Foti Michael Sweeney Mike McMahon and Family Mike Milovick Millard, Rouse & Rosebrugh LLP Morty’s Pub Nancy Leach Patrick O’Leary Paul Agro Paul Giannelia Paul Huston Paul Markle Peter Baxter & Wendy Zufelt-Baxter Peter Billingsley Peter Izzio Peter Tashos Philip Noble and Laura Donaldson Pioneer Family Pools Randy McGlynn Reinhardt Keller Richard C. Agro/David R. Agro/ Andrew R. Agro Rick Kalvaitis Rick Pajor
Rob and Kellie Watson Rob and Lynne Etherington Rod and Lisa Philp Roly Webster Ron Van Moerkerke Ronald Ramsay Russell Investments Canada Russell Muncaster Ruth Brock SCI Group Shawn Tilson Football Stefan Ptaszek Stewart Frake Terry & Ronda Reidel Thomas A. Caster Thomas Brock Tom Allen Underwood and Ion Wally Parker Wayne & Tammy Kemick Wayne Heslop Wilfrid Laurier University Graduate Students’ Association Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union William Ballard William J. Hogan William Martin William Turnbull WLU Alumni Association WLU Dean of Students Office WLU Development Office WLU Office of the President
In addition to the group above, the following companies are corporate partners that assist through sponsorship of the Golden Hawk football program and we thank them for their support! Access Self Storage Ball Construction Inc. BLM Transportation Group Clearsight Wealth Management
Labatt Maple Trust Morty’s Pub BMO Mosaic Mastercard
Orion Capital Inc. Peter Izzio Investment & Insurance Pioneer Family Pools Reig Estate Winery
Rogers T. Litzen Sports Ltd. TD Meloche Monnex Waterloo Inn & Conference Centre
Laurier Football in the Game for Athletic Scholarships
Fall 2007 marked the beginning of a new era in university athletics in Ontario. For the first time, first-year student-athletes who carried an 80% average used for admission to Wilfrid Laurier had the opportunity to receive scholarships of up to $3,500 each. This OUA rule change now enables student-athletes in all years of eligibility to compete for financial awards throughout the province, provided they meet the academic requirements (returning student-athletes must maintain a 70% in the previous year).
The University has made a commitment to compete with its Ontario rivals to ensure that the Golden Hawks continue to recruit the best and brightest student-athletes. The organizing committee for the Laurier Golf Classic—the university’s premier golf tournament—agreed to earmark all 2007 proceeds to support the newlycreated Golden Hawk Scholarship Fund. The tournament took place in May and raised more than $70,000 in net proceeds to support all 22 varsity teams.
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In addition, Laurier’s former President, Dr. Bob Rosehart, put forward a challenge to alumni and community supporters to raise additional funds
directed to specific teams. In 2007, the university will match dollar for dollar the first $100,000 of individual donor contributions toward the Golden Hawk Scholarship Fund directed to specific teams. As has happened many times in the history of Golden Hawk Football, our football family has stepped forward to help keep this program among the elite in Canada. Taking the lead in this initiative is football-alumnus Tom Allen ’67. Not only has Tom created his own scholarship to support Golden Hawk football, but he has pledged his volunteer time to approach other Laurier alumni to support this cause.
mark and were selected to receive awards. In all, more than $37,000 was awarded, including 11 named awards given by alumni and friends of the program. In addition, an effort by the 1987 Yates Cup Champion team to create a scholarship endowNamed Awards ment in the team’s name was The Aramark Athletic Scholarship well underway. Country Roads Football Award Paul Huston Football Scholarship
Shawn Tilson Football Scholarship Jean Slater’s Boys Football Scholarship The O’born Family Award Randy Mcglynn Football Scholarship Tom Allen/Newcourt Credit Group Scholarship Thomas Allen & Associates Football Scholarship
While the program achieved its goals in the first year, these efforts must continue in order to secure the necessary support to recruit the best players in the country. Golden Hawk Football is working towards a goal of raising $120,000 per year by 2010 to support student-athlete scholarships.
For more information or to contribute to the Golden Hawk Scholarship Fund for Weber Whitley Scholarship For Football football, please contact Kent Tom’s efforts have paid MacLennan, Associate Direcoff. This year, 19 football players (10 first years, tor of Development, at 519-884-0710 ext. 3177 or 9 veterans) achieved the necessary academic kmaclennan@wlu.ca. Wayne Heslop Football Scholarship
Message from the Head Coach
Dear Friends of Golden Hawk Football:
stadium March 26th – 30th.
