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A look at the business aspect of sports

Chris Moynes has his own asset management firm for athletes. Photos by Ana Hernandez.

Three speakers in the sports business industry shared their knowledge at the JMSM speaker series conference

Around 40 JMSB students packed into the Sheraton Hotel on René Lévesque Boulevard for the John Molson Sports Marketing speaker series conference on March 24.

The event was organized by JMSB students and featured three speakers, including Rob Campana, Jonathan Mailhot and Chris Moynes. Each spoke for about an hour, with Campana and Mailhot presenting students with a case study where students had to come up with ideas to fix a problem that affected the speaker’s business. Moynes was the keynote speaker.

At around 1 p.m., Campana, who is the founder of Flag Plus Football league in Montreal, spoke to students about starting his sports league and the challenges that came with it. A graduate of JMSB, Campana started Flag Plus Football when he was 19, in 2005.

“I started the league because the leagues that did exist seemed to not want my friends and I,” Campana said. “It’s like we weren’t part of their friend group so I felt like I needed to make something for my friends.”

There were only 18 teams when the league started in 2005, but now there are over 300. Since then, league has become a luxury brand for recreational flag football in Montreal.

As a former student, Campana was happy to speak at the conference and share his knowledge with the eager crowd.

“It’s interesting to stay connected with the John Molson community as an alumni,” Campana said. “Sports marketing has always been a passion of mine, and I was honoured that they wanted to have me.”

After giving his talk, Campana presented the students with a case study related to his own company. Flag Plus Football grows about 10 to 15 per cent each year, according to Campana. However, low profit margins make it hard to expand the business.

Campana looked to students for solutions to his problem. After 30 minutes, the students came back with ideas, which Campana listened to and gave feedback on.

“John Molson students are very smart,” Campana said. “I’m always curious and interested in what they come up with.”

Some students thought that one route Campana could go, is license his league’s services to other recreational leagues for a royalty fee.

Jonathan Mailhot is in charge of advertising, media planning and innovation for the Montreal Canadiens.

The next speaker was Mailhot, who is the head of advertising, media planning and innovation for the Montreal Canadiens. Mailhot spoke to the group about his role with the Canadiens, as well as how he got there, having started out as a student in JMSB.

In his role with the Habs, Mailhot helps develop advertising campaigns, as well as create promotional videos for the team’s various events and media platforms. For instance, Mailhot is in charge of the season launch campaign, which lets fans know the Habs are back.

Mailhot said he remembers being a student and attending these conferences.

“I think the biggest thing is I was in those chairs not so long ago,” Mailhot said. “Presenters don’t even notice how much impact they have on someone’s life, so I always like to think of what I would have liked to learn and then bring that information to these types of conferences.”

For Mailhot’s case study, he asked students to figure out how the Montreal Canadiens could make their Bell Centre tour more enticing to people. He also wanted to see if students could tie the tour into a social cause that would help the organization give back to the community.

He said despite students only having 30 minutes, he was impressed with the ideas the students came up with.

“I was curious to see what people came up with. It was a real challenge that we have at the Montreal Canadiens, so it was interesting,” Mailhot said. “What came out today was a bit of what we’ve worked on already, but to hear it from a group of students may have confirmed some of those projects.”

The third and final speaker was Moynes, who is the creator of One Sports Entertainment Group. The firm helps professional athletes manage their assets and make the right investments so they don’t go bankrupt.

Moynes talked about his early years as an employee at his father’s company which also dealt with asset management. There, he would help manage the assets of some of hockey’s biggest names. He then went on to work at RBC and later started his own company.

Each student got to go home with two of his books, The Pro’s Process and After the Game, which discuss how athletes can avoid financial instability later in their careers and after retirement.

While speaking about his career path, Moynes left students with some motivational words.

“In life, you never know where you’re going to end up,” Moynes said. “But with hard work and determination, you’re going to go down the path you want to go.”

After his talk, a networking cocktail was held for students to formally meet each of the three speakers.

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A busy season for the Concordia Stingers

The men’s basketball team finished off the year in the RSEQ semi-finals against UQAM. Photo by Ana Hernandez.

With the varsity season over, it’s time to look back at the year that was for the Stingers

Another U SPORTS season is behind us. At Concordia, some teams enjoyed their most successful seasons in years, while others had a hard time picking up wins. No matter what sport you’re into, there were reasons to cheer for the maroon and gold this season, and now is a better time than ever to reflect on how the season went.

The Concordia Stingers baseball team made it to the conference finals and nationals. Photo by James Kierans.

Baseball

Led by veteran pitchers Sam Belisle-Springer and Dan Connerty, the Concordia Stingers baseball team went to their division final as well as nationals. While both pitchers started the year off slow, they came around by the end and were helped out by a strong offense, orchestrated by manager Howie Schwartz. The team finished second to McGill in their division, and ended the season with a record of 13-11. They lost in the division final to McGIll.

