Thursday, September 30, 2010

Proud of the boys...


While we didn't get the result we wanted against Carleton on Wednesday, I'm proud of the way we played. We executed our game plan extremely well but gave one up on a set piece. That being said, those who were in attendance would agree that we had our chances on more than one occasion to tie that game - or to take the lead before Carleton's goal.

It was one of those games where nothing seemed to go our way in the attacking third. The quality of the final pass wasn't there when we needed it to be; every save was parried 2 inches too far from our players trying to capitalize on rebounds; and crosses were just short or long of our runs into the box.

We competed hard, and this team continues to improve day-by-day, and game-by-game. There is no time to dwell on the loss. We need to bounce back versus RMC on Saturday to continue our quest for a first-round bye.

Come support your Gaels as they take on the Paladins on Saturday at 3:15 at RMC. We're very appreciative of the support we've received thus far, and hope it continues for the remainder of the season.

Chris

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

immune system

Hi All.

It's getting to be cold season again! Lots of my athletes, friends and family are coming down with the first good head cold of the season. If you want to avoid these nasty little bugs, here are a few hints:
> SLEEP - try to get to bed and sleep for as close to 8 hours as you can as often as possible. If you have trouble sleeping, exercise!

> EAT - get your fruits and veggies. They provide the mirconutrients that keep your immune system 'topped up'.

> HYDRATE - keep the water coming to maintain a top notch immune system.

> Multivitamin and vitamin C - best brands are Shaklee and Usana. Take the recommended amount to keep your system at it's best.

> Wash your hands - obvious, but we skip it all the time.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Starting to turn the corner...


In past games, this team has showed only short glimpses - 10 minutes or so - of how well they could play when playing to their potential. We hadn't played a good full 90 all season. This weekend was a different story. Those short glimpses turned into long stretches and I would say we played some of our best soccer of the year. We're finding our stride, and we're discovering what makes our team "tick".

On Saturday, we faced up against Nippissing. The boys were determined to have a strong showing against the Lakers with Alumni watching from the sidelines. They put in a solid team effort, both in attack and in defense, and came out victorious 4-0. On Sunday, we played against Laurentian. It was an opportunity for us to separate ourselves from the middle of the pack in the standings as we were tied in points with the Voyageurs. Although we didn't come out as strong from the start, our back 6 were organized and kept the score-line 0-0 through the first 20 minutes. Eventually, we were able to break the deadlock and go into the half with a 2-0 lead. We scored another in the 2nd half to make it 3-0 but conceded a consolation goal late in the game. The final score was 3-1.

My thoughts...
I was pleased with the team I saw this weekend. The guys put in the work that is required to win games at this level, and we're making progress day by day. This past weekend could be a turning point for this team, as they now see the way we are able to play when we're firing on all cylinders. While it's great to achieve 6 points this weekend, there is no time to celebrate. We're back to work on Tuesday and play Carleton on Wednesday at 3:15 p.m. at Richardson Stadium. As I said in an earlier blog, the season is short but the process is long. We need to build on the positives and fine tune some of the negatives.

Before I sign off, I'd like to thank the alumni who were able to make it down this past weekend to our alumni game and dinner. Our young boys now understand what it means to be a part of Queen's Men's Soccer, and for that, I thank you. Quick shout-out to Steven Irish and Brent Lukowski :)

Until next time...

Chris

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Game #3

So, we're away from the home pitch of Kingston Field this weekend to play McMaster at their own Homecoming. We've backed up the normal kickoff time to 12noon instead of 1pm to accomodate three games on the Mac field today, and we're up and ready to go.

Much has been made of our last two meetings with Mac in the 2009 season. We are ready to go and using many of our best attributes to goal set and to motivate ourselves for today.

Best of luck to the football Gaels in their match-up against Ottawa and a big shout out to the Queen's alumni who have made the trip to Kingston this weekend, including the PHE '00 alumni and other pseudo-physed types!

