Tag: Q&A

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Sports

A conversation with record-breaking mountaineer Monique Richard

The Quebec alpinist has summited many peaks, including her record-breaking climb on Mount Logan in 2018.

In 2009, during a trip to the Mediterranean island of Corsica, mountaineer Monique Richard found her calling: exploring the untamed beauty of mountains. Following the trip, Richard was consumed by the desire to summit some of the world’s highest peaks, beginning with Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro. It wasn’t long before the Quebec mountaineer decided to immerse herself in training for the Seven Summits challenge, where she would eventually reach the world’s highest peaks.

The Seven Summits challenge consists of climbing the highest mountain in each of the seven continents. In 2014, Richard broke her first record: she became the first Canadian woman to summit Nepal’s Makalu, the world’s fifth highest mountain. In 2018, Richard broke another major record, becoming the first woman to ever reach the summit of Canada’s Mount Logan on a solo expedition.

As of late, the alpinist has taken some time off from climbing, preparing and training for future expeditions, as well as hosting motivational conferences. Richard sat down with The Concordian to discuss her passion for high-altitude adventures, how she overcomes adversity, preparing for solo climbs, and more.

The Concordian: What initially ignited your passion for climbing?

Monique Richard: My love at first sight for the vertical world was during the GR20 hike in Corsica, reputed to be one of the most difficult in Europe. Then, my first high altitude experience, on Kilimanjaro. After looking at the sun rise above the clouds on the summit of Africa, I was hooked! Kilimanjaro was the first in my quest [to complete] the Seven Summits from seven continents […] culminating with Mount Everest in 2012. 

TC: As an alpinist, what’s been the biggest challenge that you’ve had to overcome?

MR: From a mountaineering point of view, I would say my Mount Logan solo ascent in 2018. The remoteness, the hostile conditions, the solitude and isolation made this trip the most challenging climb I’ve done so far. From a human point of view, it was the death of my dearest friend Arvid Lahti in 2016 on Mount Rainier after reaching the summit together.

TC: Can you talk to me a bit about your 2018 climb, where you were the first woman to summit Mount Logan solo? How did this major achievement impact your future expeditions? 

MR: More than any other expedition, my Mount Logan solo ascent remains the one that has marked me the most during my mountaineering journey. Beyond the seven peaks, or the mountains of the Himalayas, Logan is the jewel of my expeditions, and it represents my biggest challenge.

First of all, because of the extremely hostile conditions on Logan: the altitude being 5,959 metres, the temperature being Siberian cold, storms (one of them immobilized me in my tent for six days), avalanche risks, white outs, and crevices.

And above all, because in addition to being solo, I had the luck, or bad luck, of being practically alone on the mountain. I was 100 per cent in charge of all aspects of the expedition, including orientation, camp construction, and meals.

This solo expedition really placed me in unique conditions that allowed me to live an unprecedented experience alone, facing this huge mountain, and facing myself, my dream, my doubts, my impulses, my fears, and of course, my past and the tragedy on Mount Rainier in 2016. 

TC: What have your expeditions taught you about yourself, especially in regards to overcoming adversity?

MR: I learned to never take anything for granted. Always question, doubt, evaluate, adjust, and accept what needs to be, without wanting to control events or nature, and even sometimes, let go! It’s part of life. It’s good to reach the summit, but the path to it has much more impact on us and is more enriching on a personal level.

TC: How do you prepare for a solo climb? 

MR: For physical preparation, I train four or five times per week. Usually at 5:30 a.m. for an hour and a half to two hours, with weights and cardio. 

For material preparation, [I prepare] all the regular mountaineering gear, with some adaptations: a tent for the lower altitude camps and an ultra light bivouac shelter for the high camps. I also bring my 8,000 metre boots because I expect extremely low temperatures.

For logistical preparations, I need to organize a support team of two: an expedition manager, and a router/weather forecaster.

TC: Can you talk to me about mentally preparing for a climb, especially a solo one? How do you get into the right headspace before your ascent?

MR: Mental preparation is essential in any expedition but especially in the case of a solo.

My mental preparation allows me to anticipate and envision various situations I might encounter during the solo climb. 

Since I attempted to climb Logan with a partner in 2017, when we managed to reach a high point on the mountain, it allowed me to become familiar with the route. With supporting photos and maps, I spent time visualizing the various sections of the route, the potential hazards, and picturing myself [climbing] solo in this environment. But I did not expect to not only be solo, but also to be almost alone on the mountain. This was quite an experience, and although it added to the challenge and the fear, I felt so privileged to experience this unique opportunity, alone on Canada’s highest peak.

TC: Do you ever envision yourself writing a book about your adventures in the future?

MR: It’s a project I’ve been working on for many years. The pandemic has been an opportunity for introspection and reflection, and I’ve started working on my project to write a story about my Mount Logan solo [climb], which will also include my other adventures.

My friend Arvid made me promise to one day write a story of my adventures in the mountains, and I intend to fulfill that promise!

 

Photographs by Guillaume Cossette

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Sports

Montreal Alouette Pierre-Luc Caron also serves as an emergency call dispatcher

Pierre-Luc Caron, Montreal Alouettes long snapper, 2021. Dominick Gravel / Montreal Alouettes

The Alouettes’ long snapper will play his sixth season in the CFL — and his second with Montreal —  in 2022

On Jan. 21, co-news editor Gabriel Guindi and I caught up with Montreal Alouette Pierre-Luc Caron on The Starting Rotation, our sports talk radio show that airs on CJLO 1690 AM on Fridays at 2 p.m. If you missed the conversation live, here’s the abridged version of the offseason interview.

The Starting Rotation (SR): What were some of the unique hurdles that you had to overcome last season, both individually and as a team?

Pierre-Luc Caron (PLC): I had my first big injury since I started playing football when I was eight years old. I tore my pec against Ottawa, I had to get surgery and I’m still doing rehab almost every day. So that was definitely the biggest challenge for me. It’s been a busy offseason trying to get back as quickly as possible. 

As a team, I think we were a really good team, definitely better than our record showed. I feel like we didn’t fulfill our potential, but overall we’re building something great in Montreal, and there’s a ton of great players in that locker room. It’s not a big margin between a Grey Cup winning team and a team that finishes 7-7. If a few key moments go our way, maybe add a few players that could bring a change of attitude and we’re right there in the discussion. 

SR: What’s the timetable for your return from this injury? Do you expect to be ready for the upcoming season?

PLC: The doctor said I should be back to 100 per cent around mid-March. But honestly, if we had a game this week, I feel like I could play, so that’s good news. I just don’t bench as much as I used to, but that’s not a big deal for now. 

