Thursday, May 22, 2014

Friday, May 16, 2014

Cierra Gaudet - Being A Female Athlete



Being a Female Athlete

For the earlier part of my childhood, being a female athlete wasn’t something I had on my mind or even cared about. I spent most of my days riding my bike, running freely in the grass and climbing trees.
Sometimes I would go on adventures with my dad and younger brother in the woods, or go on walks in the neighbourhood with my mom. I just enjoyed having fun and being outside, but I wasn’t really thinking about athleticism, fitness or training. Being a goofy kid was just fine by me.

Grade 2 was when I started understanding what being a female athlete was all about and the differences between boys and girls natural athletic abilities. I had finally befriended a group of guys to play with during recess (yay friends!) and was stoked to just, well, play. The only real thing we did was play tag, but man, it was intense! My guy friends decided to make it a spectacle and so every lunch hour a group of them would line up on this little bridge by the playground and start challenging each other to races up and down this pathway that was probably 50 metres (so 100m if you went both ways).

At first it was so exciting watching them all run full speed down the path. I would always cheer them all on and yell and scream like a wild child. However, I soon became bored from watching and I desperately wanted to join in on the fun! I remember when I first asked if I could race, the guys all seemed very skeptical. I mean, what girl would want to race a guy right? This one did. Anyways, I finally got my shot and when they yelled “go”, I was ready. I burst away from the bridge, full steam ahead, like someone had lit my butt on fire. I was flying down the path. I could feel myself breathing faster and faster and adrenaline was surging through my tiny body frame. What was even more spectacular was that I was winning! I remember looking back as I crossed the finish line first and realized I had just beaten a guy. I was grinning from ear to ear. That day marked a very important day in my life. That was the day that I realized, I could hold my own with the opposite sex.

I went on to win many more lunch time races and in the end was undefeated on the playground. It really helped me build some confidence in myself as I was really shy beforehand and now I even had won the respect of most of the guys in my elementary class. I carried that positive energy forward and made a commitment to always be the quickest of the girls and to keep up (or beat) the boys. I became VERY competitive and this is where my days of wearing frilly clothes and dresses disappeared and instead I rocked those coveralls like any proud tomboy chick would. It became a game; to be the best. If we were having relay races in gym class, I had to be first. If we were climbing ropes in gym class, I had to be first. If we were changing in the locker room, I had to finish first. If we were running laps around the school at lunch time, I wanted to run the most. I wanted everyone to know, but mostly the guys, that I meant serious business. Yes, I was a scrawny little girl on the outside, but I was a force to be reckoned with if someone tried to tease me.



I carried this mindset with me right through junior high and high school. It was a bit harder now as puberty began to set in and the guys were getting bigger and stronger. Some of them began to surpass me in certain areas, but I always tried to keep up and be a competitor. If I couldn’t beat them, I at least wanted their respect. However, I still had high expectations to be one of the best female athletes and so I began training 5-6 days a week. I began to notice that I was putting on some muscle which was a nice change. I was getting stronger and this meant that I could keep up with both sexes. If there was a pick-up game of basketball going on in the gym, I could join in and the team wouldn’t be “at a disadvantage”…that was always the goal, not to be looked at as a nuisance, but to be looked at as a threat.



For the most part, I am very happy with who I am today as a female athlete. Obviously, there comes a point when I had to realize that genetics plays a bit of a role in my ability versus my male counterpart and so I had to settle with not necessarily being the best, but being respectable. However, this also presents a problem, because as females, we shouldn’t have to “impress” anyone, especially not males  when it comes to our natural athletic ability. When I’m in the gym doing squats, I sometimes see other men glancing at the weight I have up on the bar and looking slightly puzzled, as if they are questioning my ability to perform the action. When I successfully complete the set and re-rack the bar, it feels amazing. But even if they weren’t there to witness me do that, it would still feel amazing.

