Basketball at X

As January 5 marks the middle of winter, many varsity teams are preparing for next season. Two teams at StFX are getting ready for their last scheduled games. The men's and women’s basketball teams are approaching playoffs as the regular season comes to an end.

Both teams have their last league games after reading week on February 21. The men's team has battled hard to secure their spot in the playoffs and are currently holding second place.

Both teams have had tremendous success this season compared to previous years.

The X-Women:

• Won 3 games, in contrast with last season where they were without a win

• Had their first home win since 2017

• Won more games in a season since 2016

• X-Women head coach LeeAnna Osei’s first ever win with the team

• Beat the University of PEI in the second game of a back to back sequence even though UPEI was one of the top leaders of their pool, and had not lost a game prior

The women's team is mostly composed of rookies, 6 out of the 12 players being first year students. This being a very young team, the future looks very bright for this group of girls. On this note, StFX athletics would like to thank Jamie McCarron, the 5-season veteran, and this year's X-Women captain for her involvement.

The X-Men:

• Secured a spot in the playoff

• Won 10 games this season compared to 7 last season

• Beat the previously undefeated Dalhousie Tigers

• Have 2 players in the top 5 for points per game average

The men's team is coming off a very good season. They finished in fifth place in the 2019 season, losing in the quarter finals to Cape Breton. The men’s team has managed to outwork their competition, putting them in third place at the time this article was published. On January 11, the X-Men played nationally ranked Dalhousie Tigers. This home game ended up being a massive upset when the undefeated tigers fell to the X-Men in a 1-point game.

Congratulations to Avan Naza and Azaro Roker for finishing third and fourth in the league in points per game average at 17.5ppg and 17.3ppg. Coincidentally, the men’s team also has an unusual number of young players. No players from the X-Men team are graduating this coming spring. This will allow for chemistry to build as well as continuity for next season.

As many may know, there was a massive loss in the basketball world on January 26. The loss of the legend Kobe Bryant. As many mourned the loss of this amazing athlete on and off the court. The X-Men paid tribute by accepting a 24 second shot clock violation in honour of Mr. Bryant.

To catch all the action, visit https://www.goxgo.ca/landing/index for scheduling and live results. February 21 is the last league and home game for the women's and men's basketball team.

The Ball Bounced Back for X-Men Basketball Team

A memorable weekend against Memorial Sea-Hawks

On Saturday February 2 the X-Men basketball team suffered a heart-wrenching loss as they trailed the Memorial Sea-Hawks in game one of their back-to-back, 82-79. Their bench gave more than a helping hand with 28 points in the game. 

In the first quarter the X-Men seemed lost and at a disadvantage as they played Memorials’ fast-paced game built on X-Men turnovers and shot attempts. Trailing in the second quarter during a close game, the X-Men held on with an increase in ball movement and off-ball screens as well as a defensive hustle from Daniel Passley that kept the X-Men within a few points of the Sea-Hawks. Passley ended the game with 10pts (points) 14reb (rebounds) and nine dreb (defensive rebounds). 

The X-men didn’t start the 2nd half off great, giving up three straight baskets and three turnovers in the first minute and thirty seconds. In addition, Emanuel Ring of the Sea-Hawks got a monster block to put the X-Men down by eight  points not long after. Although lacking effort on offence and unable to finish plays, they slowly showed signs of life and started to penetrate the Sea-Hawks defence in the paint. With under 2 minutes left in the quarter, the X-Men gained momentum by working together and stepping up their defence. Azaro Roker, #12, forced a critical turnover with a block shutting down Ring who’s currently the fourth leading scorer in AUS Men’s Basketball. Following that play, Atik Gilao of the X-Men would step in and draw the offensive foul charge, one of his many trademark attributes. 

In the fourth  quarter, it was obvious that the X-Men were still in it to win it only trailing by six. It wasn’t a big stretch and they’ve come back from worse. Great focus on passing, rebounding and ball movement led the X-Men to post their highest scoring quarter of the night. After a push from the backcourt and a couple three balls from Thomas Legallais and Justin Andrew, the X-Men were up 77-76. The following play, Nathan Barker of the Sea-Hawks would take the ball cross-country and score a bucket and foul giving them the lead 79-77;  the youngest of X fans ran the sideline chanting, “We want Defence” with only 15 seconds left. 

