Author: Alice Martin

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DIY tattoo artists: the new wave of the tattoo industry

Clara Suess tattooing Alice Martin. Alice Martin/THE CONCORDIAN

Montreal is a hub for the tattoo industry, and a new kind of tattoo artist is rising to the forefront of the business

While apprenticeships have been the only way to get into the tattoo industry for years, the pandemic led the way for self-taught tattoo artists to set up shop in their own homes. The Concordian spoke with one such member of this new wave of self-taught tattoo artists, Clara Suess.

“One of my first tattoos is one I’ve done myself,” said Suess while revealing an ever-so-slightly smudged, yet recognizable tattoo of the Pokémon Gengar on her ankle. “It’s a little ugly but it does the trick, it’s not that bad.”

Suess recently celebrated her first anniversary of tattooing. Since her start, she has grown exponentially and developed her style, which is mainly inspired by biology. 

Over the course of an average week, she tattoos around five people. Suess has also amassed close to 700 followers on Instagram, and has joined a collective of like-minded tattoo artists.

While she started in her parent’s basement with a machine ordered from the internet, she has been working for six months on Jean-Talon Street with a few other young self-taught tattoo artists who call themselves the Collectif 456.

The Collectif 456 works in a collaborative space used by music and tattoo artists. The space that was formerly the apartment of one of their music producers, is eclectic, much like the artists it hosts. It features two music studios, two tattoo studios and a homemade stage to create a homely environment where collaboration is strongly encouraged. 

Self-taught tattoo artist and co-founder of Collectif 456 Raphaël Bonneau-Bédard. CATHERINE REYNOLDS/The Concordian

The idea sprouted in collaboration with tattoo artist Raphaël Bonneau-Bédard, a tattoo artist and a friend of Suess’ who quickly became her colleague.

Bonneau-Bédard began tattooing two years ago when their tattoo artist saw their artwork and suggested they pursue tattooing as well. Bonneau-Bédard bought their first tattoo machine from that very same artist, who told them they were on their own for the rest.

“I ordered everything I needed, checked YouTube videos and I just tattooed my friends and people started talking about me,” Bonneau-Bédard said. “I told myself if I were to start tattooing I would do it alone.”

Suess, Bonneau-Bédard and the tattoo artists of the Collectif 456 are part of a new wave of tattoo artists who’ve taught themselves how to tattoo people, a practice that blossomed in Montreal during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

“Montreal has always been known as one of the tattoo capitals of the world,” said Rodolphe Erinoff, a tattoo artist of 11 years and owner of La Planque, a tattoo studio on Mont-Royal Ave.

“It’s such an artistic city that’s renowned on many levels,” he emphasized. “Whether it be music, tattooing or street art, we are known to be a very artistically-developed city.”

Raphaël Bonneau-Bédard cuts out a stencil at Collectif 456. CATHERINE REYNOLDS/The Concordian

Quebec doesn’t have any laws prohibiting minors from getting tattoos. Additionally, tattoo artists do not have to abide by any safety regulations or go through traditional apprenticeships to practice tattooing.

Young people in Quebec are getting tattooed exponentially more. A recent survey by Ipsos found that 25 per cent of Quebecers are tattooed. Both Suess and Bonneau-Bédard had gotten tattoos either on or before their 18th birthday. 

“It became a trend,” said Alex Fombelle, a student at the Cégep du Vieux-Montréal who got tattooed for the first time at 16 in a salon. It was an experience that forever changed the way Fombelle would choose where and by whom she would get tattoos from.

“I saw other clients and it would stress me out to see them getting tattooed, ” Fombelle added. “There was also the boss who always came to check on what the artist was doing and I could see it stressed her out too.”

Then they got tattooed in the home of a self-taught tattoo artist. The privacy, warmth and friendliness of the space made them instantly comfortable. She felt like she could truly share a personal moment with the artist.

When the pandemic hit, many people realized how accessible it is to start at home, even without an apprenticeship. Though hygienic practices aren’t enforced by law whether in the homes of new artists or traditional studios, artists like those at Collectif 456 take hygiene extremely seriously.

“Raphaël and I have followed an online course on cross-contamination, bloodborne pathogens and safety techniques,” said Suess, who cites Progressive Mentorship as her source. It was “a matter of principle” to her. Bonneau-Bédard also mentioned it’s a crucial first step for anyone getting into tattooing.

However, the lack of codified safety regulations worries older tattoo artists like Erinoff, especially when it comes to self-taught artists. 

“We think we can learn by ourselves,” said Erinoff. “Yes, we can acquire certain techniques, but true professional techniques, there’s nothing like experienced people to show us how it’s done.”

Erinoff himself tried his hand at self-teaching before deciding to take on an apprenticeship after two to three years of tattooing people. He calls his beginnings as a self-taught tattoo artist “the worst mistake he’s ever made.”

“By not being trained by people that were more professional than I was with more experience, I didn’t move forward in my career,” he explained. “I was stagnant, I didn’t progress and I had no vision. I evolved through being accompanied by an experienced professional that knew what to do and more specifically, what not to do.”