All the best,
Beth

Thursday, September 23, 2010

100th Anniversary Weekend

Hi Folks,
 
What a weekend!  The primary focus was the 100th Anniversary Celebration of Women’s Basketball at Queen’s University.  With that, came a number of activities that included:
·        A free basketball clinic Saturday morning – about 60 players attended
·        A tour of the Athletics & Recreation Centre – about 40 people joined in
·        An Alumni vs Alumni game with 25 former players playing and another 10 in attendance (turns out CBC did film parts of the game)
·        An exhibition game with McGill that was televised “live” coast to coast on CBC (as part of their inaugural Sports Day in Canada show) (see game report below courtesy of our Sports Information Department)
·        A dinner banquet with over 100 in attendance at the Ambassador Resort Hotel
 
I will send out a separate email regarding the other day’s events, hopefully with photos in a future email.
 
For now, the game:
 
From my perspective, I was disappointed with our performance on the court.  No question we were “tight” and fatigued early.  We were out-hustled to the ball on numerous occasions in the first half, although I thought we did a better job in the second half.  Turnovers certainly plagued us throughout the entire game, recording 16 in EACH half.  We were congested on offensive, with poor physical  execution, and failed to identify (and react to) McGill’s main scoring threats.  I know our players are very disappointed with their play.  On a more positive note, the skill level, commitment and drive exhibited by this group of players will allow us to get better……much better.
 
 
KINGSTON, Ont. (September 18, 2010) – The McGill Martlets spoiled the party as the Queen's Gaels fell 78-58 in a Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) women's basketball preseason matchup which was the centre piece of CBC's Sports Day in Canada broadcast.
 
Queen's University acted as the main broadcast venue for Sports Day in Canada which saw the City of Kingston featured as the host city. CBC's Scott Russell was on hand broadcasting segments all day long while the entire city was showcased in front of a national television audience.
 
In addition, the game was being contested to honour the 100th anniversary of women's basketball played on campus.
 
“It wasn't the result we wanted on the court, but overall an outstanding day,” said Leslie Dal Cin, Director of Athletics & Recreation of Queen's University. “There was lots of activity here on campus and across the city. Kingston should be very proud of how it supported the event.”
 
Athletics & Recreation welcomed the entire community to take in the new state of the art Athletics and Recreation Centre (ARC) which opened in December 2009. Free tours, swims and fitness classes were a part of the programming offered all-day long in the building.
 
The ARC also got rave reviews from several officials on site as well as the CBC broadcast team.
 
In the game, Francoise Charest of Quebec City poured in 24 points while McGill teammate Anneth Him-Lazarenko of Ste Dorothee, Que. Finished with 18 points in the win. Also breaking double-digits for McGill was Natalie Larocque of Quebec City with 12 points.
 
Gemma Bullard of Guelph, Ont., was the top scorer for Queen's with 12 points while Rachel Urosevic of Kitchener, Ont., scored 11 points in the exhibition matchup. Both Bullard and Urosevic were playing in their first CIS game.
 
Hanna Koposhynska of Toronto was named the player of the game for Queen's recording 13 rebounds and nine points.
 
Christine Wallace of North Gower, Ont., tallied seven points before departing the game with an injury. The Gaels were also without perennial leading scorer Brittany Moore of Hannon, Ont. who is nursing a minor injury.
 
NOTES: This was the first time in CIS history, outside of the national championship tournament, that a CIS women's basketball game was televised coast-to-coast... 1,257 people were on hand to see the basketball game while hundreds of others turned out to take part in sporting activities across the campus.
-30-
 
Up Next on the Road:
October 15-17 @ Memorial University (St. John’s, Nfld - 3 game series)
October 22-24 @ Laval Tournament (Quebec City)
 
Up Next at Home:
October 29-31 Tindall Tournament with University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM), Guelph University and Ottawa U.
 
Have a great week.
 
Dave.

soccer girls run it through

Hello All.

I, in my infinite wisdom, decided to 'lead' the soccer girls in a run last night. Granted, I did start out in the lead but that didn't last too long once the hard work started. Girls, you did an awesome job of the bench blast and I was really impressed by your efforts. For my part, I did make it back and I'm actually not that sore today - phew!

Another step forward and Alumni Weekend!


Only have a couple of minutes before I head off to work so I thought I'd very briefly give you my thoughts about our 1-0 win against Trent and our upcoming alumni weekend.