Wrestling

Wrestlers Vincent De Marinis, Trevor Banks and Jade Dufour were consistent winners throughout the season in their respective weight classes. De Marinis picked up a gold at nationals, as well as the Brock, Western and University of New Brunswick tournaments. His teammate, Fred Choquette, won a bronze at nationals. Dufour won an individual silver at nationals for the women’s team. The women’s team did not place at nationals, however, the men’s team finished sixth, while the Brock Badgers won the tournament.

Football

It was an eventful season for the football team, who finished third in their division with a record of 4-4. Big losses against the Université de Montréal and Laval kept the team from making a name for themselves throughout the year. Quarterback Trenton Miller struggled at times in his sophomore season, and the team was unable put points on the board. Rookies like Samuel Brodrique helped pick up the slack on defense, however, it wasn’t enough to beat the Laval Rouge et Or in the first round of the playoffs.

Women’s Hockey

The women’s hockey team had a slow start to their season, but picked up the pace towards the end. They finished with a record of 10-9-1 and played the Carabins in the first round of the playoffs. The Stingers pulled off the upset, sweeping the defending champs in two games. This was the team’s first conference final since 2005. Despite losing to McGill in that series, the team went to the nationals where they…

The women’s hockey team made it to nationals and the RSEQ final. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

Men’s Hockey

Led by team captain Olivier Hinse and a new crop of rookies, the men’s hockey team finished the season with a 19-7-2 record and placed second in their division. They won their first playoff series in 16 years, but were eventually ousted from the post-season by the Queen’s Golden Gaels. Goaltender Philippe Cadorette made an immediate impact in his rookie season while forward Anthony De Luca led the team in goals with 24. He was also the highest-scoring rookie in U SPORTS this season.

Women’s Rugby

With the help of Frédérique Rajotte, Alex Tessier and Jenna Thompson, the women’s rugby team had another season to remember. With a record of 5-2, the team finished third in the division and went all the way to the conference final, where for a second year in a row, they were defeated by the Ottawa Gee-Gees. The team went all the way to nationals in Victoria, B.C., but did not reach the medal round. Thompson led the team with tries this season with 12 while Rajotte finished with 11.

Men’s Rugby

With many veteran players gone, the men’s rugby team was rebuilding this year. Craig Beemer took over as head coach just a few weeks before the season started and did everything he could to recruit and get his team together on time. Despite the large effort to get the team organized, the squad finished last in the division with a record of 1-6. The team lost in the first round of the playoffs. Julian Mackay Cantin led the team with three tries.

Women’s Soccer

The women’s soccer team had a disappointing season as they finished the year with a 2-10-2 record, finishing sixth in their division. Laura Lamontagne led the team with five goals and helped fill the gap left by Kaitlyn Fournier who left the team in the off-season. Teams like the Laval Rouge et Or and Université de Montréal Carabins proved to be tough tests for the team, and in the end, the team wasn’t able to get crucial wins down the stretch.

Men’s Soccer

The men’s team finished one win outside of a playoff spot with a 4-6-2 record. The Stingers finished sixth in their division, but made progress in relation to last year’s team which finished with three wins. Goalkeeper Karl Gouabé was solid all season, and the team was able to get offence from multiple players. Sébastien Boucley, Amadou Lam, Abdallah Medouni and Gabriel Quinn Carranza led the team with four goals each.

Women’s Basketball

For the second straight season, the Concordia Stingers women’s basketball team finished fourth in their division with a record of 7-9. However, unlike last year, the team made it to the conference finals. In the semi-final, the Stingers knocked off the Laval Rouge et Or who were the third-ranked team in the country. In the conference final, the Stingers lost to the McGill Martlets, who went on to win the national championship. The team was led by veterans like Marilyse Roy-Viau and Richelle Grégoire, as well as rookie guard Caroline Task.

Men’s Basketball

The team finished their season with a record of 10-6 which was good enough for second place in their division. The Stingers were favoured to win their first-round match-up in the playoffs and go to the conference final. However, the Stingers were upset 81-71, by the Université de Québec à Montréal Citadins. The loss ended the team’s season, but there is reason to be optimistic. The Stingers were the best defensive team in their conference and have the potential to make a run next year.

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More than just a game for your dog

Graphic by Thom Bell

Ultimate Frisbee is a sport that requires speed, skill and precision

Yes, Ultimate Frisbee is a real sport, and no, it’s not like playing with your dog in the park.

At least those are a few of the things Luca Stabile, a McGill student from the West Island who plays on McGill Ultimate Frisbee team, has heard some people say.

“It’s different than other sports,” Stabile said. “It’s still pretty demanding in terms of athleticism, although people don’t recognize that.”

For many, Ultimate Frisbee, which is normally referred to as “Ultimate,” is just a sport they played in elementary or high school. But it’s a lot more serious than people think, according to Stabile.

“When you’re on the field, you’re literally sprinting,” Stabile said, adding the sport demands a lot of cardiovascular strength.

Depending on the league, team size can vary from four-a-side or five-a-side to the standard seven-a-side. In 4v4 and 5v5 leagues, they play the width of a football field, but in the competitive divisions, they play the whole length of the field.