My main point is simply this; I won’t judge you, so why bother judging me? I mean, we’re all athletes, of various ages and abilities; we should respect one another for reaching new accomplishments and for taking the initiative to better our health. We don’t need to put one another down; we need to build each other up. When I workout now, I always carry respect with me, whether it’s a smile, a nod or a high-five, it’s important to pass along positive vibes and not negative ones. Women have come a long way in sport and I think that’s something that should be recognized. In the end, all I want as a female is respect, from everyone.  

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Basic Softball Game Plan



It is always important for a coach to come to the diamond ahead of time and prepared. By extension, it is also important for the players to have an idea what the coach expects out of them each and every game. I have embedded a basic game plan below that goes through basic pre-game prep (e.g. dynamic stretching), concepts to help guide you throughout the game (e.g. positive encouragement and feedback), and finally the post-game which includes a debrief and cool down.


Tuesday, May 13, 2014

2014 Stittsville Minor Softball Association Midget Girls Selects Team Announced



The Stittsville Minor Softball Association is proud to introduce its 2014 Midget Girls Selects Team

Welcome to the 2014 Midget Girls Selects team, and congratulations on your hard work. The coaches had an extremely difficult time choosing the team from such an excellent group of young ladies!

The coaches are happy to announce the roster which was finalized late Tuesday evening.


Jenny David
Sara Entwistle
Erika Geoffrion
Taylor Kotuba
Brooklyn McIntyre
Darian Peeling
Kylie Phanenhour
Kayla Prebinski
Sara Prebinski
Ryann Seiler
Bryanna Tisch


The girls are starting their ball season early by joining in the CCFL (Canada's Capital Women's Fastball League) - This is how the schedule looks right now (exact times and locations TBD):

May 26 vs Flyers 
June 2 vs Young Gun
June 9 vs Orleans Selects
June 16 vs Young Gunz
July 7 vs Sharks
July 14 vs Orleans Rep
July 16 vs Sharks
July 23 vs Flyers
July 28 vs Orleans Rep

Tournaments:
July 25-27 - Can-Am Softball Shootout (Watertown)
Aug 23-24 - PWSA Provincials (Location TBD)


Now let's hope we can get on the diamonds soon!

Looking forward to a great season.

Monday, May 12, 2014

Citizen of the Capital - The Dream Catchers

           








Guest blogger: Lena Boyd- Head of TDC’s Photography Team

NEW PROJECT

The Dream Catchers are proud to bring you ‘Citizen of the Capital,’ an on-going project geared to get the Ottawa community more engaged with one another.  Our goal with this new segment is emphasize that everyone contributes in their own way to turn a city into a community.  Whether it is your local barista, mail man, colleague or a new face, our aim is to document and capture what Ottawa has to offer through the story of our citizens.

Right from the beginning we saw the positive impact that it had, as we experienced firsthand what it was like to become more involved and a part of our community through this project.  As the Dream Catchers started to grow and gain momentum, so did our Citizen of the Capital segment.  Originally it was done by each executive member of TDC but now we are beyond excited to announce that we have a photography team of 10+ members.

Here are a few examples of profiles we have done!



We asked: “What contributes to a strong and successful community?”

“I think that respect and integrity are key.  But respect among the people of different cultures and communities contributes towards a successful community.

We asked: “Tell us about a time when someone has done something for you that you feel you can never repay them for.”




“I want to say thank-you to my dad and my mum for teaching me how to be so polite, always saying please and thank-you.  That has always taken me far in life, just small things.  Everyone should do the same and I won’t be able to repay my parents for that but hopefully I can pay it forward with other people.”  




In this day and age, as young adults, TDC members are aware of what technology can do not only for us but to us.  With smart phones and tablets many of us are plugged into this online world 24/7.  We have the ability to connect to anyone at anytime and as this may open doors for new possibilities, if not used correctly, it immediately closes the doors to community right in front of us.

Through this project TDC encourages you to unplug and to use that time to get more involved in your community. 





