Tag: Concordia Stingers

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Concordia archive photos: Going back in time

concordia archive
I have so many questions.

We recently dug through The Concordian’s archive room and found these photos

After a pitch meeting last spring, some of our staff spent an afternoon looking through old files in our messy archive room. We got to see what our newspaper looked like back when when it was the only leading news source for Concordia students. We also discovered a pile of old sports photos from the days when pictures were developed and printed–crazy right? Here are some of the best Concordia archive pictures from past photographers. (Slideshow, scroll over for credits)

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Stingers get first win in home-opener

Archive photo by Kirubel Mehari.

The Concordia Stingers men’s hockey team beat the Carleton Ravens 4-2 on Oct. 6. in the home-opener at the Ed Meagher arena.

The Stingers lost their season-opening game 2-1 against the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) Paladins on Oct. 4. Head coach Marc-André Élement said the win is a big confidence-booster for his team. “We just have to build on that now,” Élement said.

The Stingers got on the scoreboard under a minute into the game. Captain Philippe Hudon fed forward Philippe Sanche with a pass for his first goal of the season.

“[It was a] big win for us today, that’s what we needed,” Sanche said. “It was nice to have a lot of ice time out there tonight and find the net.”

Two early penalties plagued the Stingers following Sanche’s opening goal. Carleton capitalized on their undisciplined play with a power-play goal. Alexandre Boivin scored the Ravens’s first goal of the game, midway through first. Two minutes later, Sanche added his second of the game and helped the Stingers retake the lead.

Carleton’s Jacob Smith tied the game back up just over a minute into the second period. The period went by quickly, without many whistles, as both teams kept a high tempo. That was until first-year Stingers forward Chase Harwell scored his first goal of the season, bringing the Stingers up to 3-2.

“Feels great to get the win on opening night at home,” Harwell said. “It had been tough for me to find the net this year so far. We needed to bounce back, and we did.”

The hard-charging and physical Ravens could not score any goals in the third period; penalties were not a factor either. Midway through the period, however, Stingers defenceman Philippe Charbonneau received a game misconduct for a hit to the head on a Ravens player. Later, Charles-Éric Légaré scored an empty-net goal to seal the win for Concordia.

“If you want them to have confidence in their ability, we need them to play,” said Élement about his young team and new players getting ice time. “These kinds of games are games that get us ready for the playoffs.”

The Stingers men’s hockey team improved their record to 1-1-0 on the season and will play their next game at home on Saturday, Oct. 13, against the Université de Québec à Trois-Rivières Patriotes.

Main photo by Kirubel Mehari

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WNBA wage gap: playing for passion, not money

Graphic by @spooky_soda

Highest NBA salary 561 times the average female player

In 2018, the average NBA player made an annual salary of just over $7.1 million, according to Sporting Intelligence. The average WNBA salary is a fraction of that total, at just over $71,000, according to Forbes.

Incredibly, both of these salaries pale in comparison to the NBA supermax deals implemented after the 2017 season. This rule allowed three-time NBA Champion and two-time MVP Stephen Curry to sign an enormous five-year, $201 million deal. That’s an average of $40.2 million per year, nearly six times the average NBA salary and 561 times the average WNBA salary. Do these supermax deals exist for female superstars?

Sylvia Fowles, the 2017 WNBA MVP, made $109,000, while her MVP male counterpart, Russell Westbrook, made $28.5 million. These salary increases have prompted many women from the WNBA to speak out on social media about the wage gap.

The gap between male and female wages has been a long-standing debate, but is there a true solution? In the entertainment and sports world, it’s not about what you perceive you are worth, but what you can leverage through negotiations. The value of a sports league only increases if it is consumed by the public. Since the WNBA started play in 1997, attendance has steadily decreased. From 2017 to 2018, the league attendance went down by 13 per cent. How does this harsh reality affect the women whose passions exist in the world of sports?

