Tag: Concordia Stingers

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Stingers baseball team sweeps Carleton Ravens in doubleheader

Concordia improves to a 8-6 record with 2-1, 13-3 wins

The Concordia Stingers baseball team earned two wins in a doubleheader against the Carleton Ravens on Sept. 24. They have now won four consecutive games and hold a 8-6 record.

In the first game of the doubleheader, the Stingers and Ravens battled through sun glare and temperatures that reached 31C. The Stingers defeated the Ravens 2-1 on a walk-off in the seventh and final inning when second baseman Michael Makarios scored off an error.

Starting pitcher Shane Mullen played six innings, allowing five walks, two hits and only one run. Pitcher Justin Benoit relieved him at the top of the seventh and collected the win.

At the plate, the Stingers’ bats were unusually quiet. Catcher Dario Vincelli was responsible for the only run batted in (RBI), which came on a fielder’s choice in the second inning. In the bottom of the seventh inning, with the game tied and runners on first and second, outfielder Chandler Philippas struck out on a ball in the dirt. The catcher’s throw to first was over the first baseman’s head, though, and into right field, allowing Makarios to score from second base. This secured the 2-1 win for the Stingers.

The score was not as close in the second game as it was in the first game. The Stingers’ bats exploded for a 13-3 win. The 10-run mercy rule was called after the fifth inning. Several Stingers had great games offensively, including first baseman Stefan Brady with three hits and two runs scored.

The Stingers scored three runs in the first inning, five in the third inning, one run in the fourth inning and another four in the fifth.

A Stingers player talks to a coach at the baseball game on Sept. 24. Photo by Ben Fraser.

Sam Blondeau pitched in the second game, going four innings and allowing three runs on four hits, with a walk and two strikeouts. Pitcher Jackson Morgan replaced him in the top of the fifth inning, but by then the game was all but over.

Brady said playing in hot conditions like they did was a mental challenge. “[The first game] was a hard battle the whole way,” he said.

Concerning the second game, Brady commented on how Concordia wore down the Ravens.

“[The Ravens] were a little bit taken out of it,” he said. “We just had to wake up the bats and put the pressure on them.”

Errors were a major focal point of both games, and with serious sun glare, it becomes very hard to track the ball. However, Philippas said defence is always a priority for the team.

“Defence makes the team. Offence can always bounce back in the end, [but] defence runs the game,” the first-year player said.

Manager Howie Schwartz was happy with the way his team played, especially in the second game.

“Once we got three runs early, they sort of packed it in,” Schwartz said. “They were counting on [their] pitcher to shut us down.”

With the Stingers in a position to make the playoffs, the focus now turns to the next two games against the McGill Redmen. Schwartz said he is sure the team will be ready to go.

“They want to beat us, we want to beat them,” he said. “We’re just going to go out there and play hard, aggressive ball and make it close.”

The Stingers finish the 2017 regular season with games against McGill on Sept. 27 and 28.

Main photo by Ben Fraser.

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Representing Canada with pride

From Concordia to the national rugby team, Frédérique Rajotte and Alex Tessier share their experience

When Frédérique Rajotte saw Canadian fans cheering for her following a Women’s Rugby World Cup match in Dublin, Ireland, she started crying.

“I thought, ‘Wow this is so special,’” Rajotte said. “My parents were there with my sister and her husband. So [my family and the fans being there] was really special, and you just felt the pride.”

Rajotte, a fifth-year centre with the Concordia Stingers, played for Canada in the Women’s Rugby World Cup this summer. Alex Tessier, another fifth-year centre with the Stingers, joined Rajotte on the journey to represent their country.

“It’s always such an honour [to represent Canada],” said Tessier, who has played for Team Canada before at various levels. “It’s always so special to play at the highest level. It’s hard to describe.”

Tessier and Rajotte traded in their standard Stingers maroon and gold for the Canadian red and white for almost the entire month of August. The two Concordia students are roommates in Montreal and were roommates in Ireland. They agreed it was a special experience to have each other there.

“Our connection is strong on the field and off the field,” Tessier said. “It’s always good having confidence in someone.”

“Having Alex [there], there’s kind of a sense of home,” Rajotte said.

Frédérique Rajotte carries the ball against the Carleton Ravens at Concordia Stadium on Sept. 17. Photo by Alex Hutchins

Twelve teams participated in the Women’s Rugby World Cup, which is played once every three years. Even though the two Stingers were surrounded by players from all around the world, they said they kept to themselves.

“You always think [the World Cup] is going to be a lot of socializing,” Rajotte said. “But we didn’t interact with other teams. Not saying we were anti-social or rude about it, but we were very focused on ourselves, and we had a team-first mentality.”

“I’m not the most outgoing person,” Tessier added, “so I didn’t meet players from other teams. But it was cool to be all together and see other cultures—like the New Zealand culture is something different.”

Before each game, New Zealand rugby teams—known as the All Blacks for their all-black uniforms—perform the traditional Haka dance, which is unique in the world of rugby. According to Tourism New Zealand, the Haka originates from the Maori people, who are indigenous to New Zealand. The Maori performed the Haka in preparation of war, to symbolize the tribe’s pride, strength and unity.

