Special Olympics Summer Games

 
 

Town and County of Antigonish and StFX co-host special olympics

5 Days, 13 Provinces and Territories, 315 Coaches and 1,025 Athletes with one common goal; to prove that they have what it takes to compete on the global stage for their country. This year’s Special Olympics Summer Games may have come to a close, but the lasting impact they have had will continue for years.

From left to right: Joshua Weaver, Patrick Weaver, and Alex Weaver

From left to right: Joshua Weaver, Patrick Weaver, and Alex Weaver

The games were particularly special for me and my family, seeing my brother Patrick, who has Down Syndrome, compete on a national stage and seeing it happen at the university I am so proud to attend. Patrick competed in the swimming events and participated in 4 individual races and 2 relays. In addition, he also plays with the Special Olympics basketball team but did not compete with them at these games. Seeing Patrick’s excitement as he walked on campus for the first time, just thrilled to spend the week living where his older brother does, was beyond worth the plane ticket. From the moment Patrick met up with his teammates he always had a smile on his face and was trying to soak up every minute he could.

The Special Olympics mean the world to Patrick. It is where he meets his friends and plays the sports he loves with people who support him and share a passion for the game. It is where he has made some lifelong friends and learned the value of competition and sportsmanship. It really shows you how excited all the athletes are when they finish a race, and everyone starts cheering for each other and the different swimmers, it becomes an immensely humbling experience to see these people who are competing for a place on team Canada giving a high five or a hug to their competitor that beat them to the finish, you can’t find that anywhere else in sports. It is remarkable just how much the athletes teach you what it means to be a human, and how compassion goes such a long way.

The games have given Patrick opportunities to grow and improve as both an individual and an athlete that he would not be able to ordinarily. Seeing him excited to go to practise and get that little bit better and then come home beaming about his new techniques he learned or how he got to spend time with his friends really makes the difference in his life. And that practise sure paid off, in all of the events Patrick competed in he had 3 personal bests for his fastest time, won four medals and competed better than any of us could have hoped, and it makes us immensely proud of his achievements. It is these experiences that are so important to us, to give Patrick the chance to excel at sport where he would be shunned from because of his disability, and to get a chance to socialize with people who care about him just as much as he cares about everyone he meets.

From left to right: Justin Thompson and Patrick Weaver

From left to right: Justin Thompson and Patrick Weaver

Special Olympics decided that they would do something different for their 50th anniversary and decided to take a chance on a small town in central Nova Scotia. This was the first time in the history of the Canadian Special Olympics that they have hosted the games in a small town, and from being there and feeling the atmosphere I would say that it was a huge success. I was especially impressed at how well embraced the games were, whenever we went out for dinner or went to the grocery store there were always people coming up to us asking if we were out for the games and interested in where we were from and what events my brother was in. You can’t find that kind of hospitality anywhere else. From all of the volunteers taking time out of their lives to help make the games possible to the companies that donated money and goods to bring an east coast vibe, the games were well executed and presented. The town of Antigonish itself should be proud for opening its doors to the rest of the nation and doing it with the utmost kindness and compassion. It really made the games that much more extraordinary for my family and we cannot thank everyone involved enough for their part in making dreams come true.

 
From left to right: Joshua Weaver, Alex Weaver, and Patrick Weaver

From left to right: Joshua Weaver, Alex Weaver, and Patrick Weaver

X-Men Football Athletes of the Week

 
 

Strong performances in season-opener from MacDonald, Virtanen and Burnham

X-Men Football Offensive Player of the Week

X-Men wide receiver Greg McDonald was named the StFX Football Offensive Player of the Week for the week ending Aug. 26, 2018. Greg, a 3rd year Business student (2nd year eligibility) from Halifax, N.S. led all receivers in the game Friday night in total receiving yards in StFX’s loss to SMU. Greg had 4 catches for 91 yards, averaging 22.8 yards/reception including a 29 yard reception in the 3rd quarter that set-up an X-Men touchdown. Greg also had one kick-off return in the game for nine yards.

X-Men Football Defensive Player of the Week

X-Men defensive back Cole Virtanen was named the StFX Football Defensive Player of the Week for the week ending Aug. 26, 2018. Cole, a 2nd year Business student from Nanaimo, B.C. had two big defensive plays in the X-Men’s loss Friday night to SMU as he picked off two passes for interceptions. Cole also had a pair of solo tackles, including one for a loss of three yards, and he had one break-up in the game.