Third-year and fifth-year Concordia Stingers guards Caroline Task and Aurélie d’Anjou Drouin believe the WNBA players made comments about the wage gap because of the NBA’s supermax deals.

“If a girl wants to go pro here and make a living out of it, you have to go play in Europe; you can’t even stay in North America,” Task said. “I think it has a huge impact on girls wanting to go pro.”

For female athletes, choosing to pursue a professional career is risky, with a chance of not making it. Even if they do, the pay could be minimal. But that won’t stop Task.

“Personally, if I had the chance obviously, I would go pro for a few years, but that’s where it comes in,” Task said. “You have to love the game that much more to sacrifice the career to play for little to no money.”

Despite her love for the game, d’Anjou Drouin expressed a different point of view. “There’s so many job opportunities here. I already have my job for next year, and it’s probably twice as much money as I would make playing basketball,” she said.

Despite their different points of view, they can both agree on the fact that at the university level at Concordia, they feel equally supported as the men.

“I think Concordia does a really good job of advertising all the games—there’s never preferential treatment,” Task said.

D’Anjou Drouin also made a suggestion on how to increase WNBA attendance. “I think that the way it works here in university is an idea that maybe could be brought to professional levels,” d’Anjou Drouin said. “Maybe if they do doubleheaders like they do at Concordia, maybe it would bring more NBA fans to the women’s games.”

Currently seven WNBA teams are in the same city as an NBA counterpart.

To accommodate this possible change, the WNBA season schedule, which plays from May to September, would have to coincide with the NBA, whose schedule runs from October to April, and has 48 extra games.

However, with the NBA players publicly supporting the WNBA through social media and attendance, this could prompt NBA fans to give the WNBA a chance. Whether the league continues to grow or not, it’s clear that the love of the game is still what drives both men and women to continue to play, regardless of financial incentives.

Graphic by @spooky_soda

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Stingers men’s hockey team wants to improve on bronze medal

The men’s hockey teams aims to build on its bronze-medal success from last season. Archive photo by Alex Hutchins.

Head coach Marc-André Élement excited by some rookies at training camp

The puck drops on the Concordia Stingers men’s hockey season on Oct. 4. Head coach Marc-André Élement might be facing some challenges with all the changes from last year’s team.

Anthony Beauregard, U Sports leading scorer and MVP from last season, signed a professional contract with the Brampton Beast in the ECHL. Massimo Carozza, whose 35 points were second on the team to Beauregard’s 60, is playing hockey in Italy now.

This will be Philippe Hudon’s second season as captain, and last with the team. Archive photo by Alex Hutchins.

Élement appeared on CJLO Sports on Sept. 17 and spoke about how his team will need to adjust without his offensive stars. He said the team defencemen will need to join in on the attack.

“We need more offence from everyone,” Élement sad. “We’re changing stuff in our game to have the defencemen join the rush a little bit more. It’s going to be something we’re going to be working on.”

A few other veterans from the team also graduated at the end of last season. Forwards Raphaël Lafontaine, Scott Oke, Antoine Masson, Dominic Beauchemin and goalie Antoine Dagenais aren’t on this year’s team. Élement always spoke highly of Lafontaine, who was an assistant captain last season.

“Lafontaine was giving his 110 per cent every game; you know he was there every game” Élement said. “That’s what you want from every other player, so Lafontaine’s intensity and work ethic will be missed for sure.”

Defenceman Carl Neill will be an assistant captain in his second season with the Stingers. Archive photo by Alex Hutchins.

Part of having so many players leave is new players coming in. According to Canadian University Sports Network (CUSN), the Stingers recruited 12 new players, which includes eight forwards, three defencemen and a goalie. One of the first recruits the Stingers announced in April, centre Hugo Roy, is the player Élement is most excited about. Roy is one of four recruits from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QJMHL). He played for the Sherbrooke Phoenix and scored 107 points in 132 games in the past two seasons.