“I wish them the best,” said StFX student Lucas Lawrence. Even with community support, there wasn’t enough time for the X-Men to make a come back. 

On Sunday February 3 following their defeat by the Memorial Sea-Hawks the previous day, the X-Men were without Roker who suffered a knee injury. Roker averages 10 ppg, 10.5 apg at 41.8 FG %. Gilao led the way with 23 pts and 12 reb while Legallais, Tristen Ross, and Justin Andrew all scored in double digits with Andrew taking control of the rebounds with 11 and nine defensive. It was a new day and a chance at redemption for the X-Men who left their 22 turnovers behind to defeat the Sea-Hawks 88-81 in a fast-paced game that got the fans out of their seats. Unselfish passing and a tight 2-3 zone defence forced two turnovers which translated into a block from Gilao and a few trips to the free throw line. StFX started off the game with a 13-point lead and finished the first quarter with a shot clock violation by the Sea-Hawks to put the X-Men up 23-17. 

The X-Men trailed the Sea-Hawks in both the second and third quarter in points. Both squads struggled with transition offence, yet the X-Men’s patience on offence led to fewer turnovers overall. The X-Men were finally playing their game – slow, controlled, and full of passes with cuts. The third quarter was a back and forth battle, but it ended 55-54 for the X-Men. In the final frame, the X-Men lost the lead as they showed signs of fatigue; being overcrowded on offence coupled with bad shot selection and rushing the ball, the X-Men were slow getting back on defence. Making some changes on defence, their focus changed for the better as they started feeding post-players Atik Gilao and Daniel Passley who combined for five baskets and successful trips to the free throw line widening the gap to put a lid on the game. X-men won the second encounter against the Sea-Hawks 88-81. 

Room to Make a Move

StFX track athletes have strong showings at McGill Last Chance, Boston Invite & AUS Relays

These last few weekends have been busy with home and away games for all StFX winter sports teams. Students, alumni and community fans have been flocking to the Keating Centre to watch home games since the beginning of the second semester. Little do we know of the competitive indoor varsity team that must compete solely away from home, all the while doing a large part of their training on the track – outside.

The other evening, the X-Men and Women sprinter groups were outside bearing the elements. While music blasted through the stadium speakers, sprinters blew down the straightaway under the field lights in the pouring rain. By this time, the track was virtually clear of the week’s worth of snow that had accumulated across its eight lanes. The women’s team captain, Allie Flower, and fifth-year Tim Brennan, can attest to the ice-free lanes one and two. “[Coach Eric Gillis] clears the track… and we make do with what we have” they both said. When the teams cannot have workouts outside, the men and the women take to the rubberized walking track around the Auxiliary Rink. 

During the last weekend in January, the men and the women competed at the McGill Team Challenge where they raced against some of the most competitive individuals and teams across Canada. For many of StFX’s runners, this is the one weekend to go for broke and try to clock a personal best while keeping up with big names and teams outside of the AUS. For the two-time AUS Cross Country Champion and 2018 USports 3000m Gold Medalist Angus Rawling, this weekend in Montreal was just what he needed to propel himself into the latter part of his season. Rawling has his sights set on maintaining his unwavering presence in the distance events this winter.

This past weekend, Rawling and secnd year X-Woman Jane Hergett ran at the Boston University David Hemery Invitation Meet. Gunning for a solid tune-up and a PB in the 3k before his big test at USports, Rawling smashed his previous PB with a time of 8:03.34. Poised and confident in his speed endurance, Rawling says he wants “to run the 1500m to see what happens – because anything can happen on the 3rd day of the finals, everyone’s tired.” His goal is to run a sub 8 3k and also focus on both of his distances using one to help with the other.

Hergett has also shaken the field and has put up some of her best times to date. Along with many of her teammates Hergett has seen drastic improvements and has contributed to the ever-changing school record board in the Oland Centre. Finishing first in her heat in Boston, Hergett clocked in at a new best time of 2:48.45. Only gaining momentum and confidence with her performances thus far, Hergett comments, “I’m anticipating even more PBs this season for the women’s team, everyone is in really great physical and mental shape right now.”

With several strong individual performances, both the men and women are seeing their respective teams come together. The cohesive synergy is apparent – both the Women’s 4x800m and 4x200m teams had their best showings. Both teams have currently set themselves up to be able to compete at USports on the national stage. With several veterans, including Hana Marmura, Zoe Johnston, Allie Flower, Paige Chisholm, Catherine Kennedy, Samantha Taylor and Megan Graham as well as rookie Aidan MacDonald,  the women have made a collective statement across the AUS and are a focused unit.