In standard leagues, there is no time limit to a game, but rather, a team must reach a certain number of points agreed upon by the teams before the game, which is usually 15. Some leagues with limited time on a field may set a time limit, and Stabile said most games are like soccer, with two halves of 45 minutes.

Changing players on the fly is allowed in recreational divisions, but in competitive leagues, players must stay on the field until a team scores a point. This can mean some long shifts at times.

“There was one game for the McGill B team, we were on the field for 30 minutes,” Stabile said. “That was really brutal.”

The rules of Ultimate are pretty simple. In fact, there’s only one big rule: don’t run with the disc. But Stabile said there are a lot more technicalities than that. A defending player cannot make contact with a receiver, and players have 10 seconds to throw the disc.

There’s a catch to this handful of rules—there are no referees. Players must call the fowls that are committed against them. In competitive leagues, however, there are observers to settle disputes between players.

“Some people who know all the rules will abuse them essentially, and people who know [the rules] less get taken advantaged of,” Stabile said.

Ultimate is not just a bunch of people throwing around a disc trying to score points, though—there are a lot of strategies players must learn.

“There are a lot of offensive formations that you run, similar to football, to get the disc up the field,” Stabile said.

In Ultimate, there are three different ways to throw the disc. There’s the backhand, the classic forehand throw known as the flick and the hammer, an overhead throw.

The sport is popular in Montreal as the main league in the city, Association Ultimate de Montréal (AUM), had more than 215 teams and 2,991 members in 2014.

Universities in Montreal are also forming teams to compete against each other, although not through U SPORTS. McGill, Concordia, Université de Montréal and Université de Québec à Montréal will all be competing in the AUM upcoming spring season.

If you want to get involved with Concordia’s Ultimate Frisbee team, you can visit their website for details.

Graphic by Thom Bell

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Deconstructing the Stingers football schedule

The Stingers now face the defending champion, the Laval Rouge et Or, twice. Photo by Ana Hernandez.

A new division layout could create a tougher playoff road for Concordia

The Concordia Stingers football team are in the midst of off-season training to prepare for the 2017 season. The schedule for the upcoming season was recently released and, after looking it over and giving it some thought, it’s certain this fall will be a tough test for the squad, that sees most of it’s key players returning.

One of the reasons why the upcoming season will be tougher than past years is the absence of the Bishop’s Gaiters. The Stingers, who play in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) division, have always played Bishop’s twice. However, due to poor performances and the financial inability to have the same resources as other teams in the division, the Gaiters left the RSEQ for the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) conference, according to U SPORTS.

Bishop’s was a team the Stingers could always win against. In 2015, the Stingers beat Bishop’s twice, 38-18 the first time around and 63-0 the second time. This past season, the Stingers won their two games against Bishop’s 50-34 and 36-6.

Now that Bishop’s is gone, there are only five teams in the division. A season is eight games which means the Stingers must now play every team twice. This is where the schedule becomes tougher.

The Stingers share a division with arguably the two best teams in U SPORTS football: the Université de Montréal Carabins and the Laval Rouge et Or. The Rouge et Or are defending Vanier Cup champs while the Carabins won it in 2014. Last season, the Stingers had a hard time against both teams, as the Carabins beat them 59-3 and the Rouge et Or beat them 38-17.

Now that the Stingers have to play both of those squads twice, it means half of their schedule will be against top-seeded opponents. The Stingers have played those teams close in past seasons, so there is definitely potential to get some upset victories—especially if quarterback Trenton Miller returns to his rookie season form of 20 touchdowns in eight games.

A five-team division means only one team will not make the playoffs—that’s why the games against the Sherbrooke Vert et Or and the McGill Redmen become crucial. The Stingers, the Redmen and the Vert et Or will most likely be fighting for the last two spots in the playoffs.

The Stingers play the Vert et Or in the second game of the season on Aug. 31 in Sherbrooke and then play them again on Sept. 30 at Concordia. Sherbrooke is a team the Stingers have struggled with over the past two years. In their 2015 debut, the team lost 37-0 to the Vert et Or and lost to them last season 37-17. If the Stingers want a playoff berth, they’ll have to overcome their struggles against Sherbrooke and bring their best effort.

Meanwhile, the Redmen are the Stingers’ cross-town rival. Both of these teams always play each other close, but the Stingers have been on the winning end of most of their recent match-ups. Going back to 2015, the Stingers won both of their games against McGill and went 1-1 last season.

These rivalry games, which take place at Concordia on Sept. 16 and at McGill on Oct. 14 next season, will have huge implications on the playoffs and winning them will be crucial for the Stingers.

The team has gone 4-4 in its last two seasons, but in each of those years, two of the wins were against Bishop’s. The upcoming season will truly be a test of what the Stingers are made of. However, it’s the same test for the Vert et Or and the Redmen. The division was already tough, but now it’s gotten tougher and that’s why it will be an interesting season to say the least.

