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The most fun you’ll have in your life

Quitting hockey was one of the hardest decisions of my life. Photos by Lorraine Du Cap.

Why organized sports are one of the most fulfilling experiences in the world

Walking into a crowded hockey dressing room for the first time at the age of 10 was probably one of the most intimidating moments of my life. For two years prior, I had been begging my mom and dad to sign me up for hockey, but every time I asked I was be told “no” because I hadn’t even learned how to skate yet.

With aspirations of being a goalie, it was essential that I knew what I was doing once I strapped on my skates. I had played goalie enough in street hockey to think I’d be the next Patrick Roy. It’s why I needed my parents to sign me up. However, I was nowhere near that talented and my parents were right.

I went on the ice for the first time with gear my parents had bought for me at Canadian Tire, and it was my first time ever skating. As soon as my shining silver blades hit the ice, I fell face first, with the metal bars of my goalie mask hitting the ice. Of course, like any 10-year-old who has just felt a sudden wave of embarrassment, I started to cry. But I picked myself up and made it through the session.

After the practice, on the drive home from the arena, almost in unison, my mom and dad asked me if I “still wanted to play.” I had begged to play for too long to tell them no and, quite frankly, my decision to keep playing hockey was one of the best decisions of my life.

Organized sports are a weird animal. On the one hand, you have the kids who aren’t that talented but who play for fun, and on the other, you have the ultra-talented kids whose parents have enrolled them in every single training camp imaginable. Those are the kids who are dedicated to making the NHL, the NBA or the NFL. I, however, just wanted to play for fun.

No matter what type of player you are, organized sports are a great way to spend your childhood. As a shy kid who didn’t have many friends when I started playing hockey, (yes, sad I know), playing sports was a great way for me to meet new people. Some of my best friends are people I met through hockey or people I already knew but bonded with because we were on the same team.

Playing organized sports also gave me the confidence to do things I never thought I could. It gave me an outlet to be passionate about something. Allowing myself to be passionate about something without feeling judged is a big reason why I’m here doing what I’m doing today.

Now it may seem tacky or cliché, but the best part about playing organized sports is the memories. Be it waking up at 5 a.m. for 6 a.m. practices in the dead of winter or driving to Kanata, Ont. every year for tournaments, some of the best days of my life have been spent in an icy arena.

Playing sports has given me an appreciation for why sports fans are so crazy.

The wins, the losses—they all meant something to me when I played. My goal was to never become a professional, but being competitive and dedicating myself to something was easily one of the coolest things I’ve had the chance to do.

A couple of years ago, I had to quit because of school and other commitments. But I still think about playing almost every day. It’s something I miss and an opportunity I’d recommend to anybody.

It’s funny, because people always ask me why people care about sports so much. It’s definitely a hard question to answer, but I think it becomes easier once you’ve actually played a sport. Whether it’s the camaraderie, the feeling you get after a big win or just the sense of belonging and purpose, sports bring people together. They’re fun. Nothing more, nothing less—and I think that’s all you really need to know.

While most of you reading this are probably past your teenage years, it isn’t too late to get involved in organized sports. Beer leagues, office leagues and adult leagues can be found for pretty much every sport out there. Even if you’ve never tried the sport you want to play, these adult leagues are filled with novices and former high-level players who just want to have a little fun. A great resource is clubmontreal.ca, which gives a list of leagues that cover a variety of sports that you can join.

You don’t have to be a kid to reap the benefits of organized sports and that’s what’s great about them. As sports fans, we all have dreams of scoring a game-winning goal or making the last save in a shootout. These are moments we think we have to be professionals to experience, but that isn’t true. All you need is some friends, a great sport and the toughness to keep pushing yourself when things don’t go the way you want them to at first.

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Stingers lose after Carabins comeback

The Concordia Stingers were up 2-0 at one point in the game. Photos by Alex Hutchins.

Concordia’s women’s hockey team gave up a two-goal lead to UdeM on Sunday

The Concordia Stingers women’s hockey team lost 4-2 to the Université de Montréal Carabins on Sunday. The Stingers started the game strong, but surrendered four unanswered goals in the loss.

The Stingers played their best in the first period, outshooting the Carabins 13-5 and notching the game’s first goal. Ten minutes into the the first period, Stingers forward Audrey Belzile one-timed a pass from forward Stephanie Lalancette past the blocker of Carabins goalie Marie-Pier Chabot.

Early in the second period, Stingers forward Alexandria D’Onofrio provided the game’s second goal, deking past a Carabins defender and scoring on a breakaway to give the home team a two-goal lead.

However, the Stingers struggled from that point on, as the Carabins prevented them from establishing consistent offensive zone pressure for the rest of the game.

“As a whole unit, we didn’t do a great job in the second and third period,” said Stingers head coach Julie Chu. “We had a really strong first period, we came out with a lot of energy, and in the second and third we got outworked.”

Carabins forward Valérie Drouin scored for Montréal in the second period, tipping the puck past Concordia goalie Katherine Purchase to make the score 2-1.

Purchase, playing in her 12th game of the year, allowed four goals on 31 shots for the Stingers. Despite the loss, Purchase has been improving from her poor start to the season.