X-Men Football Special Teams Player of the Week

X-Men kicker/punter Kieran Burnham was named the StFX Football Special Teams Player of the Week for the week ending Aug. 26, 2018. Kieran, a 4th year Arts student (3rd year eligibility) from Cambridge, Ont. booted 2 field goals and an after-point kick to record 7 of the X-Men’s points in a 20-13 loss to SMU Friday night. Kieran kicked field goals from 15 and 35 yards out. He also had 8 punts for 319 yards (39.9 avg) including 2 punts inside the 20, along with 3 kick-offs for 168 yards (56.0 avg).

 

 
Photo: http://www.goxgo.ca

Photo: http://www.goxgo.ca

X-Sledge hockey tournament

 
 

 The Motor Activities with StFX (MAX) program hosted an X-Sledge hockey tournament on March 14 from 2-4pm on the KMC main ice.  The MAX program, run through the Department of Human Kinetics, holds a weekly recreational sledge hockey program that allows HKIN students and community members with and without disabilities to participate. The program allows participants to be physically active and improve their fitness while having the opportunity to play a sport they love. Human Kinetics students learn about how to adapt physical activity programming for various disabilities and apply their knowledge in community practice.

The MAX program designs events and activities based on feedback from the individual participants.  Last semester, the participants were asked what they want to see happen in the program.  The immediate response from the participants was that they would like to hold a competition where family and friends can come watch them play a game with peers without disabilities. Secondly participants stated that they want more than one practice per week with increased access to resources, coaches and training. We are trying to take steps towards these goals and we have had great collaborative support from both StFX and County Recreation, the Antigonish Bulldogs Minor Hockey Association as well as the wider community.

Danielle Pellerine was one of the first participants in the MAX sledge hockey program 12 years ago and is very excited to finally have the opportunity to compete in a tournament.  Danielle states “I really enjoy coming to the MAX Sledge Hockey Program every Wednesday.  It gives me an opportunity to get some exercise and I love hanging out with my teammates and the StFX Human Kinetic students.  You really get to know everyone and they become life-long friends.  I am happy we’re able to do this and bring more awareness to our program and the sport in general.”

Indeed, the tournament illustrated that designing an event for various ability levels may be challenging but possible with time and effort. The StFX campus is aiming to move forward with greater accessibility via external funding for the Oland Centre which may be used to support changes to the built environment and make it more inclusive for all users.  StFX Recreation has also sought to find ways to adapt programming to accommodate for everyone regardless of ability. Dr. Casey explains that ``people sometimes think accessibility is costly and beneficial for only a small minority. Yet if you design universally then you can actually provide benefits for all users. Human Kinetics students are engaging with the community to see how this works in practice.”

StFX students are also learning an important lesson, especially how to make inclusive physical activity work in practice and overcome the barriers associated with it. StFX X-Woman hockey players have been involved in the MAX sledge hockey program since it started in 2006.  Current X-woman players, Emma Winters and Sarah Johnson said that “being able to step up and coach for the program in honour of the alumni on the team is an incredible opportunity as being coaches for the program has been passed down.  It is great to be a part of a program that encourages inclusion and we feel privilege to offer the opportunity to participate to all individuals.  Through on and off ice training we have seen tremendous progression and endless potential in these athletes.  The athletes are given a chance to excel and we constantly see improvements in quality of life and participants working towards future goals."

As a student, volunteer and assistant to the MAX program myself, I am grateful to have the opportunity to directly impact the community. Being a part of the design process and participating in the MAX program allows me to bring evidence into practice and improve the health of vulnerable populations.

 

StFX Basketball: A year of surprise and disappointment

 
 

Men are riding high off a great playoff run, while the women struggle for relevance after another poor year

After ending the regular season 5th overall in the AUS with a 9-11 record, another mediocre season for Coach Konchalski seemed to be the result. However, the team got hot at the right time in the playoffs and was able to knock off Acadia in the quarters, then number one seeded Dalhousie in the semi’s. The final was a gut wrenching, tough game that saw UNB eke out an 84-81 win, ending the season for StFX. Kevin Bercy, who competed for team Canada over the summer during the Universiade in Chinese Taipei, had a vicious 33-point effort in his final game ever for the X-Men. 

For the Women, it was a fourth straight year in the cellar of the AUS standings. It was also back to back years of a 1-19 record. The team has been a combined 10-70 in the last four years. At the crux of the issue is the lack of a true star on the team. The leading scorer on the year was freshman guard Kimberly Kingsbury at 7.3 PPG. Kingsbury was also named the AUS all rookie team this year. Luckily, the team is very young, as only one player graduates this year. With another year together, the hope is to claw out of last place, and become a team that is feared by others. The bereft of talent this year will hopefully decrease through another year of skill development. 