The Haka tradition was passed down from armies to New Zealand’s rugby teams, who try to intimidate their opponents with the dance before each match. The Canadian team had to face the Haka before their match against New Zealand on Aug. 17.

“It’s impressive at first, but you just have to focus on your game,” Tessier said. “It doesn’t affect you, it can’t affect you.”

Rajotte added that while Team Canada respected the dance because of its history, they just wanted to get to the game. “Seeing that, I think that it’s a challenge or an invitation to go to war, but you get used to it,” she said.

Canada lost that game against New Zealand 48-5, which was their final pool game. Before that, Canada beat Hong Kong 98-0 in their first match, where Tessier scored a try. They also beat Wales, 15-0, in the second match.

The two wins weren’t enough for Canada, as their loss against New Zealand disqualified them from the semi-final. The All Blacks eventually won the tournament, while Rajotte, Tessier and the rest of Team Canada were relegated into the fifth-place playoffs.

Alex Tessier kicks the ball during a match versus the Carleton Ravens on Sept. 17. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

In a battle for pride in the playoffs, Canada beat Wales 52-0, then Australia 43-12, to finish in fifth place at the Rugby World Cup. Before the tournament, Canada was ranked as the fourth-best team in the world. For the two Stingers, their failure to earn a spot on the podium was disappointing.

“We didn’t have the result we wanted. We were supposed to get the medals,” Tessier said. “It pissed us off that we lost that game [against New Zealand]. So the two last games we played for fifth place were amazing games that I will never forget, because they were really well fought.”

Rajotte added that Canada could compete with the stronger teams like New Zealand and England, the other team that made it to the final. She said the Canadian women’s national team has a lot of potential.

“There’s a lot of hope, and there were a lot of veterans on the team who are retiring, so now it’s up to the younger girls to take over,” she said. “[The veterans] did a great job of sharing their knowledge and their past experiences.”

Tessier and Rajotte both said they learned a lot about discipline and professionalism with the Canadian team. “Discipline, we call it being pro, like being on time and being efficient,” Tessier said. “We try to focus on quality over quantity. That’s one thing I took away, is discipline and staying focused.”

The Stingers veterans aim to bring that professionalism back to the Stingers in their final year with the team. The soft-spoken Tessier said the team needs to have a one-game-at-a-time mentality in order win the championship, while the outgoing Rajotte was more direct about what she thought the team could accomplish.

“We are going to win the RSEQ championship, and we are going to go to Nationals in Alberta.”

Main photo by Alex Hutchin

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Stingers honour Erica Cadieux in draw versus UQTR

The Stingers women’s soccer team hands gifts to the family of Erica Cadieux for donation. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

Concordia collected donations, gifts for Children’s Hospital in memory of former student-athlete

The Concordia Stingers women’s soccer team tied 2-2 against the Université de Québec à Trois-Rivières Patriotes in the Erica Cadieux Memorial Game on Sept. 22.

For a 12th year in a row, the Stingers held a game in memory of Cadieux, a former Stingers soccer player. She played for Concordia from 1992 to 1994, while double-majoring in political science and Spanish.

Cadieux was killed after being hit by a car while walking with her 18-month-old daughter, who survived, in Beaconsfield on Jan. 27, 2006. Every year since, her family and friends gather at Concordia Stadium to remember her.

“We can’t express enough our gratitude to the university for this honour,” said Yolanda Cadieux, Erica’s mother. “It’s just been wonderful for our family.”

Yolanda said that after Erica’s death, some of her former Stingers teammates wanted to come up with a way to honour their friend.

“We wanted this to be a meaningful thing, something she would be proud of,” Yolanda said. “We decided the Montreal Children’s Hospital would be our focus, and we would try and raise money [for the hospital].” While Erica was a student at Concordia, she volunteered in the neurological wing of the Montreal Children’s Hospital.

The Stingers women’s soccer team accepted donations and gifts for kids at the game, which they send to the Children’s Hospital. This year, the Stingers said they received over $500 in donations, plus multiple children’s toys and games.

This year’s game featured a different way to honour Erica—her family, her former teammates and Stingers alumni gathered for a reception before the game.

“We had former players here from the late 1980s,” said head coach Jorge Sanchez. “We told [the current players], ‘Some of you weren’t even born when they played here, but you all have something that unites you together.’” Current and former players shared their connection with soccer and the Stingers, two things Erica loved most.

“[The Stingers were] everything for Erica,” Yolanda said. “It was what made Concordia great for her, because I think there’s something about the friendship you have in a sports setting that transcends the school.”

Every year, Erica’s widowed husband, Carlo Spadafora, would bring their daughters, Bianca, 13, and Olivia, 12, to the game. But this year, Spadafora and the two girls were unable to make the trip to Montreal from Sault Ste-Marie, Ont. Yolanda said she was disappointed her granddaughters, who play soccer like their mom did, couldn’t go.

“I think when my granddaughters called me and told me they weren’t coming, I said, ‘You have to realize that this is a tremendous honour for the university to hold a special game in memory of your mom,’” Yolanda said.