“We left Kat out to hang on a couple of breakaways,” Chu said. “We’ve got to be better as a whole unit. It doesn’t lie on just one player.”

The Carabins continued to press the Stingers in the third period, frequently preventing the Stingers from breaking out of their own zone. As Chu explained, the team’s defensive struggles mainly had to do with consistency.

“A lot of it is just effort,” Chu said. “Taking care of the puck, and making sure that we have opportunities to have smart chips in places where we can get the puck [out of our zone] or relieve some pressure to get back to our forecheck.”

Carabins forward Rika Pilon-Robert scored three and a half minutes into the third period, trickling a shot past the glove of Purchase, tying the game. Five minutes later, Carabins forward Jessica Cormier gave her team the lead, shooting and scoring on a two-on-one rush.

Carabins forward Annie Germain finished off the game with six minutes left in the period, capitalizing on a breakaway chance, giving Montréal their final 4-2 lead.

While coach Chu isn’t panicking about her team’s place in the standings, she said she and her staff must emphasize that everybody needs to play 60 minutes of solid hockey.

“If the score ends up in a loss, then at least we can hang our hats on the fact that we put the effort there,” Chu said. “Tonight, we didn’t work hard enough to deserve anything better than what we got.”

The Stingers now have a 5-7-1 record, and will play again on Jan. 21 against McGill.

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Guide to the Stingers winter 2017 season

The Stingers have won five straight games thanks to their win on Friday. Photos by Alex Hutchins.

A look at the second half of Concordia’s hockey and basketball seasons

A new year is upon us which means a full year of Concordia Stingers sports is on the horizon. During the winter season, two sports stand out at Concordia: hockey and basketball. While our hockey and basketball teams are nearly halfway through their seasons, here is a preview of what you can expect from these teams in the first half of 2017.

Women’s Hockey

After the first 11 games of the season, the Concordia Stingers women’s hockey team is currently sitting at a record of 4-6-1. The team’s slow start can be attributed to the fact the team has had trouble finding the back of the net.

The Stingers scored 30 goals in 11 games and allowed 30, which is unsustainable if they want to win more games. In the Réseau du sports étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) division, the Stingers are ranked fourth out of five teams in goals for and third in goals against.

The Stingers have also had trouble in net as both goaltenders, Briar Bache and Katherine Purchase, have save percentages below 90 per cent, which is typically the standard where goalies should be. Purchase, who is the team’s primary goalie, has a goals against average of 2.77, while Bache has a goals against average of 2.62.

The Stingers, who are currently holding on to the last playoff spot in their division, will need to pick up their play as two of the league’s top teams—the Université de Montréal Carabins and the McGill Martlets—are in their division.

Men’s Hockey

The Stingers men’s hockey team, on the other hand, is off to one of their best starts in years, as the team boasts an 14-5 record through 19 games this season. Thanks to great goaltending from rookie Philippe Cadorette and timely offensive production from captain Olivier Hinse and rookie forward Anthony Deluca, the Stingers have been one of the most impressive teams in the east division this year.

The Stingers men’s hockey team is off to a successful start this season. Photo by Alexander Cole.

In a division with powerhouses like the Queen’s Golden Gaels, the McGill Redmen and the Université de Québec à Trois-Rivières Patriotes, the Stingers have proved themselves to be a formidable foe and currently sit in third place out of ten teams in the division.

Cadorette, who played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League last year, has posted a 2.60 goals against average and a save percentage of 91.6 per cent. He has been in goal for 11 of the team’s 14 wins this season and, since goaltending was an issue last season, his play has made a big difference.

Meanwhile, Hinse has 17 goals and nine assists while Deluca has 16 goals and 12 assists.

If the Stingers keep up their play in the second half of the season, the team will be poised to make a long playoff run.

Women’s Basketball

The Concordia Stingers women’s basketball team was off to a slow start this season, with a record of 2-4 after five games. However, the Stingers are nowhere close to being out of the playoff race, as they are tied for third in the division with McGill who also has a record of 2-4.

The women’s basketball team is poised for a strong second half of the season. Photo by Ana Hernandez.

The team is currently ranked 37th out of 50 teams in U Sports in points per game with 58.7. The Stingers have also struggled in terms of shooting percentage. Their field goal percentage is at 33 per cent, which puts them in 43rd place in the league.

While the team has struggled, the array of veterans and talented players could prove to make a difference in the second half of the season.

Guard Richelle Grégoire is a player to watch as she leads the team in points per game with 16.5. Grégoire has been a force with the Stingers over the last five years and her presence could be a huge factor in the team’s turnaround.

Also, look for fifth-year guards Tamara Pinard-Devos and Marilyse Roy-Viau to make an impact as well in the final stretch of the season, as their veteran presence could provide the team with some leadership down the stretch.

Men’s Basketball

Led by head coach Rastko Popovic, the Concordia Stingers men’s basketball team is currently tied for fourth in the RSEQ division. They have a record of 3-3 and are tied with the UQAM Citadins  who also hase a 3-3 record. Laval and McGill are atop the stadings as each have a record of  4-2.