In his sixth year as head coach, Augy Jones was attempting to bring the team back to what he had in his first two seasons, which were back-to-back AUS final appearances. The recruitment of point guard Lucia Mackay for next year will hopefully form a potent tandem with Kingsbury. Unfortunately, he will not be around to see it, as he was relieved of his coaching duties on Monday March 12th. There is hope for growth from Center Katie MacIntosh, who at 6’2 provides size that the team clearly lacks. Having a consistent presence in the paint from Katie would help accentuate the strengths of the guards, most notably shooting. The team will have to count on leadership from impending seniors Jamie McCarron and Holly Scott, who were also second and third in scoring for the team. 

It is the end of an era for the men’s team, as the team loses it’s top two players, Julius Antoine and Kevin Bercy. Antoine averaged 17-4-3 on the year, while Bercy had 16.8 pts and 9.2 rebound averages. Center anchor Cameron Walker is also graduating, along with fifth year point guard Davonte Provo. 

The reigns of the team will be most likely handed to third year sharpshooter Tristen Ross, who averaged a scintillating 39.2% on threes this year. The emergence of freshman Point Guard Jaydan Smith this year gives the team a consistent presence at the one position for years to come. Sophomore guard Justin Andrew has also impressed this year, including a rollicking 29 point/7 three performance in the semi-finals against defending champion Dalhousie. High flying forward Azaro Roker will have to find consistency next year, as he will be tasked with more minutes. 

With a new court, and upgrades to the Oland Center on the horizon, there is an anticipation for an increase in recruitment for both teams. Coach Konchalski will be entering his 43rd season next year and for many, the monotony of a coach’s style can wear down players and desensitize the fans, something that K will be trying to fend off, as his retirement looms on the horizon. Augy Jones’ replacement has yet to be named, though the search for a new head coach has already begun.

 

Your 2018 NCAA March Madness Primer

 
 

The most exciting tournament in college sport is upon us, buckle up.

68 of the best college basketball teams in division 1 colleges and universities in the United States compete every year in March for the right to be crowned champion.

The tournament has 32 teams that are winners of their respective conferences along with 36 more teams that win an ‘at-large’ bid. At-large meaning that a committee of individuals pick them based on record, level of competition, and all-around ability.  The tournament occurs during a three-weekend period, beginning on the 13th of March.

The single elimination style makes every game a necessity to win, and this leads way to numerous upsets and ‘madness’.

Last year’s winner was the North Carolina Tar Heels, led by senior Joel Berry II and now departed Kennedy Meeks and Justin Jackson (15th overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft).

This year, there is a whole host of teams with the ability to make big runs in March.

Favorites:

Virginia Cavaliers The current number one team in the nation is led by their vaunted ‘pack line’ defense, which is predicated on heavy team instilled abilities, with a reliance on packing the paint to prevent interior shots. The team is number one currently in points per game allowed, more than 5 points higher then the number two team. Sophomore guards Kyle Guy and Ty Jerome are the key cogs in the team, with freshman De’Andre Hunter providing timely buckets.

Duke Blue Devils For Coach Krzyzewski, whom is in his 38th season at Duke, consistency and excellence is the main prerogative. This year is no different, as basketball resident villain Grayson Allen attempts to bring Duke back to where he was his freshman year, an NCAA champion. Luckily, he has help, with projected top five pick Marvin Bagley III (21 PPG, 11.5 RPG) along with surefire NBA prospects Trevon Duval and Wendell Carter Jr. Though they have underperformed, with seven losses on the year, one cannot take them lightly with their immense amount of sheer talent.

Xavier Musketeers Led by senior guard Trevon Bluiett with 19.5 PPG, Xavier fields arguably it’s most talented team ever, as coach Chris Mack looks for his first final four appearance. Feisty J.P Macura, along with Turkish born and brother of NBA player Enes Kanter; Kerem Kanter provides the Musketeers with complimentary scoring and lock down defense.

Dark Horses:

Cincinnati Bearcats In Mick Cronin’s 12 years under the Cincinnati program, his team has consistently been ranked as one of the best defensive teams, however If the Bearcats look to return to the Final Four for the first time since 1992, it will be because of their offense from senior forward Gary Clark and sophomore guard Jarron Cumberland. In the four losses on the year, Clark has shot a combined 16-40 from the field.

Missouri Tigers In one of the most interesting college basketball stories of the year, projected top five pick in this years NBA draft Michael Porter Jr. was supposed to lead this team to a high seed in the tournament. However, a mysterious back injury has plagued him all year. He recently returned last week and played his first game since their season opener in November. While his stat line left much to be desired (5-17 from the field), his mere presence could elevate the play of his teammates, most notably his brother Jontay Porter who has had a quietly productive year, averaging 10 pts and 7 assists.