“He’s a guy that will play both ways and he will be our number-one centre,” Élement said. “He’s going to bring a lot of offence, and defensively, he plays really well. He’s a complete player.”

Élement was also surprised by another Roy during training camp. He said rookie defenceman Charlie Roy is doing all the right things in the team’s exhibition games.

“He’s a low-profile defenceman,” Élement added. “He plays well defensively; he’s hard to beat one-on-one. He’s a low-key guy that you’re not going to notice in practice or games but he’s doing well.”

After a season with injuries, forward Philippe Sanche is back as an assistant captain. Archive photo by Alex Hutchins.

The Stingers started training camp earlier this year because Élement wanted all his players, new and old, to bond with each other. They had a beach volleyball tournament and other team-bonding activities during training camp. The head coach said he likes what he’s seen from his leadership group, composed of captain Philippe Hudon and assistant captains Carl Neill, Philippe Sanche and Alexandre Gosselin.

“They’re doing an amazing job in the locker room,” Élement added. “I think all those guys are well-respected and it’s going really well.”

Last season, the Stingers won the bronze medal in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) conference and finished in eighth place at nationals. It was the first time Concordia’s men’s hockey team played at nationals in 34 years, but Élement wants to make it two years in a row.

Expect defenceman Alexandre Gosselin to play be a key player for this team. Archive photo by Alex Hutchins.

“Our expectations are always the same, we always want to go all the way,” Élement said. “With the young group we have, we see that they’re really intense so we want to have that in our game […] We want to put on a good show and have our guys compete every night.”

The Stingers visit the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) Paladins for the season-opener on Oct. 4, but have their home-opener on Oct. 6 against the Carleton Ravens.

Main photo by Alex Hutchins.

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Greg Sutton is adjusting to a new head coaching role

The women’s soccer team won their first game at home against the McGill Martlets on Sept. 23. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

Master coach sees challenges in charge of both teams

The 2018-19 season marked a new start for Greg Sutton, as he was named the head coach of both Concordia Stingers soccer teams this summer.

Sutton, who had an international career in soccer for 14 years, began coaching the Stingers as an assistant coach for the men’s team in 2011. He was named the head coach in 2013.

“It’s been fun, but challenging as well,” Sutton said on his experience so far. “We knew the challenge going into it. It’s two different teams.”

For Sutton, this new role with the Stingers also represents a new start and new opportunities.

“We have a team that has been built for few years now, under my guidance,” Sutton said. “Now, it’s the women’s side that really is a new start for me and them. It’s all about developing a culture and continuing to grow our team, as we want to get better and better every year.”

Head coach Greg Sutton wants to develop better players for the future. Photo by Hannah Ewen.

According to Sutton, improving the women’s team’s success might be his biggest challenge for the next few years. Developing more talented players is a priority for the future.

“They haven’t been in a great place for the last few years,” Sutton said. “For me, it’s about trying to work on that and get better in that aspect. We understand that it’s not going to happen in one night.”

Sutton adds that there are differences between both programs. The women’s and men’s teams each require their own unique approach.

“There’s a different path that we’re trying to develop for both teams,” Sutton said. “Coaching women and coaching men definitely has differences and we recognize that.”

Sutton also sees the importance of cooperation between men’s and women’s programs, as both teams often work together. “There are a lot of similarities and synergies that we use to develop the kind of programs and the culture behind these stables,” Sutton said.

Success remains something that Sutton focuses on. In fact, seeing the growth of both teams is what Sutton enjoys the most.

“It’s making sure that they’re enjoying their soccer, but also winning games,” Sutton said. “It’s good to see that they are enjoying their soccer. Now, we need to keep that going and that will come with winning games at the same time.”

Just over the midway point of the soccer season, the women’s team has a 2-6-1 record, while the men are 1-6-1. They both play Oct. 4 at McGill.

Main photo by Mackenzie Lad. 