However, the rest of Erica’s family, including her parents, sisters, nieces and nephews, were present. It gave the game a fun, family atmosphere, something rarely seen at Stingers soccer games.

Midfielder Laura Lamontagne passes the ball against the UQTR Patriotes on Sept. 22. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

Concordia got off to a weak start when defender Kate Evoy made a bad pass to the keeper, Olivia Desgroseilliers. UQTR’s Valerie Noel intercepted the ball, got past Desgroseilliers and ran in to score just 10 minutes into the game.

Evoy redeemed herself in the 27th minute when she sent forward Sarah Humes on a breakaway with a long pass. Humes made no mistake, blasting the ball past the helpless UQTR keeper.

Just two minutes later, midfielder Chama Sedki scored from a free kick 35 yards away from the net. The Stingers carried the lead into halftime, but the Patriotes tied the game at 2-2 in the 55th minute when Magali Gravel scored off a corner kick.

“I thought we had our chances just like they did, and it could have gone either way,” Sanchez said. “It was one of those games where teams were risky to try and get the win, and we ended up with the tie, so we shared the pain.”

Before the memorial game, the Concordia men’s soccer team lost 3-1 to UQTR. On Sept. 24, the women won 1-0 against the McGill Martlets, while the men lost 3-0 to McGill. Both teams will have an away game against the Sherbrooke Vert et Or on Sept. 29.

Main photo by Alex Hutchins

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Stingers create search committee to hire new athletics director

Concordia has been without an athletics director for almost a year. Photo by Nicholas Di Giovanni.

Deputy provost Lisa Ostiguy leads the charge to find Patrick Boivin’s replacement

Concordia University has set up a search committee to find a new director for the recreation and athletics department.

The search committee will be chaired by deputy provost Lisa Ostiguy, according to Mary-Jo Barr, the university spokesperson, “and also includes a student service director, a vice-president and two athletes named by the coaches from two different sports.”

Although the former athletics director, Patrick Boivin, stepped down from his position in December 2016, the school has yet to hire his permanent replacement. Boivin, who was with the university for three years and headed the Concordia Stingers rebrand in September 2015, left the recreation and athletics department to become the president and CEO of the Montreal Alouettes.

After Boivin left, Concordia fired former assistant director John Bower in January 2017, according to The Link. Bower has since become the athletics director at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in Edmonton, Alta.

D’Arcy Ryan, Concordia’s director of residence administration, has been the interim athletics director for nearly 10 months. Concordia University President Alan Shepard previously told The Concordian that having this many changes in an organization is normal, and the Stingers are in a renewal period.

“We took [Boivin’s departure] as an opportunity to do a full review of the program,” Shepard said, adding that academic programs typically get reviewed every five to seven years. “It’s been about nine or 10 years since we’ve done a review [of the athletics department].”

The review of the department began in January and was completed this summer. Barr said the review process involved meeting with members of the recreation and athletics staff, student-athletes, representatives from student services and Concordia Stingers alumni.

The Concordian has also learned that Jennifer Brenning, athletics director at Carleton University, was asked to assist in the department’s review.

“There was a survey sent to all members [of the recreation and athletics department] for their input,” Barr said in an email to The Concordian. “All internal feedback was summarized and reviewed with the recreation and athletics department for their further input.”

According to Shepard, Concordia funds more money into athletics compared to other universities, but he didn’t specify which universities they were compared to. He did not elaborate on what the department review meant for the search for a new athletics director.

Although the recreation and athletics department has been without a director for nearly a year, Barr said “the goal is to fill the position as soon as possible.”

Feature photo by Nicholas Di Giovanni

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Concordia Stingers dismantle the McGill Redmen in homecoming game

Quarterback Trenton Miller sets school record with six touchdown passes in 68-16 win

There’s a good chance the McGill Redmen football team will be having nightmares about their recent game against the Concordia Stingers.

In their first meeting of the season on Sept. 16, the Concordia Stingers, wearing their classic maroon and gold uniforms, beat the McGill Redmen, in their vintage white and red jerseys, by a score of 68-16. Concordia scored 30 points in the first quarter.

On the opening drive, Trenton Miller, the fifth-year quarterback, found receiver Jarryd Taylor downfield for a 56-yard pass that put the Stingers at McGill’s one-yard line. On the next play, running back Jean-Guy Rimpel gave the Stingers the lead, scoring his first of two touchdowns in the game. Rimpel also finished the game with 78 yards rushing.

The early offensive burst brought fans to their feet, and the rest of the game kept giving them reasons to cheer.

It was a lead that would go unchallenged by McGill, as the Stingers continued to make play after play, both on offence and defence. The defensive line, led by six-foot-five Wade Leeroy Cyr, swarmed McGill quarterback Frédéric Paquette-Perreault. The Stingers defence disrupted plays all game, with two sacks and two interceptions. Meanwhile, the McGill offence only generated 377 total yards on 63 plays, versus Concordia’s 589 yards on 64 plays.

Receiver Yanic Lessard carries the ball against the McGill Redmen on Sept. 16. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

The Stingers played in front of 4,813 fans at Concordia Stadium as part of their homecoming event. It was the perfect day for the homecoming game, with the unmistakable energy of one of the oldest university rivalries in the country.