“How to Build Community,” by Karen Kerney

IDEAS

Get to know your neighbours                                      Greet people
                                    Use your library                                              Organize a block party
Leave your house                                            Sit on your stoop

Check out Ottawa’s events pages to learn more about different events going on in the city!

PHOTOGRAPHY TEAM
As head of the photography team, my job is to oversee the profiles for Citizen of the Capital.  TDC’s photography team of 10+ photographers hit the streets of Ottawa, Monday- Friday to have consistent profiles up on our website.  So, get out there and get involved.  Check out our website to see previous Citizen of the Capital posts and keep an eye out for future ones to come.  Who knows, we may be sharing your story next!  

http://thedreamcatchersinc.wordpress.com/











Friday, May 9, 2014

Softball Canada: Teams announced for 2014 ISF Junior Men’s World Championship

The following is a media release issued by Softball Canada.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 21st, 2014

Teams announced for 2014 ISF Junior Men’s
World Championship


(Whitehorse, YT) – Five continents will be represented at the 2014 ISF Junior Men’s World Softball Championship in Whitehorse.

The championship will be held July 11 to 20 at the Pepsi Softball Centre, and on Thursday the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) revealed the eleven teams that will take part.

Asia, Europe, North America, South America, and Oceania all have teams participating. Argentina heads to Whitehorse as the defending champions, after winning South America's historic first-ever softball world championship at the event in 2012. They’ll be joined by host Canada, Mexico, United States and Venezuela, as representatives of the Americas.

Japan, the 2012 silver medalist, and Singapore will be in Whitehorse on behalf of Asia. Europe will be represented at the world championship by the Czech Republic and Denmark. Oceania will be represented by the 2012 bronze medalist Australia, as well as New Zealand.

"The Local Organizing Committee in Whitehorse has tremendous experience in both hosting and building a sustainable legacy for the local community through the delivery of excellent Softball World Championships, and I am confident the 2014 U-19 Junior Men's Softball World Championship will be another exciting and well-organized world stage for these dedicated young athletes to shine and proudly represent these eleven National Teams -- and their continents," said WBSC co-President, Don Porter.

Whitehorse previously hosted the 2008 Junior Men’s World Championship and 2012 Women’s World Championship.

“With just over 100 days to go until the action starts at the ballpark, it’s great to have the participating teams confirmed,” said George Arcand, Chair of the 2014 Organizing Committee. “I know the community will embrace all of these competitors and show them true northern hospitality. The countdown is on!”

For all the latest news and information on the championship, visit our official website:www.worldfastpitch2014.com.

-30-

To arrange an interview, contact:

George Arcand
Chair, Organizing Committee
2014 Junior Men’s World Softball Championship
867-334-6185
garcand@northwestel.net

Mental Health Awareness Week - Happy and Healthy Infographics


Take the ‘How To’ Quiz to get your family eating healthier, exercising more and living better at healthyandhappy.com.
Get tools and techniques from SickKids to take on the challenge of improving children’s health today at healthyandhappy.com.
Prevention plays a critical role in providing children with the best possible opportunities to lead longer, healthier and happier lives.

Children today may be the first generation to have a shorter lifespan than their parents.

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Announcement: All SMSA Bantam Girls Interested In Trying Out For Selects



Attention: All Bantam Girls Interested In Trying Out For the 2014 Selects

The SMSA Bantam Girls Selects are holding a 2nd open tryout this coming Monday, May 12th , 6:30 – 8:00 at Whalen Park in Kanata (behind All Saints High School).

Please wear full softball gear and be ready to start at 6:30.

Please e-mail Phil Beingessner and Mike Dunnigan to confirm your attendance:


Please keep in mind that there is always the possibility the diamonds are not open, so please confirm as soon as possible that you will be attending.

Thank you.


Cierra Gaudet - Culture Shock From PEI To The Nation's Capital



Small-Town Girl to a City Slicker!

