Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Update - End of the First Half

As some teams are finishing up for the 2012 year, we are just coming up to the break in our marathon season.  The preseason involved a lot of training, playing -- figuring things out.  Now that the season is half way through, we are beginning to reach a more stable form of play (rather than the ups and downs of a roller coaster that new teams often experience). 

   The season started off with us hosting Lakehead at the ARC.  It was a bit of a battle, but Queen's came out on top at the end of a 5-set match.
   The following weekend, we met a first-place York in Toronto, and left with a disappointing 3-0 loss.  However, we could not drown in our sorrows for long, as in less than 24 hours we were to travel and play against Brock University.  The loss from the night before was fuel for our game, and we left St. Catherine's with a 3-1 win.
   Next up: hosting the teams from Toronto!  Ryerson won the 5-set battle on Day 1, but that would be the last time the Gaels would lose in the 2012 regular season.  On Day 2, Queen's took the W against University of Toronto in four sets.
   The Gaels were then back on the road to Guelph and Waterloo, where we took hold of both matches in four sets.
   The last two weekends were both hosted at the ARC.  The first was a 3-0 win for the Gaels over Windsor, while the second was a 3-0 win over RMC.  We finished on a high note going into the winter break!

Now is the time to worry about exams, final assignments, and papers.  But we still have a little bit of downtime.  What do we choose to do with it? EAT of course!! The annual Christmas Potluck was a huge, delicious success.



We are looking forward to our tournament at the end of December in Toronto to get us ready for when the season picks back up int he new year!

Have a safe and happy holiday,

Shannon W.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Women's Basketball - Game Report

Hi Folks,

Wrapped up our fall league schedule with two well-played games, but only came away with another split. We lost to the country’s #1 team, Windsor 72-64, before beating Western, 72-53.

We opened the game very well against Windsor, battling to keep their big and experienced line up off our glass and control the pace of the game. By quarter time we had built a 14-11 lead. In a much-the-same-style second quarter, Windsor grabbed a point back, outscoring us 14-13. Windsor turned up the heat in the third quarter and began to win the battle on the boards, outscoring us 21-17. They built their lead into double digits in the fourth, but with a late surge we closed to 4 points with just over a minute to play. Forced to foul late, Windsor’s final four points were from the charity stripe to secure their 8 point win, 72-64. Liz Boag finished with 18 points, followed by Gemma Bullard with 16 and Hanna Koposhynska with 10.

Q’s SID Report: http://www.gogaelsgo.com/news/2012/11/30/WBK3-4vsWindsorLancers.aspx?path=wbball

No question, our best start to a game (in a very long time) was against Western. In the first 7 minutes we put up 20 points while surrendering none. We finished the quarter up 22-3. Western settled down in the second quarter, as did the scoring pace for us, but still outscored Western 14-12 to lead 36-15 at the half. Western came out very strong in the third quarter and made their run, but could only reduce our lead by 5 (23-18 in the quarter). In the fourth we began to build on the lead once again, pushing it upwards to 30 points, before Western’s last minute 10 point surge left us with the 72-53 win. Jenny Wright led all scorers with 17 points, while Sydney Kernahan and Gemma Bullard each had 16. Liz Boag also hit double digits with 11 assists to go along with her 9 points.

Q’s SID Report: http://www.gogaelsgo.com/news/2012/12/1/WBB_1201123438.aspx?path=wbball

Our fall league schedule comes to an end with a record of 4 and 4 and a tie for 3rd in Ontario East. Our four losses were by spreads of 9, 8, 4, & 4. Our four wins were by spreads of 4, 13, 18, & 19. Our scoring is starting to balance out, with four players averaging double figures and a better mix of post and perimeter scoring. Our strength has been in our shooting, as we rank 2nd in the country in 3pt% and 4th in the country in FG%. Another big improvement is in our rebounding, where we rank 9th in the country in rebounding differential at plus 5.6. No question we played our best basketball of the season this past weekend. Now comes the challenge of maintaining this momentum with a month’s break before league play resumes.

We now have over 20 players registered for our ID/Training Camp set for Sunday, December 9th, in what should be a very competitive day on the court. Details can be found on our web site at: http://www.gogaelsgo.com/sports/2011/12/1/WBB_1201115938.aspx?path=wbball

Up Next on the Road:
Saturday, December 29th @ U. Puerto Rico San Piedras 4pm (Atlantic time)
Wednesday, January 2nd @ U. Puerto Rico Bayamon 6pm (Atlantic time)

Up Next at Home:
Saturday, January 5th vs. Toronto 1pm
Sunday, January 6th vs. Ryerson 1pm

Best wishes for a safe and enjoyable holiday season.

Dave.

Monday, November 26, 2012

Women's Basketball - Game Report

Hi Folks,

Another weekend on the road left us with another split – losing to Brock 53-49, before beating McMaster, 80-67.

We started very slowly against Brock, unable to convert on many of the opportunities presented. We trailed 9-16 after the first. We tightened our defense in the second quarter, which also lead to a little more offense, outscoring Brock 16-4 to take a 25-20 lead into the half. We built on our lead early in the third quarter only to have Brock come back and tie the game at 37 heading into the fourth. We really struggled with our finishing in the fourth and gave up a few offensive rebounds, leading to the 53-49 final. There were many errors in the statistics-keeping for this game, but as best as I can figure, Liz Boag was high scorer with 13 points and our only player to reach double figures.

Q’s SID Report: http://www.gogaelsgo.com/news/2012/11/23/WBBvsBrock.aspx?path=wbball

Our start against McMaster was not much better than the night before. We found ourselves trailing 11-3 before we started to find some rhythm. We finished the quarter on a 20-4 run for a 23-15 lead. Mac came out strong in the second, shooting the ball very well and pressuring in the full court. By half, they had cut our lead to 2, 37-35. We opened the third quarter on a tear, enroute to a 31 point quarter, while surrendering 13 to lead 68-48. Defensive pressure was our key, forcing a number of turnovers and allowing us to score in transition. Mac kept battling in the fourth quarter, but could come no closer than the 13 point spread, representing the final score, 80-67. Four players hit double digits in scoring with Sydney Kernahan leading the way with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Liz Boag added 13 points and 6 assists, while Gemma Bullard & Jenny Wright each had 11 points.