SR: The CFL terminated the 2020 season due to the pandemic. What was it like to just not play football for a year? 

PLC: Obviously, it was really tough because at the end of the day, playing football is my income. At the beginning, there was a lot of confusion, none of the players knew whether or not there was going to be another CFL season. I took the opportunity to move back to Montreal with my girlfriend, since she had a job offer. Overall, I’m happy to be back home for now. Family-wise, it’s been great. I can have dinner with my dad on a Wednesday night, which is something I wasn’t able to do when I was playing in Calgary. 

I had a lot of free time so I started working as a 911 operator, and I really liked it. I have a kinesiology degree and I felt like I could be useful in helping others outside of football. I feel like the pressure I experience on the football field helped me handle the stressful calls. Obviously, with the CFL back now, I’m really focused on my training now but I still take calls when I can. 

SR: Before you entered the CFL, you were a part of Laval’s football program for four years and played the Stingers many times over the years. Did you get a chance to watch some of Concordia’s games from this year? 

PLC: I did, and I really like what the Stingers are doing right now. I have a lot of friends that are on the coaching staff and I know things are trending upwards [for Concordia]. They even beat the [Montreal] Carabins this year so that’s a huge step, and you got a young quarterback in Olivier Roy, so the future is definitely looking bright.

SR: What are some of the other sports that you like to play, or like to watch asides from football? 

PLC: When I have the time, I really enjoy golf. When the pandemic started, I started playing more because a lot of the courses were still open in Calgary, so I took advantage of that whenever I could. I’m not great at it, but I like it because it’s relaxing and you get to spend a lot of time with your friends.

SR: What are some of your individual goals for next season?

PLC: I try not to look too far ahead. With my injury, I’m taking things day-by-day, doing rehab, training, and making sure I eat well. Honestly, I don’t have any goals right now. I just want to play every game and I know the goals are going to come once I’m healthy enough to play.

 

Photograph by Dominick Gravel

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Sports

Kobe Bryant’s legacy will live on

On Jan. 26, the world lost a legend. Kobe Bryant was not just one of the best basketball players of all time. He was an icon, an Oscar winner, a mentor to many, but above all he was a husband and father.

I’ve never met Kobe, nor have I ever seen him play live. To be honest, I’m not much of a basketball guy. But growing up watching SportsCentre before school every morning, there was always something about Kobe Bryant. I, alongside countless others, grew up watching Kobe do his thing.

Kobe’s death shook the entire basketball community around the world. I asked some members of the Stingers basketball community what Kobe Bryant meant to them.

 

Tenicha Gittens: “Kobe Bryant to me is the definition of that competitive spirit, that intestinal fortitude that people say you’re supposed to have. He was borderline obsessed with the game of basketball and just wanted to be the best. He encompasses everything that it means to be a true athlete. And it wasn’t just about him. He wanted to make his teammates better and just be the ultimate fighter, competitor, warrior, whatever you wanna call it. Mamba mentality. It’s a real thing. Just saying it feels like it gives you power, like you can be Mamba. Basketball-wise—he was just the ultimate competitor. He made it okay to not care about what was said on the court. He would pull your heart out and be the first one to check up on you after. Off the court he was the ultimate advocate as well for women’s sports and basketball. You know, 41 years old—he didn’t have to coach his daughter and be an advocate but he wanted to continue to grow the game on all sides. His legacy is going to be his legacy on the court, but we got cut short of everything he was doing off the court. He was just scratching the surface. He was constantly watching women’s basketball—his daughter Gianna was the reason he started watching basketball again. It’s so easy for a male professional athlete to detach themselves from the women’s game for whatever reason, but it takes a vision to say ‘we need to be a part of this too. We need to be able to help support them and supply them with resources to grow their game.’ He means a whole lot. I have literally never cried like that for someone I have never met.”

Rastko Popovic: “I was on my couch in my living room resting Sunday morning when I found out about the helicopter crash, on Twitter and just saw the TMZ tweet. I had to look twice. My phone started buzzing so I get messages from people and it’s just, it’s unreal. And to be honest, you know, it’s not really if you’re a Kobe Bryant fan at this point. If you know basketball you understand how good he was and how much of a great competitor he was. You just appreciate what he did for the game of basketball and some guys obviously grew up idolizing him and for as long as you know basketball, you respect the champion, the competitive [player] that he was. It really puts things in perspective—I was involved in a big car accident two weeks ago. I missed the game against UQAM, and was pretty badly injured to start. You know, I just appreciated life to that sense where I was just saying I was just happy to be alive. I won’t lie to you, I kissed my two daughters at night and I had some tears. You never know what life’s gonna throw at you certain days and, you think some people are indestructible then something like this happens.”

Olivier Simon: “Mamba mentality—it’s a big thing. It defines Kobe—it’s work ethic in its purest form. And I think we play, we practice every day and it’s huge in our life, not just basketball. It’s the moment until you can put it to work, with your family, and basketball. It’s a way to live your everyday life. So I just try to have fun, and just do the best I can with whatever I’m doing. That’s what Mamba mentality is for me. I was talking to my coaches, like, everyone who knows when we heard about the story. Everyone is talking about his death as if we were personally affected, like as if we knew who he was. It was just hard because, you know, we’ve watched Kobe for a long time. The whole day was just really weird because I just imagined him, his family and his daughters. It was a hard day.”

Dwight Walton: “It’s not what he meant to me. It’s what he was about. His commitment to excellence, his commitment to skill development, his commitment to the process of what it took to win. And whether you were a fan of his or not, you respected that about him because, listen, he—throughout his career, you heard stuff. I won’t pretend to have been around the Lakers when he played. But you heard his teammates, he would alienate himself from his teammates a lot. But it’s because he wanted to win so, so badly, so whether you thought he was a selfish player, or whatever word you wanted to use for him; his commitment to wanting to win so much is what stands out for me. When you mimic, to who I consider the best player of all time, Michael Jordan, that’s the biggest compliment you could give to somebody; he wants to be what Michael Jordan was. The same traits, that commitment to excellence, that commitment to his body, his skill development, all of that stuff. That’s what resonated with me. I’m not gonna sit here and say that I was a huge Kobe Bryant fan, but I respected the process he went through to make sure that he was the best player that he could be. You see all the outpouring of love and affection that he’s been getting since the news broke on Sunday. Everybody knows the great basketball player he was but I think the reason why everybody is so emotional is because of the transition he made to being a great father, a great husband. And a great mentor to not only his kids but to the youth, especially the women, the little girls that wanted to play basketball. He was a major advocate for women’s basketball. His daughter Gianna, by all accounts was on her way to doing big, big and better things basketball-wise. And if you noticed, when Kobe Bryant first retired, he wasn’t a fixture at Laker games. He wasn’t going to a lot of games. But I think his daughter’s love for the game reinvigorated, reenergized him and his love for the game of basketball. He put the same relentless work ethic into becoming a great producer in the media world, a best-selling author, he won an Academy Award for his short film. Some people are saying that he lived a full life in his 41 years, but I think his life was just getting started.”