“This rivalry has been going on for so long. It’s always a battle,” said Stingers defensive end Lukas Redguard. He added that the atmosphere of the game had an impact on how the game was played. “It’s great. We need this every game. It was awesome, the turnout was awesome, the fans are great. They got loud when we needed them to get loud. It was a good day.”

Last season, the Redmen beat the Stingers 21-8 when they played at Concordia. Stingers head coach Mickey Donovan said that loss stayed with him all year.

“This week, I properly prepared these guys the hardest I’ve done all year,” Donovan said. “We rode them this week. This win shows me that we have a group that is willing to listen, and that can perform.”

While the offence was putting up points like they had discovered a glitch in the latest Madden video game, the stands were electric. The homecoming didn’t disappoint fans and alumni.

Brent Bodkin, the Stingers announcer and a former player, talked about the heated rivalry between the cross-town universities.

“This is the biggest rivalry in university football in Canada,” Bodkin said. “It doesn’t matter what the records are, what the rosters are—when it’s Concordia versus McGill, whether it’s here or at Percival Molson Stadium [McGill’s home stadium], the intensity always gets picked up.”

Concordia University also honoured the 1967 Loyola College Warriors and Sir George Williams Georgians football teams as part of the homecoming game. The former members of the Concordia athletic family proudly walked onto the field after the game and saluted the current roster.

Former Concordia football player and business graduate, Bob Jones, commented on how the game has changed since his time as a player, and talked about the team’s performance.

“The quality of football now is a lot better than when we played,” Jones said. “The team is a lot better than our group of guys.”

Jones added: “It was a super game. They brought us in for a reunion, and they put on a performance that we’re very appreciative of.”

The lopsided score left McGill fans obviously disappointed, but they continued to cheer their team on.

“I think it’s pretty cool,” said McGill fan Sylvain Dethier. “Both sides are cheering for their team, and I think that’s fair.”

Stingers defensive linemen face the McGill Redmen on Sept. 16. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

Miller made Stingers history at Saturday’s game, breaking the school’s previous record for most passing touchdowns in a game. The record was previously set by Sean Hoas in 1998. With six passing touchdowns, Miller was just one touchdown pass short of matching the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec’s (RSEQ) record of seven passing touchdowns in a single game.

“It’s sweet. But while my name might be in the record book, unfortunately, the names of our offensive line won’t be in there,” Miller said. “They were giving me all day to throw, and our receivers were making plays.”

The Stingers offence was efficient against a McGill defence that seemed confused at times and completely unable to defend against passing plays. Miller found receivers down the field almost unopposed, with McGill’s defensive backs and defensive line unable to put enough pressure on the quarterback. He threw for 472 yards and passed his six touchdown passes to four different receivers. Taylor, Vince Alessandrini and Kyle Greenbaum each caught a touchdown pass, while Sam Nadon had three touchdowns.

However, it seems Miller and the Stingers are already looking forward to the next matchup against the McGill Redmen on Oct. 14 at Percival Molson Stadium.

“Anytime we can beat our rival McGill, it’s one of those games you’re circling [on] your calendar,” Miller said. “Hats off to them, they played well. I know they’ll come back strong next game so we can’t take anything for granted.”

The Concordia Stingers next game is away on Sept. 24 against the Laval Rouge et Or.

Main photo by Alex Hutchins

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Stingers baseball team sweeps doubleheader versus Ottawa Gee-Gees

Shortstop Bruce Tejada and pitcher Justin Benoit walk towards the dugout in a game versus the Ottawa Gee-Gees on Sept. 16. Photo by Ben Fraser.

Concordia bats come alive with 22 runs in first two wins of the season

The Concordia Stingers baseball team’s hitters have finally awoken from their off-season slumber. The Stingers bats exploded for 22 runs in a doubleheader against the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees on Sept. 16 at home.

In the first game, the Stingers defeated the Gee-Gees 14-4 in five innings due to the 10-run difference mercy rule. The Stingers were down 3-0 after the first inning but stormed back for an 11-run second inning. Second baseman Kyle Hazel, shortstop Bruce Tejada and first baseman Stefan Brady scored seven runs batted in (RBI). Starting pitcher Thomas Loubser Munn, who pitched all five innings, allowed eight hits and had eight strikeouts.

In the second game, the Stingers continued their offensive outburst, winning 8-4. Third baseman Michael Makarios had an excellent game, with two hits, a walk and a RBI. Hazel once again was brilliant, collecting a hit, a walk and two RBIs.

In the top of the fourth inning, Hazel showed off his defensive ability by snagging a line drive and tagging the runner out at second base.

An outing like this is something Hazel had been hoping for. “We needed to get [our first wins] out of the way,” he said. “[Wins] like this really boost our confidence.”

Matthew Adams-Whittaker warms up before a game versus the Ottawa Gee-Gees on Sept. 16. Photo by Ben Fraser.

With the Stingers losing 4-3 in the top of the fifth inning, starting pitcher Shane Mullen was pulled from the game. Relief pitcher Justin Benoit replaced him, and went three innings while only allowing three hits. He did not allow a single run while the Stingers offence scored five more runs.