Q’s SID Report: http://www.gogaelsgo.com/news/2012/11/24/WBB_1124121649.aspx?path=wbball

We have a tough weekend upcoming as we host Windsor (#1 in the country) on Friday and Western on Saturday. It will be good to be back at home, however. This will finish off our fall league schedule. We will pick things up after Christmas when we head down to Puerto Rico for a training camp and a couple of exhibition games.

Up Next at Home:
Friday, November 30 vs. Windsor 6pm
Saturday, December 1 vs. Western 6pm

Have a great week!

Dave.

Monday, November 19, 2012

Women's Basketball - Game Report

Hi Folks,

A tough road trip weekend, sent us to Thunder Bay, where we defeated Lakehead (in overtime), 67-63, but fell to Guelph, 71-62.

We got off to a good start against Lakehead, playing some of our best defence of the year. We led after the first quarter 15-8. We continued some solid offensive play in the second, outscoring Lakehead 17-12 to take a 32-20 lead into half time. The second half saw Lakehead increase their full court pressure leading to many turnovers by us and run-outs by Lakehead. They outscored us 18-15 in the third and 21-12 in the fourth. They actually took the lead late in the fourth quarter, before a buzzer beater jump shot from the top of the key by Robyn Pearson sent the game into overtime tied at 59. Aggressively attacking their pressure in the overtime saw us score 6 of our 8 overtime points from the foul line to seal the hard fought victory. Gemma Bullard led the way with 16 points (and 6 boards), while three other players added 12 points. Liz Boag, Jenny Wright and Robyn Pearson all had a dozen. Boag added 5 assists, Wright 9 rebounds, and Pearson a double-double with 11 boards. On the negative side, third year guard, Meaghan MacDougall went down early in the game with what appears to be a serious knee injury.

Q’s SID report: http://www.gogaelsgo.com/news/2012/11/16/WBB_Lakehead.aspx?path=wbball

On Saturday we faced Guelph for the second time this season (played them in our Tindall Tournament in October). We started the game well getting the ball to the rim fairly effectively, racking up 19 points to their 13. That would be the last quarter we would win, however. Guelph struggled with their shooting early on, but it got better in each quarter of the game. They outscored us 15-13 in the second. They opened the third quarter with an 8-0 run (which also saw us turn the ball over 5 consecutive times), grabbing the lead that they would never relinquish. Our defense seemed to lose focus, and our offensive execution was miserable – missing open looks in our offense repeatedly. We were outscored 20-16 in the third and 23-14 in the fourth to lose, 71-62. Liz Boag finished with 14 points, while Jenny Wright had 11 (and 11 boards) and Sydney Kernahan had 10.

Q’s SID report: http://www.gogaelsgo.com/news/2012/11/17/WBB_Guelph.aspx?path=wbball

Overall, there is no question our young team is improving at a significant pace. Still lots of improvement to make (always), but I like where we are headed and how hard we are working on a daily basis.

Up Next on the Road:
Friday, November 23 @ Brock 6pm
Saturday, November 24 @ McMaster 6pm

Up Next at Home:
Friday, November 30 vs. Windsor 6pm
Saturday, December 1 vs. Western 6pm

REMINDER: Q’s ID/Training Camp – Sunday, December 9th
9:30-12:00n On-Court
12:00-1:30pm Lunch Break
12:15-1:30 Facility Tour and Q/A session
1:30-3:30pm On-Court
No cost – please email James Bambury (qwbball2@queensu.ca) so we can prepare for the numbers.

Have a great week!

Dave.

Monday, November 12, 2012

Women's Basketball - Game Report

Hi Folks,

League play began on the weekend with a loss to Laurier, 68-64 and a win over Waterloo, 92-70.
Laurier came into the game ranked #9 in the country, having confidence from a 6-1 pre-season. The first seven minutes of the game was a back and forth affair with the lead changing or score tied 5 times. Laurier pulled away in the last 3 minutes building their largest lead (6) to end the quarter up, 21-15.
After extending the lead to 8, we started to chip away reducing their advantage to 1 (28-27) with 3 minutes to go in the half and grabbed a 1 point lead with just under 2 minutes to go. Laurier scored back to back buckets with less than a minute to play to go into the locker room with a 32-29 advantage.
The close battle continued in the second half as we outscored Laurier 18-15 to tie the game at 37. Laurier regained a 6 point lead with 2 minutes to go, but we continued to battle to get it to a one possession game with 12 seconds remaining, 67-64. Forced to foul, Laurier made one of two to finish with the 68-64 win.
Liz Boag & Gemma Bullard each finished with 16 points (Liz 4 assists & Gemma 9 boards). Jenny Wright chipped in with 12 points, while Sydney Kernahan had 10 points and 9 boards.

Q’s SID report: http://www.gogaelsgo.com/news/2012/11/9/WBB_1109121545.aspx?path=wbball

Our Sunday matchup with Waterloo saw us come out of the locker room very flat. We did not score a field goal within the first 5 minutes of the game and found ourselves trailing 11-1. Our defense picked up, spurring our offense and finished the quarter with a 24-0 run to lead 25-11. Our defensive execution began to waiver in the second quarter as we surrendered 20 points, but managed to keep pace with 20 of our own. We opened the third quarter well, building a 20 point lead, but were unable to sustain it. We finished the quarter with 23 points to Waterloo’s 19. Again we crested the 20 point lead mark in the fourth, only to have Waterloo claw back. They outscored us 24-20 in the fourth, ending in the 92-70 score.
Sydney Kernahan had a monster game with a career high 20 points to go along with 11 rebounds (8-10 from the floor and 4-4 from the line). Liz Boag had 14 points and 8 assists, while Jenny Wright had 12 points and Robyn Pearson potted 10 points and 5 boards.

Q’s SID report: http://www.gogaelsgo.com/news/2012/11/11/WBB_1111125923.aspx?path=wbball

While I was pleased with our scoring output – we shot over 52% from the floor, 39% from the 3 and 78% from the foul line -- surrendering 70 points is a concern.