Eventually, he went on to create his studio. His utmost priority is his clients’ comfort. Upon walking into his tattoo shop, it’s easy to notice how bright, warm and open everything is. It’s a long way from the dark, old-school stereotypical vibe of most tattoo shops. 

The realization quickly sets in regarding how much the scene changed in the last few years. Situated on top of a bar on Mont-Royal Ave, Erinoff says after a hard day’s work, his team often rejoices with a beer.

However, Erinoff emphasizes the distinction between warmth and quality in a parlour.  “If you go to a convivial place and the work doesn’t follow, it amounts to nothing.”

People seeking to get tattoos have never had such a dizzying amount of choice, which they have to research with hygiene and quality of work at the forefront of their decision, a consensus among the tattoo community.

Nonetheless, self-taught tattoo artists like Bonneau-Bédard are confident about the future of their practice and love the name they’ve made for themselves from the ground up.

“I’ll be a tattoo artist or I will die trying,” Bonneau said. “I take pride in having my own space that I built myself with my friends. It’s so much cooler than joining an already established studio. The aim of the game is to stick with the collective.”

All the signs point to a huge rise in the number of self-taught-tattoo artists in Montreal. However, since there are no laws surrounding their practices and considering the fact that tattoo artists just have to declare their revenue as self-employed workers, there are very few statistics on the subject.

With more people getting tattooed in a casual way, self-taught tattoo artists are likely to ride their wave for a long time.

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Recruitment is well underway for the Concordia Stingers’ men’s soccer team

Concordia Stingers' men's soccer vs. University of Montreal Carabins. EVAN BUHLER/ Concordia Athletics

With many veteran players leaving, this recruitment season is busier than usual

After a season that ended too quickly on Oct. 23, the Concordia Stingers’ men’s soccer team has started its recruitment process with many empty spots to fill.

“It’s going to be a little bit of a challenge,” said Stingers’ head coach Greg Sutton. “Roughly nine to 10 players are graduating, so we have a bigger class than normal coming in and graduating. It adds to more recruiting and more work, to be fair.”

Among those graduating are several core players who were starters on the team. Centre defender and captain Sean Holmes is leaving the team after five years with the Stingers, something that is “surely going to affect the group,” according to goalkeeper Jordy Kerlegrand.

“It’s going to be hard to replace them,” Kerlegrand added, also mentioning midfielder John Cevik as a player he’ll miss. “Cevik is probably one of the best players I’ve ever been on the same team with. It’s going to hurt because when he was on the field we won and when he wasn’t, his absence was felt.”

Both Cevik and Holmes were named to the RSEQ’s second all-star team.

Although core players are leaving the team in high numbers, the recruitment has been going well so far. The Stingers’ men’s soccer team will be holding open tryouts on Jan. 10.

Sutton said that social media has been making the recruitment process easier than it was in the past. He also finds new players through current team members.

Additionally, for several years now the team has been hosting their ID night, an event that reunites the top potential recruits. It’s a chance for Sutton to assess the more specific details of rookies’ abilities and see whether they’d be a good fit. This year, their ID night has been especially positive.

Sutton began signing players a while ago. One of them, 21-year-old defender Zackiel Brault — who formerly played with the Montreal Impact Academy and FC Laval — was recruited last winter.

“The Stingers are creating a really good team and they’re getting big players,” Brault said in response to why he chose Concordia. He also said that he wanted to experience varsity soccer and was attracted by the league, the players, and the level of play.

Kerlegrand emphasized the team’s need for a good defensive line and Brault hopes he can bring value to the team with his 16 years of play.

“He’s just a complete defender, very difficult to beat,” said Sutton. “Offensively, he’s good on the ball and is able to keep possession for us in the back.”

Sutton also said that with so many players leaving, the team’s needs are “across the board.”

“We’re losing forwards, midfielders, defenders,” he explained. “One of the things we do when we recruit is we focus on the areas of need, but frankly, when you lose ten players, your needs are pretty much throughout the field.”

However, he said that attacking play is the main area they will practice once they get back on the field in the winter.

Nonetheless, both Kerlegrand and Sutton are very optimistic about next season.

“We’re excited, it’s a new era starting this upcoming fall,” Kerlegrand said. “We’re losing a few veteran players, so we’re in the unknown. However, that’s what excites us so much.”

He’s also certain the rookies will acclimate well to the team.

“We love having rookies,” he added. “Last year, we made the rookies feel comfortable right at the start and they integrated themselves really well.”

“I think that we have a good group of guys that are returning,” said Sutton. “We’re hopeful that they’re going to continue to grow and get better. Then, it’s just the transition of our new players that are coming in, to try and best prepare them with the time we have.”

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How is Stingers’ basketball doing so far?

Stingers’ forward Serena Tchida in a game vs. McGill, 2022. KYRAN THICKE/ Concordia Athletics

Both Stingers basketball teams are facing strong competitions this year

As the holiday break approaches, the first half of the season has proven challenging for Concordia’s women’s and men’s basketball teams.