 

Graphic by @sundaeghost

Categories
Sports

Q&A with Stingers football head coach Brad Collinson

The Stingers football team’s season came to a close on Nov. 2 after a 40-8 RSEQ semi-finals loss to the Laval Rouge et Or. 

It was a roller-coaster season for the team, who finished their regular season with a record of 2-6, but managed to squeeze into the playoffs. The team saw career-years from players like quarterback Adam Vance, wide receiver James Tyrrell and defensive back Khadeem Pierre. With those efforts Stingers managed to push perennially strong teams like the Université de Montreal Carabins to the edge in two close games. In those games, the team showed glimpses of a team that could be potential usurpers of what has been a historically top-heavy division.

On the other hand, this was the same team that gave up a 74-point shutout to Laval and got blown out by (an admittedly better) McGill squad. The rushing game struggled to find any footing until their playoff game, and the defense struggled at times to stop drives. The team had its issues, but some of the players were so exciting, that even in the losses, there were usually bright spots to look at.

With the 2019 football season having been wrapped for a couple of weeks now, it felt like a good time to sit down and look back on the season with second-year head coach Brad Collinson for a Q&A.

The team finished 2-6, but made the playoffs, what was your overall feeling about this season?

Overall, we took a step in the right direction. Are we there yet? No, far from it. But it’s a good step. We may have the same record as last year, but the culture and the atmosphere here is completely different than a year ago. One of our goals was to make playoffs and we attained that goal. Now the next goal is to win a playoff game. From there we’ll add another goal, then another. It’s a process, and like I’ve said from the beginning, we’re not going to skip any steps. It’s going to be one step at a time, but I think we took that first step.

Were there any players that stood out to you this season?

Jeremy Murphy as a rookie. I knew he was good. Did I expect him to have the year that he had? We always hope, but you never know. He stepped up. [Vance] and [Tyrrell] on offense, those guys had career-years. Being in your fifth year, it’s not ideal to have a change in offense, but those guys bought into what we’re trying to do and they reaped the benefits of it with their play.

Defensively, I was impressed with Derek Achaempong. As a young [defender], he improved every single day and near the end of the season, he was making plays you would expect out of a fourth or fifth year guy and he’s a second year. The future’s bright there. Overall the atmosphere and the way the kids bought into what we’re trying to do, that’s the biggest point I’m trying to come back to is we asked a lot from them, and a lot jumped in blind and weren’t too sure what to do. Some of the guys before we even had our coordinators and our coaches settled. To see them flourish underneath the new leadership has been great.

With the season over, do you have a favourite play from the season?

The win against Sherbrooke at home with that last second field goal was pretty special. I come back to the fade that Adam [Vance] threw to James [Tyrrell] against Montreal to put us in scoring position, that’s a pretty special play.

A lot of U Sports firsts for some of these kids. Jeremy Murphy’s first touchdown, Mancini’s first touchdown last week, Khadeem Pierre’s interceptions for touchdowns. Those were all special plays that I remember from this year.

Based on what you saw this year, are there any game plan tweaks you’re looking to make for next year?

We’re always looking to get better. We’re definitely going to sit down and re-look at our off-season training to make sure it’s on point with what we’re trying to accomplish. Strategy-wise, offense, defense, we’re going to review the film and see what it’s all about and see where we have to improve. But I think our schemes were pretty good. We always have to adapt, though, because teams are going to be watching our film now.

How are you hoping to replace the seniors class this year, with guys like Vance, Tyrrell, Jersey Henry and Sam Brodrique all graduating?

It’s always been a next man up mentality. You can’t replace those guys. They’re fifth year guys that bring a lot to the table. You just hope that the guys under them, that they’ve left a good footprint for them to step into by their actions and how they prepare. I actually thought those young guys took those steps and realized that’s the way you have to handle yourself as a university athlete. We’re going to go back to the drawing board and look at who we have and try to put out the best product possible. With recruiting, we’ll really define what we’re trying to do. Who’s going to be playing where, we don’t know yet. We’re trying to find better players each and every year.

Obviously, the team went through some losing streaks during the season, how do you keep players motivated and on track despite those stretches when things aren’t translating on the field?

It’s not hard to motivate these kids. It’s not a very long season, they put a lot of work into it, they know what they’re here for, they’re here to compete. They knew what they signed up for playing in the RSEQ.

It took some time for us to even score our first touchdown. It finally happened against Sherbrooke [in week five]. But the kids never gave up. We were gaining yards, we just weren’t finishing. Victories come, and it’s hard. We play in a very tough league. The RSEQ is probably the toughest in the country. We have perennial champions Laval, and Montreal is no slouch. McGill also took a big step forward this year. You saw it this year. Each and every week, there was a lot more parity. Every week you could win. When you play close games against Montreal, and get some victories against Sherbrooke, and the second game against McGill, we should have won that game.

What are some of those steps needed to close the gap between Concordia and Laval and UDEM?

It’s going to be recruiting. Our recruiting this year is going to be huge. There’s a buzz about us, sorry for the pun. I think that Concordia is an option for people now, especially in Quebec in the Cegeps compared to years past. We’ve worked hard on that.

We’ve seen every Cegep play at least once this year. I don’t think any other team in the country has done that. Especially in our conference, there’s nobody who’s done that. We went to every single spring camp this year, of the 30 Cegeps that play football, we were at every single one. I think we’ve checked some things that we wanted to do and establish some relationships in those Cegeps. It’s going to start paying off slowly but surely with some commitments coming up hopefully soon. The name of the game is recruiting.

What do you think you’re doing to separate Concordia from the other schools in this division?

It starts with recruiting and creating those relationships that we didn’t have before. We’re a great institution here, offer a lot of great academic programs that some other schools don’t. Being that option, and going after some French-Canadian kids is huge for us. There’s some very good football being played in french Cegeps, as well as english, but there’s only three [english Cegeps]. The other 27 are french. We have to create those relationships and that’s where we want to differentiate ourselves.

With Adam Vance graduating this year, do you think Olivier Roy will takeover that starting quarterback job?