REMINDER: Q’s ID/Training Camp – Sunday, December 9th
9:30-12:00n On-Court
12:00-1:30pm Lunch Break
12:15-1:30 Facility Tour and Q/A session
1:30-3:30pm On-Court
No cost – please email James Bambury (qwbball2@queensu.ca) so we can prepare for the numbers.

Up Next on the Road:
Friday, November 16 @ Lakehead 6pm
Saturday, November 17 @ Guelph 6pm

Friday, November 23 @ Brock 6pm
Saturday, November 24 @ McMaster 6pm

Have a great week.

Dave.

Monday, November 5, 2012

Women's Basketball - Game Report

Hi Folks,

A couple of games in upper New York state, left us with a couple of wins as we head toward the regular season. On Friday we defeated Oswego State in a low scoring affair, 49-29, and Saturday we won a close battle with William Smith College, 57-54.

Friday’s game seemed a little like slow motion as we adjusted to a 30 second shot clock (instead of 24 sec.). While 6 seconds doesn’t sound like much, it really did seem to draw on at times – possibly because we forced Oswego into numerous shot clock violations (extending the full 30 seconds). We only took 55 shots in the whole game, easily down 10-15 shots from most games. While not scoring a lot, our defence was quite effective, allowing only 9 first half points, while scoring 21. The second half was much more competitive, registering a 28-20 advantage. All 12 players scored, with no one player playing more than 22 minutes. Liz Boag finished with 8 points, while Meaghan MacDougall chipped in with 7. Robyn Pearson grabbed a game high 8 boards, while Hanna Koposhynska added 7 boards and 6 points in her first game in 3 weeks after recovering from a knee injury.

Q’s SID report: http://www.gogaelsgo.com/news/2012/11/2/WBB_1102124418.aspx?path=wbball

Saturday’s game against William Smith was a much faster-paced game allowing us to put up 79 shots (compared to 55 the night before). Our problem, however, was our lack of accuracy, connecting on only 20 of those 79 (25.3%). William Smith had a good mix of quick, outside players (with 3-point capability) and big inside players that could muscle the ball to the hoop. In a back and forth affair where neither team had more than a 5 point lead, the score was tied 6 times and the lead changed 9 times in the opening half which, fittingly ended in a 28 all tie. Nine seconds into the second half, Gemma Bullard hit a 3-pointer (as she did in the opening half) that gave us a lead that we never relinquished. We built our largest lead, 53-43 with less than 4 minutes to play only to have William Smith run off 8 straight points to close to within 2 with 1:24 remaining. That was as close as they would get as we moved on to the 57-54 final. Gemma Bullard finished with 12 points, while Sydney Kernahan finished with a double-double, 12 points and 13 rebounds. Robyn Pearson had another solid performance almost recording a double-double of her own, 9 points and 11 boards.

Q’s SID report: http://www.gogaelsgo.com/news/2012/11/2/WBB_1102124418.aspx?path=wbball

In other news, I am very pleased to announce that the former Physical Education Centre (PEC) will be re-opening (partially) within the next couple of months. Coming back on-line will be the 3 gymnasiums. This will almost double our current court space, allowing for more time and alleviating some of the pressures on the current facilities.

Our pre-season is now finished with a 7-4 overall record. League play begins this Friday (November 9th). As with past years, our league schedule usually has back to back games (Fri/Sat), but with RMC out of the league, we become the “single” school. In other words, we will continue to play 2 games each weekend, while our opponents will only be preparing and playing against us. While it is a significant competitive disadvantage, we have faced it several times before and been successful (prior to RMC joining the CIS). It will alter our usual pattern of games on occasion, including this weekend.

Up Next at Home:
Friday, November 9 vs. Wilfrid Laurier 6pm
Sunday, November 11 vs. Waterloo 1pm

Up Next on the Road:
Friday, November 16 @ Lakehead 6pm
Saturday, November 17 @ Guelph 6pm

Have a great week!

Dave.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Women's Basketball - Game Report (Oct. 22nd repost)

Hi Folks,

A reasonably successful weekend as we hosted the Tindall Tournament involving Trinity Western, Guelph, and the University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM). Guelph won the tournament posting a perfect 3-0 record, while we finished second at 2-1. UQAM went 1-2, while Trinity finished 0-3.

We opened with Trinity Western, a team with whom we had a size advantage, but were challenged by their quickness and pressure. In the early going their pressure caused significant havoc with our ball control, leading to a number of turnovers or poor shots. As the game moved on, we began to settle and gain better control. We trailed 17-13 after the first quarter and got two of those back in the second, 12-10 to finish the half down 27-25. Our defense intensified significantly in the third quarter allowing us to run out on Trinity winning the quarter 18-7. We kept the pace up in the fourth outscoring our opponent 20-13, to finish with the 63-47 win. I was pleased with our defensive effort in the second half and our ability to run on a running team. Rachael Urosevic set the pace with 18 points all from beyond the 3 point line (a perfect 6 for 6). Liz Boag added 11 points, while Sydney Kernahan had 8 boards and Robyn Pearson 7.

SID Report: http://www.gogaelsgo.com/news/2012/10/19/WBB_1019121023.aspx?path=wbball

Our second game was a loss to OUA rival Guelph, 72-66. Guelph is a fast, deep team that likes to run and took advantage of us from the opening tip. They built a 19-10 first quarter lead and extended that to 38-26 by half. We had a good start to the second half, cutting the 12 point deficit in half in the first 3 minutes. We outscored Guelph 20-11 to trail by 3 after 3 quarters. Guelph opened the fourth quarter with a run of their own to restore a double-digit lead. We managed to get as close as 4 late in the quarter, but no closer. Foul shots sealed the 6 point win for the Gryphons. Liz Boag finished with 14 points and 7 assists, while Sydney Kernahan had 10 points and 7 boards.