The women’s basketball team currently ranks fourth out of the five teams in the RSEQ, just ahead of crosstown rivals McGill. Although the start of the season has been rough, the Stingers are confident that they are improving with every game.

“We’ve gotten better across the board, and at some point the results will show in the win column,” said women’s head coach Tenicha Gittens. “Right now, we’re picking up Ls, but we still see we’re getting better.”

Gittens said that the elements they practice still have a hard time translating over to the game. They’ve especially been working on their defence, but are still lacking the “toughness, grit, and discipline” needed to win games.

The women’s basketball team is working with a lot of rookies this year. The Stingers experienced a similar situation back in 2018-19. Although a young team had once been advantageous back then, it is now currently plaguing them.

“It’s taking a little bit more time for them to get it,” said Gittens. “With a young team, it takes some time to figure it out and to trust themselves, their teammates, and the coaches.”

But Gittens also sees improvement in the team’s morale. “It was down, but it’s better and steadily climbing.” she said.“Right now, the morale is good but that doesn’t mean that it’s going to equate to a W. For us, it’s a good thing that we’re feeling good.”

Although players like forward Serena Tchida and guard Areej Burgonio have been scoring some desperately needed points for their team, Gittens wants to make sure everybody is putting in the effort so they can be as unified as possible.

Men’s basketball is shining bright

Concordia Stingers’ guard Sami Jahan in a game this season. KYRAN THICKE/ Concordia Athletics

The men’s basketball team on the other hand, has done great so far starting the season with a five-game winning streak presenting a close-to-perfect track record leading on top in the RSEQ. However, gaining the edge over the four other teams hasn’t been easy.

“Every game in our league is very hard, so a lot of credit goes to our guys for finding ways to win games,” said men’s head coach Rastko Popovic.

The five victories recorded by the Stingers have been challenging. Their latest three wins finished in close calls including a 75-74 win against Bishop’s, 83-79 against Laval and 58-57 against McGill.

According to Popovic, the team’s ability to turn up the defence in the second half of the game has helped them secure wins against Bishop’s and Laval. To Popovic, defence is one of his team’s greatest strengths.

“You can’t guarantee that you’re going to make shots, but what you can guarantee is having a great defensive effort every time you play,” Popovic said. “We have a very detailed defensive system that we spend a lot of time working on. It’s hard for younger players to grasp, but some of our guys have done a great job.”

The men’s basketball team is also working with a young squad this year, only having three players who are in their third year or higher. However, the preseason games have helped develop and flourish team chemistry.

“I purposely scheduled these games because I want our players to play against the best competition,” Popovic said. “Even though results weren’t great, it’s not all about wins and losses in preseason, it’s all about getting better. It definitely prepared us for league play.”

Going into the break, Popovic knows that his players aren’t getting too cocky about their success.“I remind them every day that we haven’t won anything or accomplished anything,” he said. “While it’s nice to win some of these games, it’s not like we won a championship or a playoff game.”

Unfortunately, after the Stingers’ game against UQAM on Nov. 26, their five-game winning streak came to an end after an 83-59 loss. The Stingers will be back at home on Jan. 14.

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I’m not watching the World Cup this year

JAMES FAY/ The Concordian @jamesfaydraws

Qatar’s record of basic human rights violations makes the World Cup a farce

The first games of the 2022 Qatar World Cup are underway and even though I usually follow the World Cup diligently, I can’t bring myself to watch a single match this year, and I know I’m not the only one.

FIFA has rightfully received tons of backlash since it announced Qatar as the host country due to the country’s constant disregard of basic human rights, including workers’ and LGBTQ+ rights. All of those violations were also documented and known even in 2010 when FIFA officials voted to choose Qatar as the host country in 2022.

In fact, in 2012, the non-profit organization Human Rights Watch published a report detailing its concerns that “hundreds of thousands of mostly South Asian migrant construction workers in Qatar risk serious exploitation and abuse, sometimes amounting to forced labor.” The report especially targeted the construction of infrastructures linked to the World Cup.

As for LGBTQ+ rights, simply put, they are non-existent. Homosexuality is strictly forbidden under Islamic Sharia law and punishable by either fines, imprisonment, or lapidation (stoning). Although there are no documented cases of the death penalty being enforced in that context, there is no shortage of testimonies from LGBTQ+ Qataris being severely beaten due to their gender expression or sexual orientation.

Due to Qatar hosting the World Cup amid all these human rights violations, some are accusing the country of sportswashing, which is defined as the practice of restoring one’s reputation by hosting huge sporting competitions, buying sports teams, and/or participating in competitions, all of which Qatar is doing through the World Cup despite not even having a big soccer culture in the first place. 

Earlier this year, the Beijing Winter Olympics was also a “great” example of sportswashing. The Chinese government’s genocide and general abuse of human rights against Uyghurs and other religious minorities, as well as their repression of protests in Hong Kong, hid conveniently behind a grandiose large-scale event and beautiful ceremonies.

The International Olympic Committee refused to acknowledge the situation. “It’s a complex world,” they twice told a journalist from The Guardian.