On the men’s side, 600m specialist Tim Brennan is also finding the balance between individual and team performances. Coming out of Montreal with a new PB of 1:20.05 in the 6, Brennan also has a few goals in mind for the rest of the season. As he trains with teammate and high school confidant, Adrian Kinney, Brennan’s goal is to medal in the 6 at AUS and compete with the best at USports in his event. On top of this, the 4x400m relay team comprising of Brennan, Kinney plus Brad Barclay and Eric Sutton are also preparing to capitalize on the momentum they’ve accrued this season and make a move on the fastest teams across Canada. Having just beat their previous record with a 3:22.10 this past weekend, the men are ranked 4th in USports. 

Both the women and the men continue to fine-tune their training as AUS approaches on the 22 and 23 of February in Moncton. Many of the runners are confident that there will be a larger showing at nationals this year. As the 12 year-old team gains provincial and national traction, it is clear that these track athletes have a tremendous amount of respect for the team aspect of the sport. Supporting one another during workouts in the cold, pushing each other through their intervals, and holding each other accountable for every lap, second and millisecond on the track. Time, as Rawling stated, is what defines you in the track world – which is both the rewarding and terrifying aspect of the sport. Everyone is out to make a move, size themselves up versus the clock and surge ahead of their competitors. It can be anyone’s day, but the little moments count. 

Josh Crouse Interview

New Strength and Conditioning coach helping athletes raise the bar

Bowen Assman interviewed Josh Crouse on February 4, 2019. 

*** 

BA: Tell me a little bit about your background and how you got to StFX?

JC: Okay perfect. Well I grew up in the south shore of Nova Scotia playing a lot of different sports, however hockey and volleyball were my primary focus. In grade 12, I was offered the chance to play volleyball at the University in New Brunswick. After two years there I found it just wasn’t really a good fit for me, so I ended up transferring to Acadia University. While at Acadia I took part in the exercise physiology program. Part of the program included a practical component where we were required to get so many hours of volunteer service within different areas of exercise physiology. One of the areas within the practicum that really sparked my interest was Strength & Conditioning. It was then that I discovered my passion for training athletes. I graduated from Acadia in 2015 and was actually hired upon graduation. It was kind of right place at the right time as the guys role who I filled ended up moving on to work for the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA. He’s now doing his PhD over in New Zealand working with professional level athletes. Needless to say he was a pretty cool guy to learn from. After graduation I worked at Acadia for three years under the guidance of Elliott Richardson who is the head Strength & Conditioning coach there. While at Acadia I worked with volleyball, both basketball teams, swim and cross country as well as ran a private business and was the Assistant Coach of the Women’s Volleyball team. In June the job opened up here and I decided to take a stab at it and I’ve been here since July.

BA: As the head Strength and Conditioning coach here, do you work with every single team?

JC: I work with all 12 teams here. So, around 350 athletes.

BA: I was talking to a rugby player, and they usually would have volunteer coaches or the head coach would do their Strength & Conditioning. Now, it’s just all through you?

JC: It’s all through me. Yeah. So basically, in the past, I think there was, five or six teams that were working with the strength coach previously. But when I got here, I made it a priority to make sure I was looking after all 12 teams. In the past, not all 12 teams were training. So now all 12 teams are training in the weight room up to four times every week.

BA: Do you have any goals of starting up a private performance training business here?

JC: Yes, we actually have already started a little bit of a private business. We have six kids right now that train with us that are from Dr. J.H. Gillis. And then we have a few others who are coming from away as well. Right now, we only work with them twice a week. But my goal is when we get a new facility is to grow this business. Now, this summer we will be starting to train a lot more youth athletes from the surrounding areas, and then maybe a few professional athletes as well on top of our StFX athletes that stick around for the summer.

BA: Are you looking forward to any changes or improvements to our current strength and conditioning program here?