SID Report: http://www.gogaelsgo.com/news/2012/10/20/WBB_1020125550.aspx?path=wbball

Our final game against UQAM would determine second place in the tourney, as Guelph had already defeated Trinity to finish 3-0. In what was the most contested game of the weekend, we managed to finish on top 63-62. In a reversal from our previous two games, we managed to come out strong from the opening tip and grab a 17-9 first quarter advantage. UQAM got two of those points back in the second (15-13) to leave us with a 30-24 half time lead. The third quarter was knotted at 19, setting up a nail-biting fourth quarter. UQAM’s pressure increased, including their presence in the boards, leading to their first lead of the game 51-49. From there, the lead would change another 9 times before the final buzzer. Their last lead came on a 3pt. shot from the top of the key with 4 seconds left, giving them a 62-61 advantage. Following a time out (which also advances the inbound throw to the front court), we ran a play which drew a foul with 1.6 seconds left. Gemma Bullard calmly drained the two free throws to record the win and finish with 12 points and 6 boards. Liz Boag had 17 points, along with 5 assists and was named a tournament All-Star. Jenny Wright hit double digits with 11 points and 4 boards.

SID Report: http://www.gogaelsgo.com/news/2012/10/21/WBB_1021125325.aspx?path=wbball

In other news, I am pleased announce that Nicole Morse (1st year Science) has been selected as the recipient of the prestigious Catherine Gertrude (Milliken) Smith Memorial Award.

Established in March 2007 by Sherwood H. Smith, Jr. of Raleigh, North Carolina in memory of his mother Catherine Gertrude (Milliken) Smith, B.A. 1924, who, while attending Queen's, played for and managed the varsity women's basketball team. Awarded to recognize academic achievement and athletic excellence to student-athletes entering the first year of a direct-entry undergraduate degree program at Queen's University and who is on the competition roster of the Gaels interuniversity women's basketball team.

The date for our annual Winter ID/Training Camp has pushed back a week and will occur on Sunday, December 9, 2012.

The Winter ID/Training Camp is designed for serious basketball players in Grades 10-12, who are interested in Queen’s and would like to get a feel for basketball at the university level.
On-court: 9:30-11:45 a.m.
Break for Lunch (on own): 11:45 a.m.
Facility Tour: 12:15 p.m.*
Q&A: 1 p.m.*
On-court: 1:30-3:30 p.m.

*parents are welcome to join in

There is no cost for the day – please email Coach James Bambury (qwbball2@queensu.ca) so we can prepare for the numbers.

Up Next on the Road:
Friday, October 26th @ McGill 6pm
Saturday, October 27th @ Montmorency (CEGEP) 2pm

Friday, November 2 @ Oswego State 6pm
Saturday, November 3 @ William Smith College 5pm

Have a great week!

Dave.

Monday, October 29, 2012

Women's Basketball - Game Report

Hi Folks,

A tough, but valuable playing weekend to report as we lost two games in Montreal: 66-45 to McGill, and 53-36 to Montmorency (CEGEP). This was a weekend series designed to get our younger (and rehabbing) players significant minutes to gain experience as we head toward league play early in November.

Against McGill only one regular starter, Sydney Kernahan, saw more than 20min. of playing time (partially due to the absence of two other post players and an injury to Maria Gill in the first half) and led the team in scoring with 10 points and 9 boards. Rachael Urosevic added 8 points in 19 minutes of action. Rookie point guard, Emily Hazlett held her own against McGill’s relentless pressure, logging 21 minutes. (Maria took a shot to the nose, but was able to return in the second half)

Q’s SID report: http://www.gogaelsgo.com/news/2012/10/27/WBB_1027125409.aspx?path=wbball

Against Montmorency, rookie Nicole Morse(exam on Friday) replaced Sydney Kernahan for Saturday’s game, and Liz Boag did not dress. Veterans Lisa Minutillo, Meaghan MacDougall, and Rachael Urosevic (only 4.5 years of CIS experience combined) provided leadership for Emma Stallwood (2nd yr), Jenny Wright (playing point guard for the first time) and the 6 rookies. While it wasn’t pretty at times, leadership qualities and better communication did emerge at various points in the game. Ultimately, it was a very valuable experience for the players and the coaches, as we begin final preparations for league play. (As this was officially only a scrimmage, we do not have much in the way of stats).

Q’s SID report: http://www.gogaelsgo.com/news/2012/10/27/WBB_1027124317.aspx?path=wbball

On the social media side of things, we have launched our new Queen’s Women’s Basketball Page, courtesy of assistant coach, James Bambury. Please check it out at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Queens-University-Womens-Basketball/410735072319684?ref=hl
My old Facebook page will be retired shortly.

The date for our annual Winter ID/Training Camp is Sunday, December 9, 2012.

The Winter ID/Training Camp is designed for serious basketball players in Grades 10-12, who are interested in Queen’s and would like to get a feel for basketball at the university level.
On-court: 9:30-11:45 a.m.
Break for Lunch (on own): 11:45 a.m.
Facility Tour: 12:15 p.m.*
Q&A: 1 p.m.*
On-court: 1:30-3:30 p.m.

*parents are welcome to join in
There is no cost for the day – please email Coach James Bambury (qwbball2@queensu.ca) so we can prepare for the numbers.

Up Next on the Road:
Friday, November 2 @ Oswego State 6pm
Saturday, November 3 @ William Smith College 5pm

Up Next at Home (league games):
Friday, November 9 vs. Wilfrid Laurier 6pm
Sunday, November 11 vs. Waterloo 1pm

Have a great week!

Dave.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Women's Basketball - Game Report

Hi Folks,

Our first tournament weekend left us with two wins and one loss. On Friday we beat the host, Bishop’s University in a low scoring affair, 52-40. Poor ball handling and even poorer shooting were big factors in the lack of points generated. However, there were moments where our potential was evident, especially with our emerging inside game – particularly on the boards as two players recorded 10 boards, Gemma Bullard and rookie, Robyn Pearson. Fourth year post, Hanna Koposhynska led the team in scoring with 11 points, while third-year point guard, Liz Boag added 10. Gemma Bullard was named Player of the Game.

Q’s SID report: http://www.gogaelsgo.com/news/2012/10/13/WBB_1013122814.aspx?path=wbball

Our second game was against a CEGEP from Montreal, Montmorency College, playing under their club team name, the Montreal Express. We came away with a 71-52 win in a game that was much closer than the final score indicated. In a complete reversal from the previous game’s start, we managed 27 points in the opening quarter, sparked by fourth-year post, Sydney Kernahan’s energy running the floor in transition. We led by 14 after the first quarter, but lost our intensity in the second being outscored 12-10 to go into half time with a 37-25 advantage. Regaining some intensity in the third quarter, we outscored the Express 22-17, before grinding out a 12-10 advantage in the fourth. Our shooting percentages were much improved from the previous day with Jenny Wright and Liz Boag each dropping 17 points. Robyn Pearson also added 10 points to go along with her 5 rebounds. Liz Boag was named Player of the Game.