It’s going to be an open competition. We have some other guys that are here as well. We’re recruiting guys as well. We’ll let it play itself out once camp starts and depending on who comes in January. For a start tomorrow though, Olivier would have the heads up on everybody.

I think the future’s bright. We weren’t too sure about that position but with him he’s shown us some good things.

Looking forward to next season, what’s one challenge you’re looking to overcome, and what’s something you’re looking forward to?

Replacing those guys that we talked about before is going to be a challenge. What I’m looking forward to is to see the progression of where we’re at. I think we have a good locker room, we have some kids that are excited about the off-season. I think it’s going to be a good year.

 

Feature photo by Mackenzie Lad, accompanying photos by Laurence BD

Categories
News

New year, new president: 10 minutes with Graham Carr

Following Alan Shepard’s seven-year mandate, Graham Carr is stepping in as new Interim President at quite a euphoric and challenging time for the university.

Concordia recently took a significant jump among the 2,000 worldwide universities ranked by the annual Center for World University Rankings; the largest surge in any Canadian university in the past year. As social movements are calling for educational reform and a change in power dynamics, seizing the momentum will be one of Carr’s greatest challenges. So, what’s next?

Graham Carr

Carr: I have been in a leadership position at Concordia for quite a number of years. I think I have been part of a lot of decision making since 2006.  We have incredible momentum at the moment and we want to seize that momentum, continuing in our strategic direction. But always asking what can we do more? What can we do next? There is a terrific opportunity for us in terms of increasing our visibility of the university – nationally and internationally. How can we continue to improve the student experience at the university and increase our research impact for Quebec and Canadian society? Those are all priorities for us; the appetite to grow, the thirst for knowledge and curiosity about what’s different, those are pretty good drivers for education. You can’t stand still if you’re always thinking of the next generation. We need to always be in that mode of constantly refreshing our reflection about who we are and where we want to go.

Such mentality undeniably helped Concordia’s worldwide reputation, but how can you explain its latest jump in the rankings? 

Carr: We have made a conscious effort in Quebec to be better known, to recruit the majority of our students. More than 70 per cent of our students come from Quebec. We are bringing about 25 per cent francophones into the university now, as well as our international students mix. I think that is also a way of communicating to a wider world, who we are and what we can do.

A student’s experience is something quite personal. Every voice is different. In a university which holds more than 50,000 undergraduate and graduate students, how do you balance the interests of every student? 

Carr: That is a challenge! Part of the issue is to realize that in a large comprehensive university like Concordia, people’s needs are different. What might work in business school, doesn’t work in the science labs. The needs of students for apprenticeship opportunities in aerospace engineering, for instance, are different than a student who wants a global experience, like the chance to study another language, another culture in another part of the world. So, the starting point for trying to be successful is to understand what the different needs in the university are, and to realize that with the resources you have are not infinite – how you can use [those resources] in a way that has a big impact for as many students as possible.

When you look back on your own student years and the impact that education and different experiences had on you, what do you wish to bring upon Concordia?

Carr: I think if you want to be successful in higher education, whether you are a student or staff or administrator, it’s because, fundamentally, you want to learn. The university has changed a lot since I have been here. It has gone from strength to strength. I think it’s just really an opportunity for everybody’s growth; growth in terms of your curiosity, your network. If you are a student, you have the opportunity to grow and discover areas that you are interested in; to meet new people, to build your network. Equally, I would like to believe that for the staff’s faculty, for university administrators, it’s also all about growth. It’s all about looking for ways to improve and do things differently -– being curious about what makes a next-generation university. Those are the things that I find excited about the job. I’m, frankly, learning new things every day. I meet people that I wouldn’t otherwise meet. For example, when I was in the research sector of the university, I got the chance to learn a lot about fields of knowledge and expertise that I didn’t know.

It’s true that it’s usually once you have graduated that you realize how many opportunities were presented to you through the university…

Carr: Yes! It’s about the best opportunity. As a student – and I don’t want this to be misunderstood – you have the luxury of time. You have time to explore, to experiment. And I’m sure many students have started down one pathway and realized “that’s really not for me, here’s a different path that I didn’t know about and that looks very exciting.” 

Your own path led you to this presidency. The very nature of being a positive leader is in itself fascinating, but as we are running out of time, what would be a must-quality?

Carr: Top quality for leaders? Can it be two? I think one is the ability to listen. Then, the other is the ability to foster success in people and encourage them to do their best and get the best out of them. Short and sweet. That would be it!

Categories
Music

The energetic dark-folk of Common Holly

Common Holly's new album pays homage to the saddest of folk crooners.

We talked to her about playing live and the joys of botany

I arrived at Quai des Brumes and pulled out my notebook. I didn’t know what to expect. The bar was relatively small, leaving little room between the performer and the audience. Montrealer Brigitte Naggar, also known as Common Holly, had just set up with her band and started to play.

In that small room, Common Holly managed to produce a sprawling and dynamic sound. Smooth and clean guitars complemented the drum and synth textures. Their sound floated somewhere between gentle and raucous, sometimes coalescing when the whole band joined in. Naggar’s vocals, along with the backing vocals, tied the whole sound together.

The performance was great. It had an intimate but huge energy. A few days later, I spoke with Naggar.

Q: First of all, it was a great show Thursday. How do you feel about that performance?

Photo by Mackenzie Lad

A: Yeah, I feel good about it. I think the audience’s response was really nice, and the band sounded good. Actually, we

had played the night before as well, in the same venue, and I got acquainted with the sound guy. He brought a special mic for me the next night for extra clarity, so that was very nice.

Q: One of the things I noticed about the way you played is that, even though it was a small space, it was kind of a large sound. Is that the sound you were going for?

A: I mean, it kind of fluctuates a little bit because I do perform solo and duo as well, so when we have all five people there, it’s definitely a big sound. I think that, in part, reflects some elements of the record that is coming out, because it’s quite produced and there’s a lot going on and there are arrangements and drums.

Q: Now let’s do a little history about you. When did you start playing music?

A: I played piano as a kid for like nine years or so. That was my first foray into music. Then my dad gave me my first guitar lessons when I was 13. I got my first guitar when I was 16. It was supposed to be a surprise, but then [my dad’s] girlfriend at the time called me to say: “So did you get the guitar?” and I was like: “Um, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” [Laughs].

Q: What type of guitar was it?

A: It was acoustic. I actually only started playing electric about a year ago, so I feel pretty new to it still. I’ll occasionally go back to acoustic and be like: “Oh God, I’m so much better at this!” [Laughs]. But I really love playing electric. I think it gives it a bit of that hard edge that I’m looking for.