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Concordia wrestler grapples to the top

De Marinis won the national championship in his weight class this year. Photo Courtesy of U SPORTS.

Vincent De Marinis is making a name for himself with two national titles

Concordia is home to one of the best young wrestlers in the country, and you probably didn’t even realize it.

Vincent De Marinis is a two-time national champion in the 65-kilogram weight class in wrestling. He recently defended his national title in Edmonton at the University of Alberta. He went 3-0 in the group stage, without being pinned down once, before beating Brock University’s Mizam Tamaradze in the final.

De Marinis said even though he won the national title last year, he did not slack off heading into this season. He trained hard, and did not get over-confident before heading into the 2017 National Championships.

“Coming into this competition, I really felt ready, and I was excited to get that second gold medal,” De Marinis said. “I was really proud of myself.”

The fourth-year finance student hopes to continue making a mark in Canadian wrestling after he leaves Concordia. He said his ultimate goals are to make the Olympics for Team Canada and win a medal at the World Championships.

He already has a foot in the door on an international stage, as he has represented Canada on two occasions. His first time wearing the red-and-white instead of Concordia’s maroon-and-gold was at the 2013 World Junior Championships in Bulgaria. He said his first experience representing his country was a learning one.

“When I was a junior, I got blown away,” he said. “That was, more than anything, a wake-up call. That was an indicator to what level it takes to compete internationally.” Two years later, at the Pan-Am Championships in Chile, he won a bronze medal.

His road to representing Canada at an international level would not have been possible without the help of his coaches at his various schools, including the Concordia Stingers. He started wrestling at John Rennie High School, when his friend suggested he join the wrestling team, which was coached by the late Don Kinsella. He said he was unsure about joining the team, but his friend reassured him.

“I was pretty nervous, because I was small, but he told me I would be against people my size,” De Marinis said.

So he joined the team, which was not an official school team, but rather, an after-school activity. Coincidentally enough, his first wrestling match was at Loyola High School. De Marinis started his wrestling career just steps away from where he now practices it.

Vincent De Marinis is in his fourth year with the wrestling team at Concordia. Photo by Brianna Thicke.

After graduating from high school, he attended Vanier College, which did not have a wrestling team. However, he continued training at the Montreal Wrestling Club, where he met Victor Zilberman, the head coach of the Concordia Stingers wrestling team. De Marinis said he knew right away that he would be going to Concordia to compete for the Stingers, and he’s grateful for the opportunity Zilberman gave him.

“Coming out of high school, I was a kid with no head on his shoulders, then I met Victor and started training seriously,” he said.

Since then, De Marinis has trained to become one of the most dominant wrestlers in the country. He has won most of the tournaments he’s competed in, and now sits at the top of his weight class for the second year in a row.

He said his bread-and-butter move is the fireman throw. Like the name suggests, it looks like when a fireman is rescuing someone, carrying them away over his shoulder. Except in wrestling, De Marinis is not attempting to save anybody’s life, but rather, trying to pin his opponent down.

“It’s probably something most wrestlers look out for when they face me,” De Marinis said.

A great athlete does not come without weaknesses. He added that, while his key move is a relatively safe one, when he attempts to do more aggressive moves, he gets beat by his opponent’s counter-attack.

“When I do leg attacks, something that leaves me more vulnerable, and I tend to get countered,” he said.

Like any student-athlete, De Marinis also has to grapple between school work, 30 hours of training a week and a social life. For him, the key to his success is pinning down one task at a time. A bit like what he does on the wrestling mat on his way to national titles.

“I try to take it one day at a time,” he said. “You can’t look at what needs to be done in the future, you need to look at what needs to be done now.”

He said wrestling has taught him many valuable lessons that he applies to other areas in his life. He said he has learned work ethic, how to deal with tough situations, time management, discipline and how to make sacrifices.

“If you’re not going to take anything out of wrestling itself, you’re going to take life lessons,” he said.

De Marinis will be back with the wrestling team next year for his fifth and final season, where he said he is looking towards winning a third-straight national title.

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Looking back at the Stingers men’s hockey season

The Concordia Stingers won their first playoff series in 16 years this season. Photo by Brianna Thicke.

With a plethora of fresh talent, Concordia had one of its best seasons in years

When the Concordia Stingers men’s hockey team defeated the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) Ridgebacks in game three of their first-round playoff series, it marked the first time the Stingers had advanced past the first round in 16 years.

The Stingers hockey program, which has been plagued with a lack of talent and interest for the last decade, crawled their way out of the darkness and became one of the best teams in the league this year. The team, led by captain Olivier Hinse, finished second in their division and were ranked seventh in the country by U SPORTS.

So why the sudden change? How did a team that finished seventh in their division a year ago, become such a powerhouse in one of the toughest divisions in the country?

Well, there are a couple of factors, one of them being head coach Marc-André Élement. Élement was an interim head coach last year, but during the off-season he was hired full time. Since then, Élement has implemented a solid defensive system which has complimented the team’s natural ability to score goals.