The men’s basketball team is one of the best in the RSEQ division. Photo by Ana Hernandez.

The team is ranked 44th out of 49 in the league in terms of points per game with 68.2. Where the team has really thrived is on defence. The team is ranked second in the league in steals with 11 per game. They have also allowed an average of 72.3 points per game which puts them 10th in the league in that category.

Fourth-year guard Ken Beaulieu has led the team this season with 11.6 points per game and has received support from players like rookie forward Olivier Simon, guard Nicholas Noble, guard Henderson Charles and point guard Ricardo Monge.

If the team’s best players continue to up their offensive production while remaining tight on defence, the Stingers will remain a force to be reckoned with in the later half of the season.

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An icy part of our culture

Outdoor rinks can be enjoyed by anyone and are a great way to learn how to play hockey. Photo by Nicholas Di Giovanni

Exploring the joys of outdoor rinks in the winter time

Nothing says Canada like skating on a well-made outdoor hockey rink in bone-chilling temperatures for countless hours. Outdoor rinks are a symbol of Canadian culture and are deeply embedded within Canadian heritage. They have been a staple from generation to generation, and only a Canadian winter without freezing temperatures could cease their existence.

From coast to coast, the young and the old fill up the local outdoor rinks and play never-ending shinny games. Most pick-up games start off the same way: when there are too many players shooting pucks on their own, somebody says, “Sticks in the middle!” Everybody tosses their lumber at centre ice and waits for someone to throw the sticks to each side to make the teams.

It’s a simple process that can get complicated when two friends end up on different sides but want to play with each other. Or, when one side has all the stronger players and the game becomes a one-sided affair. But that’s what makes these games fun and unique—there is no organization to them, nobody is keeping score and everybody simply plays the sport they love.

When games on outdoor rinks get crowded, players learn how to play with limited space. Having to go through 10 players to score a goal is a lot tougher than going through the standard five players. Since long-range shots are usually not allowed in outdoor hockey games, passing is a must, and nobody likes a puck hog. I don’t think Wayne Gretzky or Sidney Crosby learned how to dance through five opponents before dishing off crisp passes just by playing indoors.

Playing organized hockey can get competitive, political and expensive for parents, but when you take it outdoors, anybody can play, no questions asked, as long as they have skates and a stick. More often than not, a player could learn a lot more on the outdoor rink with random teammates than they will ever learn indoors with a trainer.

Speaking from personal experience, I learned how to properly take a slapshot, shoot tight-angle shots and skate backwards on an outdoor rink. I even learned how to keep my head up on an outdoor rink, not because I was afraid to get rocked with a hit, but because I loved the fresh air in my face. Not to mention, most outdoor rinks produce beautiful vistas, especially when the sun is setting. That’s definitely something worth keeping your head up for.

These outdoor rinks are representative of Canadian culture too. For some, the thought of winter with its snow, frigid temperatures and short days is terrifying. But for hockey players, it means outdoor hockey. As Canadians, we have found a way to turn dreadful winters into an exciting pastime. Not many countries can say the same.

The NHL has tried to monopolize our heritage with the Winter Classic and a dozen other outdoor games. The league tries to promote them by saying they are going back to their roots, but I never knew of an outdoor game with referees, a Zamboni and a perfect sheet of ice. No, nothing beats the Canadian-style free-for-all outdoor game. Nobody will understand what it’s like to play hockey at its roots until they play a true outdoor shinny game.

Not only is a day at the outdoor rink enjoyable, it’s also a social hub. When you go to the outdoor rink, you may already know most people there, but if not, by the end of the day, you’ve become friends. You even become friends with people who support different hockey teams. Yes, even that player with the Boston Bruins jersey on.

I guess it’s the Canadian in us that makes us so nice to each other on the ice. When two players accidentally bump into each other, you know a sorry is coming from each of them. When somebody gets hurt, everybody stops to make sure they’re okay. Only once has someone got mad at me on the ice, and that was because I was a kid taking high shots with a bunch of teenagers around. I learned my lesson not to take high shots that day, and every Canadian kid learns that all-important outdoor hockey lesson one day too.

Compared to the rather warm winter last year that offered limited time for outdoor rinks, this winter has been a friendly one for ice makers. Young kids had the opportunity to go to outdoor rinks for most of the holiday break to play a bit of hockey with their family or friends. But outdoor rinks transcend more than just excited kids waiting to shoot pucks for hours on end—they offer an escape for us university students.

Getting out on an outdoor rink is a great escape for students with busy work and school schedules. It brings back childhood memories and we forget about everything for a bit. Nothing beats playing hockey while freezing your extremities before having to write a 1500-word essay.

This semester, whenever you feel stressed about school, put everything aside and go to the outdoor rink. There’s no better feeling in the world.

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Stingers basketball teams split against UQAM

The men’s team is now 3-3 in the season.

Concordia basketball teams had an up and down afternoon on Saturday

Women’s Basketball

Last time the Concordia Stingers women’s basketball team played the Université de Québec a Montréal Citadins, the Citadins won thanks to guard Quételine Célestin. On Jan. 7 however, the Stingers were able to shut Célestin down with a 69-55 victory.