JC: Yeah, for sure. I guess I just started here in July. So I didn’t want to change too much too quick. My number one goal when I got here was to get every athlete training and we’ve succeeded at that after the first semester. I guess the next goal is just to try to get a little bit better at everything. I really want to try and grow the internship program. We currently have 12 interns, and then I have an assistant Ian McNeil who helps me with football, rugby and our private business. Right now we have at least one intern with every single team. Now my goal is to get that to two, I’d like to have one senior intern and one junior intern. So junior being a first or second year and then senior being a third, fourth or fifth year. Right now, our internship is predominantly made up of males however I want females to feel more comfortable getting involved with strength and conditioning. In the past, my female interns have often been some of my best interns. 

BA: Do you work in conjunction with the athletic therapists? 

JC: Yes, for sure. This is one thing that I also want to develop is more of a Integrated Sport Science team (ISST) within our athletic department where strength & conditioning, therapy and sport nutrition can work together as more of a unit. 

When I first got here, everyone was kind of doing their own thing in a sense. I think we’ve done a better job of opening up communication and making sure that we’re working together because in order for an ISST to be successful, we all need to be on the same page in order to make sure our student-athletes have the best experience.

BA: That internship program started just this year?

JC: Actually, no, the previous strength coach started the internship program. There was seven interns when I first got here. So we have five more now. It was a good starting point but there is definitely room to grow.

BA: So the goal is to have each intern specialize in a sport?

JC: Sort of. Basically, I’d like to have it kind of like the therapy program where you have two or three people with every single team so that way they can be there for the day-to-day logistics. Right now, our interns only mainly help in the weight room. But I’d like to have them be at practices and games so they can run warm-ups, cooldowns, and perform recovery or return to play work on the sidelines with injured athletes. 

BA: With the success this year of the football, cross country and rugby team, what part or what role do you think you played? 

JC: I mean, I’ve only been here for a couple months so I definitely can’t take credit for their success. However, we have made some significant changes in the day-to-day logistics of the athletes training schedules and recovery.

BA: But you notice any changes?

JC: I’ve had a lot of really good feedback from the athletes and coaches thus far. The biggest thing I want to do is help the athletes realize their potential. Before, I think there wasn’t a lot of understanding on how to take care of their bodies day-to-day. In my opinion that can be the small difference between an athlete being good versus being great. You have to learn how to do all those little things on the side when no one’s watching. So that’s my goal is to be able to help our athletes understand how much work it takes in order to get to an elite level. I’ve been lucky enough to work with some pretty high-end athletes and that’s the biggest difference I notice, is they all do the little things extremely well.

BA: Do you think being a recent graduate from university helps you relate to athletes?

JC: That’s the big thing for me is I was in their situation not that long ago. So, I find it easy to communicate and relate with our student-athletes. There’s a lot of coaches out there that played say, 20, 30 or 50 years ago, and now coach. Things have changed significantly in the last 10 or so years so it can sometimes be challenging for these coaches to be able to understand and communicate with today’s athletes. Now granted, I’m not saying they can’t coach because they most definitely can but it’s definitely easier for me being fresh out of school. 

I find the biggest change is the day-to-day stuff on how busy and distracted we are now, as student athletes. It can be really challenging to get things done as well as stay on top of the social pressure that is now placed on today’s generations. One thing I often hear and was guilty of saying myself is, “I don’t have time”. However, there’s always a way it’s just a matter of being organized and making it a priority to manage your time efficiently.

BA: Do you help the athletes with time management?

JC: Yeah, I mean, I will have a lot of athletes pop in to my office every day, whether it’s just to chat or ask a question. I make it a priority to get to know the athletes and make sure that I take the time to have those conversations with them. Because a lot of times, they come in with some really good questions. And it’s important that you kind of guide them through the process. For example, I’ll have a lot of athletes that come in and want to talk about nutrition. Often the first thing I’ll ask them is how many meals they’ve had today or the day before. Often times they will say one or two and I tell them how they need to get to four or five. The first thing they usually say is “I don’t have time” so what I do is sit them down and show them where they can fit these meals into their personalized schedule and also discuss how they can purchase more affordable options in order to understand that it is possible. Our sport nutrition team has done a really good job of getting the information out there now, and they are in constant contact with the athletes. This has helped me a lot, as it takes that stress off of me to do the nutrition education as well. 

BA: Okay great. you have anything else to say? 