Q’s SID report: http://www.gogaelsgo.com/news/2012/10/14/WBB_1014124023.aspx?path=wbball

Day 3 of the tournament pitted the two undefeated teams together. The Montreal Dynamo is a senior women’s team comprised mainly of former CIS All-Canadians, including a couple of National team players. In a hard fought battle we ended up losing 69-53. The Dynamo used their savvy to rattle off a quick 7 points before we had our shoes tied. After that, we settled down a little and battled to a 14-11 first quarter deficit. The Dynamo stepped up their pressure in the second quarter forcing numerous turnovers and some easy points, finishing the quarter, 16-10. Utilizing a significant amount of zone defense, the Dynamo continued to build their lead in the third, 17-13 and fourth, 22-19 to finish with the 16 point win. Third year wing, Lisa Minutillo finished with 10 points enroute to her Player of the Game nod. Gemma Bullard and Jenny Wright each had 9, while Hanna Koposhynska pulled down 9 boards. Overall, the game was an excellent learning experience for the players, as the experienced Dynamo exposed every mistake we made.
Liz Boag was selected as a Tournament All-Star.

Q’s SID report: http://www.gogaelsgo.com/news/2012/10/14/WBB_1014122832.aspx?path=wbball

On a different note, former Queen’s standout, Brittany Moore is currently playing professionally in Germany, having won her league opener while leading her team with 18 points. Hamilton Spectator writer penned the following story on 4-time OUA East first team All-Star: http://www.thespec.com/sports/article/812859--moore-shows-even-more-in-euro-pro-hoops-debut

Up Next At Home: Queen’s Tindall Tournament

Friday, October 19
Queen’s vs. Trinity Western 6pm (Guelph vs. UQAM 8pm)
Saturday, October 20
Queen’s vs. Guelph 5pm (Trinity Western vs. UQAM 7pm)
Sunday, October 21
Queen’s vs. UQAM 2pm (Guelph vs. Trinity Western 12noon)

Up Next on the Road:

Friday, October 26
Queen’s @ McGill 6pm
Saturday, October 27
Queen’s @ Montmorency College

Have a great week!

Dave.

Sunday, September 30, 2012

QWVB Take on the West

This weekend marked the first team trip out of province for the 2012-2013 season. As a first year, this trip to Winnipeg is one I've been looking forward to. There is no better way to get to know your teammates than travelling on the road. Although the travel days are long, nothing beats the first night's sleep in the hotel (especially after living in residence for a month!).

I wasn't sure what to expect from the competition on day one because three of the five teams we haven't seen before. After this weekend I can say that I am confident that Queens can take on any team once we get back to the ARC and work out some kinks.

Although time spent on the court and cheering from the bench during competition is fun, the best times had as a team often happen off the court. The first night the team took over Moxie's to get a good meal before the first day of competition. The steak and salad was good but I think that most people would agree with me that the third night's dinner at Sorrento's Italian Eatery was the favourite of the weekend. It was safe to say that the team left with full stomachs (a little pre-thanksgiving prep).

Heading into day there the team agreed that we were leaving the West with a win and thats exactly what we did. After winning the first set against Mount Royal University and then dropping the second, the girls came together and pulled out a win which would send us home with two victories. Now it's time to head back and face the long night ahead on our way back to Kingston.

I can't wait until the team's next tournament as we are at home and get to represent the Gaels in the ARC.

Until next time!

-Becky

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Kick off to the 2012-13 season!

September 23, 2012


Shannon [Walsh]'s Scoop:

Wow. 4th year already! It seems like only yesterday I was a naive first year walking into the great unknown they call "university". Three years have flown by, and with my forth season already getting started, I can tell it will go by quickly as well.  Although the team has transformed a lot since I started, the names of people on the team are remaining fairly consistent.  Now, with a bunch of baby-Shannons on the team, I finally understand the troubles all the Katies were having before!

One tournament down, and we are already getting a good feeling of what the 2012-13 season is going to be like! This past weekend at Ryerson University has been a success in getting to know each other both on and off the court.  A 3rd place finish tells two things: 1), not too shabby! and 2), still lots of room for improvement.  The short turn-over this week before Winnipeg will involve plenty of reps and preparation for the tournament this upcoming weekend.

The fun we were having while playing translated over into the downtime we were spending with each other between games.  Between homework and tv-shows and dinners with family, we had three days stuck together on a bus and in a hotel to be around each other! A big thanks to Ali Shamie's family for inviting us over to have post-game sandwiches and h'orderves!  I'm sure they were appreciated greatly after a big win against Windsor on Saturday night.

Here's our first team photo from the den at Ali's house, just after a little presentation "Gagnam Style".  Lookin' good!
 

 
[Can you spot the special guest in the photo?] 

Until next weekend --

Take care!

Shannon.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Waiting for game day


One of the most profound emotions I've felt this season has been impatience. Not with athletes or coaching staff or administration. They have all been exceptional - as usual. It's odd, since as a coach I've always felt like slowing things down was the best option since we usually want MORE time to work on strategies and tactics before the actual performance demands of a game.

No, this season has been different for many reasons. Not the least of which is because we're so darn excited to play! At times I think that it would be nice to slow things down and to savour the moments I treasure with players - a chat on the bus, the brillance of seeing a player be successful in the application of a new skill, the last pass before the try, the redshirts working their tails off so they can be on the field next year, an in-depth conversation about strategy with one of my coaching colleagues - and then I think of how far away game day is and just want to hit the fast forward button.

And, man...it's only Wednesday...7pm kickoff at Trent this Friday!

Monday, September 24, 2012

Women's Basketball - Game Report

Hi Folks,

We have our first game under our belts as we hosted St. Lawrence College of Kingston as part of our Alumni weekend festivities. We dressed 14 players for the game (Meaghan MacDougall is still rehabilitating her legs) and each managed to record a point (we scored 74 to St. Lawrence’s 29) and all but one recorded a rebound (67-37 on the boards). No question, adding size to our roster helped in this category, which included 19 offensive rebounds.