The women’s team has improved to 2-4 this season. Photos by Ana Hernandez.

The win snapped the Stingers’ four-game losing streak.

“I guess we can say that it is a benchmark [game],” said Stingers head coach Tenicha Gittens. “We did some things really well defensively so we want to build on that.”

The Stingers held the Citadins to nine points in the first quarter and 20 in the first half. The Citadins were pressured by the Stingers defence all game and had trouble getting shots off. In the first half, the Citadins made eight out of thirty shots from the field.

Midway through the second quarter, the Stingers extended their lead by going on a 9-0 run in the span of a minute, thanks to three three-pointers.

The second half was also dominant for the Stingers as they continued to play tight and physical. Rookie Caroline Task was also a big factor in the win as she put up a game-high of 20 points.

“All the credit kind of goes to my team,” Task said. “They find me for open shots and they trust me to make it.”

Overall, the Stingers were intense on both sides of the court and UQAM was never able to match their level of play.

The Stingers will take on the McGill Martlets on Jan. 19 at 6 p.m.

Men’s Basketball

All the Stingers men’s basketball team needed was a defensive stop to secure a win against the UQAM Citadins, however, a last-second buzzer-beater by the Citadins put a dash in the Stingers plans. The Citadins won the game 68-67.

“Sometimes in basketball the ball just bounces right up to a guy’s hand,” said Stingers head coach Rastko Popovic. “We got them to take a very difficult shot. We shouldn’t put ourselves in that situation.”

The game started off well for both teams as they went back and forth on offence. The Stingers and the Citadins exchanged points, with the Stingers coming out of the first quarter with a 22-20 lead.

The Stingers started strong in the second quarter and built themselves a 31-21 lead thanks to some key plays by Stingers guard Ken Beaulieu.

After the Stingers extended their lead, the Citadins made their way back in the game thanks to guard Ibrahim Sylla. Sylla scored a game-high of 22 points and led his team to a 39-35 lead at halftime.

The Citadins came out in the third quarter with confidence and were all over the Stingers. After being dominated for most of the quarter, the Stingers called a timeout with four minutes left in the third quarter which gave the team a boost.

Down by seven, the Stingers battled back and tied the game going into the fourth quarter. The Stingers were in a position to win at the end of the game, but the buzzer-beater handed them their third loss of the season.

The Stingers play their next game on Jan. 19 at 8 p.m. against the McGill Redmen.

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Stingers come from behind against Toronto

The Concordia Stingers were down 3-0 after the first period but found a way to win. Photos by Ana Hernandez.

Concordia’s men’s hockey team mounted a comeback after being down by three goals

The Concordia Stingers men’s hockey team came from behind to defeat the University of Toronto Varsity Blues 4-3 on Jan. 6. The Stingers allowed three goals in the first period, but were able to rally back with four unanswered goals, improving their record to 13-5.

The Stingers started out the game with promise, dominating the play in the opening minutes. Concordia forward Anthony De Luca drew a high-sticking minor two and a half minutes into the first period.

The Stingers were unable to build any momentum with the man advantage, and only fell behind from there. The Varsity Blues scored on their own power play five minutes later, with forward Aidan Wallace tapping in the puck past Stingers goaltender Marc-Antoine Turcotte.

With eight and a half minutes to play in the first period, Varsity Blues forward Ryan Kirkup put Toronto up 2-0 with another tap-in from a behind-the-net pass from forward Matt Heffernan.

Turcotte, playing in only his second game for the Stingers, looked uncomfortable in net for the first period, allowing awkward rebounds on multiple shots.

“It was not his fault at all. We gave them too many good scoring chances,” said Stingers head coach Marc-André Élement of Turcotte, who was pulled after allowing three goals on six shots in the first period.

“Sometimes you have no choice [but to change goalies],” Élement said. “It was just to spark the team. He’s going to bounce back.”

Philippe Cadorette, who served as starting goaltender for the Stingers in the first half of the season, came in relief of Turcotte, and stopped all eleven shots he faced over the next two periods.

“We just needed a little change, and Cadorette was ready,” said Stingers captain Olivier Hinse. “That’s what you need when you change goalies.”

Concordia started to make up lost ground in the second period. Midway through the period, the Stingers converted on one of their four power plays, with forward Philippe Sanche one-timing a pass from De Luca.

The game featured nine power plays, as the Stingers took five minor penalties. The Varsity Blues brought a physical edge to the matchup, sparking undisciplined play by both teams.

The Stingers will play the Ryerson Rams on Saturday night.

“We had to adjust a bit. We had to be more physical in the second and the third,” Élement said. “[Playing] physical doesn’t mean to be stupid, just to be in the play and involved.”

Stingers forward Charles-Éric Légaré scored shorthanded late in the period from a big individual effort, driving hard to the net and squeaking the puck past Toronto goaltender Andrew Hunt.

“We know we can come back. We know we have a strong offense, we believe in ourselves,” Hinse said. “From line one to four, anyone can score. We’re all going every night.”

Hinse himself scored two goals in the third period, both at even strength, to give his team the win over Toronto. In 2017, Hinse has six points in two games.