JC: I guess the big thing would be giving a couple shout-outs and thank yous because I wouldn’t be able to do this without help. Although, I’m the only one under contact it’s not a one-person job by any means. My assistant Ian Macneil and my interns Jordan, John, Ryan, Bo, Liam, Jenna, Keegan, Kieran, Taylor, Syahrul, Dave, Iris & Blake have all played a huge role in making this happen. It takes a team effort, and they’ve all been great helping me through my first year. I’d also like to thank the athletes, coaches and rest of the athletic department as well. They have made the transition for me very easy. 

They have been very open and receptive to feedback and criticism as they all just want to get better just like me. There are some times where you walk in as a new guy and it can take a while to earn your place, but everyone here has been very welcoming since the day I got here and I thank them for that. 

Cross Country: A Varsity Footrace for the Fearless

Athletes push the limit in hometown Invitational

If you meander around campus in the late afternoon or early evening, you’ve likely seen them. Split shorts, tight spandex, arm warmers, backward caps, brightly coloured running shoes, glistening faces and surprisingly, easy-going smiles. They’re all likely going for a 5-7km warm-up run before practice even begins.

On September 22, both the Men’s and Women’s cross country teams took to their home course for their second race of the year. Both teams came out on top with first place team finishes and strong individual performances on both sides. Running first comfortably that afternoon was Alex Neuffer, a second-year Education student from Stratford, PE. Clocking in at a breezy 26:41.47 over 8km (that’s 8 back-to-back 3:20 kilometres, if you were wondering), Neuffer led his teammates to their season’s second first place team finish. Just behind was Paul MacLellan in second with a time of 27:33 and Aidan Doherty, Luc Gallant, Addison Derhak, Graydon Staples and Edward MacDonald finishing sixth, 10th, 11th, 16th and 20th respectively.

Photo of Alex Neuffer: Phoebe Cseresnyes

On the women’s side, Zoe Johnston, a fourth-year HKin student from Pembroke, ON, had a strong second place finish with 23:06 6km. Her teammates, all in the top 20, fled in as follows: Hana Marmura (4th), Jane Hergett (5th), Rachel MacDougall (6th), Catherine Thompson (9th), Ashley Robson (12th), and Paige Chisolm (13th). The pack-racing mentality has proven effective for the both teams, especially the women.

Two senior runners, Neuffer and Patrick Marlow, provided The Xaverian Weekly with their personal insight. Neuffer and Marlow opened up about the team’s goals for their 2018 season. After a tough loss to Dalhousie last year at the AUS Championships, the men have their eyes on taking back the title in Halifax on October 27. By this time, the men hope to be in top shape, including teammate Angus Rawling (the 2018 3km USports Champion), and geared up to place in the top ten at the USports National Championships in Kingston, ON in November.

As for the women’s team, the squad of ten women look to have a strong showing at the AUS Championships and give the Dalhousie team a run for their money. Historically, the Tigers have had several fast individuals pull their team to success including Michelle Reddy, Savanna Jordan, and recent alumni Colleen Wilson. The X-Women will need to piece together a strong, collective effort to challenge them for the top podium finish. All the while, Zoe Johnston and her teammates aim to remain healthy as the season gains momentum. The women are gunning for an AUS title and are working together to stay healthy and strong during the grueling three month season.

With limited exposure to racing against teams outside of the AUS during the year, it is unclear as to where they size up in relation to teams across the country. However, under the guidance of their new head coach, Eric Gillis (an Antigonish native, St. FX alumni, CIS XC National Champion ’03 and three-time Olympian) and careful craft of retired Coach Bernie Chisholm (a recent inductee of the NS Sport Hall of Fame), both the X-men and Women have the mentorship and experience backing their training.

Photo of Zoe Johnston & Hana Marmura: Phoebe Cseresyes

Both Neuffer and Marlow, along with their teammates, are featured in the recently published novel “Runners of the Nish” written by XC alumni Alex Cyr. If you’re looking to gain a better understanding of the sport, this autobiography dissects the innerworkings of what it means to run at X and compete within the ever-growing Canadian running scene. In his first ever novel, Cyr alludes to the ins and outs of the everyday lifestyles of the X long distance runners. He retells the hardships and strong points of the individuals of the team back in 2016. Today, the team continues to set the standards high for themselves. There are many misconceptions of varsity cross country running, especially at a school with a population just over 5000. I mean, how competitive could they be? If you want me to boil it down to an individual level, the times that a few of the men and women in competition pump out are high -calibre and of national rank. Presently, Rawling is training hard and setting his sights on a medal at USports and not far behind, Neuffer plans to lay everything out for a top 10 finish. With these particular individuals and their teammates setting big goals for the small running program here in Antigonish, the XC team continues to set the tone for X Varsity community.