Benoit said after the game that the offence’s performance made his job a lot easier.

“It makes you feel like you can just go out there and throw your pitch, and if it doesn’t go your way, you have a little leeway,” he said. Benoit showed complete confidence in the hitters, and said he thinks they will have strong games in the future.

“I think we’ve got a solid offence who are just starting to wake up […] and I think they are capable of scoring 10 [runs] a game,” he said.

Manager Howie Schwartz, who was pleased with his team after the short sweep, said he knew

the offence would break out eventually.

“I wanted the wins to come sooner than this, but I’m very happy. We needed it just to get a boost,” he said. “It’s a 16-game season, so we can’t let too much get

away.” While he’s happy the offence broke out, Schwartz said he still believes there is work to be done.

“[The hitters] are finally getting their timing [right],” he said. “But a couple of guys still need to get their confidence up.”

Schwartz added that he thinks the Stringers can be a top team this year. “I have no doubt that [the team can win a championship]. I think our pitching and fielding are as good as anyone else [in the league].”

On Sept. 17, the Stingers added two more wins against the Université de Montréal Carabins, by scores of 2-0 and 9-5. Their record is now 4-4. Their next game is Sept. 20 at home against the McGill Redmen.

Main photo by Ben Fraser.

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Stingers baseball team loses 3-1 to the McGill Redmen

Concordia Stingers pitcher Jackson Morgan throws a pitch versus the McGill Redmen on Sept. 13. Photo by Ben Fraser.

Concordia remains winless in four games this season

The Concordia Stingers baseball team remained winless after a 3-1 loss to the McGill Redmen on Sept. 13. On a night when offence was at a premium, Concordia centerfielder Jimi Audain was the shining star.

Audain hit first in Concordia’s lineup, otherwise known as the lead-off hitter. At the plate, Audain

had a hit, two walks, two steals and a run. Unfortunately, his great game didn’t translate into a

win, largely due to the Stingers’ inability to hit with runners in scoring position. Audain stressed that this issue is something the team has noticed and is trying to improve.

“It’s all about having good at-bats,” Audain said. “We definitely need some [practice] in that area. [Hitting with runners in scoring position is] a big key to our team.”

Concordia Stingers baseball players watch from the dugout in a game versus the McGill Redmen on Sept. 13. Photo by Ben Fraser.

The starting pitching has been a bright spot for the team so far this season. Once again, starter Jackson Morgan gave the Stingers a chance to win. Morgan ran into some trouble in the fourth and fifth innings, but he still managed to pitch a decent game.

He went 4 ⅔ innings, allowing seven hits, three runs and three walks. All three runs came in the fourth inning, as he allowed a run batted in (RBI) single, and walked two batters with the bases loaded.

In an incident in the fourth inning, the home plate umpire had some words for Stingers catcher Juliano Leggio.

“Some umpires take their authoritarian stance more seriously than others,” Morgan said after the game. “He wanted to set the tone, and I understand, but I felt like he was being a little unreasonable.”

However, Morgan said he doesn’t blame the umpire for the incident: “Human error is a huge part of baseball, and it’s just something we have to deal with.”

In the top of the fifth, Jackson again ran into trouble, allowing two singles and a walk before being pulled in favour of relief pitcher Justin Benoit. Morgan said he had some issues with his strike zone.

“It seemed like the [umpire] was squeezing me a bit, and I had to find a way to adjust,” Morgan said.

Stingers manager Howie Schwartz gave great credit to Redmen pitcher Phil Saad, who threw a complete game with 13 strikeouts and only three hits.

“[Saad] is a bonafide pitcher,” Schwartz said. “When a pitcher throws 13 strikeouts in a game, you know he’s on.”

Although his team dropped to 0-4 on the season, Schwartz did see improvement.

“I really think our bats are starting to move,” he said. “They’re still striking out, but their swings are much better.”

The manager said he wasn’t concerned about the team’s struggles either: “We have 15 rookies on the team […] and when you look at our scores, 0-4 really should be 2-2.”

Looking to the weekend double-header against the Ottawa Gee-Gees, Schwartz is expecting his team’s hitters to wake up.

“I think our bats will be very strong against [Ottawa],” he said. “I don’t think they have a very

strong pitching staff.”

The Concordia Stingers next two games will be against the Ottawa Gee-Gees in a double-header on Sept. 16.

Main photo by Ben Fraser.

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Grandpierre takes pride in her size

Alice Grandpierre plays with the ball during a practice with the Concordia Stingers women’s soccer team. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

At five-foot-four, the midfielder from France plays an aggressive style that surprises opponents

Alice Grandpierre may be an aggressive Concordia Stingers midfielder today, but she didn’t always like soccer.

Grandpierre’s story starts in Chateau-Thierry, France, where she was born. Growing up in France, she was actually a gymnast and never played soccer. In fact, she said she disliked the sport and thought it was a waste of time.

However, when her father’s job forced her family to move to China when she was 14, Grandpierre had to give up gymnastics, as there was no team at her new school. In search of a new athletic activity, Grandpierre decided to give soccer a chance. This is when she fell in love with the game.