The World Cup is undoubtedly the biggest international sporting event in the world. Roughly two million tourists are expected to attend the World Cup in Qatar. However, this year, Canadian tourists attending the event are being told by their own government to “dress conservatively and behave discreetly” for their own safety and to steer clear of trouble with authorities. 

Now, it’s one thing to abide by a country’s laws and culture, but it’s hard to support a country that wouldn’t respect me as a woman, a queer person, and a journalist.

It’s worthwhile to mention that this column would have been impossible to write if I were in Qatar. According to Reporters Without Borders, the World Cup host ranked 119 out of 180 countries on the basis of press freedom due to the hardships reporters encounter when covering local political issues. Human Rights Watch even had to publish its Human Rights Guide for Reporters to inform and help out journalists in their endeavours in Qatar.

It’s disappointing to see FIFA making their decision to host the 2022 World Cup in Qatar solely based on profits. International sporting events such as the World Cup and the Olympics could be great opportunities to strengthen diplomatic ties between countries in a world that is constantly shaken by conflict.

I thought it would be common sense, but apparently it’s not.

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Concordia Stingers vs. Bishop’s Gaiters: women’s 82-56 loss, men’s 74-61 victory in basketball

Concordia Stingers' women's baskteball vs. Bishop's Gaiters on Nov. 10, 2022. ALICE MARTIN/ The Concordian

Stingers’ forward Serena Tchida and guard Olivier Koumassou-Bernier were their team’s top scorers during last week’s home openers

On Nov. 10, the Stingers’ women’s and men’s basketball teams played their home openers in front of a nearly sold-out crowd against the Bishop’s Gaiters at the Concordia Gym.

The women’s team played first. Unable to match the Gaiters’ aggressiveness on the court, they were outscored in every quarter and ended with an 82-56 loss.

Head coach Tenicha Gittens said that her team’s loss was mostly due to their lack of toughness on the court. She also noted the Gaiters’ superiority in rebounds, as they had 45 rebounds compared to the Stingers’ 28.

“They’ve got 21 offensive rebounds and they converted on those second-chance opportunities,” said Gittens. “If you look back on our last game against UQAM, it’s the same thing: we lack toughness right now. Rebounding is a mindset, and you have to have grit, you have got to be tough, and you have to want it more than the other person.”

Stingers’ guard Areej Burgonio had the most assists on the team, with seven. Her teammate, Stingers’ forward Serena Tchida came out as her team’s top scorer with 18 points and led with 15 rebounds getting a double-double. She recorded no assists in the game.  

“That’s what Serena can do,” said Gittens. “I knew that in the summertime, I knew that last year. Serena right now is battling fatigue and there are moments when she gets really tired. I can understand and not understand at the same time, but 18 points is a regular day at the office for Serena.”

“I can’t be the only scorer and Areej can’t be the only passer,” said Tchida who noted the same weaknesses in her team as the coach. “We have to work on team bonding because now we are lacking effort and rebounding is all about effort.”

Concordia Stingers’ men’s basketball vs. Bishop’s Gaiters on Nov. 10, 2022. ALICE MARTIN/ The Concordian

After the women’s game, the men’s team quickly took the court. Until the very last quarter, the game was tight and both teams scored one after the other.

In the first quarter, the Gaiters had the upper hand with 12 points as opposed to the Stingers’ nine. Concordia caught up in the second quarter with 19 more points, while the Gaiters scored 15. The third quarter was tied with 22 more points scored, and the fourth quarter saw the Stingers gain ground over the Gaiters with a final score of 74-61.

“I don’t think we played well for the first three quarters,” said Stingers’ head coach Rastko Popovic. “We played more of their style of game than I would’ve liked. We weren’t under control, but the fourth quarter stood out to us on the offensive end because we made the right play every time, and defensively, the guys really stepped up.”

Stingers’ guard Olivier Koumassou-Bernier, who was named player of the game, scored 20 points total, 18 of which came from six three-pointers — a career-high for him.

“Olivier is such a hard worker,” emphasized Popovic. “He’s always in the gym working on his three-point shooting. I’m very proud of him tonight and I know how much work he puts in. I tell the guys all the time, if you put in the work, the results will follow.”

“We shoot well as a team,” added Koumassou-Bernier. “We had a lot of adjustments to do in terms of defence in the fourth period, but I’m pretty happy about the win. I’m happy about my own performance, but never satisfied.”

Popovic also mentioned that the win felt especially good as it was the home opener, and the stands were full of Stingers’ fans who cheered them on.

He also remains confident about his team’s abilities to win and progress in the future, but he is also careful about the team not getting too cocky.

“Yes, we are 2-0 right now, but I don’t want my guys to feel like we won a championship,” he said.

The team is now 3-0 after a 58-57 win against the McGill Redbirds on Sunday, Nov. 12.

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Luca Milne is ready to say goodbye to Concordia

Concordia Stingers' fly-half Luca Milne in a men's rugby game vs. the Ottawa Gee-Gees. Credit: EVAN BUHLE/ Concordia Athletics

The men’s rugby fly half looks back on his Stingers career

On Oct. 22, the Stingers’ men’s rugby team played their last game of the season. The 36-29 loss against the Ottawa Gee-Gees meant that for a few graduating players like Luca Milne, a fourth-year political science student, their career with Concordia was officially over.