Photo by Mackenzie Lad

Q: And what music did you start playing? Did you do covers or did you just play around?

A: I started with covers for sure. I was very much like a 16-year-old doing Elliott Smith and Postal Service and Emily Haines covers, that sort of thing. And then I started to write my own music and some really terrible songs on Myspace, and it was very much in my bedroom for myself, super quiet. I think that’s also how I developed a really quiet sound. It was not that I never wanted to be heard at all. I, you know, slowly started to emerge more and more, as people were showing signs of wanting to hear my music. I kind of got over my fear of being heard a little bit.

Q: Were you always comfortable with your voice? Did you just want to sing for yourself?

A: It wasn’t necessarily that I was afraid that my voice wasn’t good enough, but it’s more an aspect of my personality. I have never been a very external kind of person, and it’s something I had to learn to do. And I do quite enjoy it, now that it’s something I do. I do really like it and it continues to be a challenge for me to get out there and perform and be expressive, because I definitely feel introverted.

Q: Are you anxious before a performance?

A: Less so these days. I think it’s because it’s becoming more habitual, but I just get a little nervous stomach, a little stomach ache. [Laughs].

Photo by Mackenzie Lad

Q: So, how did you get your stage name, Common Holly?

A: I started in a brainstorm circle with a group of my friends. We were looking for imagery that reflected the sound of the music, and we decided that plants and botanical imagery suited it best. So I did some research into plants. When I came upon common holly, I really liked the idea of this very understated, general plant. But it’s also a plant that blooms in the winter, and it has these lovely red berries. It’s a plant that has cultural and religious significance as well, which I liked—I studied religion at McGill, so it’s always been something that has been fascinating for me. And also a plant with dark, spiky leaves, so I think I liked that juxtaposition of pretty and understated, but also with a stark undercurrent, a little bit sharp.

Q: Are you touring to promote your new album?

A: I have a couple of tours in the works, nothing officially announced yet. I know I’ll be touring the first week of November, and I’ll be doing a little bit at the end of October.

Common Holly’s first album, Playing House, was released Sept. 25.

Photos by Mackenzie Lad

Categories
Arts

Q&A with an up-and-coming Quebec director

Prank is an unique piece of Quebec cinema by Concordia grad Vincent Biron.

Vincent Biron speaks candidly about his new film, Prank, now in theaters

Keep your eyes open for Prank, an unusual piece of Quebec cinema that is certainly an acquired taste. It’s vulgar, it’s immature and it shows teens doing what they do best—stirring up trouble in nasty ways, all while finding themselves and growing up, however slowly and unwillingly. The Concordian sat down with the film’s director and Concordia grad, Vincent Biron.

Where was the film shot?

A lot of places. Some of it in Montreal, some of it in Sorel… I wanted to create a non-existing place. I didn’t want to set it in Montreal or any given small town. I liked the idea of a no-man’s land.

That’s interesting, given that the film feels kind of universal, which could explain why it’s being talked about abroad.

Well, we all live through adolescence and, even though we all live through it differently, some experiences are quite common. They’re usually both difficult and enlightening at once… And you can find these kinds of nameless suburbs pretty much anywhere in the world.

Did you try to make the film more universal or specifically French Canadian? Or a mix of both?

I think it’s a mix of both. Because, you know, I do acknowledge the reality of French Canadian life, but I’d like to think that the art I create can be viewed as having a larger significance, rather than simply a part of its local context. Particularly in the sense that French Canadian films haven’t had an audience for a few years now. So I would be denying myself a larger audience. Cinema is an act of communication. There’s nothing sadder than a film that is not seen… That’s why we’ve been very involved in promoting Prank—I want people to hear our message.

You have experience as a cinematographer. Was it hard to make the jump to directing?

Not really, since I’ve made a lot of short films since I graduated [in 2006]. I do direct, but I’ve chosen not to become a director in the commercial sense. I was at a crossroads after I graduated: I was starting to work on cinematography, and I was asking myself what I should do, because you have to choose. It’s very hard to actively do both [cinematography and directing], and I decided that cinematography was a good choice because it didn’t require me to be as emotionally involved. As a director, I’m extremely passionate about my work and I get nervous at the thought of having to shoot commercials.

Were you involved in the cinematography on Prank?

I was actually the cinematographer. There were only three of us. I was shooting and directing, one of the co-producers was working on sound and another co-producer organized stuff… I usually don’t do cinematography on my own projects, but this time I wanted to avoid having to hire someone else because it’s a beautiful job, but it’s a demanding one. It takes assistants and lighting, and I knew I wanted to make the film using nothing.

Let’s go back to the theme of adolescence. Most descriptions of the film claim that it’s a coming-of-age story, but to me it’s rather a story of the characters refusing to come of age.

Yeah, I do think the characters [are being made to come of age] kicking and screaming. I think that’s how we all live through it… It’s a moment when we all kind of reject the adult world, and there’s some of that in the film because the adult world is very dramatic.

It’s like they’re two separate worlds.

Right, and that was deliberate. And your analysis is correct—it’s a film about refusing to be a part of that world… I really like sad humour. That allowed me to explore the adult world through that lens.

What surprised me is that we never see the main character’s parents, even though there’s a scene that his mother should logically appear in.

Yeah, that was deliberate… The screenwriters and myself didn’t want to make a “message movie.” We didn’t want to make a statement about a generation, because there’s something reactionary about that… I didn’t want to make an “old fart” kind of movie. I didn’t want to make a film about “young people.”… Adolescence, in my view, is a very insular experience.

How old are the characters supposed to be? I feel like the older ones are about 17 or 18 years old.

I knew we wanted to leave that ambiguous. I’d done an initial casting session and screen tests for younger actors and it was a bit boring. The contrast between them and [the main character] is more interesting if we feel that there’s more of an age difference. They’re more interesting to [the main character] because they seem more experienced … I’m a big fan of John Hughes, you know. In Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Matthew Broderick was 22 or 23 years old when it was shot, not 16. But the logic of the film sells it to you. As filmmakers, we’re too scared to let go of reality. Especially in Quebec, we have a strong history of documentary filmmaking, so people want to make stuff that looks real.

Do you have any future plans?

We’re writing another full-length film with the same team. I really enjoyed shooting this way, with no money, and I learned a lot doing it. I’d like to repeat that experience… It gives you complete freedom to say whatever you want, and not to wait. Because from the moment that you say you’re waiting to get [a larger budget], you’re gonna keep on waiting.

Prank is now in theaters.