Last weekend, we played Trent Excalibur, an organized squad with a new-found confidence. We created a couple of good scoring opportunities in the first 15 minutes but couldn't capitalize on them. As the game progressed, their confidence grew, and the score-line remained nil nil. The last 10 minutes, saw us pushing for a goal. We knew we needed 3 points if we were to hope for a first round bye in the playoffs. In the 93rd minute, we found the winner. Our left winger, Mac Ojiaku, hustled for a ball he had no purpose hustling for, crossed it in the box to Dan McBride, who played it across to Eric Cappon for the winner. I keep telling these boys that these moments - the moments when you think you're out of a game but find a way to win - are going to help us down the road. All in all, pleased with the result, but improvements are still to come.

This weekend is a special weekend for our young boys. Each of them have an opportunity to share in the glory days of our great alumni. They will have the opportunity to listen to past-time stories, receive words of wisdom, and lifelong advice. This is what makes alumni weekend so special. Add in a 2-game weekend versus Nippissing and Laurentian, and we have ourselves a weekend to look forward to.

Alumni are encouraged to attend the alumni game at 12:00 p.m. at our West Campus practice field. I will be there at 10:00 a.m. for any out-of-town alumni who want to see the changes we've made to the Men's Soccer change room. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!

I look forward to welcoming all of you and thank you for your continued support.

Chris

Monday, September 20, 2010

Lou Jeffries Game

The first weekend is in the books and it was a very succesful one for our program. Off the ice we raised close to $8000 in our 5th annual Lou Jeffries Scholarship game and that brings our 5 year total to $55000. This is vital to our recruitment process as it helps us to raise funds for scholarships. Alexi Pianosi was this years award winner. I cannot "Thank" event organizer Jim Boltin enough. The hours and work he does to put on this event is incredible. On the ice we came away with 2 victories, 3-0 over Ottawa U and 6-2 over RMC. There were many mistakes in both games but always nice to see 2 wins to start the season. Just a reminder to our Toronto alumni of our event this Thursday in Toronto. I look forward to seeing everyone out.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Team Building


Hello Gaels fans,

Yesterday was the next step in our team's journey with a victory over the York Lions.

Yesterday, we really came together as a team. We proved ourselves to be dangerous from all positions on the field with six different try scorers and three different athletes who were able to convert attempts at goal into points. There was diversity to our attack and the ability to create dynamic play from seemingly difficult positions...and our defensive strengths are certainly showing in our ability to put pressure on our opposition.

Next week, we play at McMaster at 12noon on the "Back 10 Field." We hope to see you there - last year, the Queen's women's lacrosse team came over during a tournament and lent their voices to the cause (thanks, ladies!) - the more Tricolour we have in the stands, the better for our Queen's Gaels!

All the Best,
Beth

Friday, September 17, 2010

One Week In

So as our first week as a team nears its end, I though I might share my thoughts with you. As expected, we have a great amount of talent on our team. Currently we are without two of our left-sides, as Niko Rukavina just had surgery on his foot and Will Sidgwick is still away in Turkey at the World Beach Volleyball Championships. Niko and Will are two of our best passers, so their absence – while felt daily, creates a great opportunity for others to step up and increase their reps.

It is always interesting and challenging as a coach when you have a team like ours. What I mean by that is, we now have 5 guys in fourth year who are all very experienced and have extensive backgrounds – from the Canada Games Team – to the National Team, Queen’s aside. They are all 21 years old, have played at this level for three years, have spent 3 years training with us in the weight room and were all starters in our National 5th place finish and OUA title, last season.

Then there are the new guys. One had his 18th birthday yesterday, another has never played club, a third had to sit out a year because there was no program at 19U in his community….. so there is a gap. Actually, it is a big gap. Not unexpected, but a gap none the less. Of course the gap is somewhat bridged by the guys in second and third year, which is great, but there is still a gap.

My job is to close that gap and still keep the vets moving it forward towards our goal. It is going to take patience and support from them and perseverance and determination from the new guys, but I have complete confidence we will get it done. We have been quite technical all week and there has definitely been progress, but we aren’t there yet.

To that end, we are getting into some bonding stuff tomorrow. After practicing late and doing a beep test tonight, the boys will come together again tomorrow, in their jerseys to do some community service. The Team will be cleaning up the campus and ghetto between 1:45 and 3:15pm tomorrow and once we dispose of the heap of garbage bags, we will get cleaned up, attend the Kill McGill 100th Anniversary Women’s Basketball Game in the ARC and then head back to my place for a Bar-B-Q (steak) dinner.