Last year, the team’s biggest problem was defence and goaltending. Starting goaltender Robin Billingham had a goals-against average of four goals against per game, while the defence struggled to keep teams at bay. The offence, however, was always strong with Hinse and former player Jessyko Bernard leading the charge.

Élement addressed these problems in the off-season, adding goaltender Philippe Cadorette and an array of talented young defencemen, including Anthony Gingras, Alexandre Gosselin, Matthieu Desautels and Michael Beauregard.

With the defensive issues addressed, Élement did not stop there. He also went out and added more goal scorers like forwards Philippe Sanche, Anthony Beauregard and Anthony De Luca, who finished with the second most goals in the country. De Luca was also first place in rookie scoring this season.

All of these pieces meshed perfectly this season, creating the perfect storm which culminated in the best season the team has had in decades. Before the season, few pundits predicted the Stingers would pull off what they did. The team was able to compete against strong teams like McGill, Queen’s and Ryerson, which were all teams they struggled against in the past.

The team was fun to watch, and they finished the season with the second most goals in the league, with 118 in 28 games.

Now what’s next for this team?

Well, that’s a good question. Hinse, who has been with the team for five years, is graduating and will not be back next year, which means there will be a leadership void. However, with assistant captains Philippe Hudon and Raphael Lafontaine coming back next year, the team should be in good hands. It will just depend on who Élement decides should dawn the “C” next season.

Fans of the team shouldn’t worry too much though. This year’s team was filled with talented rookies, which means these players will be with the Stingers for the next three to four years. That means the next few years of Stingers hockey will be some of the most entertaining hockey in the country.

Not to mention, now that Concordia hockey is back on the map, more and more recruits are going to want to come play here.

There is definitely still some work to be done with this team, but it won’t be long before they are contending for a Queen’s Cup and maybe a U SPORTS championship.

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Reflecting on the women’s basketball season

The Concordia Stingers women’s basketball team went to the RSEQ finals this year. Photo by Ana Hernandez.

Head coach Tenicha Gittens talks about her team’s tenacity this year

Even though the Concordia Stingers women’s basketball team suffered a crushing loss against the McGill Martlets in the finals of the conference championships this season, the team is on the rise.

After finishing with a 7-9 record during the regular season, the Stingers upset the third-ranked team in the country—the Laval Rouge et Or—in the semi-finals of the playoffs.

Just to compare, the Stingers were ousted in their first playoff game last season. The team improved on offence and defence this season, but the team was plagued by injuries to key players throughout the season.

“Considering everything that we’ve been through, these girls continued to fight and believe in each other,” Stingers head coach Tenicha Gittens said. “They never gave up. With all of that, I am definitely pleased with what we’ve been able to accomplish.”

Rookie Ashley Moss went down with an achilles tendon injury at the beginning of the year, and then rookie Marvia Dean went down with a torn ACL.

Veteran Aurelie d’Anjou Drouin also missed significant time due to a high ankle sprain, while guard Jazlin Barker played a few games with a fractured thumb.

This was truly a banged up squad towards the end of the season, and one might question what they could have been had the team not suffered all those injuries.

Nonetheless, the program has seen a few players emerge who are going to contribute in a big way next season. Barker is one of those young players who progressed as the season went on.

“I’m happy with the way she played for us, down the stretch,” Gittens said.

Gittens added that Barker’s play got better as the season went on, since she was adjusting to the pace of U SPORTS basketball at the start of the season.

One of the major contributors this year was rookie guard Caroline Task. She was honoured by U SPORTS with a place on the all-rookie team after averaging 9.1 points per game and finishing fifth in the conference with 1.7 steals per game.

Gittens praised Task, saying that she and Barker add versatility to the team.

With the addition of Dean and Moss, the team has a solid foundation going forward. This is good news for a team that is losing veterans Marilyse Roy-Viau and Richelle Grégoire next season.

“[Roy-Viau and Grégoire have] been tremendous for Concordia,” Gittens said. “I have had the pleasure of coaching them for two years.”

Gittens said the focus is now on recruiting a new class of players who will fit in with the group already in place. The team will take a break, but soon enough, will be back in the gym to prepare for the upcoming season.

Gittens is looking for players who “are not afraid of a challenge,”  “want to be pushed” and “want to be coached.”

With the team about to embark on an intensive offseason, just as key players return from injuries, Gittens concluded that the team is going to be “alright” moving forward.

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Turning it around at the end of the season

The Stingers made it to their first conference final since 2005 this season. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

Fresh off winning RSEQ Coach of the Year, Julie Chu talks about her team’s season

After winning only three of the team’s first 10 games, the Concordia Stingers women’s hockey team was able to turn their season around and win seven of their last 10 games, cementing themselves as a real contender in their division.

“I think the biggest part is focusing on one day at a time,” Stingers head coach Julie Chu said. “In the fall, when you’re not winning, you can get off track really easily. But we have a great team dynamic that allows us to continue to work hard even when things get tough.”