The starting fly-half had been with the team since he first came to Concordia in 2019, when he was 17 years old. Coming from Ireland, he had never set foot in Canada before.

“Rugby is a lot bigger in Ireland than it is here. I started in high school, when I was about 12,” Milne recalled.

Milne grew up playing soccer and never even considered playing rugby at first.

“My dad played rugby, so he dragged me onto the pitch. I didn’t even want to play when I first saw it. He literally just forced me to play and I had no other choice. That was basically it and I just didn’t stop,” he chuckled.

Milne also noted how rugby facilitated his transition from Ireland to Canada, as well as from high school to university.

“I was really young during my first year,” he said. “I came in a team with a lot of older guys, but I never had any problems. Everyone was very nice and they helped me settle in really well.”

Team captain Stan Blazkowski, who started alongside Milne, looked back on his teammate’s rugby debut.

“He looked like he was still a kid. He wasn’t speaking much and spent his first two games on the development team,” Blazkowski recalled. “Then, he had one good game and the coaches thought it would be a good idea to bring him in on the first team. He had another great game and he’s been our starting #10 ever since.”

That season, the Stingers went on to win the RSEQ championship.

Throughout his three seasons with the Stingers, which would have been four if it hadn’t been for the pandemic, Milne grew to be more comfortable with his role as a fly-half, which he only claimed at Concordia.

“He became more vocal,” said Blazkowski. “Basically, he’s like the quarterback of the team and needs to give a lot of orders, which he wasn’t really comfortable — or used to — [doing] in his first season.”

“The main aspect he improved is communication; the rest, he already had it. The rugby skills and everything, he came with it,” Blazkowski continued.

Milne also felt like his performance over the years improved.

“This year was the first one in which I was able to score a couple tries,” said Milne, who ended the season as the second-best scorer, only eight points behind Blazkowski. “I think I really made progress every year. I always try to improve my game and learn more.”

But for him, what stands out is the close bonds he made with his teammates.

“I’ve played with some of these players for four years, we’ve gone through a lot together,” he said with a hint of nostalgia. “I’m not just never going to see them again. They’re definitely friends for life and we’re always going to remember the days we had on the pitch.”

“Rugby was a huge part of my university life,” he continued. “I spent four days a week training and then, a game on the weekend, and that was every fall for the last four years, so it’s weird now not training anymore,” he said. “I feel restless. I’ll have to keep playing rugby when I leave just to keep myself busy.”

But Milne is at peace with leaving Concordia as well as his beloved rugby team behind.

“Whenever I look back and think about my university life, the first thing that comes to mind is always going to be my rugby days. They have definitely been my most enjoyable and memorable days out of the lot.”

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The Concordia Stingers defeat the Ottawa Gee-Gees 3-2 in a thrilling game

Stingers' goaltender Jordyn Verbeek and forwards Megan Bureau-Gagnon and Émilie Lavoie (left to right) in a group hug after Lavoie's game-winning goal in overtime vs. the Ottawa Gee-Gees on Nov. 4, 2022. ALICE MARTIN/ The Concordian

The women’s hockey team’s resilience and capitalization in overtime play get them the win

Last Friday, the Stingers’ women’s hockey team delivered a great performance against the Ottawa Gee-Gees in a rousing game that left fans on the edge of their seats at the Ed Meagher Arena.

The first period was full of back and forth between the Stingers and the Gee-Gees to get the first goal of the game. After around 16 minutes of play, Stingers’ forward Jessymaude Drapeau breached the barrier of Gee-Gees’ goaltender Aurélie Dubuc to bring the score to 1-0.

“It was a big team effort, but a huge goal in the first period to start the game,” said Drapeau.

The game slowed down for both teams in the second period. Eventually, the Stingers were able to take seven successful shots. The Gee-Gees, however, couldn’t get hold of the puck enough to tie the game.

But within the first half of the third period, the Gee-Gees hit their stride. Ottawa forward Katherine Birkby finally tied the game and Abygail Moloughney, another forward, gave the Gee-Gees the lead when she intercepted a pass from Stingers’ goaltender Alice Philbert who was away from her net.

“I know it was a big mistake, but at the same time we have to learn from our mistakes and the team really stepped up for me so I’m happy with that,” said Philbert, doubling down on how she always feels the support from her team.

Indeed, the Stingers quickly repressed the Gee-Gees and a few seconds after Moloughney’s goal, Stingers’ forward Megan Bureau-Gagnon slid the puck past Dubuc to bring the game to another tie, leading to overtime.

No goals were scored during the first period of overtime, but the second kept fans on their feet. The winning goal was thought to be scored by Drapeau but the referees called it back due to goaltender interference by Stingers’ forward Emmy Fecteau.