We will stay in a technical phase for one more week, despite the fact that we have an Alumni Game next Saturday, but then we will move more to systems, because we will be going out to Winnipeg to test ourselves against the Wesmen and Bisons in 4 matches out there.

Our first big gig at home will be a pretty special one! On October 15th to 17th we will be hosting the 24th Annual Queen’s Invitational. Trinity Western, last year’s CIS silver medalists, along with Brandon (2009 CIS Bronze) and the University of Western Ontario (2010 OUA silver medalists) for 3 days of exciting matches. The games are at 6 & 8 (we play at 8) both Friday and Saturday and then at 1 and 3 (we are at 3) on Sunday.

Hope to see you there!

Brenda

inspiration

Hi Folks.

Here is a link that just might get you working that little bit harder or perhaps make you appreciate just how hard you already work.

http://www.break.com/index/inspiration

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Update and Alumni News

Hi Everyone! We have buzzed through the early stages of training camp and our roster is now fairly set as we begin to move towards exhibition play. Despite there being a number of new faces on this year's team we are genuinely excited by the potential and the attitude that they have shown to this point. The players that remained in Kingston all summer have shown tremendous growth and several new additions appear to be ready to fight for their opportunities to contribute early in the 2010-2011 campaign.

I will begin to slowly profile the roster in coming weeks once things are official. However, I do want to take a minute to make you aware of our early season schedule. We open our CIS exhibition season at home this year hosting Laval on October 2nd and then follow that up with another home stand versus Bishops on October 8th. Laval returns a nearly complete line-up in addition to a couple of very talented NCAA transfers and are expected to compete again this year for tops in the 'Q'. Bishops continues to evolve under coach Rod Gilpin and will be welcoming a very good young group of recruits and transfers that will add to their athleticism and growth. After that we become road warriors for a couple of weeks as we head to Saskatchewan Graham Construction Shootout where we will play Calgary, Brandon and the defending CIS champion Huskies. The following weekend we head east to McGill to play Western , UPEI and the host Redmen. Throughout those games I think it is safe to say that we will play 5 teams that will be anticipated to be in the top ten in pre-season rankings. It will be a tough stretch, however, it will certainly be a great measure as to where we are in our own process and will expose our players (particularly rookies) to the level to which we aspire to compete right away. FYI....we open our OUA season at home this year with Wilfred Laurier and Waterloo visiting the ARC on November 5th and 6th.

In alumni news....

Former alumni Iain Reid has just had his first book published and it has created quite a stir. I just purchased my copy on Tuesday and my first impression is similar to others. Fellow alumni, Mark Blackman says that his synopsis simply couldn't do it justice. The book has been extremely well received and has garnered early praises from a variety of sources. Below are a few links provided by Mark, where you can read reviews, interviews, etc. about Iain's work.

http://books.torontoist.com/2010/08/coming-soon-iain-reids-one-birds-choice/

http://www.anansi.ca/assets/catalogues/Anansi_F10_Ir.pdf Refer to pages 16-17 for a quick/funny excerpt.

It would be great to have everyone support Iain and his passion and get out and bye a copy of your own. I guarantee that you will not be disappointed. To order a copy go the link below or you can get a copy in most large book stores.

http://www.amazon.ca/One-Birds-Choice-Iain-Reid/dp/0887842437/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1284241579&sr=8-1

Hope everyone is well. Talk with you again soon.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Upon reflection...


Our goal this past weekend was to leave Toronto with 6 points. However, we left with only 1. After losing to U of T in a close 1-0 tilt, the boys tied Ryerson with a last minute goal by Justin Vermeer.

I spent yesterday watching both games over and over again. After hours of analysing the tapes, I came to the conclusion that we are getting better. We've been on the unfortunate end of the results, but our play is improving. Our schedule hasn't been the easiest by any means, having to play Carleton, U of T, and Ryerson away from home in 3 of our first 4 games. That being said, the players understand that we need to expect more from one another if we want to accomplish something special this year. I believe in this group. I believe in what we, as a coaching staff, are preaching. I believe in the direction the program is heading. In time (this season), we'll be able to enjoy the fruits of our labour. Again, I ask for your patience, Gaels supporters. The season is short, but the process is long.