“I was anxious to start 2017 on the right foot. It’s my last year here,” Hinse said. “I’m kind of sad and excited at the same time.”

The Stingers play again at 7:30 p.m. at Ed Meagher Arena on Jan. 7, hosting the Ryerson Rams, the second ranked collegiate team in Canada.

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Stingers defeat Team Denmark

Miguel Sullivan has been with the team since last season and has played two playoff games.

Despite a depleted squad, the Stingers found a way to win against a world junior team

It’s not everyday the Concordia Stingers men’s hockey team gets to a play a national team that is set to compete in the World Junior Hockey Tournament—yet on Dec. 17 at the Ed Meagher arena, that’s exactly what happened.

The Stingers were approached by Team Denmark to play in an exhibition game as part of Denmark’s preparation for the world juniors. While the Stingers didn’t have much time to prepare for the game, they managed to come out on top with a 4-2 victory.

“We didn’t really have any preparation,” said Stingers head coach Marc-André Élement. “We just went out and played hard. It’s always fun to play against a national hockey team.”

Despite the win, the Stingers came out sluggish in the first period, with Denmark showcasing their impressive speed. In the first few minutes of the period, the Stingers went back and forth with Denmark in terms of shots on net. By the halfway point in the period, the Stingers broke down and allowed Denmark to get better scoring chances.

Stingers goaltender Philippe Cadorette was solid in the first period, turning aside 12 of the 13 shots he faced. Cadorette made a couple of big glove saves as well, which earned some cheers from the Stingers crowd.

It wasn’t until there were 30 seconds left in the period that Cadorette allowed a goal. Denmark forward Alexander True got a breakaway and slid the puck past Cadorette’s glove to give Denmark a 1-0 lead going into the first intermission.

“We all know they’re going to the world juniors and I think we started off being impressed and we weren’t skating with them,” said Stingers forward Anthony Deluca.

The second period was much better for the Stingers, as they started to play physically and increased their speed. The team was rewarded early with a goal by Stingers forward Antoine Masson, to tie the game at 1-1.

The Stingers are now off until Nov. 4 when they play RMC.

Deluca scored a few minutes later to make it 2-1 and then just a few minutes after that, Denmark forward Rasmus Andersson Thykjær tied the game at 2-2.

The Stingers then regained control of the game with goals by defenceman Chris Domsodi and Deluca, who finished the game with two goals.

“I try to bring the puck to the net as much as possible, and fortunately my teammates gave me the puck in good spots,” Deluca said. “We played a really good team game in the second and third and that benefitted my game as well.”

The third period was a quiet one, as neither team was able to add on to the score. Halfway through the second period, the Stingers switched goalies and put in Miguel Sullivan, who made key saves in order to preserve the team’s 4-2 lead.

For Élement, the last two periods were a reflection of the adjustments the team made after the first period.

“We were playing too aggressive and they were swinging by us, so we changed the way we played,” Élement said.

The Stingers are now on break until Jan. 4, where the team will take on the Royal Military College of Canada. Meanwhile, Team Denmark will play their first game of the world junior championships against Sweden on Dec. 26.

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Grinding it out on the court

Olivier Simon played hockey until getting introduced to basketball at the age of 10. Photos by Brianna Thicke.

Stingers basketball rookie Olivier Simon talks about his career

Michael Jordan.

That is who Stingers men’s basketball rookie Olivier Simon was quick to name when asked who he models his game after.

“I first saw him in [the movie] Space Jam. I started reading all of his books,” Simon said. “He was the greatest player to ever play in the NBA. He was the model to follow… playing hard, working hard. It’s the only way you can get to this point.”

Standing at six-foot-seven and tipping the scale at about 220 lbs, it would be easy to assume that basketball was something the Terrebonne native was always good at. However, as a youngster,  Simon played hockey until he was introduced to basketball at the age of 10.

“The basketball coach [at the time] was a really good guy,” Simon said. “He was there in the gym at six o’clock in the morning before class to help kids [play] because, at that age, we have a lot of energy.”

Simon added that participating in those extracurricular activities is what lead him to embrace the game of basketball. He developed a passion for the game which lead him to CEGEP Édouard-Montpetit, despite it being about an hour away from his hometown.

“[Édouard-Montpetit] was the only one that recruited me,” Simon said. “If it wasn’t for that school, I would have probably stopped basketball.”

After three years of relative success in CEGEP, Simon had plenty of offers to play at the collegiate level.

The five Quebec university teams—McGill, Bishop’s, Laval, UQAM and Concordia, all wanted to recruit Simon. Simon said he chose Concordia because of the atmosphere and head coach Rastko Popovic set the school apart from the others.. For Simon, everything just seemed to fall into place.

“The team is young—we’re going to build together. I have five years, so that was a big point,” Simon said. “When I talk with coach Popovic, it’s easy. We have the same mentality when it comes to basketball.”

“Saying that he trusted me was the biggest thing you can say to prove to a guy you want him,” Simon added.

Simon smiles for the camera before a game.

When he is not on the court, the rookie forward describes himself as an easygoing person who likes to hangout with friends and family. He particularly likes movies, claiming he watches “lots of Netflix” when he has time.