See the game report at: http://www.gogaelsgo.com/news/2012/9/22/WBB_0922124851.aspx?path=wbball

Following the game, we had our Reception and Silent Auction, with over 70 people in attendance. We recognized team members from the 5 year block (1980-81 to 84-85 teams) including: Ellie Jones-Cleave, Kelly Massingham (now Pfenning), Karen McComber (now Graham), Jenny Quail (now Pendlebury), and Lynn Southcott. Kelly spoke on behalf of the group, entertaining the gathering with stories from her playing days. Apparently, me driving a 15 passenger van, in the dead of night, in the middle of winter, was not a highlight of their careers. How things have changed.

Our Silent Auction was another huge success, thanks to the generosity of our parents, family, friends, and the local business community who generously provided auction items. And, of course, to those in attendance who bid on the fantastic items up for auction.

Last weekend we held our annual team retreat at a cottage on the St. Lawrence River. It provided the perfect setting to begin our team-building process. No question, this group has a great sense of humour!

This Friday/Saturday (September 28-29) we will be hosting the 27th Annual Tricolour Basketball Tournament for High School Senior Girls. Sixteen teams from across the province will compete for the championship including local teams from Frontenac, LaSalle, Regi & Bayridge High Schools.

Up Next on the Road:
October 12-14 – Bishop’s Tournament (Lennoxville, Quebec)

Up Next at Home:
October 19-21 – Queen’s Tindall Tournament (Queen’s, Trinity Western, Guelph & UQAM)

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Cheers,

Dave.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Women's Basketball - Update

Hi Folks,

We are underway and I am confident the season will be a very exciting one. Our roster was officially selected earlier this week and includes:

Name Pos. Ht. Elig. Hometown

Liz Boag G 5-3 3 Kingston
Emily Hazlett G 5-6 1 Fredericton, NB
Rachael Urosevic G 5-7 2 Kitchener
Lisa Minutillo G 5-8 3 Brantford
Laura Baker W 5-10 1 West Vancouver, BC
Gemma Bullard W 5-10 2 Guelph
Meaghan MacDougall G 5-9 3 Martintown
Maria Gill P 6-1 1 Holland Landing
Sydney Kernahan P 5-11 4 Calgary, AB
Nicole Morse P 6-0 1 Cottam
Hanna Koposhynska P 6-2 4 Toronto
Robyn Pearson P 6-0 1 Toronto
Jenny Wright W 5-10 2 Kingston
Emma Stallwood W 5-11 2 Hamilton
Claire Endicott P 6-1 1 Guelph

Head Coach: Dave Wilson (31st season)
Assist. Coach: James Bambury (1st)
Assist. Coach: Bob Freeman (3rd)
Student Trainer: Gillian Kyle & AleksandraVelickovic


Our first game is scheduled for Saturday, September 22 at 4pm vs. St. Lawrence College (recent change) as part of our Alumni Weekend events. Our Alumni vs. Alumni game will precede this at 2pm. Following our game is a 6pm Reception & Silent Auction at Alfie’s Pub on campus, where you will have an opportunity to sample four different wines from a local winery, The Grange and two different local beers from Barley Days brewery. We have a huge array of auction items ranging from electronics to clothing to sculptures, gift baskets to gift certificates and more. To register for the event please go to: http://www.gogaelsgo.com/sports/2011/8/19/WBB_0819114220.aspx?path=wbball

Minor adjustments to the Alumni Weekend events : Ford is not able to provide the vehicle testing as planned, and Morrisville State did not receive NCAA sanctioning for their out-of-country trip. As mentioned above, St. Lawrence College will be our opponent – with the added benefit of featuring some other great local talent. Registration for the event, in addition to a game ticket and access to the Reception & Silent Auction, also secures you a free Yoga session Sunday morning in the ARC.

We have also established our exhibition games in Puerto Rico at Christmas, playing UPR Rio Piedras on December 29th and UPR Bayamon on January 2nd.

It is a busy September as we head off to our cottage retreat this weekend to continue the team-building process. Next weekend is the Alumni weekend (Sept. 22-23), followed by our annual High School basketball tournament on the 28th & 29th. The players organize and run the 16 team tournament.

That will take us through to Thanksgiving weekend, where the players will enjoy a chance to catch their breath before beginning the heart of our exhibition schedule.

First up will be a trip to Lennoxville to play in the Bishop’s University tournament (October 12-14).
Follow our complete schedule on our web site at: www.queensbasketball.net

Lastly, we are in the midst of launching a new Facebook page – should be up next week. A search of: Queen’s University Women’s Basketball should find us.

That’s it for now.

All the best.

Dave.

Sunday, September 2, 2012

2012 Season underway

Here we go again. Another season is upon us. With it, come expectations of success. Our long-term team goals are clear. Our short-term team goals are clear. Individual goals are set. We now must work together to achieve them, and leave everything on the pitch day in and day out.

Home opener is today (September 2, 2012) @ 2:15 p.m. at new West Campus Turf Field. Come support your Gaels Men's Soccer Team.

Our time is now...

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Women's Rugby 2012

Hello all,

After a whirlwind two week training camp and tour, we are ready to finalize our preparation for the 2012 OUA season. We started training earlier than ever in an effort to prepare for our exhibition tour to Alberta this year - the players are prepped and ready to go and the coaching staff is focussed on how to achieve our potential this year.

The Alberta preseason tour was facilitated with the help of the University of Lethbridge and University of Calgary. While in Alberta, we were able to run joint training with the Pronghorns and their staff and contested a scrimmage and game during our stay. We also were able to do a short sightseeing side trip to Waterton Lakes National Park for great photo opportunities! We finished up back in Calgary for our final exhibition and had a guest coach, Graeme Moffat, come to work with the team.

The team is feeling well-prepared and focussed going into our first game with Brock University. Game time has been changed to 5:30pm to facilitate officials and lighting. Please come and join us for the first game on the brillant new Nixon Field!