“I love the sport. It’s part of my life now,” she said. When it comes to watching soccer, though, she has a particular preference.

“I am more interested in watching women play soccer than men,” Grandpierre said. “For me, as a woman, it is more interesting to see them play.”

When Grandpierre started playing in China, her first coach saw her athleticism and put her in the midfield—an athletically demanding position. She played all four years of high school, excelling at midfield where she continues to play today.

Alice Grandpierre’s soccer journey didn’t start until she was 14 and living in China. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

When she got to Concordia, head coach Jorge Sanchez recognized that she belonged there. However, it took some time to get used to playing 11-a-side soccer with the Stingers, as she had only played seven-a-side in China. “It was hard, but I eventually got the hang of it because I worked for it,” Grandpierre said.

 

Her favourite thing about playing soccer is that it allows her to be aggressive towards her opponents.

“I love coming in hard for the tackles, and the others don’t expect it,” she said. “I just love playing hard on the other team. Midfield is where all the action is, so I enjoy playing it and being in the middle of the action.”

Measuring in at five-foot-four, Grandpierre is one of the shortest players on the team—but that doesn’t stop her from playing aggressively. She takes pride in the fact that she’s undersized on the field. Even her favourite player is small.

“My favourite player is Eugénie Le Sommer, mainly because she kind of has the same physique as me,” Grandpierre said. Le Sommer is a striker who also stands at five-foot-four. She plays for Olympique Lyon in France, as well as for France’s national team.

Playing in her fourth year with the Stingers, Grandpierre is currently the longest-serving player on the women’s team. She also occasionally wears the captain’s armband during games. She said she is excited to have a leadership role again this season and to help mentor the younger players.

“I’m part of this leadership group. I find I lead mainly on my play,” Grandpierre said.

The French midfielder moved to Montreal to study exercise science and play soccer, but has since fallen in love with the city. She said she enjoys the fact that she can speak both French and English in Montreal and be understood in both languages. She also speaks a little bit of Spanish and picked up some Mandarin during her time in China.

Her knowledge of Montreal has allowed her to be a residence assistant at Concordia and guide new university students through the ins and outs of the city. Last season, two rookies on the soccer team lived in Grandpierre’s residence, and she mentored them on life in Montreal. As she has gone through the pressures of being on a new team and adjusting to life in a new city, she said she helped the two players cope with the challenges of both soccer and school.

Grandpierre’s time at Concordia was spent studying with the hope of becoming an osteopath. Now, in her final year at Concordia, Grandpierre said she isn’t entirely sure what the next step in her journey will be. However, she knows that soccer will remain part of her life even after school.

“I’m not really sure where I’ll be playing soccer after this year, but I know I want to continue afterwards,” she said. “Soccer has become an everyday part of my life, and I don’t want it to change.”

Main photo by Alex Hutchins

A previous version of this article stated that Grandpierre wanted to become a physiotherapist to rehab athletes. Also, it said two players on the soccer team were assigned to live with her. The errors were fixed and The Concordian deeply regrets them.

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Men’s rugby team heads into season full of hope

Head coach Craig Beemer had a full off-season to recruit and prepare for the 2017 season. Photo by Kirubel Mehar

Returning head coach Craig Beemer says his group is developing good chemistry

The 2016 season was a difficult one for the Concordia Stingers men’s rugby team.

They finished the season with just one win and seven losses. Craig Beemer had been hired as the head coach just weeks before the start of last season and faced a lot of challenges in his first year.

“We had a lot of injuries, a few guys tore their knees,” Beemer said. “I think in the first game of the season, we had 12 guys starting.”

Heading into the 2017 season, which started with a 34-10 away win against the McGill Redmen on Sept. 10, the head coach said his team has learned from their previous season.

“When you have a tough year record-wise, it shows your character and really makes you reflect,” he said.

Last year, Beemer had no time to recruit or prepare for the season. Although he was a head coach at McGill for eight seasons and an assistant coach with the Stingers for two seasons, he had never been thrown into the fire so fast.

“I was here as an assistant coach, but it’s a totally different atmosphere,” he said. “I wasn’t charged with handling day-to-day activities. Then having that on my plate, dealing with injuries and trying to challenge guys who probably weren’t ready to do a task, it definitely took its toll and allowed me to reflect at the end of the season.”

The Concordia Stingers engage in a scrum in a regular-season game during the 2016 season. Archive photo by Brianna Thicke.

In the off-season, Beemer had a lot of time to reflect on the 2016 season and prepare for the upcoming season. He also added three new recruits to his roster: fly-halfs Sam Montminy and Jean-Christophe Vinette and second row player Adreano Alacchi.

Montminy is the highlight of the trio. Beemer said he was a starter for St-Anne’s Rugby Football Club when they won the Quebec Rugby championship—the highest-ranking rugby competition in the province—in 2016.

Vinette has only been playing rugby for two years and made the team during tryouts.

Alacchi, who started playing rugby at Loyola High School, played with the Quebec U18 team in 2015 and 2016. Beemer had high praise for Alacchi, who measures in at six-foot-five.