It's Tuesday. Back to the practice pitch.

Until next time....

Chris

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Weekend's reflection


The women's rugby Gaels started the season off the way we planned through using an attacking defense to kick start our attack. This turned out to be a 24-0 win to start off the season which earns us a bonus point (for scoring four tries) plus the four points for a win.

Excellent team play from all aspects - the forwards running the team attack well, the backs having no handling errors, and the team truly being dedicated to the performance goals of the game - allowed us to perform at our best.

Next week, we have our home opener against York University which kicks off at 1pm at Kingston Field. We've been told that CBC will be filming and broadcasting parts of our team preparation and game as part of their 'Sports Day in Canada' and as a preview to the Queen's vs McGill women's basketball game at 4pm. We can't wait for exposure on a national scale on our beautiful home field - it's the most picturesque field in the OUA.

All the best,
Beth

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Season Opener - Rugby-W vs Brock

Hello to all those Gaels fans out there!

We are eagerly anticipating our first game of the season in St. Catherines vs Brock University which kicks off in three short hours. The women's rugby team has been working extremely hard this week and is looking forward to playing a game with meaningful results.

The team received a boost this week after being ranked #10 in the country in the CIS Coaches Poll pre-season rankings. See the article at http://english.cis-sic.ca/top_10_releases/2010-11/20100907-top10-2.

The team has added some new talent this year. First year players who are dressing today are: Taylor White (prop), Kayla Roote (back row), Amanda Djurickovic (prop), Sonja Moroz (wing) and Natalie Poirier (centre and sister of co-captain Jocelyn Poirier). First year Gaels and four year vets from St. FX X-Women and the Alberta Pandas respectively are Ash Ward (8) and Melaina Weiss (L).

We look forward to sharing our journey with you this season!

All the Best,
Beth

Vanier Cup Banner Raising Sunday!

The 2009 Vanier Cup Champions - kick off their home schedule on Sunday at 1:00pm. Windsor is in town and will have to watch the defending champions raise their Vanier Cup banner.

Danny and Osie will be back on Sunday to share the three trophies with the community and have one of the last official celebrations for the team - this will be an extremely exciting day.

The team sits 0-1 and is coming off a bye week, but I know they are chomping at the bit to get moving again. They are determined to even their record after a near victory against McMaster.

Here's hoping to be blogging at the Vanier Cup in 2010!

Go Gaels Go!

Michael Grobe - Communications & Sports Information

Friday, September 10, 2010

A tough test ahead...


We're off to play U of T and Ryerson on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, at 3:15 p.m. This is an important weekend for our boys. Both teams will be a test for us to see how far we've come since August 15, and how far we still need to go to becoming title contenders. With U of T ranked #4 in the country, and Ryerson coming off one of their better seasons last year, we will have to come into both games mentally, physically, technically, and tactically prepared. Even more importantly, we must ensure that we come together as a team. We must attack as a team, defend as a team, win as a team and lose as a team (hopefully not too often! :) )

If you're in the Toronto region, come support your Gaels at Varsity Stadium on Saturday at 3:15 p.m.

Here's to bringing home 6 points this weekend.

Until next time...

Chris

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Welcome Back

Hi everyone,

How do you know that the school year is about to begin? Well thousands of bright eyed and obviously overwhelmed freshman celebrating Frosh Week could be your first indication. Possibly it's the mysterious group of purple people wandering the campus or the sheer number of school buses with body parts hanging out of the windows as they rumble down University Avenue.

Here at the ARC we mark the return back to school with a different rhythm. It's the sound of squeeky shoes, bouncing balls and loud voices raised in unison on the gym floor while the sun is setting. It's the increased usage of ice and the loud grunts of athletes working their way through an agility ladder or squatting in the weight room.

For me in particular it's the chance to watch the volleyball players back in action as they slowly shrug the mantle of summer off and shift into a completely different gear. It's seeing the effects of our strength and conditioning program as each person runs faster, jumps higher and hits a little bit harder than when I saw them last. It's the poetry of physical movement at it's best that tells me that the school year is about to begin once again.

Many of the players have had remarkable summers - some played beach volleyball competing against some of the best volleyball players in Canada. A couple trained with both the Provincial and National Beach programs in Toronto then had an amazing opportunity to be trained by Olympian Kathy Tough in Calgary.