Categories
Music

Allah-Las: sun-soaked sounds and ‘60s style

Allah-Las in Los Angeles, 2013. From left to right : Dunham, Michaud, Correia and Siadatian

Drummer Matthew Correia answers questions on Los Angeles’ deep roots in music and art

If you see a bright radiating light on the horizon, it’s probably Allah-Las’ tour van treading through the snow while on their current tour through North America. This four-piece of L.A. sun shaman met between the stacks of dusty LPs at the massive record store, Amoeba. Towelling off after catching a tube ride, these surfers laid down their boards to write songs on whatever came to mind. Their love of Los Angeles’ history, from the ‘50s Beatnik youth snapping their thumbs on the shores of Venice, to the aching nostalgia in Bukowski’s words on Hollywood, is all absorbed in their crystalline melodies and Western drawl. Their ‘60s-sounding songs have reverb cranked high, reflecting the slow tides hitting the shore of their native land.

Allah-Las in Los Angeles, 2013. From left to right : Dunham, Michaud, Correia and Siadatian

Drummer Matthew Correia didn’t know much about drums at the band’s conception. During soundcheck at the band’s early gigs, the soundman would ask Correia to test the kick-drum—but the drummer wasn’t sure which one that was. He’s since discovered where the kick-drum is, and his playing throughout the album sounds moody and wonderful, like crushing seashells under your feet. He answered The Concordian’s eager questions.

The Concordian (C): Is there an ‘old Los Angeles’ feel in your music? What does that mean to you?

Matthew Correia (MC): The literature, music, art, design and photography from Los Angeles have always interested us. Those influences, along with the history and geography of our hometown, somehow make their way into our sound naturally, I think. If we grew up somewhere else we would sound different I’m sure.

C: Why was it important for your music to stray away from digital effects and synthesized sounds?

MC: We’re not against digital.  We did what worked best for us. We dig music with synths, but like a lot of styles and instruments, it just hasn’t made its way into our sound.

C: Do you feel being compared to ‘60s rock in most music articles describes you well? Or are they too quick to generalize?

MC: We’re honoured to be compared to that music. We’re influenced by other places and other decades of course but people are going to hear what they’re familiar with and that’s fine.

C: Does your music correspond less with music from the ‘60s and, rather, match more with the ‘feel’ or ‘vibe’ associated with California’s previous decades?

MC: Sure. I think we’re very much a product of our environment. A mirror of a mirror of a mirror … We grew up digging through the past while listening to loads of local bands around L.A. Influence has been passed down to us as it was to them. Ariel Pink, Beachwood sparks, The Tyde, and The Brian Jonestown Massacre, are a few of our L.A. favorites.

C: Is your music best sampled by listening to the entire album, end to end? As if your music is a 40-minute trip into the old L.A. histories you’ve mentioned—a change in perspective.

MC: We hope it feels like a trip anywhere you’re listening. Nearest far away place.

C: On a more personal note, I was just in California, and listening to Worship the Sun while buzzing around L.A. The music definitely fits perfectly with the setting. When coming back to Montreal and listening to it while driving through a snowstorm, it seemed to have a totally different effect. If at all, why do you think your music carries with it such a strong ‘mood’ or ‘vibe,’ for lack of better words?

MC: We’re a moody bunch. I don’t know, we put everything into those records.

It changed our lives for better or worse and it’s all in there. If you ever need some tunes for the road check out Reverberation Radio. It’s a podcast we make with our six closest friends. Every Wednesday: a new mix.

C: Your self-titled album and Worship the Sun both share the general themes of “sun” and “girls.” is surfing under the sun a remedy for heartbreak.

MC: Things aren’t always what they seem. Songs that sound like they’re about a girl, the beach or fun in the sun might be about something else. We’re happy that people associate us with sunshine and sandy beaches because we love those things, but we hope that people make their own interpretations.

These sun worshippers will be blazing through their tunes on Montreal’s chilly Wednesday night. If you’re cold and blue, step into Allah-Las’ solar furnace.

Allah-Las play Petit Campus Nov. 26 with Tashaki Miyaki

Categories
Arts

Come find anything and everything at Dépflies’ dépanneur

CBC’s ComedyCoup is on a mission to find your next favourite Canadian comedy show
by Frederic T. Muckle & Chris Aitkens

From the ‘90s sitcoms like Seinfeld and Friends to the 2000s kittens and babies web-video trend, comedy seems to need to reinvent itself every now and then to keep the demanding crowds laughing. ComedyCoup, an ongoing CBC project, is currently looking for a new Canadian comedy show that will make the country’s audiences chuckle in a half-hour special for CBC prime time, from sea to sea.

Dépflies, a live performance turned into a television show, takes a look at a heterogeneous crowd gathering in a Saint-Henri dépanneur. The show is presently one of the public’s favourites, according to the votes on the ComedyCoup website and its spot in the top 15 projects of ComedyCoup. The Concordian spoke to Alain Mercieca, the writer of Dépflies, and Anton Golikov, one of the actor, to discuss the Montreal-based bilingual comedy project.

The Concordian (C): How did you come up with the concept for Dépflies?

Alain Mercieca (AM): Dépflies was concocted in the dark winter of 2011 while I was living in Saint-Henri and fell in love with the neighbourhood, and felt the burning desire to write a new comedy that brought community, subculture, bilingualism and punk rock insanity to life on stage.  Déps (dépanneurs) are the perfect platform for anything to happen, so it was really fun to write about.

C: How would you describe your group’s general philosophy in relation to entertainment and the world surrounding it?

AM: We are a very passionate group.  We love making art that is honest, free and void of all pretentiousness.  It’s hard to pin us down because we vary so much in tastes, but we definitely love the idea of bringing art and comedy together—not going just for the joke, but grabbing for the heartstrings also. the new generation in Canada needs something to love other than YouTube and iPhones.

C: Could you describe the team behind the camera?

Anton Golikov (AG): Some of the finest people in an ever-expanding family. A growing beast of super-talented graphic designers, cinematographers and filmmakers. The professionalism that attached itself to the project is matched only by the talent of the underground cast and artists behind the live show. Robert Quinn, PierreLuc Boucher, Danny Belair are the ones making it so darn beautiful.

C: Why did you decide to do a bilingual show instead of using an easier unilingual formula?

AM: To document the reality of Montreal.  Giving an honest “slice of life” instead of trying to do something for American audiences, or pandering to one side.  There are no sides in the great tumult of life, at a deep philosophical level.  Also, funnily enough, almost everyone involved is in a bilingual relationship.  That’s just a coincidence, and fate!