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Resilient Stingers fall to Rouge et Or

The Stingers outscored the Rouge et Or 14-12 in the second half. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

Tess Armstrong scored her first try of the season

The Concordia Stingers women’s rugby team lost 41-19 to the Université de Laval Rouge et Or on Sunday afternoon. The Stingers’s record has fallen to 2-2 on the season.

After the opening 20 minutes of the game, the Stingers were down 24-0. They gave up one more try before first-year back Jasmine Baxter scored a try in the last minute of the half, cutting the lead to 29-5.

“I was just looking behind me when I intercepted it and saw I had two people on me, so I knew I had to touch it down,” said Baxter on describing what went through her mind on her way to score. This was her sixth try of the season.

The Rouge et Or scored two other tries early in the second half. The Stingers’s defence tightened up, allowing Concordia to score two tries of their own. Second-year forward Tess Armstrong scored her first try of the season in the game.

The Stingers outscored the Rouge et Or 14-12 in the second half. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

“It feels great to have scored that try,” said Armstrong. “We played a great game at the end which helped me get the try. I’m proud of the girls for not giving up, especially in a rebuild season.”

Head coach Jocelyn Barrieau said she wants her players to be positive so “nobody falls alone,” and that this game was an example of their character.

“After being down by that much so quickly in the game, it was a shock to the girls,” said Barrieau. “[Baxter]’s try definitely gave us some momentum. It was an individual score, but it was team’s defence that caused it, making for team effort.”

Rouge et Or head coach Kévin Rouet said he wished his team finished the game stronger. “We got too loose and allowed the other team to get back into the game,” Rouet said. “We will take the win, but we will need to work on finishing.”

The Stingers’s next game is on Oct. 5 away against the Université de Montréal Carabins.

Main photo by Mackenzie Lad. 

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Stingers lose by big margin again in Shrine Bowl

The Stingers lost their second-straight game at home on Saturday against the Rouge et Or. Photo by Gabe Chevalier.

Conference’s best team beats Concordia 53-2 in Shrine Bowl

The Concordia Stingers football team played the Université Laval Rouge et Or on Sept. 29 in the 32nd annual Shrine Bowl. The Rouge et Or remained undefeated this season with a 53-2 win.

The Stingers kept the game respectable after the first quarter down 9-0, but heading into halftime, they were down 19-2. In the first half, the Stingers defence played fairly well, giving up less than 20 points to the best team in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ). They forced the Rouge et Or to a couple of two-and-outs and were playing with some intensity.

The Stingers offence, however, could not seem to sustain a good drive and could not stay on the field. Laval’s defensive line was able to keep the Stingers running game in check, allowing them a total of 82 net yards for the game.

“We had a good first quarter. The second quarter was good too,” said Stingers running back David Germain. “We were confident coming back out from halftime. Some guys had trouble getting momentum back in the second half.”

Laval’s offence put up 438 total yards against the Stingers. Photo by Gabe Chevalier.

The third quarter was when the Rouge et Or blew the game wide open. Their offence seemed to hit their stride, and wide receiver Jonathan Breton-Robert caught four passes on one drive that led to a touchdown. He finished the game with seven catches for 98 yards. Laval ended up outscoring Concordia 30-0 in the third quarter alone. The Stingers persistently ran the football even though it was not working.

The Rouge et Or defence does deserve some credit. They played a very disciplined game and did not give up any big plays. Laval’s Souleymane Karamoko played a solid game in his cornerback position. He seemed to always be at the right place at the right time. He ended the game with three passes defended, and stopped the Stingers receivers almost the entire game. Derek Trinh finished with a team-high 21 yards receiving for the Stingers.

Laval’s offence had a very good game, too. Their quarterback, Hugo Richard, had a productive game, completing 19 out of 29 pass attempts for 213 yards and two touchdowns. The Rouge et Or offence picked up 438 yards throughout the game, compared to the Stingers’s 118.