Others decided adventure was more to their liking with one pedaling her way from Calgary, AB to Invemere, BC while another propelled herself out of a plane to see what skydiving might have to offer. Finally, there were those who found themselves working 9-5 every day and ultimately appreciating the advantages of being in school for just a little longer.

Knowing what each person has accomplished this summer makes me very excited for volleyball to start. Knowing that everyone put in so much effort to prepare for this week creates a wonderful air of anticipation. So as we begin formal tryouts tonight I can't wait to see what unfolds for the team. I also hope that their efforts inspire you to join us on our journey throughout the year both online and at our matches.

Until next time,

Joely

Congrats on a terrific summer ladies.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

The extra mile

Hi all,

For all those athletes who fight through the workouts and training, I want to express my appreciation for your efforts to push that extra mile. Know that the best performances are not always the fastest or furthest. They are often the ones that take the most effort. Finishing what is put before you, no matter how tough it is, is the mark of someone who will never let you down on the field.

Rodney.

Q's Game Report (Sept. 7, 2010)

Hi Folks,

Welcome to another season of Queen's basketball.  Although the team has not been completely finalized, an early season exhibition game with Waynesburg University (Pennsylvania) allowed us to don the gold jerseys and get a good look at the off season recruits along with our returning veterans.  The final was Q's 91, Waynesburg 65.

I was quite pleased with our performance and effort in the first half, especially considering we had only one starter from last year (Jill Wheat, 5th year post) in the line up.  A lapse in intensity and execution, particularly in the third quarter was disappointing, but the concentration returned for the fourth quarter.

Wheat, and 4th year wing player, Christine Wallace set the tone early in the game, providing the much-needed on-court leadership.  Other returning veterans (all 2nd years) Hanna Koposhynska, Sydney Kernahan, and Paige Robinson all showed signs that their off-season training has elevated their games.  Our only other veteran, Brittany Moore (4th year guard) was sidelined with an ankle injury.

Six of our eleven players on the score sheet were rookies ...... and they lived up to their off season recruiting hype.  Liz Boag (Kingston), Rachael Urosevic (Waterloo), Lisa Minutillo (Brantford), Gemma Bullard (Guelph), Meaghan MacDougall (Martintown) and Jordan Tomas (Waterloo), all made significant contributions, with Bullard leading the way in scoring, dropping an impressive 24 points to lead all scorers. (See game report below).

Equally impressive was how we shared the basketball, recording 26 assists (and only 16 turnovers) en route to the 91 point performance.

Frosh Week is upon us, as the first year students have flooded the campus.  We will be holding open scrimmages (all welcome) Tuesday, September 7 and Wednesday, September 8 from 2:30 to 4:00pm in the Upper Gym (note change of location).  Friday, September 10, we move to the Main gym from 2:30 to 4:00pm.  An open try out is scheduled for Monday, September 13 at 5:30pm in the Upper gym.  The open try out will allow us to identify any previously unidentified prospects and to supplement our existing roster if necessary.

Our 100th Anniversary Weekend Celebration is well in-hand for the September 18/19 weekend.  All friends of Queen's basketball are invited to join the weekend's activities, which include a free tour of the new Athletics & Recreation Complex, free admission to the Alumni vs Alumni game on Saturday at 1:00pm.  Also scheduled is an exhibition game with McGill University (game time changed to 4:00pm), and a dinner/banquet 7:00pm Saturday evening.  Please go on line to register for any or all of these activities:  https://advevents.queensu.ca/cgi/page.cgi?_id=3&action=viewdetail&event_id=419

Gaels start 2010 off right with win over Waynesburg
KINGSTON, Ont. (September 5, 2010) - Beginning 2010-11 without backcourt mainstay Brittany Moore (Hannon, Ont.), the Gaels saw great team production in beating the Waynesburg Yellow Jackets 91-65. Ten players scored in the game, while six players had eight or more points.
The Gaels led 47-27 after the first half, opening up their lead midway through the first quarter. Strong bench efforts from rookies Gemma Bullard (Guelph, Ont) and Lisa Minutillo (Brantford, Ont.), a combined 13 points and 3-4 from behind the arc, aided the starting five in controlling both the pace and score. Christine Wallace (North Gower, Ont.) paced the Gaels with 10 points, six rebounds, and three assists.