Wild Card:

Arizona Wildcats It has been a crazy, almost unbelievable season for the Wildcats as they have been marred by FBI probes and failed drug tests. What is certain is 7’1, 250lb behemoth Deandre Ayton (who is only 19!) and his 20 pts and 11 rebounds that he provides for the team on a daily. Coach Sean Miller, who was initially reported to have been embroiled in a corruption scandal pertaining to the paying of recruits, is looking to scrub the negativity off his program and take them to a Final Four. Junior guard Allonzo Trier (18.7 PPG) was suspended earlier in the year for a failed drug test, but has been cleared recently, which greatly benefits the team.

Mid Major Hopefuls:

A mid-major program is one whom is in a conference that is not considered high quality. These teams typically play a low SOS (strength of schedule) during the regular season and as a result, tend to only get into the tournament by winning their conference.

Davidson Wildcats The tiny college in North Carolina, home to less than 2000 students had an incredible conference tournament run. They knocked off the Rhode Island Rams to claim the Atlantic 10 title and as a result, vaulted them into the field for March. They were 12-2 in their last 14 games, led by senior Peyton Aldridge and his 21.8 PPG. Coach Bob McKillop will hope to rekindle some magic from his best season at Dayton where a young point guard by the name of Steph Curry lit the tournament on fire, taking the school to it’s first and only Elite Eight appearance in 2008. They will be in tough in Round One where they will face a young Kentucky team chock full of former McDonald All Americans.

                The tournament ‘officially’ kicks off on Thursday March 15th with 16 games on the docket. So, kick back, procrastinate from school and watch the madness unfold!

 

Rawling Wins National Gold

 
 

StFX Track & Field star clinches first in 3000m race

This past weekend, Angus Rawling of StFX University won gold in the men’s 3000m race at the USPORTS National Track & Field Championships. The championships were held in Windsor, ON on March 8 through 10. The Calgary native went into the tournament ranked second overall after having qualified with a personal best time and StFX record time of 8:08:06 recorded at a Boston University meet earlier this season. Rawling also won silver in both the 1000m and 1500m races at the AUS championships earlier this year and was part of the 4x800m relay team that won bronze. In the 2017 Cross Country season, he was the AUS athlete of the year, champion of the 10km race and also competed at the USPORTS cross country meet.

In Windsor, Rawling finished his race with a time of 8:18:11, ahead of Sergio-Villanueva of McMaster University and Royden Radowits of University of Alberta. Interestingly enough, Rawling and Radowits competed against each other in high school. Rawling claims that Radowits was the faster runner every time they completed back in the day. After having finally outrun Radowits in Windsor, Rawling attributes his success and improvement over the years to hard work, time dedication, and good coaching. “Bernie is really great at developing his athletes over time,” Rawling explains.

Rawling was accompanied by his coaches, along with his teammates Allie Flower and Hayley Wilson. Flower, fourth-year sprinter and AUS Champion in the 300m event, competed in and placed 11th overall at the national meet. Wilson, fifth-year jumper and sprinter, was also an AUS Champion in her triple jump event, but could not compete at nationals due to injury. Rawling explained that many alumni living in the area came out to support. He says, “It was awesome to have so many friendly faces despite being so far away.”

This successful year for StFX Track and Field will have been the last of Coach Bernie Chisolm’s long and gratifying career. “It’s sad to see Bernie go after so many years. It was nice to have had him there and win that one with me,” Rawling states. Rawling’s win at USports Nationals will be one of many accomplishments that Chisolm and the team have seen over the years. While Rawling was the first runner to win a national gold medal for StFX, X-Women athlete, Erin Maclean won three national medals (bronze, silver and bronze) in the 3000m event in 2005, 2006 and 2007. In 2004, Eric Gillis won bronze in the 1500m race and silver for the 3000m. Gillis went on to compete at multiple Olympic Games and will be taking over Chisolm’s Head Coaching position in the coming years.  Rawling says he’s “excited to see what Eric will bring to the table considering his many years of experience.”

Rawling is a third-year business student doing an honours degree in accounting. He competes with both the X-Men Cross Country and Track & Field teams. He keeps a tight schedule between school and sports, and it proves to be tough throughout both seasons. With Cross Country and Track & Field both occurring while their respective semesters are in full swing, the school workload tends to pile up with all the hours put into practices and travelling. Professors and faculty have proven to be quite understanding and accommodating for this student-athlete. “The professors are amazing here, and I can’t complain,” Rawling said in discussing his success in school and sport

 

Canadian Greatness

 
 

Canada leaves its most successful Olympics to date with 29 medals

After years of mediocrity in Olympic sport, Team Canada has slowly risen to become one of the most dominant countries in the Winter Olympics. Since the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver where the team won 14 gold medals, the most in Canadian history, our nation has consistently delivered high quality performances. No Olympic Games have been more successful for Canada than this year. Reaching a record of 29 medals, Canada placed third in the overall medal standings. Eleven gold, eight silver and ten bronze, behind only the surprising Norway with 39 medals and Germany with 31.