When I was younger, I never dreamt that I would ever live in a big city, much less the capital of Canada at that. I had my first real taste of city life when my family took a vacation to Toronto when I was 12 years old. I remember being VERY nervous to fly and then completely shocked when I saw how tall the buildings were in Toronto from a bird’s eye view! It was so bizarre. To me, I couldn’t
figure out why there were no potato fields, farmland and beaches. Instead, all I could see were buildings upon buildings, skyscrapers upon skyscrapers and I knew at that moment that I wasn’t in island territory anymore. No, this was a whole new adventure.

If I had to describe PEI in one word, I think I would choose “serene” because of how life moves on a day to day basis. While some people are busy-bodies, for the most part, life on the island is very slow-paced, relaxing and blissful (ignore everything I just said during the winter months…but if anything, it just makes us appreciate the other seasons dearly). In PEI there are approximately 145, 000 people and where I grew up in Summerside, about 15, 000…hence you definitely had the “small-town” feel.

Summerside, PEI
I really enjoyed growing up in Summerside because everyone was so friendly and families were extremely close to one another. If you went out shopping, you’d probably run into at least one person you knew and it was just a very tight-knit community atmosphere. We have the main necessities like most cities, but not to the same extent. There is one high school, one movie theatre, one main recreation center for sports, one main mall, a couple grocery stores, some fast food joints, a few nice restaurants, small businesses and then you have our local tourist attractions such as the Shipyard market, Spinnakers Landing and the Loyalist hotel. (Although in the last few years, we’ve gotten a lovely boardwalk, our recreation center has been redone, we’ve gotten an A&W, a Sportchek and I’ve heard that we are patiently awaiting a Starbucks to open!) So, I mean, we’re getting there. The speed limit around town is 40 (except for the odd back roads which are 70 and then there is one stretch of highway where you can get up to 90 and that was always a highlight!) but basically it’s pretty “slow-going”. It’s no wonder why PEI has been such a favorite vacation spot for years! It provides a very relaxing atmosphere and you’re only 10 minutes from a beach in practically any direction. Finding a little slice of paradise is always just a short drive away. My parents live by the water and can kayak every day, that’s just amazing!

I was very lucky to be born with natural athletic ability which allowed me to pick up any sport pretty quickly. I took an interest in cross country, soccer, basketball, badminton and track & field, but mostly focused on both basketball and track as my two main passions. I was fortunate enough to transfer my work ethic for academics into my training for sports and so this gave me an edge when trying out for teams. I am proud to say that I made every team I ever tried out for (but not without hard work and dedication before the tryouts). I didn’t want to just be picked for a team, I wanted the team to need me and that was always my philosophy. My greatest sporting achievement growing up as a high school athlete would have been attending the 2009 Canada Summer Games as a dual sport athlete for both basketball and track.




I never really noticed a difference in living, or sports until I began to venture off-island for team trips and tournaments. The way of life was different (much faster) and the competition was incredibly harder. It was only then that I began to see the differences between provinces and between cities. In junior high and high school, most of the travelling I did for sports was within the Maritime Provinces, with the exception of Newfoundland. I found that when competing within the Maritimes, the level of competition was relatively similar, but it still wasn’t the same as playing back home. The level of talent in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia was evident in the fact that there were so many different club teams to play and compete against. There were many more athletes to choose from, whereas on PEI we had only one team for each age group. Therefore, on my U17 basketball team, there were only 12 of us and if someone got hurt, we didn’t have any replacement options waiting around. For track it much the same. The NB and NS track clubs were bigger and the talent was incredible.