Well Hawks this newsletter is long overdue so in case you haven’t been keeping track here is what has been going on at Laurier. Five seasons and counting, that is how long I have been in my present role. It seems like only yesterday that I started this wonderful journey. Four Yates Cup appearances, two Yates Gary Jeffries Cup victories, one Uteck Bowl championship and a Vanier cup in our trophy case. 44 victories and eight defeats….but what have we done lately?
The 2008 season has begun and the development of our present players and the recruiting of new prospects will dictate the success of this year’s addition of the Hawks. Recruiting has been going extremely well. As of today we have 23 fledgling Hawks in the nest. Most noteworthy are a Free Safety from Turner Fenton in Brampton and a Toronto Star allstar, Courtney Stephen and Shamawd Chambers, a receiver and Toronto Star all-star from Markham district and Chris Rossetti, the Toronto Star all-star quarterback from St. Michaels College. Expect many more outstanding signings in the near future.
In 2007 we were 7-1 and lost to the Guelph Gryphons in the OUA semi-final. We are not satisfied with this result and our focus right now is getting better in the off season, recruiting the best class in our history and pointing at the Sept 1st, Labor Day, rematch with those same Gryphons. We have graduated 17 players from this year’s roster and it is imperative we bring in an excellent recruiting class. We have a nucleus of 79 presently in our winter program who are returning for next season. We began the winter program on January 8th. We will continue through the term with weight training sessions twice per week under the guidance of Coach Cameron, a running program led by Coach McFarlane and Coach Thompson and a full practice every Friday at R.I.M. Park. On top of this Coach Frake is responsible for twice per week study hall sessions. We will finish off the term with spring practice here at the
The Hawks scouting team of Peter Billingsley, Roger Macleod, Don Wilson, Brian Canton and Dave Robertson have done an outstanding job identifying blue chip prospects. Here in the office under the leadership of Recruiting Coordinator, Kevin Macneill, we have been able to have over 60 recruits visit our campus thus far. Coaches Cameron, Crabbe and Pyear have been putting in countless hours in the office phoning and text messaging with all of our top kids. Coach VanMoerkerke and Coach Josh Alexander have been working the phones as well. Like everything else we do here, recruiting is a team effort. We will be young and less experienced in 2008. We aren’t rebuilding, we are reloading, and we will be competitive, you can count on it!
Golden Hawk 2008 Football Schedule Labour Day Home Opener September 1st vs Guelph September 6th vs Western September 13th @ Queen’s Homecoming Weekend September 20th vs Windsor September 27th @ Waterloo October 4th @ Ottawa October 11th vs McMaster
Gary Jeffries Head Coach & Manager of Football Operations
October 18th @ York
Newsletter Produced By: golden hawk sport information office 75 University Avenue West Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3C5 phone: (519) 884-0710, ext. 3888 www.laurierathletics.com
2007 Annual Football Team Banquet The annual Football banquet was held again this year in the Turret on Saturday February 2nd. Over 300 people attended including many parents and friends of the football program. The evening was a great success as the player’s celebrated the careers of 17 hawks. Graduates this year include Aaron Amadio (LB), Shawn Ashe (DB), Gary Cressy (OL), George Dimacakos (DB), Josh Duru (REC), Josh Golding (OL), Andrew Flatt (DL), Jahmeeks Beckford (DB), Scott Evans (OL), Joe Labenski (DL) and Steve Turner (RB). 5th year grads were Andrew Baechler (REC), Andrew Dietrich (OL), Tyler Felber (OL), Brent Hickey (DB), Anthony Maggiacomo (LB) and Kyle Sanderson(OL). These young men have done
themselves proud. They have competed hard and they are advancing to the next stage in their lives ready to tackle any and all challenges that will come their way. Thanks to these gentlemen, you are Golden Hawks forever!! Some of team’s awards were also handed out while the remainder will be presented at the annual Athletic Department Banquet in April. Steve Cormack (DL) was the defensive scout player of the year, Scott Allin (REC) was the offensive scout player of the year, Peter Quinney (RB) was the offensive impact player, Giancarlo Rapanaro (LB) was the defensive impact player, Scott Evans (OL) the lineman of the year and Steve Turner (RB) was the special teams player of the year.