“For sure, it’s rough,” said Stingers’ forward Émilie Lavoie, who had two assists in the game until that point. “You think the game is over, and all of a sudden everyone has to go back. But we have a team that’s competitive all the way around, it’s just reset and go back.”

During the second period of overtime, in a last-ditch effort while caught between two Gee-Gees players, Lavoie scored the game-winning goal for the Stingers. She was named the game’s first star for her stunning performance.

“It feels good, but, at the end of the day, it’s a team effort,” said Lavoie. “Everyone put the effort in, I took the puck at the end, but we kept the puck the whole time during 3-on-3.”

“I think that game was everything beyond our expectations,” said Stingers’ head coach Julie Chu. “I think we had some tremendous moments and we also had some moments where Ottawa put us on our heels and we had to play a more defensive game.”

Chu also spoke about Philbert’s performance and noted her ability to bounce back from her errors. She emphasized how crucial Philbert was for the win and how she loved to see her players’ response to moments of adversity.

The Stingers women’s hockey team will be back at the Ed Meagher Arena to play against the McGill Martlets on Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m.

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Baseball is a family affair: a peek into the lives of Tyler and Ryan Bawart

Tyler and Ryan Bawart, pitcher and catcher duo for the Concordia Stingers' baseball team, 2022. KAITLYNN RODNEY/ The Concordian @kait_rodney

The Stingers’ baseball veterans have baseball running in their veins

If two brothers playing for the same team in competitive baseball isn’t uncommon enough, twins who pitch and catch on the same team are as rare as someone hitting more than 60 home runs in a season.

The Concordia Stingers is the lucky team for whom Tyler and Ryan Bawart play. Born and raised in Vaudreuil, both twins are now second-year finance majors at Concordia. It’s also their second year playing for the Stingers’ baseball team.

Growing up watching their father play baseball, the twins developed a passion for the sport.  

“Our dad was a very big fan of baseball, and he got us started very early,” Tyler remembered fondly. “As soon as we could hold a bat, throw a ball, hold a glove, he got us started to play.” 

Their father coached them until his passing in 2017. However, the brothers continued to play and carried his passion with just as much fervour. 

Ryan and Tyler have been playing for 16 years, ever since tee-ball. Both of them are fans of the MLB and have gone to countless games.

“Every spring break when we were kids, we’d go to Florida, and we’d watch the spring training games. That got us a lot into it as well,” said Ryan.

Ryan and Tyler’s family owned a condo 20 minutes away from where the Pittsburgh Pirates played their spring training games.

“Every time we’d go there, we’d probably go to like three to five games a year. When we were younger, we used to run to get players’ autographs,” added Tyler.

Their dad taught them both to pitch and hit when they were young. However, when Ryan started having arm problems around the age of 12, he assumed the position of catcher. He remained able to bat however, so he focused more on that skill. He also continued catching his brother’s pitches.

This role later became permanent when Ryan joined an AA pee-wee team that was in need of a catcher.

The twins played for the Montreal Baseball Academy when they were in college at John Abbott. They currently play for the LaSalle Cardinals during the summer and continue to be a solid duo when it comes to defence. To them, their dynamic feels natural and comfortable.

“It’s fun to have the chemistry that we have. I’ve been pitching to Ryan for almost 10 years now, so I consider him almost like my personal catcher,” Tyler said. “Every time I pitch, I like to have him catch me. Especially when it comes to pitch calling, I’m very comfortable with what he calls. Compared to other catchers, I have better chemistry with him so I’m more comfortable pitching.”

But in the past few years, Ryan hasn’t been catching as much and took on becoming a  shortstop, a position he prefers.

“I usually only catch when Tyler pitches,” he said. “With Concordia however, I started catching a little more because we don’t have many catchers. I like catching Tyler the most, I feel comfortable catching him and I trust him. I know his pitches really well and I think we have a good connection,” Ryan said.

The brothers plan on finishing their majors while playing baseball for Concordia. 

As for the junior league they’re a part of during the summer: at 21 years of age, their stay is close to an end. Next year, they’ll be moving on to the senior league where they’ll need to go through a draft. However, the fact that the senior teams are far from their home in Vaudreuil makes them doubt whether they’ll decide to move up the ranks.

In the end, it doesn’t stop Ryan and Tyler from being optimistic about what the future holds for them. They know they aren’t ready to let go of baseball just yet. If they aren’t able to continue playing together, they will keep on training as a pair.

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The RSEQ backs up Hockey Québec’s measures against Hockey Canada

GRAPHIC BY CARLEEN LONEY/ THE CONCORDIAN

“Ethics are at the heart of the RSEQ’s values,” says Deputy General Director Stéphane Boudreau

On Oct. 6, the Réseau du Sports Étudiants du Québec (RSEQ) announced its support of Hockey Québec’s decision to withhold funds from Hockey Canada.

Hockey Québec had announced two days earlier that they would cut financial ties with Hockey Canada. It was the first provincial organization to do so, and received the support of several federations in their protest against the multiple sexual abuse allegations the organization has faced this summer.

The decision from Hockey Québec came from a lack of trust in Hockey Canada “to take the necessary steps to change the culture of hockey.”