All the best,
Beth


Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Women's Basketball Update

Hi Folks,

Lots to catch you up on this time around. It has been a very busy and productive summer.

We have just finished interviews for the full time assistant coach position. This whole process had been delayed as the new union for Staff members came into effect (although coaching positions are not part of the union). I am very pleased to announce that James Bambury, former head coach of the RMC women’s program, will be joining our program effective immediately. This is a huge gain for our program, to have someone of James’ skill, knowledge and passion. Please see the university press release at: http://www.gogaelsgo.com/news/2012/8/20/WBB_0820124733.aspx?path=wbball

Our Alumni (& friends) Event on Saturday, September 22 is all set, including some new events.

The Ford Motor Company of Canada is jumping on board to help support our program. From 11am to 5pm on Tindall Field parking lot, everyone (with a valid driver’s license) will have an opportunity for a FREE test drive. They will also be demonstrating the vehicle’s new features, including “park assist.” For each test drive, Ford will donate funds to the Women’s Basketball program! Have you driven a Ford lately? :)

The day’s schedule is as follows:

11:00am to 5:00pm (anytime btwn – should take about 15min.) Free Test drive a Ford motor vehicle (Ford will donate to the women’s basketball program with each test drive – limit 1/household)
2:00pm to 3:30pm Alumni vs. Alumni game (Main Gym – ARC)
4:00pm to 5:30pm Queen’s vs. Morrisville State (Syracuse) (Main Gym – ARC)
6:00pm to 8:30pm Reception & Silent Auction (with local wine & beer tasting) at Alfie’s Pub (next door to the ARC) We will be honouring the players/coaches/managers from the 1980-81 to 1984-85 teams with guest speaker Kelly Pfenning (nee Massingham).
SUNDAY – 9:30 to 10:30am Yoga class (Studio 4 in the ARC – 2nd floor)

The cost is $25 and includes:
*Ticket to the Queen’s vs. Morrisville State game
*Ticket to the Reception & Silent Auction including complimentary hors d’oeuvres
*4 “taster” tickets to sample wine from “The Grange” and/or beer from “Barley Days” , both local businesses
*Access to the Silent Auction tables
*Free 1hr Yoga class (Sunday, September 23rd 9:30am in Studio 4 – ARC)

To register for the event, please go to: https://advevents.queensu.ca/cgi/page.cgi?_id=3&action=viewdetail&event_id=1136

We hope everyone; friends, alumni & family will come out and support this event.

Our season schedule has undergone some minor changes (mostly in response to RMC withdrawing from the league). Up-to-date schedules can be found on our web site at: http://www.gogaelsgo.com/schedule.aspx?path=wbball&

Brittany Moore, having graduated with her teaching degree this past Spring, is now settled in Germany, having signed a Pro contract to play for the Quakenbrueck Dragons. We are all thrilled to see Britt be able to extend her amazing basketball career in Europe. Please see the press release at: http://www.gogaelsgo.com/news/2012/7/31/WBB_0731123903.aspx?path=wbball

Basketball Camps got underway on August 20 just in time to prime the athletes for the upcoming school year. August 20-24 is for youngsters entering Grades 2 to 5, while the Basketball Academy follows the week of August 27-31 for those entering Grades 6 to 8. Registrations can be completed on-line at: www.gogaelsgo.com or in person at the Customer Service desk in the Athletics & Recreation Centre.

I’m very anxious to get our players back on the floor beginning next week as well. With 6 rookies and 9 returning players it should be a very exciting season.

That’s it for now.

All the best.

Dave.

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Training Camp 2012 Update

Good evening,

With training camp well underway, I wanted to offer a brief update to all followers of the varsity men's soccer team.

Day 1 of camp consisted of fitness testing, including the Cooper's Test, the Arrow Test, 10 and 25 meter sprints, vertical leap, broad jump and the Beep Test. Athletes demonstrated a commitment to off-season conditioning as test scores improved from last year. The squad is stronger, faster and more agile than in previous years thanks to the hard work of our Strength and Conditioning Coach, Rodney Wilson, and his staff. Having players return fit has allowed us to focus on team play in preparation for our US exhibition tour - a 3-night, 4-day tour to compete against Le Moyne College, Hobart College, and, for the third year in a row, Cornell University.

Please check out our men's soccer website at www.gogaelsgo.com/soccer-m for the latest news and updated results of our US tour.

Until next time...

Coach Gencarelli

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Gearing Up For The New Season

It is unbelieveable that 4 months have past since my last entry!    Where has the summer gone?   With holidays behind me, I am starting to prepare for our upcoming selection process, the team-building stage and the 2012-13 season.

We have five very good recruits coming in, and I expect that there will be a very competitive open tryout as well, as there is still room for one or two more players to earn their way onto the squad.

In case you haven't seen it on facebook for the website, here is a brief synopsis of the incoming class.

Ivo Dramov – 6'3” – Libero – Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Dramov has spent the last two years as a member of the Bulgarian Youth National Team. At the 2011 World Youth Championship, he helped Bulgaria to a sixth place finish, finishing second in total digs with 103 and third in digs per set (3.32). Earlier, he helped Bulgaria to fourth place at the 2011 European Championship, and second place at the 2010 Balkan Championship, where he was voted best Libero.

Markus Trence – 6'4” – Outside Hitter – Orangeville, Ont. / Robert F. Hall C.S.S.
Trence joins the Gaels from Robert F. Hall Catholic Secondary in Orangeville, and the Mississauga Pakmen club. A highly sought-after recruit, Trence is a big banger with very polished all-around skills. In his five years of club and beach volleyball experience, he showed impressive aggressiveness and tactical intelligence.

Matt Golas – 6'5” – Outside Hitter – Etobicoke, Ont. / Father John Redmond C.H.S.
Golas is a member of the national team program in Beach Volleyball, and will compete on the OVA and National Beach tour this summer with future teammate Aaron Nusbaum. Inside, Golas has played for both the Toronto West Volleyball Club and the Toronto Thunderbolts. He also attended the OVA High Performance Centre last season.

Will Hoey – 6'10” – Middle Blocker – Brampton, Ont. / Mayfield Secondary
Hoey also attended the OVA High Performance Centre last season, and played with Trence on the Mississauga Pakmen. He helped the Pakmen to fourth place at last year's 18U National Championship. This summer, Hoey will represent Canada at the U19 World Beach Championships, only the sixth Gael to have this opportunity.