2007 OUA All-stars were honored at the baquet and included on the 2nd team; Andy Baechler (REC), Jahmeeks Beckford (DB), Dante Luciani (REC). The 1st team included; Taurean Allen (DB), Scott Evans(OL), Tyler Felber (OL), Ryan Lynch (RB), Anthony Maggiacomo (LB) and Steve Turner (RB). The 2007 OUA Metras Trophy nominee as the league’s most outstanding linemen was Scott Evans and the OUA President’s Trophy nominee as the league’s most outstanding stand-up defensive player was Anthony Maggiacomo. Also recognized at the banquet as CIS 2nd team allcanadians were Taurean Allen (DB) and Anthony Maggiacomo (LB) and 1st team all-canadian Scott Evans who also captured the J.P. Metras Trophy as the most outstanding lineman in the country. Congratulation to these young men, they are all very special talents!
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University Stadium Renewal
Major work completed as $5 million campaign nears goal and Knight-Newbrough Field Dedicated On October 13, 2007 at the Golden Hawks’ home game versus the University of Ottawa, Laurier officially celebrated the campaign for the renovation to University Stadium. The highlight of the occasion was the dedication of Knight-Newbrough Field, in honour of the two legendary former football coaches and athletic directors David “Tuffy” Knight and Rich Newbrough. Both Knight and Newbrough were on hand for the festivities, along with members of their families and a strong turnout of donors to the project. The renovations came in the 50th year of University Stadium’s existence. Originally built in 1957, the facility had become tired and in need of a major overhaul for both the football program and the university’s recreational needs as a whole. Former President Dr. Bob Rosehart leadership was critical to ensuring that the project be addressed immediately. Because the facility’s structural core was sound, the $5 million project enabled WLU to completely reconfigure the interior of the building, creating improved locker rooms and public washrooms while also creating space for an athletic therapy clinic and multi-purpose rooms that could morph from visitor dressing rooms to recreation classrooms for programs in yoga, pilates, martial arts and dance. Perhaps the most visible change to the project was the new state-of-the-art artificial turf field, which took the name of Knight-Newbrough Field thanks to more than $1 million raised from 85 donors representing alumni, parents and friends of the football program. The fundraising campaign to make the project a reality was truly a collaborative effort. While the University committed more than $2.3 million toward the renovation, the Laurier student body also contributed $1.5 million; a demonstration of the important role athletics and recreation play in the student experience at WLU. That left a broad-based alumni effort to raise the remaining $1.2 million.
Laurier President Max Blouw and Athletic Director Peter Baxter assist Dave “Tuffy” Knight and Rich Newbrough at the ribbon cutting ceremony.
A few of the initial lead donors to the project felt strongly about recognition not for themselves, but to pay tribute to the two gentlemen (Knight and Newbrough) who impacted so many Golden Hawk student-athletes since the mid-60s. The campaign for Knight-Newbrough Field also mobilized several championship football teams to make collective gifts to the project: • The 1972 Yates Cup Champions, led by Wayne Kemick, Fred McLean and John Whitney, set a goal of raising $250,000 to name the Golden Hawk locker room as the Wayne Allison Locker Room, in honour of their fallen leader. • Through the efforts of Terry Martyniuk, Jim Reid, Gerry Ruth, Ian Troop and Dave Yurincich, the 1978 Yates Cup Champion team, pledged to match the 1972 team with a $250,000 goal, a gift that was recognized in the facility’s main lobby. • As part of its 2007 induction in the Golden Hawk Hall of Fame, the 1987 Yates Cup Championship team—led by captains Brian Breckles, Dave Kohler, Bruce Martin and Rod Philp—set a goal of $100,000 to support both the renovation and an endowed team scholarship. Although each team is still at work securing pledges to complete its goals, the renovation could not have gone forward without the tremendous Golden Hawk spirit and passion of these volunteer leaders and the many donors from their teams. Moreover, the project would not have been possible without the many donors who gave generously in support of the project and the recognition for Coach Knight and Coach Newbrough. All that remains for completion to this project is to raise the final $110,000 to reach the overall $5 million goal. These funds will allow the University to complete a final improvement to the field by replacing the light standards at the facility. To participate and have your name added to the list of donors recognized in the new facility, please contact Kent MacLennan, Associate Director of Development at 519-884-0710 ext. 3177 or kmaclennan@ wlu.ca.
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