Even though the score was lopsided, the Stingers showed some promise. Trinh and Quaysie Gordon-Maule showed signs of elusiveness as returners on special teams. There were times when they came close to breaking off on a big run and returning it to the house. Both of these players are extremely dangerous in open space. The Stingers running back Micah Sullivan had a solid game; he racked up 92 yards on 17 carries for an average of 5.4 yards per carry.

“We have to get going on both sides of the ball and, even on special teams, we have to keep it going for 60 minutes,” Germain added. “If we play 60 minutes, we can play with anyone in the league.”

Concordia looks to bounce back in two weeks and get their revenge as they play the Université de Montréal Carabins on Oct. 13.

Main photo by Gave Chevalier. 

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Stingers beat Carabins for third win this season

Head coach Craig Beemer was happy with the Stingers defence. Photo by Hannah Ewen.

Defence holds strong to remain undefeated in ten straight

The Concordia Stingers men’s rugby team remain undefeated this season with a 36-3 victory over the Université de Montréal Carabins Friday night at Concordia Stadium. This is their third win of the season, as they remain on top of the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ).

Despite what the final score suggests, it was the Stingers’s defence that got the best of the Carabins. The Carabins had numerous scoring opportunities in the game, but were simply unable to pass the Stingers’s goalline.

Michael Laplaine-Pereira scored two tries in the game. Photo by Hannah Ewen.

“We have a certain structure [on defence] that we try to play with and I think we mapped that out very well,” said head coach Craig Beemer after the game. “It was very aggressive off the line and we didn’t miss too many tackles.”

Beemer added that he was happy with the way his offence played compared to the first two games. “We are not simply relying on individuals and overall, I am really happy with our performance,” he said.

Hooker Michael Laplaine-Pereira, who finished the game with two tries, was named MVP of the game for the Stingers.

Stingers Dylan MacDonald and Stephen Martinez received yellow cards, while Malcolm Baird received a red card.

“I thought the referee was very critical of us,” Beemer said. “But at the same time, if you take that many penalties, you will get cards.”

According to Beemer, the team responded to adversity the right way, despite receiving many penalties.

“Sometimes you’re really getting frustrated,” Beemer added. “I think our guys did a really good job with keeping calm, just playing defence and trying to create turnovers to get the ball.”

With that win, the Stingers won all of their last 10 regular season games, dating back to last year’s undefeated season.

“You always want to win the last game,” said Beemer, referring to the championship game. “That record is more about the players and their willingness to get better every day.”

The Stingers will now face the Bishop’s University Gaiters on Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. in Sherbrooke.

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Stingers put smiles on kids faces at Shriners

Two patients of Shriners Hospital were named King and Queen of the Shrine bowl. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

Shrine Bowl to hit $1-million mark

Preparations for the 32nd annual Shrine Bowl, benefiting the Shriners Hospital for Children, are underway. A few players of the Concordia Stingers football team made the yearly visit to the hospital on Sept. 26. With this year’s donations, the total amount of  money raised from the Shrine Bowl will hit the $1 million mark.

Head coach Brad Collinson, cornerback Khadeem Pierre, linebacker Jersey Henry, defensive tackle Brandon Pacheco, centre Marc-Antoine Sevigny, and defensive linemen Maurice Simba and Michael Sanelli all participated in the hospital visit.

Maurice Simba (foreground) said he enjoys putting smiles on kids’ faces. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

The players visit to patients throughout the hospital was accompanied by this year’s Shrine Bowl King and Queen, Saoud, 16, and Victoria,14, who are also patients at the Shriners. All of the players involved in this year’s walk around the hospital expressed how much they enjoy the experience and being able to interact with the patients.

“It’s been an honour to participate in this event every year,” Sanelli said. “I realize how blessed we are to play the sport. You put a smile on the kid’s face and brighten up their day and it’s an honour.”

Simba also said it’s great to make the kids happy and to see a smile on their faces. “I think it’s good that we do this as a program and on a personal level too,” he said.