Besides training on and off the court and juggling his social life, Simon is enrolled in the leisure science program.

“It’s nice. I have a communication and psychology class that I like,” Simon said. “It’s not like math or science with all the numbers. It’s really concrete. We get to know more about us—how we think, how we interact.”

Simon said he wants no part in sitting at a desk with a computer for the rest of his life. He wants to work primarily with kids and be able to give back to the community. He said ideally he would like to stay involved in basketball and even become a part of the program at Concordia.

Simon has already helped make an impact with the Stingers this year, aided by a strong work ethic which he feels came to him early in his career.

“[My work ethic] came from my high school. The CEGEP I went to was the only one that recruited me because, in high school, I wasn’t that good of a player. I always worked hard to get what I want,” Simon said. “It wasn’t always easy to go on the court and do what I have to. I had to overwork. It’s always been like that.”

The Terrebonne native said he knows what his role on the Stingers team is. While he may not play 40 minutes a night, he wants to continue to improve on the little things, each and every game.

Looking towards the future, Simon said he would love to go pro at some point.

“That would be a huge experience,” Simon said.

For now though, Simon is more focused on the Stingers and his university career. He hopes that, while he’s at Concordia, the team can win a championship. Simon would also like to be a leader.

“In my fourth and fifth year, I want to set an example for the new recruits. Like, when they’ll come in the gym, I want them to see me and do the same things because I want everybody to work as hard,” said Simon.

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Concordia Stingers hockey by the numbers

A mid-year look at how the men’s and women’s teams are doing from a statistical standpoint

With Concordia’s hockey teams set to take some time off for the winter break, it’s a perfect chance to take a statistical peak into how the school’s two teams have been performing this year.

The men’s team posted a 9-4-0 record through 13 games this season, while the women’s team has had a rougher time so far, playing to a 2-5-0 record in seven games. All statistics are up to date as of Nov. 24.

Men’s Team

Last year, the Stingers had no trouble putting the puck in the net. What the team lacked was consistent defense—the 2015-16 squad allowed almost four goals-against per game.

However, the Stingers have tightened up their game, improving in virtually every defensive category. In just 13 games, the Stingers have almost matched their win total from last season, thanks in part to solid team defence.

The Stingers were busy this summer, recruiting three high profile players to their roster, adding to their depth at the forward positions and addressing their defensive weaknesses.

Forward Philippe Sanche played four years in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), scoring 200 points in 210 games before joining the Stingers, according to hockeydb.com. He was voted the hardest working player in the league in 2015 and has already had an offensive impact with the team.

Forward Anthony Deluca brings even more experience, having played professional hockey last year in the ECHL. Not only does Deluca lead the Stingers in scoring, but he ranks second in all of U Sports in goal scoring.

Still, it’s goaltender Philippe Cadorette who has had the greatest impact on the team’s success. Cadorette, has 209 games of experience in the QMJHL and has been able to provide the Stingers with the type of consistent goaltending the team lacked last year. He has stopped 322 of 352 shots this year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

At first glance, it would be safe to assume that the Stingers women’s hockey team has been struggling this season. However, a deeper look into their play reveals that there is room for optimism.

Shots-For-Percentage (SF%) is a statistic that measures how much a team controls the flow of play. The Stingers may have trouble elsewhere, but with coach Julie Chu at the helm, they have been outshooting their opponents more effectively than they have in years.

Where things have gone wrong for the women’s team is in net. The Stingers are dead last in save percentage in the entire country, and not by a small margin.

Starting goaltender Katherine Purchase and backup Briar Bache have combined for an 84.6 per cent save percentage this season, meaning the team has allowed 3.28 goals-against per game. For reference, the average save percentage in U Sports this year has been 91.2 per cent.

Despite her struggles, Purchase is poised to bounce back from her weak start. This season’s results included, she’s posted a 91.6 per cent save percentage in her three years in U Sports. She was also named Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) rookie of the year in 2014-15.

If Purchase is able to return to form and the team maintains their strong defensive play,  the Stingers could become one of the toughest teams to score against in the league.

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Stingers bounce back against Paladins

Miguel Sullivan has been with the team since last season and has played two playoff games.

The Concordia men’s hockey team defeated the Royal Military College of Canada after two straight losses

After losing to the Carleton Ravens 4-0 the night before, the Concordia Stingers men’s hockey team bounced back and defeated the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) Paladins 7-1 on Nov. 26 at the Ed Meagher Arena.

“The win was very important since we didn’t play well last night,” said Stingers head coach Marc-André Élement. “I wanted the guys to be physical tonight and to execute the gameplan, and that showed on the scoreboard.”

The Stingers came out flying in the first period, out-shooting RMC 19-5. Despite the pressure, Paladins goaltender Austin Hannaford was a nuisance for the Stingers forwards, as he made save after save.

Five minutes into the opening period, the Stingers were able to solve Hannaford after a goal by forward Vincent Watt. The goal was Watt’s first of the season and his first with the Stingers.

“Getting my first goal of the season felt great especially since it was for my hometown team,” Watt said.