C: Even if Canada recognizes two official languages, the fact is that the majority of Canada’s population is not bilingual. Figures from the 2011 Statistics Canada Census show that about 18 per cent of the population actually speaks both French and English.

Do you think that this bilingual aspect could affect the public’s perception of Dépflies in a negative or positive way? And how so?

Dépflies is about the eventful moments taking place in an anonymous Montreal dépanneur in the Saint-Henri neighbourhood – Dépflies is currently one of the final 15 projects retained on ComedyCoup

AM: Dépflies, the live show, has worked for people who speak only English, only French and people who speak neither.  We try to build characters that resonate at a deep level, beyond language.  And for us, language is something to love, to be open about, no matter what level you are at.  My five-year-old son loves Dépflies and he doesn’t get any of the references.  For some, it may be challenging, I realize, but to them I say: give it a chance.  The Québécois accent, just like the hoser B.C. punk accent, is beautiful and adds to the colour of this country and the world.  Let’s embrace them and show the world how they live and breathe together in places like Montreal.

C: Your character hasn’t been fully revealed yet. What kind of character has been written for you? Will they be English or Bilingual?

AG: My character’s a bilingual regular. Typical of St-Henri, he is also a bit “street” and trashy. Denizen of the trailer-park side of the hood. Throughout the series, I’ve played a punk prophet who got his leg chopped off by a train near the Fatal lofts, a treasure hoarding priest, a hardline anglo from the west island, a militant SPVM commando bike cop, a handsome media man, the custodian of Quebec’s national archives, and a Russian in a tracksuit (a bit of method acting on that last one.)

C: How does Dépflies relate to Montreal and its distinct cultural personality?

AM: Well, as a Montreal-ophile, I love every niche culture in this city, and am totally obsessed with all of them.  I once said “every city is a country” and Montreal is exactly that. Every week I learn about a new subculture, a new loft to go to, a new character in the streets, a new story of great tragedy, or a new neighbourhood full of folkloric charm.  Dépflies uses a Montreal staple, the dépanneur, as the springboard into the personality of the great city, exploring them with an honest and loving touch.

CBC’s ComedyCoup is still running and will continue until a project gets financed with $500,000 to create a half-hour special for CBC prime time. The remaining comedy projects will participate in the coming weeks’ challenges to gather votes and boost social media presence. As described on the website, ComedyCoup is meant to accelerate the discovery, creation and promotion of new talent and projects.

This Q&A is the result of two separate interviews and has been edited for purposes of length and clarity.

For more information on ComedyCoup and Dépflies, visit comedycoup.cbc.ca.

Categories
Music

Q&A with Joy Division & New Order’s Peter Hook

Photo courtesy of Craige Barker.

Hook answers questions about his musical past, current shows, and revisiting classic songs.

It is difficult to know where to start when discussing an individual whose contributions to the history of music have been incredibly influential. That being said, Peter Hook is one such individual. If you are familiar with iconic British post punk band Joy Division and the subsequent alternative sounds of New Order, or the bands Monaco, Man Ray and The Light, then you have been privy to the brilliant work of Peter Hook. From playing bass guitar in Joy Division and New Order to starting his own nightclub and creating a Master’s program in Music at the University of Central Lancashire, Hook continues to engage in many facets of the industry. He is currently on tour with The Light, which includes members who form the band Monaco, as well as his own son. Peter Hook and The Light will be performing songs from the New Order albums: Low Life(1985) and Brotherhood (1986) on their current tour, and will be opening their sets with selected works from Joy Division. They are not to be missed.

The Concordian (C): I know you played Joy Division albums on tour before, so what inspired you to tour again, playing New Order material specifically?

Photo courtesy of Craige Barker.

Peter Hook (PH): It’s all been part of a process, really. I plan to play every track that I’ve ever recorded before I shuffle up to join [deceased] Ian, Rob and Tony upstairs. It began when I saw that Bobby Gillespie from Primal Scream was planning to play Screamadelica live back in 2010 that I had the idea of performing Unknown Pleasures as well. The gig sold out in just a few minutes, which was amazing, so we added a second night. That really was supposed to be it, but then we were invited to come and play all around the world, to some truly great audiences. When I saw that people were enjoying it, we decided to progress the show and perform the second album, Closer,  live. We followed this by performing the last Joy Division album release, Still, live which meant that we had then played every single Joy Division song live once again.

As we had played all of this material, going on to perform the first two New Order albums was the next step in the journey of this project. Now we’ve come to perform the next two albums, Low Life and Brotherhood, and the singles from New Order from 1983 to 1987. That includes some great material including “Confusion,” “True Faith,” “Bizarre Love Triangle” as well as the lesser known and lesser heard album tracks like “Let’s Go.”  I am very proud of the members of The Light and I think they do a great job in performing this material live.

C: Were other members of New Order interested in touring with you? Or did you set out to do a solo tour?

PH: I have to stress that it’s not a solo tour, the band (Pottsy, Kehoe and Andy Poole) are all people who were in Monaco with me, and because I’m doing vocals, my son, Jack, fills in and doubles up on bass duties with me. It’s called Peter Hook and The Light, but I  would much prefer it to be called just The Light. However, the nature of what we’re doing, playing the back catalogue means that its becomes necessary to use my name.

C: Are you finding younger or older audiences at your shows? I realize this probably depends on what material you are choosing to play, as in old vs. new albums.

PH: Not really, in fact if anything you find that the Joy Division audiences tend to have a greater make-up of young people than the New Order albums we are playing, but both attract a mixed crowd which is testament to the ongoing influence of both bands. Joy Division does seem to hold a greater fascination with young people if anything. I’m surprised in a lot of ways at the amount of Joy Division t-shirts that we see at the gigs, more than New Order even at the New Order gigs.

C: As a musician, do you find you need to be in a specific space or mindset to work? Can you write on tour or do you need to be at home?

PH: Ideas come to me all the time, on the road, at home, but yes to work properly and write new material you do need to allocate time and also get into the right mindset. It is something that has been lost with the advent of technology, sitting in a room as a band and knocking out ideas on your instruments. That was how we always worked with Joy Division and in New Order prior to sequencers, drum machines and technology coming in. There are advantages in the use of technology, but for pure songwriting, I do believe the best results come from jamming with band members on ideas.

 C: A lot of bands have cited you, New Order and Joy Division as inspiration for their own music and material. So, do you ever listen to music and hear your influence or similarities in sound?