“Seeing kids and making them happy is a big deal,” Pierre added. “It’s nice to give back.”

David Merrett, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Governors, expressed his feelings on being able to reach that one-million-dollar mark.

“The people who started this way back never would have imagined raising this amount because it just seemed unreachable,” Merrett said. “But as the years went on, and the dollar changed, it seemed reachable.”

Michael Sanelli, Marc-Antoine Sevigny and Brandon Pacheco all made the trip to the hospital. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

The Honorary Chairman of the event this year is former Stingers head coach Gerry McGrath. He coached the team from 2000 to 2013, and played in the CFL for the Montreal Alouettes, Montreal Concordes and Saskatchewan Roughriders for six years.

“I’ve been involved with the Shriners and this game for many years,” McGrath said. “It’s always special to see what they’ve done and see it get to the one million mark.”

The Stingers play in the Shrine Bowl at home on Sept. 30 against the Université de Laval Rouge et Or. Canadian singer Sara Diamond will perform the Canadian national anthem, and deliver a special halftime performance. Kick-off is at 2 p.m., with money raised from ticket sales donated to the Shriners Hospital for Children.

Main photo by Mackenzie Lad.

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Concordia honours historic Stingers teams

Football assistant head coach Pete Regimbald was honoured after 50 years with the team. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

Two teams and two players inducted into Concordia Sports Hall of Fame

Pete Regimbald, assistant head coach on the Concordia Stingers football team, was honoured during a weekend celebrating the school’s athletic history. He has been with the football team since 1968, when they were the Loyola College Warriors, and will retire at the end of this season.

Head coach Brad Collinson played under Regimbald from 2000 to 2002, and was a part-time coach alongside him from 2004 to 2010. Now, in his present role, Collinson gets to work with him for his final season. The head coach said Regimbald brings a lot of experience to the coaching staff.

“He’s a great man and he’s spent a lot of time here,” Collinson said. “It’s an honour to be working with him again.”

Current players, such as fourth-year offensive lineman Maurice Simba, also spoke highly of Regimbald. “That guy is everything,” Simba said. “He’s like a mentor and father for us. He knows this program more than anyone.”

Concordia honoured Regimbald on Saturday night, following their 74-3 loss to the Université de Montréal Carabins during the homecoming game. Despite the blowout loss, Simba said the players gave their best effort for Regimbald.   

“People now are going to say, ‘How did you guys give 100 per cent when you lost by 71 points?’ but we gave everything we got,” Simba added. “I’m really proud of the person he is, and he’s helped a lot of guys on the football team.”  

Receiver James Tyrrell also had nothing but positive words about the assistant head coach after the game.

“He’s an intense coach no matter his age, and his heart is really in the game,” Tyrrell said with a laugh. “It’s fun to have him around and he deserves it.”

The women’s soccer team was the only Stingers team able to win a regular season game at home during homecoming weekend. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

Two players, two teams inducted into Hall of Fame

Part of the homecoming weekend was the annual Concordia Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony, held in the John Molson building on the downtown campus. The 1998 Stingers football team was one of the inductees, and they were honoured at halftime against the Carabins.

The 1998 team finished first in the old Ontario-Quebec Intercollegiate Football Conference (OQIFC) with a 6-2 record, before beating the Bishop’s Gaiters in the semi-final. They played the Dunsmore Cup at home against the Université de Laval Rouge et Or. After two overtimes, the game had to be postponed until the next day to due darkness—there were no flood lights at the Concordia Stadium at the time. The Stingers won in the third overtime the next day, and you can actually watch the full game, or at least the first day of it, on YouTube.

The team eventually beat the Acadia Axemen in the Atlantic Bowl before losing to the Saskatchewan Huskies in the Vanier Cup, the national title game. It’s the only time in school history that the football team made it to the Vanier Cup. Sylvain Girard, Evan Davis and Jeffrey Anderson were all members of the 1998 team that were picked in the 1999 Canadian Football League (CFL) draft.