Austin Payne – 6'3” – Outside Hitter – Kingston, Ont. / Regiopolis-Notre Dame
Payne is already a champion, having led Regiopolis Notre Dame to an OFSAA gold medal in 2010, and silver in 2011. At the club level, he was team captain and MVP of the Kingston Pegasus for four years, attended the OVA High Performance Centre twice and was co-captain of Region 6 at the Ontario Summer Games.

We will have a young team next season, at least in terms of CIS experience. We will definitely have a new look, but I think we will have all the makings of a very good team. Our squad will have great size, great athletes, great people and youthful enthusiasm.   

We will need quite a few matches to get to the point that we are playing like veterans, so our priority is to play as many matches going into the season as possible.   We will hold an alumni game on September 15th, head to The Leasebank Invitational at Ryerson on the 28th of September, then play hosts to Guelph for a couple matches on Thanksgiving weekend, then we will host our annual invitational on the 12-14th, and finally; we will head up to Montreal for a few matches on the 19th of October.

With these 12 matches, before the season starts, I believe we will be able to sort out our line-up options, develop both experience and cohesion, and give ourselves a good chance at being ready for the league to kick-off.

This could be the biggest team I have ever coached (in terms of height), and it poses to be a very strong team, in time.   The big question is simply, how much time?

With almost all of our top guys leaving, most positions are available and every athlete will have a chance to step up and own a key role. That internal competition for spots on the floor makes for great intensity, and I'm excited to return the program to that environment.

Bring it on!!!



Thursday, June 28, 2012

Women's Basketball Update

Hi Folks,

A little overdue for another basketball update.

I am very pleased to report that three of our players were named Academic All-Canadians for this past year (attaining at least an 80% average): Jenny Wright (1st year Science), Sydney Kernahan (3rd year Commerce) and Brittany Moore (Faculty of Education) – an outstanding accomplishment!

June 16th marked a special day as upwards of 20 basketball Alumni players (& coach) from the 1970s gathered in Kingston to tour the campus and don their basketball gear for a scrimmage on the hardwood. Current players served as tour guides and videographer for the event and very much enjoyed hearing the stories of their predecessors on the team.

Our 6 incoming rookies made the trip to Kingston in late May to acclimatize themselves to Kingston and their new teammates. The weekend proved very fruitful as players began to familiarize themselves with each other’s style of play and team bonds began to form. I am very much looking forward to working with this group starting in late August – they will be well worth watching come game time.

Looking ahead, details regarding the Alumni event on Saturday, September 22nd are progressing nicely. Each year, we would like to honour and recognize a specific group of student-athletes. For this year, we have selected the players, coaches, managers from the following five teams: 1980-81 to 1984-85. I am planning on sending a personal invitation to all members of those teams, however, our records are somewhat incomplete. If you have contact with anyone from those years, please let me know or pass along the information to them – thank you.

On Wednesday, June 27th, RMC announced the cancellation of their Men’s & Women’s Basketball programs effective immediately. This does impact our program in a fairly significant way. We no longer have a “partner” school, which means that our two-game weekends will be against teams that will only be playing one game (against us). This, of course, affects pre-game scouting (teams are only preparing for us on a weekend, while we have to prepare for two teams) and conditioning (our second game of the weekend will be against a team that rested (and possibly watched our game) the night before. Before RMC came into the league, we were the “single school” on a number of occasions, including both years we won the east championship – so I think we will manage.

That’s it for now – have a great summer!

Dave.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Women's Basketball - Update

Hi Folks,

Time for another update.

It has been a very hectic March and April…………but a very productive couple of months as well.

The Ontario East/West All-Star game was played in Kitchener on the weekend, with Queen’s well represented once again. Jenny Wright played in her first All-Star game after being selected to the East All-Rookie Team. Brittany Moore returned to the game (after missing last season due to other commitments) and dropped a game-high 18 points en route to being selected the East Player of the Game. See the game report link:

http://www.gogaelsgo.com/news/2012/4/30/WBB_0430125134.aspx?path=wbball

Our second annual Reception and Silent Auction, in conjunction with our Alumni events are set for Saturday, September 22nd. An Alumni vs. Alumni game will precede a varsity exhibition game in the afternoon, followed by the reception and silent auction. Last year the auction was a huge success thanks to the donation of items from the Alumni, family and friends, plus local businesses that the athletes canvassed. If you would like to donate (and/or get a jump on your holiday shopping), please let me know.

We have solidified our exhibition play in the States in early November, with games against Oswego State on Friday the 2nd and William Smith College on Saturday the 3rd.

Still have a couple of details to iron out with the rest of the schedule, but hopefully will have it all sorted out shortly.

Our team participated in the 2nd Annual Charity Dodgeball Tournament last month. Returning as defending champions, the women’s basketball team managed a comeback victory over women’s hockey to reclaim their title. Of course, the true winner was the Right to Play charitable organization.

I am very pleased to announce that Claire Endicott of Guelph, ON will be joining our team this fall. Claire is a 6-2 post player, currently playing for the Tri-County Thunder in the JUEL program. She is a very solid post player with strong skills around the hoop, good rebounding capability and an excellent defensive communicator. We should have a press release out sometime next week.

That’s it for now.

Cheers.

Dave.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

2012 Spring Invitational Standings

Updated April 22, 6:41 PM

U16 Boys

Team
Wins
Losses
Goals For
Goals Against
Points
North Mississauga FC (1st)
30809
Gloucester Hornets (2nd)
3
0
8
2
9
Cumberland Cobras
3
0
5
0
9
Bradford Eagles
0
2
0
4
0
Kingston United
02160
Waterloo United
0
2
0
6
0


U18 Boys

Team
Wins
Losses
Goals For
Goals Against
Points
KNSC Lions (1st)
3
0
6
0
9
Etobicoke Energy (2nd)
2
1
3
1
6
Cataraqui Clippers
2
1
4
2
6
Barrie Spirit
2
1
4
3
6
Nepean Hotspurs
0
2
0
4
0
Oshawa Turul FC
0
2
0
4
0