The non-profit organization Own the Podium was created in 2010 to help prepare Canadian athletes for medal finishes. The goal was for Canada to be a world leader in high performance sport at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The organization enabled more funding for winter sports throughout the country, helping athletes train and perform at their best, whilst being coached by top notch instructors. 

The 2018 games, held in PyeongChang, South Korea, was a rousing success for the country. 

On the second day of the games, 4 medals were awarded to team Canada, with a bronze going to Regina native Mark McMorris, who competed in Men’s Slopestyle Snowboarding nearly eleven months after a horrific crash that landed him in the Intensive Care Unit. Maxence Parrot came away with a silver medal in the same event while later during the games, a gold for Sebastien Toutant in the Big Air event was rightly won. 

Kim Boutin, a 23-year-old short track speed skater from Quebec amassed three medals in the games with two bronze and a silver. She was also chosen to be the flag bearer for Canada in the closing ceremonies. 

Dutch born Ted-Jan Bloemen was able to win two medals in long track speed skating. He did so representing his adopted home of Canada, having moved here in 2014 to compete with the national team. His father was born in Bathurst, New Brunswick, allowing Bloemen the opportunity to have dual citizenship and the option of which country to compete for. 

The always exciting Ski Cross event did not disappoint this year, as there were Gold medals awarded to both the men and women’s teams. Brady Leman from Calgary, along with Kelsey Serwa from Kelowna took home the golds, with Kelsey’s teammate Brittany Phelan capturing silver. 

Some scintillating, sensual performances from Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir (are they dating??) set the internet on fire, as they captured the gold medal in Ice Dancing. They also claimed a gold in the figure skating team event. This was the final Olympics for the duo, and the two were honored with flag bearing duties at the opening ceremonies. 

Mixed Doubles Curling made its maiden appearance at the Olympics this year, where the team of John Morris and Kaitlyn Lawes won the gold medal. It was unfortunately the only gold medal for Canada in curling, as the women’s team was eliminated in round robin play, while the men fell into fourth after a tough bronze medal match. This was the first Olympics that Canada failed to medal in men’s and women’s curling. 

While individual athletes flourished, teams had tougher times. The vaunted Women’s Hockey team took their first loss at the Olympics since February 17, 1998 in heartbreaking fashion, having to settle for silver, with a shootout loss to the Americans. The men’s team was unexpectedly upset by Germany in the semi-finals, but was able to bounce back, defeating the Czech Republic in the bronze medal game. This was the first Olympics since 1994 that prohibited NHL players participation, which greatly impacted the level of play during the tournament. 

However, several electric performances and all-around dominance helped captivate many, even if the time difference was 13 hours for viewers back home. The great success of this year’s games potentially opens the door for Canada to host another Olympics, with the bidding of the 2026 games being potentially pursued by the city of Calgary.

 

Opinion: International Students and Health Insurance

 
 

Why the current system needs to change

International students studying at Nova Scotian universities are currently ineligible from receiving provincial health coverage. In a way, that makes perfect sense; often times they are not full time residents nor do they pay all the requisite taxes that permanent Nova Scotia residents would pay.
However, once one realizes all the additional costs international students pay to attend university as well as the economic opportunities they give their respective areas, health insurance seems like a fair commodity to offer them. 

Eight provinces currently offer healthcare to their international students; one of which is New Brunswick. In 2017, New Brunswick Post-Secondary Education Minister, Roger Melanson stated “International students make our campuses richer and more diverse, and we are proud today to extend health coverage to international students who are enrolled and pursuing studies in New Brunswick universities and colleges. This will help address additional out-of-pocket expenses international students face when studying in New Brunswick, make post-secondary education more accessible and affordable for them, and help us recruit more international students to our campuses.” 

In Nova Scotia, international students are required to purchase private insurance that covers their stay in province but only on a year-to-year basis requiring renewals each year. In a StFX-specific context that means purchasing the Students’ Union Health and Dental plan coverage through “Student Benefits.” This coverage is extremely costly, $1,085.00 to be exact. Keep in mind that this is on top of all other fees including Students' Union dues and the $16,168.00 international students pay for tuition. Ridiculous.

Most health care providers in Antigonish accept this insurance, however, the after hours clinic on Church Street does not, meaning international students must pay out of pocket every visit. Having provincial insurance would, of course, alleviate this problem. 