Head coach Collinson said some former players spoke to the current players last week. Tyrrell said it was good to be able to spend time with some of the past players.

“We understand what we have right now is because of them, they built it,” the receiver said. “It’s great to connect what was given to us, through them.”

Dwayne Bromfield, a player of the 1999 football team, was also inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Historic women’s hockey team also honoured

Can you imagine an undefeated hockey season? Well, the 1997-98 Concordia Stingers women’s hockey team did just that. They had a perfect 13-0 season before winning six-straight games to claim the Quebec Student Sports Federation (QSSF) title and the first-ever national championship. They won two tournaments that year and had only four losses, all in exhibition games, with two of them against the American national team.

To understand just how good they were, in four games against the McGill Martlets that season, they outscored them 34-1.

Delaney Collins, Anne Rodrigue and Corinne Swirsky were named All-Canadians that season. Swirsky also received national MVP honours, playoffs MVP and Stingers female athlete of the year.

Lisa-Marie Breton played as a rookie on that 1997-98 team and was also inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame during its ceremony Sunday morning. She played for the Stingers until 2002, winning another national title in 1999, and helped the team qualify for five-straight nationals.

Breton’s impact on women’s hockey extends past Concordia – she helped co-found the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) in 2007. She played for one of its original teams, the Montreal Stars, for eight years, winning three Clarkson Cups. Breton is still with Concordia, serving as the women’s hockey strength and conditioning coach.

The women’s hockey team played three preseason games this weekend. They beat the University of Toronto Varsity Blues 3-1, and the Waterloo Warriors 3-2, before losing to the professional Les Canadiennes 7-1 on Sunday.

Main photo by Mackenzie Lad.

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Maurice Simba is a giant football prospect

Maurice Simba came to Canada six years ago thinking he would be a plumber, but started playing football instead. Photo by Gabe Chevalier.

Fourth-year trying to stay humble with scouts watching

On Aug. 30, the Canadian Football League (CFL) announced the top-20 prospects for the 2019 CFL draft. Maurice Simba, offensive lineman on the Concordia Stingers, was ranked 18th on the list of top Canadian prospects from U Sports and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

“It was special for me and I had tears on my face,” Simba said. “My goal now is to work harder to be number one and the best at my position.”

Simba stands at a commanding six feet eight inches, weighing almost 320 pounds. The Stingers’s offensive lineman is a pure powerhouse, and as described by fellow lineman Matt Halbgewachs, a true leader.

“I think of him as like our spark plug, once Maurice gets going, we all get going,” Halbgewachs said.

Born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Simba lived there with his grandparents until he was 18 years old. After that, he moved to Montreal to reunite with his parents. He had never played football and had a different idea of what his life and career in Canada would be like when he arrived.

“My first thought when I came here was that I was going to be a plumber,” Simba said. “I guess God had a different plan for me. My uncle was friends with a coach in Cégep at Montmorency. They set up a meeting and said I was going to play football. So, then my mind changed to ‘now I’m going to be a football player.’”

Simba began his path in football in 2013 with the Montmorency Nomades before joining the Stingers in 2015. Under the watchful eyes of Stingers offensive line coach Ted Karabatsos, Simba learned and excelled at the game.

Despite the guidance and proper coaching, Simba didn’t play much in his first year as a Stinger. This was in part due to his lack of experience, and because he started out with a gentle demeanor. Simba sat down with Karabatsos about why he wasn’t playing as much, and the coach said it was because he was soft, but offered up a great motivator.

“The most disrespectful thing a coach could say is you’re soft,” Simba said. “He told me one thing though: ‘If I walk into your house, you’re there and your mom is there, and I slap your mom. You’re just going to let me go?’ I said no. He said ‘every single play from now, imagine that guy in front of you [that you’re] supposed to block, imagine that guy walks into your house and tries to beat your mom.’”

Simba said that’s why he plays like he’s mad every play, because if someone were to touch his mom, he would make them pay twice.