“He may not be a superstar now, but he will be in the future,” Beemer said.

The rookies will complement a team with many players who were in their shoes a year ago. The Stingers had 13 rookies on the 30-man roster last season, but the head coach said having his group grow together will only make the team stronger.

“People came back relaxed, comfortable and knew what they were getting themselves into,” Beemer said. “As opposed to last year, when some wide-eyed rookies didn’t know what was about to occur.”

“A lot of the rookies from last year played rugby this summer, got into the gym, and they look like completely different players, in a good way,” Beemer added.

Another crucial aspect of the Stingers development is the return of four key players. Fourth-year fly-half Moritz Wittmann and second-year winger Daniel Pelletier-Ragguette are returning from knee injuries, while third-year centre Charles Debove also returns from an injury. Flanker Lucas Hotton, who was a rookie on the team during the 2014 season but didn’t play in 2015 and 2016, is rejoining the Stingers this season.

Beemer expects the returning veterans to add to his team’s strength, which is what he calls “rugby experience.”

“We have some really high-level rugby players who played at the Canadian Rugby Championship,” he said. “From a rugby experience level, with those four guys coming back and the new recruits coming in, we’re a much more seasoned team.”

After a long off-season of recruiting and training, Beemer said he sees a bright future ahead of his team.

“We’re going to be a lot more competitive this year,” he said. “The guys are excited to get back onto the pitch.”

Main photo by Kirubel Mehari

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Stingers baseball team drops season opener against Carabins

Pitcher Jackson Morgan prepares for a pitch in the Concordia Stingers season opener against UdeM on Sept. 6. Photo by Ben Fraser.

Despite solid pitching performance by Jackson Morgan, Concordia lost 5-3 to UdeM

The Concordia Stingers baseball team opened up the 2017-18 season with a 5-3 loss to the Université de Montréal Carabins on Sept. 6. Pitcher Jackson Morgan did what all starting pitchers should do—he gave the team a chance to win, going 5 2/3 innings and only giving up two runs.

Morgan ran into some trouble in the top of the sixth as he allowed a run, and had two men on base before he was pulled from the game with two outs.

“I was starting to tire a bit, and when that happens, the curve[ball] doesn’t curve as much, and the change[up] doesn’t change as much,” Morgan said. “So it became about finding outs, the best way I could.”

Morgan praised his defence behind him, calling them incredible all night long. It was a very defence-oriented game for both teams, as the Stingers scored three runs in total. Two runs batted in by Bruce Tejada and another by Miles Arecchi-Schuh drove in the Stingers’ runs of the night.

Concordia Stingers baseball players look on from the dugout in the team’s season opener against the UdeM Carabins on Sept. 6. Photo by Ben Fraser.

It was a rough night for Concordia pitcher Frederic Lalande, who entered the game in the top of the seventh with a 3-2 lead. He had a chance to pick up a save but took the loss instead.

He struck out the first two hitters he faced, but ran into issues locating his pitches, eventually loading the bases. The Carabins capitalized, getting a bases-clearing triple to deep centre field. This gave the Carabins a 5-3 lead, and handed Lalande a blown save.

“They got some cheap hits,” he said. “I felt really in control, confident, but that’s baseball.”

The Stingers had a chance to win with a walk-off in the bottom of the ninth, but failed to score, handing the win to the Carabins.

The Stingers inability to hit with runners in scoring position was a reason for their loss. The team went two-for-nine with runners in scoring position, an occurrence that manager Howie Schwartz said won’t be a common occurrence.

“It’s early in the season. These guys all played in the States, they’re major ballplayers, [but] their timing is off,” Schwartz said.

Aside from the lack of clutch hits, the Stingers struck out 12 times, all against UdeM starter Simon Brisebois, who threw a complete game. Schwartz said his team’s ability to hit will come with time.

“Brisebois is an excellent pitcher. We managed to take care of him last year, [but today] he kept us off balance,” he said. Schwartz added that the first five hitters in the lineup are fantastic, and he expects improvement from them.

Morgan also commented on his team’s offence: “We’ll get the bats going. [We] know how to swing … and I’m expecting them to put up 10 to 12 runs a game”.

The Stingers travel to Ottawa to face the Carleton Ravens for a doubleheader on Sept. 10.

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Jean-Guy Rimpel is simply trying to be the best

Jean-Guy Rimpel runs with the ball in a game against the McGill Redmen during the 2016 season. Photo by Brianna Thicke.

Concordia Stingers running back has his mind set on just winning a championship

Jean-Guy Rimpel is not a running back many defensive players enjoy facing one-on-one. He bolts past, and often through, linemen, linebackers and defensive backs with ease.

Oftentimes, he can only be stopped when he is tripped up or when multiple players tackle him. Speed and strength are traits that rarely work cohesively, yet they allow him to be an explosive figure in the backfield of the Stingers offence. And that’s why Rimpel is one of the best running backs in U Sports.

“I’m a hard-worker. I can do everything; I can catch, I can block, I’m tall, I’m physical,” Rimpel said. “There aren’t a lot of running backs who can do everything.”