Clearly, as international students in Nova Scotia are financially burdened more than their domestic colleagues, being able to save $1,085.00 a year would make obtaining a Canadian education much more accessible as well as alleviate some of the financial pressure that international students contend with throughout the academic year. 

New Brunswick Health Minister Benoit Bourque stated “our government knows that the availability and delivery of health services have a significant impact on the quality of life of the people of our province, we are proud to be able to extend health-care coverage to international students and provide them with the same level of health care that their peers enjoy in Canada.” 

International students bring a lot to Nova Scotia, many have a desire to stay after graduation and economically as well as culturally contribute to the province. Yet, they are deterred from opportunities in Nova Scotia because of the lack of government health care. Provinces such as New Brunswick are a much more attractive option in that regard. 

Post secondary institutions in Nova Scotia and the province as a whole are losing out on lots of great talent, so something must be done. The lobbying organization, Students NS is advocating for MSI (Nova Scotia Health Card)  insurance for all full time international students immediately upon arrival; something that the StFX Students’ Union supports and a pillar of President Sirois’ campaign. 

This initiative still has a long way to go as the government may be reluctant to shell out the $452,440 a year to make it happen but that is chump change in comparison to the positive economic impact these students bring with them. 

All in all, I think it is completely fair to make the argument that Nova Scotia is behind the times. The province is not as competitive in attracting and retaining foreign students as others due to the lack of MSI coverage. The positive economic impact international students make far outweigh the debit that will be incurred. The current healthcare system is inequitable and inefficient, and it's time for a change.       

 

X-Women headed to National Final 

 
 

U Sports Nationals give X-Women Hockey a chance for Redemption

The X-Women hockey team gave us nothing short of a sensational season of excellent hockey. Garnering an overall season record of 20 wins and only 4 losses, the women consistently made it onto the U Sports Top 10, and ended the season at the top of the AUS standings. Saint Mary’s University team shared the same amount of wins, with goals for and against deciding the seating for playoffs.
3 of the AUS’ top scorers of the season came from StFX. Fifth year Daley Oddy had the most goals in the league with 16 points and 15 assists, with fourth year Sarah Bujold and first year Emerson Elliott following with 13 goals, 14 assists and 11 goals, 15 assists respectively. Carley Molnar in net also had a huge hand in this year’s success, with 292 saves over the span of the season. 
Bujold can be thanked for scoring the game winning goal in the suspenseful AUS semi-final against the Université de Moncton Aigles Bleues. The second game of the best-of-3 semi-final, held in Moncton, saw an early goal by Moncton on a power play. This was quickly answered back by a goal by fourth year Nicole Halladay a few minutes later. The score was still tied 1-1 at the conclusion of the third period, and went into overtime. 44 seconds into overtime, Bujold scored, clinching a spot in the AUS final against the St. Mary’s Huskies, and also in the U Sports National Championship. 
The AUS finals began at home in the Keating Memorial Centre on Friday, March 2. The X-Women fell short 4-2 with both goals scored by second year Kate Gotaas. While at St. Mary’s for Game 2, the X-Women won with a 2-1 victory (goals by second year Santana Gravelle and Bujold). Despite valiant efforts, hard work and excellent skill, our X-Women lost the series-deciding game for the AUS final in a 1-0 loss on March 6 at StFX.  
Thankfully, hockey isn’t over just yet for these women. The AUS will be able to send both Saint Mary’s and StFX’s Women’s hockey teams to represent the conference at the U SPORTS National Championship. There, the teams will be competing among eight of the best in the country. Nationals are scheduled to take place March 15 to 18 and are being hosted by Western University in London, ON. The games can be accessed online and will be live streamed on U SPORTS TV. 

 

A New Kind of Record

 
 

First openly gay men expected to compete in Pyeongcheng Winter Olympics

The Olympic Games demonstrate the peak of human strength, bravery, and dedication. Every four years, the greatest athletes in the world gather to break records and compete for the title of Olympic champion. However, the upcoming Winter Olympics in Pyeongcheng, South Korea are breaking a new kind of record. Three men, expected to be announced to the Canadian and American Olympic teams in the coming days, are to be the first openly gay Olympic athletes competing at a Winter Olympics.

On January 7, 2018 Adam Rippon was announced as a member of the American Olympic team as a figure skater. After first emerging on the figure skating scene in 2009, Rippon has competed in countless national and international competitions, frequently placing in the top 5. Rippon is best known for his quadruple lutz, an extremely difficult jump, as well as his “Rippon lutz”, the same jump with only three rotations while maintaining one arm in the air. This will be the first Olympics for the 28-year-old, who came out in 2015.