For the RSEQ, the safety of their members was at the heart of their decision.

“The support comes in regards to the security of all,” said Stéphane Boudreau, Deputy General Director of the RSEQ. “Since the last two years the RSEQ has been working on equity, diversity and inclusion and that includes having a safe environment. Hockey Québec is a big partner of the RSEQ. It was important for us to show our support to them in continuation with our values.”

The RSEQ has two main programs in place to ensure ethics are at the center of student sports in Quebec. The program “3R” aims to foster responsibility and respect in sports. More concretely, the government program “I file a complaint” featured on their website is a tool to report abuse, harassment, negligence or violence within the context of student sports.

Boudreau also said that he trusts how Hockey Québec has been dealing with the situation so far and will continue to follow their footsteps.

A week after Hockey Québec severed financial ties with its federal counterpart, the CEO of Hockey Canada Scott Smith and the entire board of directors officially stepped down from their positions.

Initially, interim board chair Andrea Skinner assured no changes to management were foreseeable. But as crucial sponsors, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and provincial hockey organizations pressured Hockey Canada, their board decided to step down.

Hockey Canada has yet to announce a new board of directors.

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Aaron Judge should be number one

GRAPHIC BY CARLEEN LONEY / THE CONCORDIAN

MLB steroid scandals continue to overshadow raw talent

On Sept. 28, New York Yankees hitter Aaron Judge made history by hitting his 61st home run of the season against the Toronto Blue Jays, passing Babe Ruth and tying Roger Maris on the list of home runs per season in Major League Baseball (MLB). Judge is now ranking first in the American League for that record and fourth overall in MLB history.

The amazing achievement by the 2017 rookie of the year has been widely celebrated by MLB and fans of the game, and rightfully so, as 61-year-old records don’t get beaten every day. However, his new record brings back a dark past in baseball history that unfortunately eclipses Judge’s natural and exceptional athleticism.

Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, and Barry Bonds are the only three players to have hit more home runs in a single season than Judge (66, 70, and 73 respectively). What do they all have in common? According to MLB reports, all of them are intimately tied to the baseball steroid scandal era.

Steroids were laughably common in MLB before 2002, when the first instance of drug testing became mandatory for players over spring training. A thorough investigation of the usage of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) among MLB players, known as the Mitchell report concretized the issue when over a hundred players were exposed for their cheating, including Bonds. The sport took a massive blow and people who were once childhood heroes retreated into the darkness. As a sport, baseball was seen almost as fake as the WWE.

Fortunately, today it’s picking back up, but traces of the steroid era linger in the record books.

Even if it is certain that all three aforementioned players tested positive for steroids, their names still figure ahead of Judge’s and Maris’s in record lists, and no asterisks could compensate for the horrific act of cheating. It might be a strong word but it is justifiable and accurate, even if many athletes used steroids at the time.

Now, for clarification, the use of steroids by Sosa, McGwire and Bonds hasn’t given them the hand-eye coordination needed to hit a ball going over 90 mph, but it did give them more strength, a necessity if you ever want to hit over 60 home runs. Therefore, it did impact their performance.

Sports should be about raw and natural human prowess. Using PEDs should never be tolerated, and keeping the records of Bonds, Sosa, and McGwire justifies and downplays the gravity of using PEDs as professional athletes. At least they’re nowhere near the baseball Hall of Fame, so we can find some solace in that.

However, the issue remains that it takes away from the true heroes, the ones who don’t need the crutch of steroids to beat records. Standing at 6’7” and weighing 282 lbs, Judge’s body is made to hit consecutive home runs. He has also never been associated with any PEDs and it’s utterly sad that we have to give him credit for that.

It’s his name that should be at the top of the single-season home run record. The best sport to be represented by athletes like him and his name should stick around, and not in fourth place. I wish him a 62nd home run, and I wish him the Triple Crown. Now, excuse me while I go knock on wood.

Author’s note: Aaron Judge remarkably hit his 62nd home run on Oct. 4, officially passing Roger Maris and setting the new American League single-season home run record.

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Concordia Stingers men’s soccer team defeats McGill Redbirds 2-1

Concordia Stingers' men's soccer game against the McGill Redbirds on Sept. 23, 2022. Credit: Kyran Thicke/Concordia Athletics

Andrew Foote and a stunning defence help get the victory

The Concordia Stingers men’s soccer team fought a challenging game against the McGill Redbirds in which Concordia came out victorious 2-1 on Friday night.

The first half of the game showed a lot of determination from the Stinger’s offence. However, it wasn’t until the 33rd minute that forward Andrew Foote finally pierced through the defence of McGill goalie Ludovyck Ciociola, the current U Sports Athlete of the Week.

Only eight minutes later, Foote scored again, securing his second goal of the season. Both goals were assisted by defender Angus Legault.

Stingers’ forward Andrew Foote after a soccer game against the McGill Redbirds on Sept. 23, 2022. Maria Bouabdo/The Concordian

Nearing the end of the first half however, Redbirds’ midfielder Jake Gerenraich scored, with an assist by midfielder Reese Carlow, to help McGill get closer to a tie.