Currently, all of the runners are in the midst of logging somewhere between 60-140km in a week. These men and women run on the daily – perhaps with a Sunday off here and there. Varsity runners log miles in a combination of ways: tempo runs (not race pace, but not-exactly-a-walk-in-thepark-talk-to-your-buddy-pace), hill workouts, interval sets and long runs – probably on Saturdays (because what else would a runner do in the morning anyway?). On top of this, they are weight-training, swimming, studying, squeezing in extra-curriculars, eating right, working jobs to pay their rent and somehow finding time to stay afloat in the social scene. It’s an outlandish but motivating dynamic. There is a common team goal, but all the while, individuals (on the same team and from different schools) are all fighting to cross the finish line regardless of the colour of singlet ahead of them. A common thread in the running world, highlighted by Johnston, is the tight-knit feel of the XC team despite the vigorous competition between teammates – this is in fact what makes the team better and persuades individual competitors to take it to the next level.

With 2 more invitationals on the road, keeping injury-free and mentally on track is no easy feat as the ebbs and flows of cross country running are unpredictable. You throw your best seven runners in the race and the top five score. Add up their places and hope that no one gets passed in the last 400m, because every place counts. The women race 8km and the men run 10km (and equalizing the distances is in the works, you need not worry). The key word here is race. The quality and quantity of mileage these student-athletes put in is not for nothing.

Come the competition days, these miles speak for themselves. Runners have raced as hard as they could – in the rain, in the cold, in the mud, in monotonous loops, and in a constant up-hill battle against the clock, other schools and even their own teammates. It is the ultimate race, where you’re wreathing in pain at the finish line, shaking but also holding hands with your competitors, supporting the weight of your teammate while gasping for air.

Injuries are prevalent, tweaks can alter training regimens, pace in workouts can falter, and an individual’s season can suddenly come to a halt. On the other hand, you could feel great. Your iron levels are on point, your legs feel fresh, you’ve been staying on top of your rehab and what do you know, you’re not in sight of over-training and you find yourself with some kick left with one and a half kilometres to go at Fort Henry in K-town. You just never know who will show up on raceday.

Hall of Famer at StFX- Tara Sutherland

Long-tenured Athletic Therapist has the Hall of Fame calling after an illustrious career

Tara Sutherland was the head of a private clinic in Edmonton for a brief spell in early 1996. She saw a temporary position at StFX looking for athletic therapists. 23 years later? She is still here. Her reasoning?

“I love the community, and to work with students every day”

With her love of university life, it is no wonder she was a student at three of them. She attended Queen’s University, graduating with a BA in physical education. She then earned her diploma in sports injury management at Sheridan College, a quaint school in the Toronto area. After she obtained her certification in athletic therapy, a spell at the University of Calgary for a masters in kinesiology occurred in 1995. For Sutherland, her imbued enthusiasm for the job galvanizes students and athletes.

Speaking on the differences in technology and the job as a whole from her days in the 90’s till now, she commented:

“There is not too much of a difference, as we only assess the injuries and give recommendations, no diagnoses are involved. However, the technology now is a lot more advanced than before”

Of course, with the recent discovery of CTE and it’s gargantuan impact in the football community, the differences in how the athletes are treated are very striking.

“Back in 1996, the football team would practice sometimes two to three times a day. And they were doing so in worse equipment. There was less education into proper hitting techniques as well. Now, the practice times are much less, and the coaches do a great job of teaching safe hitting practices.”

Sutherland, along with her longtime colleague and friend, Dr. David Cudmore opened the Antigonish Concussion Clinic approximately ten years ago. (She and Cudmore could never pinpoint the exact time it was opened). The Clinic’s main goal is to give help to more than just athletes.

“My job at StFX is to assess athletes and so the Concussion Clinic is a way of giving back to the community, by affording them the opportunity to be treated and properly rehabilitated, whether it be a slip and fall, a car crash or anything in between.”

Sutherland keeps herself busy by being the lead athletic therapist at hockey, football, basketball games, while also teaching three human kinetic classes. To add on, because she does not do enough already, she has been the assistant coach of X-Women Rugby since 1998.