PH: Being an inspiration to other bands is quite funny really. It’s a great compliment but sometimes I hear it and sometimes I don’t. Sometimes it is really apparent like with White Lies and Interpol, but other times bands are compared to us and I don’t really see it. Nonetheless, I still find it hugely ingratiating to have been in two bands that have shaped the course of popular music over the past thirty years. It is always good when people cite you and say you’ve had a positive effect on their lives.

C: From playing in bands years ago in Manchester, to creating house music inspired by the Hacienda, how have you seen the music scene in England shift?

PH: There have been so many changes, not only in England, but across the world since I started out—that [is] a difficult question to answer. You have to take into account technology and the Internet, the nature of the industry and how it has changed, the decline of vinyl and CDs as a mass market product (which I don’t believe has been replaced by downloads) and much much more.

I suppose The Hacienda did inspire the advent of dance music in the U.K. but there were other factors and influential people championing dance music throughout the ‘80s. Now it has become the staple of the charts where all music seems to owe a debt to house music. Yet bands are still current and exist alongside dance music, and there are even live dance acts like Underworld and The Prodigy. There’s so many new developments, but in a lot of ways, performing live, gigs and club events are relatively the same arts they always were; just in the modern day and modern versions of them.

C: I know you’ve dabbled in electronic genres, but a lot of your work is considered to have a more new wave, rock/pop sound. Is there a genre of music you prefer to listen to? Is there a genre you prefer to perform?

PH: I listen to a lot of dance music at home for DJing and also make dance music as Man Ray with Phil Murphy but also listen to bands and hip-hop. I really do have diverse tastes, from Metronomy, to The National to Drake. I tend to listen to things at the gym three mornings a week, so I get through a lot there. As for playing live, I think I’m very much in the band/rock bracket although with the New Order material, a lot of it is electronic. As a DJ, I play a lot of upfront dance music and classics, so I have a foot in both camps really.

Peter Hook and The Light play Club Soda Monday Nov. 10

Categories
Music

Q&A with singer-songwriter JF Robitaille

Local singer-songwriter recently released his latest album Rival Hearts. Photo by Press.

C: What prompted you to take up music?

JF: I met up with some like-minded people in high school and we decided that being The Beatles would be a fun job. I only got serious about songwriting after hearing Leonard Cohen.

Local singer-songwriter recently released his latest album Rival Hearts. Photo by Press.

 

C: You have been compared to the likes of Leonard Cohen, Morrissey and Nick Drake. How would you describe your sound?

JF: Simple and direct.

 

C: How does this album compare to your previous releases?

JF: The other two albums are collections of songs I had lying around, Rival Hearts has a central theme and the songs were all written within a short period of time. I was thinking of it as a soundtrack to a movie that doesn’t exist yet.

 

C: Do you find it hard to balance your music career with your personal life? What do you do when you are not busy performing, touring and recording?

JF: I don’t have a personal life separate from my music life…I find it hard to balance anything. I read books, make videos, watch movies and I’m constantly writing and trying to grow a beard.

 

C: What are you listening to nowadays?

JF: My friend Betta (who performs with me), has recently got me into a lot of Italian pop music from the ‘60s, I also love Scout Niblett’s new-ish record….at this second I’m listening to Magnetic Fields.

 

C: Is there a particular memory that stands out from your musical career thus far?

JF: It’s always cool when I see a new record of mine on store shelves, I make a point of going to buy one the day it comes out. The first time I saw The Blood In My Body at Tower Records (RIP) in NYC was a pretty big deal for me.

 

C: What would you like listeners to think/feel when they hear your music?  Is there a message you are trying to convey through your music?

JF: I can just hope that they can relate to it in some way. No message, just communion I suppose.

 

C: If you were not a musician, what would you have chosen as a career path?

JF: Short-order cook or silent film star.

Categories
Sports

Wrestling time between school and sports

A great athlete and an even better scholar. Concordia wrestler Michael Noonan, 24, was awarded the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship to attend Oxford University next fall where he will be studying zoology as a graduate student.

Wrestler Michael Noonan balances time between training, competing and studying to accomplish his goals. Photo by Concordia University

Noonan recently sat down for a conversation with The Concordian to talk about the upcoming season, his future and some of the stereotypes surrounding athletes.

 

What was the first thing you did when you found out you won the scholarship?

I screamed, I was pretty excited. I was in the car with a bunch of friends so we all cheered and I went home right away and told my parents and they were pretty ecstatic.


What are you most looking forward to at Oxford?

Obviously the education will be great, but just living on campus at one of the best universities in the world will be amazing. It will be a different country, more European, and I’m just excited for the whole lifestyle of being on campus and in a new country.


So what will you be working on primarily when you go to Oxford?

I’m going to be working within the zoology department on the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit. It’s a research crew that does research on endangered species.


Do you have a thesis or anything specific in mind yet that you want to achieve?

I have a thesis in mind but it still has to get accepted. But I would like to work on studying fish passage at dams.


Has it been a challenge to balance school and athletics?

Yeah, for sure. We train twice a day, once during the day and once at night so that doesn’t leave much time in between for classes and homework. I actually had to take a reduced course load and finish university a year later to fit it all in.


Some athletes struggle academically, what advice would you give them?

There’s certain times when you can focus on your sports and your social life and there’s also times when you really need to sit down and focus on your academics. Exam period for example is a time when you really need to set your priorities on school.


Have you ever had to deal with the perception or stereotype that athletes are just “dumb jocks?”

Yeah I have. Even the guys on the team, we don’t talk about school or grades or anything so this really surprised a lot of them. It’s definitely a stereotype that’s out there, but once I start to talk to people they sort of realize it’s not that true.


Do you think it is a fair stereotype, whether or not it applies to you?

Definitely not. Some of the most intelligent people I know are athletes. One guy from our team is actually at Brown University writing a textbook now. We have engineers and a lot of very smart people on our team.

 

Do you think it will be more difficult to focus on wrestling this year knowing what lies ahead?

Yes, I think it will be because in the past you had this huge future ahead of you whereas now I’m limited to just this one year before my career here is over, so it’s going to be tough. On top of that I recently had ACL surgery so dealing with that on top of it will be difficult.


What are some of you goals for the season?

Well, first things first is to get back into the season. Because of the surgery I need to push myself hard to compete again. Then I really want to win nationals.


Because it’s your last year do you think this season will have maybe a sense of urgency that wasn’t there in the past?

Not urgency, but it is very different. I look at it with more of a sense of calm and knowing. When you’re young you kind of have this fear of all the guys being older than you. Now, though, I’m sitting here near the end and I’ve sort of seen it all. I’ve seen things come and go and I think that I can deal with whatever happens better than a lot of other people can.

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