In a division with powerhouses such as the Université de Montréal Carabins and the McGill Martlets, winning can be tough. There are five teams in the division which means in a 20 game season, you see each team five times.

In the beginning of the season, the team struggled to beat teams like the Carabins and the Martlets. However, after a few adjustments going into the last stretch of the season, the Stingers were able to pull off some big wins.

The biggest of those wins occurred just a week ago when the Stingers swept the Carabins in the first round of the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) division playoffs. Having won the U SPORTS championship the year before, the Carabins were heavily favoured. However, the Stingers pulled off the upset, thanks to their hard work and attention to detail.

“We do a lot of video sessions as a team to breakdown the areas that we want to improve on and also look at what we do well,” Chu said. “Players are welcome every week to look at videos individually, and it’s been a huge tool for us to teach players what they have to do in order to make good decisions on the ice.”

The team’s ability to beat the Carabins is also a testament to their trust in the system Chu has put into place. Despite a rough first half of the year, Chu said her team stayed the course and was able to execute in the latter half of the season.

Julie Chu won RSEQ Coach of the Year after a 10-9-1 season. Photo by Brianna Thicke.

With strong performances from everyone on the team—not just its star players—Chu said the team showed plenty of character.

“It was great to see our players step up in the series,” Chu said. “There were a lot of shutdown plays from our defence, and everyone fills a role. Some roles get more recognition than others because they require a goal or a save, but it doesn’t mean one role is more important than the other.

The win against the Carabins gave the team a spot in the RSEQ final against the McGill Martlets. In that series, the team eventually lost in two games, but worked hard through the series.

The team’s trip to the conference finals was their first since 2005. Their game-one win against the Carabins was their first playoff win since 2006. Making the conference final also cemented the team’s spot at nationals this year, which hosts eight teams featuring the two best from each conference.

“One of our goals was finishing top two in the RSEQ because we knew that would bring us to nationals,” Chu said. “One of the biggest challenges is that, with all the milestones we achieved, it feels like a mini-championship in itself. But with nationals three weeks away, we can’t think about that now—we have to look at what’s in front of us.”

Before the team’s playoff series against the Carabins, Chu was named RSEQ Coach of the Year. While the honour is an individual one, Chu said it’s her team and the rest of her coaching staff that have helped turn the team into what they are today.

“We have an incredible coaching staff here and this award is a testament to them, so I can’t take the credit,” Chu said. “My name might be on the certificate but it’s really about all of our coaches and, ultimately, our team going out and executing. You can have great coaches who run great practices and systems but you need a team that’s going to buy in, and if the team hadn’t, we wouldn’t be talking about this.”

No matter what happens at nationals, the Stingers have had one of their best seasons in the last decade and, with a strong staff behind them, the future is bright.

As Chu reiterated, the whole season has truly been a team effort.

“I know, for me, the people I am surrounded by are absolutely tremendous and a huge reason why our team has gotten so many recognitions this year,” said Chu.

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Talking to a French Survivor

Jeremih Mogni was a receiver but is now a cornerback for the Stingers. Photo by Liam Mahoney.

Football player Jeremih Mogni shares his journey to Canadian university football

Jeremih Mogni has a pair of cleats hanging in his room, with “2017” written on them. That’s when the cornerback for the Concordia Stingers football team aims to return from a season-ending injury. Mogni tore his right ACL two days before the start of the 2016football season, but admits the injury was a life-changing event.

“When I say to others that it’s the best injury that’s happened to me in my life, they say, ‘what are you saying?’” Mogni said. “It made me better as a person.”

Like many student-athletes, Mogni has faced many challenges in his young life. This dreadful injury has been Mogni’s toughest roadblock yet. But a knee injury wasn’t going to hold him back.

“I came too far, I paved a long path to get here. It’s impossible that one injury like that ruins my dreams and my objectives,” Mogni said.

Mogni’s journey to Concordia is an interesting and unique one. It started in Sevran, France, an impoverished suburb just outside of Paris. The town saw over 10,000 crimes committed  in 2014, according to Linternaute.

“[It’s] One of the most dangerous cities in France,” Mogni said. “It’s crazy, a lot of drugs.”

This rough lifestyle did not knock Mogni or his tough character down. Rather, it helped him become stronger and realize the only way out is through success. He said too many athletes from Sevran don’t grasp that concept.

“I know there are a lot of guys like me there who could be here and are stronger than players here, but it’s their choices that makes the differences,” Mogni said.

Mogni is lucky to have made the right choices which allowed him to excel in his football career. Surprisingly, he only began playing football as a teenager. He practised taekwondo as a kid, and did not watch his first football game on TV until he was 15 years old. He immediately fell in love with the sport and started playing flag football. He eventually got into tackle football at 17.

In 2013, at 19 years old, he came to Canada to play for CEGEP de Thetford. He helped contribute to a rebuilding football team, as they went to the Division III semi-finals in 2013, and finals in 2014. He just missed out on a championship ring, as the CEGEP won the Division III championship last season, while he was playing in his rookie year with the Stingers.