For the rest of the period, the Stingers kept up their high-tempo offence but were unable to convert. Halfway through the period, the Paladins tied the game at 1-1, after a goal squeaked by the arm of Stingers goaltender Miguel Sullivan.

Just a few minutes later, the Stingers took the lead back with a power play goal by captain Olivier Hinse, which put them up 2-1 going into the first intermission.

“Tonight we wanted guys to throw pucks on net and have a physical presence in front of the net,” Élement said when asked about his team’s offensive performance.

The Stingers kept up their dominance in the second period as they continued to generate shots on net. Just four minutes into the period, the Stingers increased their lead to 3-1 when forward Charles-Éric Légaré scored on a rebound.

The Stingers will now play against UOIT in their last game before Christmas.

Throughout the period, Hannaford continued to be the Paladins’ best player, as he stopped shot after shot. However, the Stingers proved to be too much for him to handle. With three and a half minutes left in the period, the Stingers went up 4-1, after forward Philippe Sanche sent a cross-crease pass to Hinse, who scored his second goal of the game.

Two minutes later, Hinse scored his third goal of the game for a hat-trick. The goal came on a five-on-three power play and put the Stingers up 5-1, which was the lead they took into the third period.

“Tonight the puck was just coming to my stick and all I had to do was put it in,” Hinse said. “My goal with Sanche was amazing. He did all the work and I just had to tap it in.”

In the third and final period, the Stingers weren’t as energetic as they were in the first two periods. However, they were still too quick for the Paladins. Seven minutes into the period, Stingers rookie Anthony Deluca scored to make it 6-1.

With just under three minutes left, Hinse put away his fourth goal of the game, which would be the team’s last of the night en-route to their 7-1 victory.

The Stingers will play their next game on Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m. against the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. It will be their last game before the winter break.

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Concordia student pursues career in mixed martial arts

Ahimon is currently focusing on kickboxing, which he said can be exhausting. Photos by Elisa Barbier.

Exercise science student Sean Michael Ahimon is training hard for a career in the UFC

Sean Michael Ahimon, a mixed martial arts fighter and Concordia University student, has been practicing one specific philosophy for most of his life.

“When you go [into the fighting ring], there is no blaming anyone else. If you mess up, it’s on you,” Ahimon said.

Ahimon, 18, started martial arts at the age of nine when his mom suggested he get into it because he was being bullied at school. Early on, he met Derek Watson—his instructor—who gave him a strong passion for martial arts. However, Ahimon said his instructor left only six months after he arrived, as Watson was unhappy with his superior’s choices when it came to running the school.

It was only during a taekwondo demonstration by Watson at Ahimon’s middle school that the two had the chance to meet again. Right after, Ahimon signed up at Watson’s school, Strive Martial Arts. This was a turning point for Ahimon and his art. He furthered his training and earned his black belt. He had his first competition during his first year of high school.

“It was nerve-wracking. I didn’t know what to expect. I remember watching a bunch of videos of taekwondo Olympians and trying to copy what they do,” Ahimon said. “When the fight started, I just went blank. I just remember spinning, spinning, spinning.”

On that day, Ahimon would dodge every kick and countered with roundhouse kicks—a semicircular kick that strikes the opponent with the front of the leg. Yet, as he executed a tornado kick—a roundhouse kick with a body rotation—he mistakenly landed on his kicking foot, performing a 540 tornado kick that directly hit his opponent. The kick got him the attention of 10 different martial arts schools, since it is rarely used for purposes other than displaying one’s abilities outside of fights.

From then on, Ahimon started taking taekwondo seriously. He started wrestling with his high school team and started kickboxing during his sophomore year. By the end of high school, Ahimon was the fifth-ranked wrestler in his home state of Maryland. During that time, he also fought three kickboxing fights and 70 taekwondo fights.

As he continued to participate in multiple competitions for different martial arts, Ahimon said he learned how to deal with the tension from competing. Nevertheless, Ahimon said he still feels nervous sometimes, but he thinks it’s a good thing—it creates an out-of-body experience that makes the fight more memorable, he said.

In terms of his fighting ability, reaching a higher level pushed him to be more conscious of his moves, since opponents at higher levels are better at countering. He said fighting is more of a strategy game for him now.

In April, Ahimon competed at the German Grand Prix in Hamburg with the US national taekwondo team. It was his first national tournament and the team lost by three points to Germany. After the competition, Ahimon said he wanted to move from competing in taekwondo to kickboxing, as he was tired of it.

When it comes to practice, Ahimon described it as fun, although the intensity has continued to increase.

“[There is] lots of kicking and I get tired fast,” Ahimon said. “But when you are tired, you still have to kick.”

Nowadays, Ahimon trains three hours a day, five days a week at Tristar gym, which is the same gym UFC fighter George St-Pierre trained at. When he trains, Ahimon switches between pad work, sweep drills, weight-lifting and cardio. Sometimes, he even gets to spar with other MMA fighters.

Ahimon does cardio in addition to his other exercises.

When reflecting on what made him want to pursue his dream of becoming a professional MMA fighter, Ahimon said it was all because of a fight he saw on TV.

“I always threw [dreams] out there when I was a little kid,” Ahimon said. “One day in seventh grade, I was thinking of extreme things I wanted to be, and I turned on the TV and UFC was the first thing that came on.”