Rimpel led the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) in rushing yards last year with 514 yards and four touchdowns. Two years ago, in his rookie season, he finished fourth in rushing with 432 yards and five touchdowns. In his two seasons at Concordia, the Stingers have failed to make it past the conference semi-final, but Rimpel has his eyes set on the ultimate goal: a championship.

“I just want to win. I think back to those past two years—it’s pushed me to fight every game and just staying ready every game,” he said. “I know we have the potential to bring the Vanier Cup to Concordia.”

“I know we have the potential to bring the Vanier Cup to Concordia.”

This off-season Rimpel said he pushed himself to improve on his weaknesses.

“As a running back, I do make mistakes. I do drop balls, I do make the wrong reads sometimes, but I’m giving the hours to improve,” he said.

Like many others on the team, including head coach Mickey Donovan and quarterback Trenton Miller, Rimpel echoed what seems to be the team’s unofficial motto this year.

“We’re going to play week-by-week and reach our goals,” he said. “Every week, we’re at 0-0 whether we win or lose. We’re trying to take every team seriously. We’re hoping that this [mentality] can help take us to the end.”

Jean-Guy Rimpel carries the ball against the Laval Rouge et Or during the 2016 season. Archive photo by Ana Hernandez.

A former standout Division 1 all-star with the Collège Édouard-Montpetit Lynx, Rimpel has been proving he has the talent and drive to be a top player on the Stingers offence.

During the first game of the season, against the Université de Montréal Carabins, Rimpel put up 42 yards on 14 carries with two touchdowns. However, the Stingers ended up losing that game 37-19.

“I think it was a really good game,” Rimpel said. “A really good start for the team, even though we lost. We came back against one of the best teams in the country, and that shows how competitive we are as a team.”

Rimpel and the Stingers bounced back with a 23-22 win in an away game against the Université de Sherbrooke Vert et Or on Aug. 31. Rimpel had 163 yards and 28 carries, and he scored a touchdown.

Rimpel is familiar with the pressures of being a student-athlete. But he said he had some help from one of his role models, his older brother.

“He really pushed me to succeed school-wise so that I could go play football in university,” said Rimpel, who is working towards a certificate in arts and science. “He was also a student-athlete, but he tore his ACL. He understands what it takes to have success.”

For Rimpel, the end goal doesn’t seem to be set in stone.

“Obviously if I get a shot to play in the CFL, I would give it everything,” he said. “But right now, I’m focused on getting my degree.”

Main photo credit: Brianna Thicke.

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A one-game-at-a-time mentality for the Stingers

The Concordia Stingers are a team full of veterans, and they will try to continue winning with a new head coach in 2018. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

Head coach Mickey Donovan doesn’t want players looking too far ahead into the season

After finishing third in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) conference with a 4-4 record last year, the Concordia Stingers football team is looking to make the jump to the next level.

However, the team isn’t looking too far into the season.

“We’re taking it one day at a time, one game at a time,” said head coach Mickey Donovan. “This conference is too good to look ahead, and [too good] to have bigger goals than that. My approach is taking it week by week and taking care of business when we have to.”

Starting quarterback Trenton Miller agreed with his coach’s approach to the season. “We don’t have any expectations this year for the team,” he said. “The mentality this year is that we are playing for each other, and we have everyone’s back no matter what.”

“The mentality this year is that we are playing for each other, and we have everyone’s back no matter what.” – Trenton Miller

Heading into his fourth season as head coach, Donovan is looking for difference-makers to step up, be leaders and take command of the field.

“We’re creating better depth and better competition out there on the field,” he said. “Guys are understanding that because they’ve been with us for three or four years.”

That depth is being bolstered by a string of new recruits, led by defensive back Jersey Henry from Vanier College, who Donovan mentioned caught his eye.

Quaysie Gordon-Maule carries the ball on a kick return against the UdeM Carabins. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

Statistically, the Stingers were an average team last year, finishing in the middle of the pack in most categories. The team also allowed the second most points in the RSEQ last season. They will need their defence to be a lot stronger if they want to beat the two teams that finished above them last year, the Université de Montréal Carabins and the Laval Rouge et Or.

On the flip side, the offence, led by Miller, finished first in the conference last season in passing yards, with 2,403 yards, an average of 7.4 yards per throw.

The Stingers rush game last season relied heavily on running back Jean-Guy Rimpel, who ran his way to 514 yards, along with four touchdowns. Rimpel led the RSEQ in rushing yards, nearly 100 yards more than the next leading rusher. Miller also picked up yards by running, with 116 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

This season should see the same results, with Rimpel leading the charge on the ground. Miller said he’s looking at the offensive line and running backs to play well this year.

“They have worked really hard, and I think people will see that,” he said. “This team has prepared well and is ready for the season.”

“But honestly, we don’t want to talk about it anymore,” Miller added. “Talk is cheap — it’s time to prove it. Hype was our worst enemy last year. This year, we are embracing the grind, and we are ready to show it.”

The Concordia Stingers opened their RSEQ season with a home loss against the Université de Montréal Carabins by a score of 37-19. They play again on Friday, Aug. 31, in an away game against the Université de Sherbrooke Vert et Or.

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