Mogni played as a receiver with Thetford and in his first season with the Stingers, but was asked to switch to cornerback this year.

The French Survivors are a group of five football players from France. Photo courtesy of Jeremih Mogni.

He was shooting upwards until his injury tried to keep him grounded. With his dreams on the brink of falling apart, he remembered his journey. He remembered all the guys who could be in his position, and he took a positive view on life.

“Sometimes, like after my surgery, I wanted to quit, I wanted to find something else,” Mogni said. “But I think of where I came from. I think of the guys who want to be here. I am blessed.”

Mogni, who comes from a family of six children, also thought about how his mother has supported him over the course of his football journey. He said he plays for his family and has never played for only himself.

“People around me think I play football to go to the NFL or CFL,” Mogni said. “But in reality, I never started football with that in my head. I started football because I loved it, and I wanted a way to make my life better, and that of my parents.”

For these reasons, Mogni sees himself as a survivor, and created a group called the “French Survivors.” The group consists of five hard-working football players in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) division who hail from France. He said he hopes to grow the French Survivors and include students from other sports and disciplines too.

“French Survivors is not just about football, it’s about life,” Mogni said. “You’re struggling to pay rent, but you’re still going to school to play football and earn a degree. You are a survivor.”

The group’s origin story reflects the kind of life Mogni has lived. He said he was sitting in his dorm room in Thetford Mines, and he thought, “Life is tough.” Looking back on it, he wanted to create the group to unite football players who were going through tough times.

Mogni made the group after getting injured, and he said he has matured since. He views life in a positive way, and knows everything happens for a reason. He said he kept wondering why he was injured. He’d heard about ACL injuries happening to other players but never considered that it might happen to him. He he has allowed it to become a positive experience he has grown from. After all, he is a survivor.

“Everything starts in the head. If everything is well in the head, everything else will be fine,” he said. “You have to stay positive. Life is made of steps, and you can’t be crying, ‘oh why always me?’ There’s always worse than you in the world.”

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Stingers fall short in RSEQ final

The Stingers are now done for the season.

Concordia’s women’s basketball team couldn’t beat the pesky Martlets squad

After upsetting the third-ranked team in the country—the Laval Rouge et Or—in the semi-finals, the Concordia Stingers women’s basketball team was defeated in the conference championship by the McGill Martlets, 63-51. The Martlets were crowned champions for the sixth season in a row.

When asked whether or not the hard-fought game against Laval affected the Stingers’ energy, head coach Tenicha Gittens gave an emphatic “no.”

“We had a day in between [each game],” Gittens said, adding the team had no reason to be fatigued going into the championship game.

The Martlets were simply the more efficient and more composed team, lead by their star player, centre Alex Kiss-Rusk.

“[My shots] started going in,” Kiss-Rusk said. “We didn’t really change much in the second half. They started falling for me. I kept taking ‘em.”

Kiss-Rusk made her mark on the game, especially in the final quarter when the championship was on the line. With about two minutes left in the fourth quarter, she made a shot just as the Stingers were closing in on the Martlets. The basket gave her team a six-point lead.

However, the game would not have been so close for so long, if it weren’t for the efforts of Concordia’s star player, Richelle Grégoire.

The Stingers were able to make it close, but were outplayed at the end of the game. Photos by Ana Hernandez.

In her last collegiate game, she was the only Stinger to score from the field in the first half. She shot a respectable six for 11 and picked up 16 points. The rest of her teammates went ice cold as they failed to get a basket on 17 attempts from the field.

Gregoire praised her teammates and coach Gittens for being a part of “the most fun” team she played with during her five-year stint at Concordia.

It was also the final game for Stingers guard Marilyse Roy-Viau, who has been a big leader for the team, providing them with the knowledge she’s picked up over her five seasons. She shared the same sentiments as her veteran teammate.

“This team right there is one of the best teams I have ever had,” Roy-Viau said. “The coaching staff is also the best I have ever had.”

Commonly referred to as “Ric” (Gregoire) and “Red” (Roy-Viau), the duo have left a lasting impression on the team.

Despite the loss, Roy-Viau knows the Stingers will be good for years to come.

“They are going to compete next year,” Roy-Viau said. “Whatever they have right now is the core, and they are just going to build on that and be in the finals again.”

One surprise from this season was the emergence of Stingers guard Jazlin Barker, who took on a bigger role and increased her production as the season went on. She vowed to keep it up next season.

“I am going to come out stronger from the start. I will train harder,” Barker said.

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Stingers lose to McGill in championship series

The Stingers will now play for a national championship.

The Concordia women’s hockey team came up short in game two of the RSEQ final

The Concordia Stingers women’s hockey team lost in game two of the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) finals against the McGill Martlets on March 4.

Since the Stingers lost game one 4-0 on March 2 and game two of the best-of-three series 3-0, meaning the Martlets were crowned conference champions.

Despite the loss, Stingers head coach Julie Chu was happy with the way her team played throughout the game.