Expected to be announced before the end of the month as an addition to the American Olympic team is Gus Kenworthy. The freestyle skier competed at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics while closeted, taking home the silver medal. He has also won AFP World Championships overall titles, as well as placing first at the World Cup Men’s Halfpipe two years in a row. Kenworthy gained popularity after he became the face of the stray dog crisis in Sochi during the 2014 Olympics, which resulted in Kenworthy staying in Russia an extra month after competing to try and house many of the dogs, including adopting five himself.

Another addition was announced on January 15th, 2018, this time to the Canadian team, with seasoned pairs figure skaters, Eric Radford and Meagan Duhamel. Radford and his partner are seven-time Canadian national champions, two-time world champions, and Olympic silver medalists in the team event at Sochi in 2014. In December of that year, Radford came out as gay, making this 2018 Olympics his first as a publically gay athlete.

 Openly gay, lesbian and bisexual athletes are a rarity when it comes to the Olympic Games. The summer Olympics are known to have a larger percentage of LGBTQ+ athletes, with 23 out of 10,768 athletes at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, and 64 LGBTQ+ athletes out of 10,444 athletes at the Summer Olympics in Rio. However, the majority of these openly LGBTQ+ athletes are female, and the numbers severely decrease when looking at the Winter Olympics. In 2010 at the Vancouver Olympic Games, only six out of 2,566 athletes were openly bisexual or lesbian, and no openly gay men competed. In Sochi in 2014, only seven openly lesbian athletes competed, who were again, all women.

There are a number of reasons given for the lack of openly gay male athletes in the past 2000 years of Olympic games. First and foremost, extreme masculinity is fostered through competitive sports, and many fear rejection by teammates or fellow athletes if they come out as gay due to the implication their sexual orientation makes them weaker or effeminate. Many athletes also rely on sponsorship funding in order to achieve their Olympic dreams, and there is a fear that coming out would result in a loss of much needed sponsor funds. For countries where being gay is illegal, such as Jamaica, it goes without saying that a publically out athlete would become a social pariah, and never be nominated to the Olympic team. At the Sochi Olympics, gay rights took centre stage as the Russian government refused to build a Pride House for LGBTQ+ athletes, spectators, and coaches. The 2013 law banning “gay propaganda” was cited as the reason for the refusal. This led many LGBTQ+ athletes to fear for their safety and treatment by Russian officials.

However, Rippon, Kenworthy, and Radford strive to change the Olympic environment to be welcoming for all sexual orientations. By being the first openly gay men to compete in a Winter Olympics, these men hope to dismiss fears of social rejection and lack of funding by demonstrating their positive experience of coming out in sport. Kenworthy even received increased sponsorship after coming out from companies such as Visa and Under Armor. Their message to young closeted athletes is not one of strife and struggle, but of equal if not surpassing success to straight athletes. Come February 9th, these men will not only be blazing a trail for LGBTQ+ athletes behind them, but they will be thriving on this trail. As figure skater Adam Rippon put it when asked about competing as an openly gay athlete, “it’s exactly like being a straight athlete except with better eyebrows.”

 

Why are there so few out LGBTQ+ Athletes? 

 
 

Hyper Heterosexism culture has stymied any potential movement for individuals to come out publicly. 

As 2018 begins, LGBTQ+ rights have never been so prominent. The clear majority of individuals are supportive and push for pro LGBTQ+ rights, with more and more individuals coming out without fear of being discriminated against. The same can not be said for professional male athletes. 

However, there was a wave of athletes that publicly came out between 2013 and 2014. This was the hopeful beginning of an avalanche of individuals to come out. 

Football Player Michael Sam, who was a star Defensive End for the Missouri Tigers in university, as well as the 2013 recipient for Southeastern Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year. Sam came out publicly prior to his senior season, in 2013. He was drafted in the seventh round of the 2014 National Football League Draft, yet has never played a snap in the NFL. 

National Basketball Association veteran big man Jason Collins was the first openly gay player to play in one of the four major professional leagues. He came out publicly at the end of the 2013-14 NBA season. Collins was drafted 18th overall in 2001, and played a total of 14 NBA seasons, retiring in 2014. As he stated in his first-person piece for Sports Illustrated “if I had my way, someone else would have already done this. Nobody has, which is why I am raising my hand.” 

Robbie Rogers, whom is a former Major League Soccer player, came out as publicly gay in 2013. He also played professionally in England. 

After Jason Collins public announcement, Rogers believed that “a movement was coming.” 

However, since these athletes’ bravery, there have been no more athletes to come out publicly while playing. Three different sports, all with a cornerstone individual, yet unfortunately for Rogers, no movement has come. 