“It gives me a chance to be a coach, a different experience than always being the therapist during games. plus, I love the sport and I played it when I was younger.”

The holy grail of athletic therapy accomplishments was recently reached when she was inducted into the CATA (Canadian Athletic Therapists Hall of Fame). Her response to the news?

“Shock, humbled, loss for words. I was thinking it was maybe a wrong number! I have seen so many of my friends and colleagues, people I have looked up to, get into CATA, and for me to become a part of it was an unbelievable honour”.

Her plaque from the hall is still on her desk, as she has been contemplating putting it up in her office. She can be forgiven for not instantly adorning it on her walls, as they are riddled with jerseys, certifications and more plaques pertaining to her excellence of athletic therapy. 

Who knows, maybe in 23 more years, her walls won’t be visible. And at this rate, working 23 more years is not out of the realm of possibility, with her unrelenting work ethic.

Homecoming 2018

Noteworthy events for the StFX sports’ fanatics

This following weekend is the annual Homecoming for StFX University. It is the biggest weekend in the entire year when all members of the StFX community, past and present, can come together and celebrate the school we all hold so dearly in our hearts. 

The weekend is jam packed with things to do, including many sporting events that will leave spectators nothing short of entertained.

To kick off this exciting weekend is the StFX Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. This will take place on Thursday, September 27 at 7:30 pm in the Schwartz Auditorium. This is an incredibly significant event for StFX Athletics, because of the importance in honouring those who paved a path for our current athletes to succeed. 

Members of the Sports Hall of Fame are members of the school community that built StFX into the athletic dynamo that it is today. As explained by the StFX Sports Hall of Fame itself, “Those chosen inductees have exemplified the spirit and ideals of Xaverian athletics in their professional and community lives.”

This year, the inductees include Eugene Belliveau (Football, Class of 1980), Adele Belliveau (Basketball & Field Hockey, Class of 1984), Glenn MacDougall (Soccer, Class of 1987), Randy Nohr (Basketball, Class of 2001), Jane (Hanley) MacGillivray (Builder), and the entire 2006 X-Women Rugby Team. 

The 2006 X-Women Rugby Team was the first female team at StFX to win a national championship title. X-Women Rugby has since managed to bring home four more national titles.

The following evening (September 28), all sports enthusiasts should make sure to check out the undefeated X-Women Rugby team as they take on the UPEI Panthers in their final regular season game on home turf. The game begins at 6 pm at the Oland Stadium and is sure to be a thrilling display of skill, hard work and camaraderie.

The X-Women Rugby team has been a powerhouse in every season game thus far and this weekend’s game should be no exception. After having faced off with Acadia last weekend, the team secured a spot in first place of the AUS.

The Homecoming Ceremonial kick-off takes place at 1:45 pm on Saturday, September 29 at Oland Stadium, just moments before the annual homecoming football game begins. At 2 pm our X-Men will be facing the undefeated Saint Mary’s Huskies for the second time this season. 

The two teams played a close match in late August where the X-Men fell short by only seven points. This game is an event that no true StFX fan can miss.

Our X-Men football team is coming off a big win from last weekend. Travelling to Sackville to play against Mount Allison in their homecoming, the X-Men clinched a win by

scoring 25 points in the fourth quarter, earning a final score of 35-27. Subway’s player of the game was Jordan Socholotiuk, who managed to run for 177 yards on 33 carries.

The fun doesn’t quite end after Saturday. Come to Oland Stadium on Sunday September 30 to catch the X-Women Soccer at 1 pm and X-Men Soccer at 2 pm. 

Both teams will be playing against Acadia. Acadia is currently in first place in Men’s and Women’s AUS standings, and two wins for our soccer teams would be a pivotal moment for the league’s standings.

The X-Women soccer team won two games last weekend against both Mount Allison and UPEI. The X-Men soccer team also managed to win both their games last weekend, with a noteworthy 11-0 win at Mount Allison’s homecoming.

Alex Cyr Interview

Alumnus publishes debut novel documenting athletic experience at StFX

Alex was interviewed by Yanik Gallie on August 14, 2018. Runners of the Nish: A Season in the Sun, Rain, Hail and Hell is now available for purchase online through the FriesenPress or Amazon websites.

Photo: Heckbert's Photography and Gallery

Alumnus Alex Cyr published his debut novel Runners of the Nish: A Season in the Sun, Rain, Hail and Hell on July 25, 2018. Alex’s novel is an autobiographical reveal of life as a StFX athlete. 