“The effort was really strong, and we’re proud of that,” Chu said. “Even until the end, our girls never stopped fighting.”

Stingers goalie Katherine Purchase, who had a stellar second half of the season, saw a better team effort than in game one.

“We definitely played a way better game than on Thursday,” Purchase said. “But the bounces didn’t go our way.”

The Stingers put pressure on the Martlets in the first period as they tried to score their first goal. Stingers forward Devon Thompson had the first real scoring chance when she took a stretch pass past the McGill defence, and broke in on Martlet goalie Tricia Deguire, but was stopped with a toe save.

Stingers forward Marie-Pascale Bernier took a penalty for roughing four minutes into the game. McGill capitalized on the ensuing power play with a goal by Gabrielle Davidson.

The Stingers had several chances but just couldn’t score on Tricia Deguire. Photos by Alex Hutchins.

The McGill-Concordia rivalry was exemplified right after the goal when McGill’s Alison MacKenzie hit Concordia’s Claudia Dubois in open ice, meriting a penalty. The Stingers created some scoring chances on the power play, including a manic scramble in front of the net, but failed to score. Davidson had a short-handed chance, but Katherine Purchase made a timely blocker save.

McGill’s Jade Downie-Landry took a four-minute penalty for butt-ending midway through the period. The Stingers had good puck movement, but once again, were shut out with only a handful of shots.

With less than three minutes left in the first period, McGill’s Mélodie Daoust broke in from the boards to Purchase’s right, made some moves around the Stingers defence, and wired a backhand shot into the net.

The second period was rather uneventful, but the Stingers outshot the Martlets 14-6. With just over five minutes to go, Downie broke in on a two-on-one with Martlets forward Shana Walker. Downie sent the puck up towards Walker, who slid it between Purchase’s pads to make the score 3-0.

The Stingers were visibly frustrated in the third period. They got three penalties in the final five minutes, as the Martlets closed in on their championship.

Despite Concordia losing, the Stingers will travel to the national championship in less than two weeks. For Purchase, this means the team has to look at the positives.

“It was little bit disappointing, but we’re trying to look at the positive side knowing we’re going to get another crack at them,” Purchase said.

Chu, who is proud of the fact her team has developed into a real contender, said the team needs to refocus for the nationals.

“We [have to] practice with a high intensity and get the execution we want,” she said. “Then, when we head to nationals, we’re going to be ready to go.”

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Stingers fail to reach RSEQ finals

The Stingers were bad on defence which cost them the game. Photos by Ana Hernandez.

Concordia’s men’s basketball team had their season ended by the Citadins on Friday

Christian Kadima, a forward for the Université de Québec à Montréal (UQAM) Citadins, made a layup and was fouled, giving his team a comfortable seven point lead with a minute and a half remaining in the game. The play, which was made during the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec men’s basketball semi-final, showcased the type of night the Concordia Stingers had. The team failed to make big stops on defence and lost 81-71.

All game long, the Stingers couldn’t convert on their free throws and failed to scoop up loose balls. This allowed to Citadins to score more points.

The Stingers wasted opportunities all night, shooting an abysmal 44 per cent of their shots from the free throw line. They also let the Citadins out-rebound them on the offensive board, which lead to 21 second-chance points by the Citadins.

“You cannot win with those two statistics,” Stingers head coach Rastko Popovic said. “The fact that it was still a close playoff game is beyond me.”

The Citadins looked hungrier on the court and outworked the Stingers all night. The Stingers were able to shoot well outside of the free throw line, but couldn’t stop their rivals from getting extra possessions.

“We really wanted to limit Concordia in transition,” Citadins head coach Nate Philippe said. “We wanted to win the battle of the glass, so I think we did a good job .”

Philippe also said the team’s 20 offensive rebounds were “huge.”

The team is now done for the season.

The game started out pretty well for the Stingers, who went on a 6-0 run to start the game. UQAM came right back with eight points of their own, maintaining their lead throughout the quarter. The Citadins were leading 18-14 after the first quarter.

The deficit grew larger midway through the second quarter, when Citadins forward Misi Jeanneau shot a three-pointer. This gave the team their first double-digit lead at 33-23. The Stingers tightened their defense afterwards, and held the Citadins scoreless for about three full minutes. That allowed them to come back, and go into halftime down by four at 35-31.

The second half picked up in intensity, as both teams were more aggressive. The second half saw four lead changes, and both teams going hard for the win.

Stingers guard Ken Beaulieu gave Concordia a 38-37 lead at the beginning of the third quarter. Then Stingers point guard Ricardo Monge followed suit, converting a three-pointer to increase the lead. Going into the fourth quarter, the Stingers lead 52-50.

The fourth quarter kept the same pace until the Citadins started to pull away thanks to some three-pointers. The Stingers kept it close until late in the game when the Citadins jumped out to a seven-point lead.

“We started out well,” Stingers forward Michael Fosu said. “They bounced back in the game because I think we felt too comfortable.”

The loss marks the end of the Concordia men’s basketball season.

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