This past May, both Simba and Halbgewachs were selected to take part in the annual East-West Bowl. The Bowl is a seven-day camp for CFL prospects that includes rigorous training exercises and a game. The camp is also heavily watched by scouts in the CFL and National Football League (NFL).

“It was really fun,” Simba said. “I feel very fortunate to [have been] selected for it. There were a lot of guys eligible on the team and I feel bad for them, because I felt that at least ten guys from Concordia should have gone. I thank God for that, and my coaches.”

Although a future in football looks bright for Simba, he still aims to complete his schooling. He is currently enrolled in the leisure science program, having transferred from religion last year, and he has some extra incentive to finish his schooling.

“Your football career could end in one second, so I realized being in university with the full scholarship, I’ve got to get my degree,” Simba said.

He added that, even if he ends up playing professionally, he wants to return to school every winter to complete his degree, because he promised his mom. “When I make a promise to her, it’s something I’m going to do.”

Even though Simba will be heavily watched by football scouts this season, he doesn’t believe he needs to prove himself to anyone else.

“It’s not fair to say that I’m proving myself to anyone but me,” Simba said. “We all work together and it’s not fair to say I work harder than anyone else. My goal every day when I step into that complex is I want to be better than the guy I was yesterday. Doesn’t matter how good practice was yesterday, I want to do better the next day.”

With an opportunity in the CFL and the potential for a shot in the NFL on the horizon, Simba’s focus remains on the season at hand at Concordia. From his humble beginnings in the Congo, to now being one of the top-20 prospects in Canada, his story of perseverance and heart is one to be admired.

“I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing, keep learning, stay humble and take it all day-by-day.”

Main photo by Gabe Chevalier. 

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Sports

Baseball team to get varsity status

The baseball team will be upgraded from a club status to a varsity team. Archive photo by Ben Fraser.

Manager Howie Schwartz says extra money will help scouting

The Concordia Stingers baseball team is inching closer to receiving varsity status. Baseball head coach Howie Schwartz said the team, currently listed as a club on their website, will be upgraded to a lower-tier varsity status, similar to McGill’s baseball team.

“We’re in the process of getting things organized right now, a lot of things are getting revamped,” Schwartz said. “It’s on the queue to be done.” It may take time for the team to be officially deemed varsity, but Schwartz assures it is on the way.

“We will achieve varsity status at some point in the near future,” Schwartz added. “D’Arcy [Ryan] (Concordia’s director of Recreation and Athletics) is 100 per cent behind my project and is very much supportive.”

Schwartz, who spent the summer heavily recruiting in both the United States and in western Canada, said that varsity is a huge factor in the team’s ability to recruit. “We need to be considered varsity in order to recruit the way I want to recruit,” the head coach said.

With varsity status, the baseball team can receive up to $10,000 in funding. Archive photo by Ben Fraser.

Schwartz had his eyes on four players in particular, however all four decided to go to other schools with better offers, including a National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) junior college in Kansas.

In addition to gaining interest from recruits, varsity status, regardless of the tier, brings more money into the program, and that is something Schwartz welcomes.

“I’m looking at the program and building it to the level I think it can go,” Schwartz said. “We’re a stronger program because the money’s there.”

In addition to the varsity status, the Stingers baseball program, through various fundraisers, can take in anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 every year.

The team will use the money for various academic financial awards, and to cover travel expenses. Schwartz also said the money will be put to use in order to schedule a series of exhibition games against NCAA opponents in the United States.

In the meantime, Schwartz is focused on the current season and the ultimate goal, as they want to “go deep into [the Canadian University World Series] and win.” The Stingers’s cross-town rivals from McGill, who are striving for their fifth-straight Canadian University World Series title, don’t concern Schwartz. “I think we have a team that can win it,” he said.

The Stingers finished fifth at nationals last year, and have a chance to build on that result this year.

Main photo by Ben Fraser. 

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