I still didn’t really understand the essence of being from a big province until Canada Games began. I then got a taste of the rest of Canada’s talent, Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba and man, did I EVER notice a difference then! I mean let’s just think about this for a second. Ontario’s U17 girl’s Canada Games team was made up of only 12 players. The 12 BEST players in all of Ontario, who travelled from numerous cities to attend try-outs and then if they made the team, travelled even greater distances to make practices. In the bigger cities, there is so
much talent to choose from that as an athlete, you need to specialize in your sport early. The hard work and dedication of these athletes was amazing and it’s no wonder why these teams are successful. This is where being from a smaller province presents some differences. Most athletes can play more than one sport, there are only a certain percentage of us that will continuously try-out for sports teams and so you have a good chance of making more than one squad. At first I thought that maybe this was the reason why the level of talent was so much different than from other provinces in Canada. However, I still thought that my teams trained, practiced and competed just as much as these other teams so what was the issue?

In the end, I narrowed it down to geographic location and funding. PEI is a very small province; we unfortunately do not have the same amount of funding capacity that can go towards sports compared to some of these bigger provinces such as Ontario, Alberta and BC. Moreover, we also do not have the same level of competition to play against on a regular basis. For us to even play a good team we had to travel off-island to do so and that cost money. Money, which we had to save up for bigger tournaments, National championships and Canada Games, therefore it made a difference. I am by no means saying that I feel in any way ashamed for competing for my province. If anything, I am proud to say that I was one of the best from PEI and that’s something that I pride myself on and will forever. It just made me realize, that sometimes, things are out of your control, but that shouldn’t stop you from playing your best and giving it your all in any sport you do. From coast to coast, each athlete has a certain level of respect for the other. At the end of the day, yeah, maybe I didn’t win as many medals as some other athletes, but I still felt a sense of accomplishment and that’s what truly matters. J




Wednesday, May 7, 2014

May 7th - Insiders Series: SickKids Centre for Healthy Active Kids



  • The Healthy and Happy campaign is founded on the belief that every child deserves to be healthy and happy.
  • Through the 2014 Healthy and Happy campaign, SickKids hopes to engage and empower Canadian families to introduce more activity, good nutrition and positive thinking in order to achieve a healthier and happier lifestyle
Please click on the link below and check out the Healthy and Happy Challenge!


Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Introducing Taylor Rogalsky - uOttawa GeeGee's Softball Player



            I like to think of myself as a motivated person with a passion for sports. That is why I have dedicated my last four years to studying and completing my undergraduate degree at the University of Ottawa in Human Kinetics. This program has allowed me to share my passion for sports along with learning a variety of new things that revolve around sports. These past four years have flown by and now I will continue to specialize my knowledge at Algonquin College in Sport Business Management, in hopes of having a career in that particular area of study.

            I am originally from a small town called Napanee, if you have never been, is about halfway between Ottawa and Toronto. I grew up there participating in almost every sport you can think of. As a child I tried soccer, gymnastics, swimming, track, softball, basketball, hockey, volleyball, and the list goes on. If there was a sport being played in the town, I played it at least once. I can’t thank my parents enough for letting me try all of those sports because it has allowed me to have a high degree of physical literacy and excel in many of them, in particular hockey and baseball. In my early teenage years, I specialized in hockey and softball and played elite level up until university. Once it came time to go to university I had to make a choice, which was one of the hardest choices I had to make, but I had to choose whether to pursue a university career playing hockey or softball. In my grade 12 year, I was scouted by the coaches of the University of Ottawa Softball Team at a tournament in Montreal. After meeting them, and hearing about their team and successes, I chose softball. Saying that, I played for the University’s Softball team all four years of my degree. During those four years our team experienced great success, winning a silver medal the last two years at the provincial championships, and one silver medal at the national championships.

            Outside of being an elite athlete and student, I also love to give back to the sporting world that I have long been a part of. I give back by helping out younger softball teams by giving catching or hitting sessions, and in the winter I referee hockey. I love that I still get to share my passion for two sports that have become a part of me, and at the same time pursue a career that lines up nicely with my passions.
 
            This year I did an eight month placement in the office of the CIS (Canadian Interuniversity Sport), which is almost exactly what I want to eventually do. I worked along side the Manager of National Championships. Having that experience has confirmed that I made the right decision to attend Algonquin next year. While attending, I will continue to referee, and I hope to also help coach a women’s hockey team.