Bullard, in her Gaels debut, finished the game 7-10 including 4-5 from 3-point range, for 24 points. Liz Boag (Kingston, Ont.) started the game at guard in place of Moore, and finished with eight points and seven assists. Wallace finished with 16 points.

Waynesburg wasn't able to find their scoring stroke, shooting just 28.8% in the game. Two players, Hannah Hunter and Morgan Hoone, scored in double figures for the Yellow Jackets
The Gaels continue their pre-season on September 18, 2010 against McGill University. That game marks the 100th anniversary of women's basketball at Queen's, and will feature a number of returning alumni from several decades of Queen's women's basketball.
Photos from the game can be found, courtesy of Michael Parkinson at:  http://www.pbase.com/parpho/qvswaynesburg_wbasketball_090510_

Have a great week.

  Dave. 

Monday, September 6, 2010

Gaels start the season 1-1


Didn't have the best start on the Saturday versus Carleton, losing 2-0, but I was pleased with the effort shown on Sunday versus Trent. The young boys bounced back and earned a well-deserved 4-1 victory at home.

The season is young. There are glimpses of brilliance, but also many areas to improve upon. The message I keep telling the boys, and all Gaels' supporters is be patient. Time is required to buy into a system and style of play that is different from previous years.

Also wanted to thank all of those who attended our home opener. By far the best crowd/attendance I've seen throughout my time with the program as a player and coach. The community is starting to rally behind us! Thanks again!

Until next time...

Chris

Friday, September 3, 2010

The season kicks off tomorrow


We're off to play Carleton Ravens tomorrow in Ottawa. Kick-off time of 3:15 p.m. If you're in the Ottawa area, come out and catch the game. We'd love the support!

We're all eager to get started. The young boys are ready to take the field and are hoping to have a strong start to the season. Wish us luck and follow us at www.gogaelsgo.com/soccer-m.

Until next time...

Chris

The Try-Out Process

Now that the summer gets filed in the memory bank and we are into the phase called the ‘Try-Outs’, I thought I would offer some thoughts about this whole selection process, since I often get asked if I am holding tryouts and whether I already know who will be on the team. Well, the answer is yes to both actually.

Firstly, in regards to tryouts; I believe every student-athlete who thinks they might have what it takes should be offered the opportunity to show their stuff and have a crack at the roster. Over the years I have had a handful of surprises and pleasant ones at that. I remember back in the early 90’s Mike Cvihun walked into my office in frosh week, introduced himself and told me he was here to try to make the team. Well Mike never played club, he was a decathlete actually, and he was from a small high school outside Sarnia. Who would have thunk… and it took a couple years, but by the time Mike became a vet he was lighting it up, and he ultimately graduated a conference all-star.

Another Mike….. Hartel that is (also known as Hops), was a similar story in the late 90s. Lucky for Hops that Kevin Elsey lived in Vic Hall on the same floor as him, because he probably wouldn’t have even tried out if it wasn’t for Kevin. Hops was a gifted athlete and complete walk-on, who not only graduated a conference all-star, he played in the World University Games for Canada and played professionally in Europe as well.

There haven’t been any of those in the last decade, but that doesn’t mean there couldn’t be a diamond in the rough. That is why I hold tryouts. If the door was open to recruited athletes only, look what and who I would have missed out on.

That being said, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t already (almost) know who will be on the team. When there is an opening in the roster, of course I am out on the circuit looking for the best possible replacement. This year we have eleven players returning (or at least wanting to return), and I have recruited three outstanding players that we are committed to. That makes 14. I would be happy to run a team of 14. If the talent warrants it, we could take up to 16….. so yes, there is room for someone to come in and put their name on a jersey, and there is always the possibility that someone on the current roster could get beat out as well, as no one is ever guaranteed a spot. You can’t be a good rookie in second year (or third…), after all.

So, here is my advice. If you think you won’t make it, you won’t. If you think you don’t have a shot, you don’t. On the other hand, if you put yourself out there and try, and if you think you have a shot, you do. Better to let me and my staff decide if you are good enough, because the worst regret is the one that starts with “I wish I had….”. Better to have tried and failed than to have not tried at all, and you never know; you might be the next ‘Mike’.