There were no goals in the second half, as McGill’s defence pushed back hard to try to tie the game. However, the Stingers’ still dominated on the field with 10 shots compared to McGill’s six.

“[Our offence] was successful because it was simple,” said Stingers’ midfielder Benoit Litty Mpako during a post-game interview. “We were just concentrating on getting control of the ball and moving it forward.”

Stingers’ head coach Greg Sutton said they had been working hard after last week’s 3-2 loss against the UQTR Patriotes.

“We were able to bounce back and show a little bit of moxie from our guys,” Sutton added. “We knew obviously that this was going to be a challenging game as it always is against McGill with our rivalry. We’re all just very proud of our performance.”

Sutton also spoke about Foote’s performance. “We all know he can do a lot of great things for us and so full credit to the guy for being able to step up in a big moment. Honestly, it’s not a surprise, he’s been able to do that already in his short history with us,” he said.

“It was what the team needed, and it was a solid performance all around,” Foote said. “We came out here and everybody wanted it. That’s what I did and that’s what everyone else did.”

“It was a little bit scrappier than we wanted, but we’ve learned a lot of things, simple as that. It’s just another win and we want to win a lot more,” added defender and team captain Sean Homes before running off to his teammates for a post-game huddle.

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Caricatured and erased: Indigenous voices on racial slurs in sports team names

Indigenous students explain how these racially charged names have impacted them

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by the people in this article are their own. They do not speak for their community.

On Sept. 6, Simon Fraser University (SFU) announced their new varsity team name, formerly using both Clansemen and Clan,  after a two-year consultation process, replacing the former names that carried racist connotations. They are just the latest in a long line of sports teams who are distancing themselves from their history.

“The university engaged in a renaming process to find a team name that reflects SFU’s values, inspires unity, and is a source of pride,” a media release by SFU stated, revealing the chosen name to be the “Red Leafs.” The university also “sought feedback on the name from nine Indigenous host nations” and consulted many of its student groups representing visible minorities.

Similarly in April 2019, McGill’s administration formed a Renaming Committee and changed the men’s teams’ name from the Redmen to the “Redbirds,” a symbol famously seen on their coat of arms.

The University’s goal was “to choose a name that could unite the entire University, and that was inclusive, respectful and representative not of one single group, but of everyone within the McGill community,” McGill said in a statement to The Concordian.

While SFU, McGill, and other professional teams like the Cleveland Guardians and the Washington Commanders have changed their names to exclude offensive language, other teams still using racially charged names continue to have immense negative effects on Indigenous communities.

During a First Peoples Studies class at Concordia on contemporary social issues taught by Professor Emily Coon, a few Indigenous students shared their thoughts on sports team names that contain racial slurs.

“It contributes to the erasure and makes people feel like Indigenous peoples aren’t current anymore,” said Iohserì:io Polson, an Anishinaabe and Kanien’keha:ka student.

“It fictionalizes Indigenous peoples and makes it seem like we’re not here, that we’re not real nor civilized people.”

Coon, who is herself Kanien’keha:ka, added “If you think of Indigenous youth, the only representation they see of themselves [in sports] is a savage and cartoony caricature. That’s not an accurate representation.”

Concerns over the normalization of slurs towards Indigenous peoples were also palpable in the room.

“Growing up, I’ve had a lot of these terms used on me. Like the RedSkins, I’ve been called that. It just normalizes the terms as an okay thing to say. It makes people used to hearing these terms and saying these terms,” said Polson.

“It’s like with the Kansas City Chiefs and the ‘tomahawk chop,’” added Coon. “Then, all these fans engage in this super racist gesture. You’re normalizing these things that they shouldn’t be doing.” 

Considering the fact that sports have always played an instrumental role in the history of Indigenous cultures, some Indigenous people feel ostracized from something that is intimately theirs.

“Sports have been something for our communities that’s helped us cope physically, to stay strong,” said Emilio Wawatie, an Anishinaabe student, referring to the historic exclusion of Indigenous peoples from sports they created, such as Lacrosse.

Wawatie continued talking about his personal experience playing hockey, and the racism he endured which eventually made him quit the game he loved. He recalls being taunted and called slurs on and off the ice. He said his long hair also became a target for racist comments.

“It’s almost as if Indigenous peoples are divorced from sports, as if those weren’t built into our creation stories and into our everyday livelihoods,” said Coon. “We’ve always had sports but now it’s being appropriated and racialized.”

Changing a team name is the first step. However, it should be accompanied by concrete actions, like increased accessibility to sports for Indigenous youth. Furthermore, acknowledging the systemic racism that creates obstacles for Indigenous peoples when participating in sports is what Indigenous peoples want to see, on top of these much-needed name changes.

“This is where solidarity has to come in,” Coon added “This is not an Indigenous issue, this has been created through a settler-colonial system.”

Speaking of pathways for solutions, she concluded with the following: “We can point you in the right direction, we can speak up and make space for our voices to be heard, but that labour has to be picked up by white settler allies.”

Graphic by Carleen Loney

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