It has been approximated that one in ten people are gay. It is a seemingly mythological sentiment, because of a lack of proper research methods. Yet it is certain that there are athletes now who live in the closet whilst playing. It isn’t the case that LGBTQ+ identities are rising in prevalence, but rather a stymied culture within sports that inhibit one. 

With regards to homophobia, Wade Davis, a gay former NFL player, believes it isn’t unique within sports 

“I’m not saying it doesn’t exist in the sports world, but I think it is reinforced in the sports world, but you learn you can’t be out much sooner. When I realized I was gay in the 10th grade, I knew immediately what I was feeling was not OK, and that didn’t come from me playing little league football. It came from television. It came from everywhere.” It is not the homophobia that impacts people so much, but rather the blatant hyper heterosexism within locker rooms. Rampant dialogue concerning women and sex is paramount, and for gay athletes, it is something that they can not relate to. 

It seems that in female professional sport, there are more individuals whom are publicly out. Most notably the Women’s National Basketball Association. One can say that being heterosexual in the WNBA leads one to be made fun of, a complete role reversal of male athletics. The culture emanating from the WNBA is a parallel to the NBA, with women mirroring the men, whether that be through on court playing, or off court attitudes. However, it is certain that female athletic teams are more open to LGBTQ+ athletes. Brittney Griner and Megan Rapinoe are just some examples of these decorated gay athletes. 

Crucially, one’s sexual orientation should by no means play any role in an individual’s skill to play a sport. What is done in one’s private life is exactly that, private. Yet it is disheartening to hear that there has not been more movement within locker rooms to change the culture. These locker rooms are stuck in a 1960’s dialogue while the rest of society has grossly advanced LGBTQ+ rights.

 

Another year, another dominant StFX hockey team

 
 

As the AUS regular season winds down in ice hockey, there is a familiar site at the top of the standings. StFX is off to another rollicking season as they have garnered a 19-1-4 record on the year, good for second in the AUS, behind University of New Brunswick. 

Jagger Dirk is the key cog on the Defense, with 22 points on the year for the senior from Penticton, BC. Dirk was a former player for the Kootenay Ice of the Western Hockey League. He had a very successful five-year career with them, contributing 48 points in his final year with the junior club. In his fourth year with StFX, Dirk has solidified himself as the number one Defenseman in the AUS, as he has already surpassed last year’s point total by nine. 

The three-headed monster of Holden Cook, Matt Needham and Michael Clarke have provided timely scoring, contributing eight game winning goals on the year. 

Oshawa born Cook is the leading the team in points, with 29. Prior to StFX, Cook was a shut-down forward for the Owen Sound Attack of the Ontario Hockey League. His point scoring was modest at best in the OHL, but StFX has provided a unique opportunity for him to flourish. 

Ontario-born Clarke, along with Needham, are tied for second on the team with 27 points. 

Leading the way in goal has been second year Halifax native Chase Marchand. He is leading the league in both save percentage (.931) and goals against average (2.10). 

The X-Men is led by head coach Brad Peddle. He is in his 13th year at the helm of StFX. He previously played for StFX as a student from 1995-1999. Through his guidance, the team has rattled off 12 consecutive AUS playoff appearances, including five University Cup championship appearances. He is still looking for an elusive national championship, which would be the first since 2004, coached under Danny Flynn. 

Peddle stressed the importance of garnering character players for the team. “We really try to recruit guys who will buy in to what StFX is about and will fit into the culture that we have created. Great People, great students and great hockey players.” 

StFX is locked in a two-horse battle for first in AUS this year with UNB. The squads have split the season series so far at two-a-piece. StFX has bested UNB in the past two AUS finals, however it was UNB who defeated StFX in the 2016 National Championship, which took place in Halifax. They are also victors from the year after, defeating the University of Saskatchewan. StFX is hungry for another crack at the defending champions, should they play in the playoffs. Luckily, the team is laden with good, experienced character players, with many of them having played in that heartbreaking final in 2016. 

“X and UNB seemed to have played against each other for as long as I remember in the playoffs. And at the end of the day, it is just two good hockey programs bringing out the best in one another.”

Coach Peddle had the opportunity to coach the U Sports All Star team in December, as they played two games against the Canadian World Junior team. The team defeated Team Canada in back to back matches. Holden Cook, Jagger Dirk and Michael Clarke were all selected for the team. 

On the experience, Peddle commented: “Players didn’t know each other very well so we had to try to bring them together quickly. This year we did some team building activities in hope that it paid off, and it did!” He was an assistant coach with the team the previous year. 

With six games left on the year, the team looks to garner a number one spot in the AUS Playoffs. The final two home games are against Dalhousie and Moncton on the 2nd and 3rd of February.