Mental Health Week: May 5-11, 2014



Since 1951, the national office of the Canadian Mental Health Association has commemmorated Mental Health Week. The week is an annual event where CMHA branches and divisions across the country bring the mental health message to the broader community. It is designed as a celebration of mentally healthy lifestyles and positive attitudes, as well as a source of information and support. For Mental Health Week, CMHA branches in BC have organized presentations, pancake breakfasts, thrift store sales, craft fairs, kite-flying events, barbecues, fun runs, yoga fests and other community events right across the province. Both the National office and BC Division support branches with marketing support via media and educational or promotional materials. Mental Health Week is the first full week of May from Monday to Sunday


Please visit the Canadian Mental Health Association for more information.




Home Runs for Autism




Home Runs for Autism is a fantastic charity event, in tandem with CHEO's Autism Intervention Program, that raises money in the hopes of making a difference in a child's life.

Go to their website, or check our their Facebook page and see what they are all about.

This is a fantastic opportunity to take part in the wonderful sport of baseball, while also giving to a wonderful and local cause.

Friday, May 2, 2014

Announcement: Tryouts for the Stittsville Minor Softball Association Bantam Girls Saturday, May 3rd





This year's coaches for the Bantam Girls Selects, Mike Dunnigan and Phil Beingessner, are very excited for the new crop of girls moving up to join their ranks. Last year Stittsville had two Bantam girls teams, which won first and third at the Provincials. This is a very talented group of young women.

The tryouts will take place from 7:00 - 8:00 am tomorrow (Saturday) morning at the Bell Sensplex.




Please come prepared to play indoors, with proper running shoes, glove, helmet, bat (if owned), etc. It is bright and early, so please arrive on time (if not a few minutes early).



Thursday, May 1, 2014

Announcement for all Stittsville Minor Softball Players and Parents: Peewee Girls Selects Tryouts Saturday, May 3rd

2013  Squirt Girls Selects - Provincial Champions

Off the heels of a fantastic win at last year's Provincial's, a number of the same girls have now moved up to the Peewee (Novice) level and are looking forward to the tryout this Saturday at the Bell Sensplex from 7:00 am - 9:00 am.



As an added bonus, this year's 2014 Provincials for the Peewee Girls Selects is be hosting here in Stittsville!

Coach Kevin Daize has the following to say:

I’m honored to have the opportunity to pull together the 2014 Stittsville Minor Softball Assocation (SMSA) Girls Pee Wee Selects team.  We have a strong base of talent coming up from last year’s SMSA Squirt Select OSSTA Provincial Champs, Tier II players, and other girls that amount to hidden gems.  The Stittsville and surrounding area have been known to produce some very gifted softball players.

Our tryouts this Saturday will give the girls a chance to demonstrate their proficiency and attitude that may ultimately secure themselves a spot on the team.  I’m hopeful that as many girls as possible will come out.  It doesn’t cost anything, and they’ll never know unless they try!





Seven Step Guide To Windmill Pitching - Want To Learn Or Improve Your Game?

Although I'm not particularly a fan of swinging the arm back at the start of the delivery, as it requires a significant amount of extra energy without an equal amount of added power generation and can tip off the opposing team to the incoming pitching, the rest of the video is quite good.

By all means, feel free to add your input, make suggestions, and question certain aspects. 

Keep in mind, this is a general guideline and is focused more for beginners. Always work within a pitcher's natural movement (unless there are serious issues with their delivery). Forcing a pitcher into a strict mold will not allow them to develop on their own, and has a good chance of reducing their
effectiveness.


As well, you always want your pitcher to be challenged. That is, whatever guidelines and goals you set, they should attain a ~80% success rate. What that means is if they are at step 1 and hitting their target 100% of the time, try moving them on to step 2 or have them throw from farther away. Tweak various aspects to challenge them, and remember to keep things fun.