Alex is a journalist who has written articles for U Sports and Canadian Running Magazine. Prior to publishing his novel, Alex published interviews with Olympic athletes Eric Gillis, Melissa Bishop, and Reid Coolsaet.  

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YG: Can you share your experience of writing a first novel?

AC: There were a lot more steps to the experience than I thought. I started writing not thinking I was about to write a novel. The way it started is my coach Bernie Chisholm asked me if I wanted to chronicle a few things throughout the season like a race, workout, that kind of thing. As time went on, I filled in the gaps with things that happened. Not only races, workouts and hard outcomes, but also fun events that the team did and nights out. The process of writing my first novel really came in small, small, increments to the point where I didn’t know where I was going with it. It didn’t feel like a job until I got to the point when I looked at what I had and thought I can publish this. Because it was about something that I cared about and enjoyed, it was really a painless, and fun, process.

The publishing process took a lot more out of me than I thought. There is a lot that goes into taking a manuscript and making it into a book. Before that, I didn’t realize how many people would get to work with me. There is so much to be done. There’s editing, design, layout, copyright, getting your ISBN registered. All in all, I think it was a super cool experience and something that I might want to do again someday. It was eye-opening and rewarding.

YG: Knowing the book reflects your personal experience, is there content you were hesitant of including or redacted from the first edition?

AC: Yes. When I decided that I wanted to make a book out of this, I had to make a critical decision in that do I keep the events real and make it a non-fiction or do I embellish it and make a story out of this? Eventually my decision was to keep it real. I put the results as they were. I put the events as they were. Tell the stories as they were. When I made that decision, it made me have to draw a line somewhere else. How intrusive can I be in this endeavor? The people I write about are my teammates and also my best friends. When writing something about them, you want to portray them in a way that is very real, respectful and indicative of who they are. At the same time, you want to present them as characters and highlight little traits and funny characteristics that they have. Most of it, I tried to keep PG. There’s college life in there and stuff. For that part, I tried to gloss over some things that may not be appropriate for the book. I wanted to keep it friendly for the general population.

Photo: books.friesenpress.com

YG: Coach Bernie Chisholm is a treasured mentor of yours. How are you keeping the teachings of Bernie with you in P.E.I. and Ontario? 

AC: Something I think you’ll hear from many people who have been coached or taught by Bernie, because he was also a teacher, is Bernie became a bit more than a running coach. He became a life coach. 

I think Bernie instills good values in his runners and students. He’s a person with very consistent beliefs that he vocalizes. He’s also a guy who will tell you when you’re stepping out of line. He’s someone who implements a strong team culture and holds everyone to the same high standard. 

Personally, a lesson I am taking back with me from StFX, and from Bernie especially, is the ability to be mentally tough. I apply this to my running mostly, but it’s also a lesson that I apply to life. It’s the ability to push through things when they are not going my way. When you are doing a discipline like running, chances are you are going to replicate that behavior in other aspects of your life. With Bernie, he taught me to persevere and to be patient while working hard. That’s probably the number one quality that I have that I can attribute to Bernie’s coaching.

YG: You beat your personal best this May, well done. What goals are you pursuing with the University of Windsor Athletics Club?

AC: I still have one more year in my master’s at Windsor. After that, I don’t know where school, life and running will take me. There are things that I like about the environment in Windsor and if the next chapter of my life is there, my goals with running are to take it as far as I mentally and physically can. If I’m able to do that for the next few years, the goal is to be increasingly competitive on the national stage.

YG: What athletic tips would you give to a first-year student who is interested in running for StFX?

AC: I would encourage that student to go tryout and give it their shot. I think successful runners on the StFX team come from all walks of sport. You will have those who are superstars coming in and they don’t take as much time to walk up the ranks in the team and become intrinsic members. You will have those who have to wait a bit longer and stick it out. A tip that I would give is to be patient and trust the process. It wouldn’t be to work extremely hard for one week as it would be to work quite hard for 52 weeks and do it again, and again. 

Now, I’m one year removed from X and my best friends that I talk to everyday are fellow X-Men and X-Women, roommates and teammates. Cross-country and track-and-field are in essence sports for individuals. However, at X, there very much is that aspect of team that follows you wherever you go. Work consistently hard and results will come. 
 

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

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

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