The fight was between Chad Mendes and Rani Yahya. According to Ahimon, if it wasn’t for that fight, he probably wouldn’t be pursuing a career in MMA, and would never have gotten so invested in combat sports.

Ahimon is currently studying exercise science at Concordia, but his main goal is to switch into the journalism program. Writing articles in high school gave him the passion to want to pursue journalism.

“I like writing articles, specifically about sports and music. I like to break those things down,” Ahimon said.

Ahimon has been trying to adjust to life in Montreal, all while finding a healthy balance between his new training regimen, his schoolwork and his social life. He said it’s hard to find a happy medium. However, living in residence has allowed him to cut down transportation time and meet with friends easily. When it comes to school, he said his mindset is, if he completes his assignments properly and quickly, he will be able to compete more.

While talking about the difference between team sports and an individual sport like mixed martial arts, Ahimon said the feeling you get from both are different, as individual sports allow you to truly feel and see your strength. This is something he feels team sports lacks.

“When you play a team sport, you will never ever ever understand what it is to win a fight,” Ahimon said. In his opinion, in combat sports, “it is all your hard work that determines the outcome of the fight.” Ahimon added, with a team, on the other hand, one’s ability may be less decisive in competition.  “When you win, you physically controlled your own destiny, not your team,” he said.

Ahimon’s next fight is Dec. 3, although his opponent and the location of the fight are still unknown.

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Empowering women through sports

hen Ouellette isn’t playing for Les Canadiennes, she is a skills coach for the Concordia Stingers. Photos by Yacine Bouhali.

Concordia Stingers skills coach, Caroline Ouellette, is inspiring young hockey players

Through hockey, Les Canadiennes de Montréal forward Caroline Ouellette hopes to empower young women by teaching them the lessons she has learned throughout her time playing the game.

Ouellette has been an integral part of the Canadian women’s national hockey team since 1999. The four-time Olympian has never lost in a final, winning gold in 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014. According to CBC Olympics, she is third all-time in games played for the national team.

As someone with deep ties to the hockey community, Ouellette said “it’s a responsibility for Olympians to give back.”

When Ouellette is not playing for Les Canadiennes de Montréal, she coaches the Concordia Stingers women’s hockey team as a skills and development coach. She is also the owner of the Caroline Ouellette High Performance hockey camps, located in Quebec, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Newfoundland.

Her love for the game is what led her to start coaching and mentoring young women. She said she finds motivation through teaching girls to become confident and assertive—characteristics she feels will help them later in life.

“[When they] face the world, they will have the confidence to become anything they desire,” Ouellette said. “When I see young girls playing, it makes me so happy, because I’ve experienced the best moments through my sport.”

Ouellette said the lessons hockey has taught her prepared her for everything she has faced in life.

At age nine, Ouellette joined a boy’s hockey league because, at the time, it was not considered a sport for girls. “You played with the boys or you didn’t play at all,” she said.

After years of perseverance and competing against boys, she joined the women’s national team at 17.

Wanda Bedard, president of the 60 Million Girls Foundation—an organization Ouellette spoke at—said she found Ouellette’s story of gender discrimination to be an inspiring story of determination and strength.

Ouellette is currently working to close the gender gap in the sport she is so passionate about. Young boys are encouraged to play hockey, while young girls don’t get that same encouragement. According to Ouellette, one problem that arises with few all-girl teams is that teams have to travel farther in order to find opponents.

Ouellette loves to see young girls play hockey.

“If we offer more programs to try hockey, girls will know if they like it, and, if they do, then [the parents are] going to be convinced,” Ouellette said.

One of the ways Ouellette encourages young girls to try hockey is during events like the third annual Girls Hockey Celebration tournament, which is taking place between Dec. 15 and 18. The tournament is expected to host 50 to 60 all-girls teams. One of the workshops offered at the tournament allows girls to borrow full sets of of equipment for free and participate in a practice led by Ouellette and various female Olympians.

Ouellette said in collaboration with Hockey Canada and Hockey Quebec, more programs should be offered where girls can borrow equipment to test the sport out.

While Ouellette hopes to encourage more young girls to play hockey, she has another dream: a professional league where female athletes are paid to play.

A professional league “would give young girls a clear path of what they can aspire to, just like how young boys who play dream of the Stanley Cup,” Ouellette said.

While young boys can pursue their dreams of playing in the NHL, it isn’t the same case for girls. Although women’s hockey becomes prominent during the Olympic games, little attention is paid to it during the four-year gap in between, she said.

According to Ouellette, in order for women to get paid to play, there must be sponsors and media coverage to bring attention to the league and a partnership with the NHL.

Her contributions to women’s hockey have not gone unnoticed. In 2013, she was the recipient of the Isobel Gathorne-Hardy Award. According to Hockey Canada, this award is given to an active player “whose values, leadership and personal traits are representative of all female athletes.”

When asked about what she would do if given the opportunity to play with the national team at the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, she said that she would play.

“It is the greatest honour and privilege to wear that jersey and play in front of the best hockey fans in the world,” said Ouellette.

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