Tracy Wong is one of the most decorated players in Hawks badminton history. PHOTO BY ELTON HOBSON

Elton Hobson
Sports Reporter

Tracy Wong is one of the most successful players in the history of Humber badminton—but if it had been up to her, the second-year health and fitness student would never have picked up a racquet.

“I hated doing badminton (growing up),” said the 19-year-old Wong. “I remember my parents would drop me off for my private lesson, and I’d be crying by the end.”

After a coach began bribing her to badminton practice with ice cream and chocolate, her attitude towards the sport shifted.

“That helped change my mind about the game a little bit,” Wong said jokingly.

Today she is one of the most decorated college badminton players in Ontario. She is the reigning Ontario College Athletics Association women’s singles champion, she nabbed the bronze at last year’s national championship, and she’s was named an All-Canadian.

As the third Wong sibling to play for Humber, badminton has become a family tradition.

“My dad played badminton for 26 years before moving to Canada” from Hong Kong, she said. “It’s always been big in my family. Then you had my two brothers who were always telling me ‘you have to come to Humber.”

Older brothers Raymond and Mark both had distinguished careers as Hawks badminton players.

Raymond won a Canadian national title in mixed doubles and two OCAA gold medals. Mark won a gold in OCAA men’s doubles, and finished top-five in the country. Both have been honored as OCAA Player of the Year, an achievement they now share with their little sister.

“Badminton is very big in her family, very important,” said teammate Renee Yip, a second-year Heath and Fitness student. “You know she’s a special player just from playing with her. She’s extremely talented, but she also has real dedication to the game.”

It’s a sentiment echoed by Lam Trinh, head coach of the Hawks men’s and women’s badminton team.

“She works very, very hard, and when she’s not practicing here, she’s practicing at home,” said Trinh. “No matter what’s happening, her attitude is always ‘Yeah, I can do it!’.”

Despite modest popularity in comparison to other Humber sports, badminton is a serious commitment. Practices not only focus on improving skills and techniques, but on athletes’ cardio-vascular fitness with tournaments sometimes running 14 hours or longer.

That’s part of the reason Wong isn’t looking for a career in badminton.

“When you play badminton (at this level), you have no social life,” Wong explains. “That’s why in the future, I want to make my friends a priority, make school and my program a priority, not just badminton.”

Andrew Millichamp
Sports Reporter

The Hawks women’s volleyball team improved to 14-0 win streak with a decisive win over the Conestoga Condors on Jan 31. claiming all three sets.

“The first and third games we played excellent, the second game we dropped down in our level a little bit,” said Chris Wilkins, the Hawks head coach. “We’re a totally different team when were focused and we serve tough from the serving line. In the second game, I felt we got away from that.”

The first set was a breeze for the undefeated team winning 25-10 while a loss of focus led to an exciting second game, pulling through with the close 25-23 win. With a three game lead in the division standings and seemingly weaker teams in the coming schedule, the Hawks lack of focus is something the coaches plan to address.

“We can’t be caught standing around waiting for plays to happen, we have to make the plays happen ourselves,” said Heather Longland, the Hawks assistant coach. “We need to make sure we’re on our toes. The girls need to come in focused and be ready to play.”

Middle Kelly Nyhof led the way against Conestoga, with nine kills and five serving aces while middles Michelle Overzet and Danielle Jones played strong, both earning co-players of the game.
Despite being undefeated, the Hawks still feel they have areas to improve.

“I think focus is one thing we need to work on. We thought maybe because this team was easy we could take a few points off,” said Jones, 19, a first-year fashion arts student.

While far from thrilled with the lack of focus in the second game, coach Wilkins nevertheless was happy with the way his team played.

“We’re [going to] need all 14 players down the stretch and it’s nice that this late in the season I have the ability to play all 14 players in meaningful minutes because at the OCAA’s we’re going to need them,” he said.

The Hawks play next on the road against Redeemer Royals on Feb. 3.

“Redeemer’s a tough place to play, they’re fighting for a playoff spot, their season’s on the line,” Wilkins said. “They’re going to come out and play hard so we’re going to have to be ready.”

Just four games are left in the division west season for Humber before they undoubtably head to the OCAA’s in Barrie, Feb. 23-25.

Photo by Jesse Thomas

Jesse Thomas
Sports Reporter

Speculation arose within the Humber men’s basketball team last week as they battled for the OCAA West top slot without the help of five players due to academic ineligibility.

Student athletes must be full time students and carry a 60 per cent average in all courses to be eligible to compete. That means a student must achieve 18 credits in a calendar year.

One course at Humber typically brings three credits, thus three courses gets nine credits a semester and 18 credits for one year.

“The pressure is on for athletes. They have to live a dual life (as) student and athlete,” said men’s basketball co-ordinator James Depoe. “The major challenge for our student athletes is time management.”

With commitments to their team and their studies, coupled with family and outside responsibilities, balancing the workload can become a problem for student athletes.

“Student athletes are studying on the road, in the bus and at the hotel overnight, and they are getting extra studying done in the bleachers before a game,” said Depoe. “We support our student athletes with an academic centre where they can be tutored.”

Every year, extra support is offered to those in need, but students who fall short are forced to sit out until their grades are back up to par.

Chris Thompson, a fifth year fitness and health student, is one of five men’s varsity basketball players who is academically ineligible to play.

“It’s hard to sit on the sidelines and watch when the team is playing at the highest level,” said Thompson. “We are strong and we are making a run for the OCAA championships. Our goal is to make it to the national championships and I have to [sit out and] watch.”

Thompson admits if he could go back in time he would do things differently.

“My focus was solely on basketball and I forgot about school,” said Thompson. “I ignored the problem and now I can no longer play the game I love. These guys are like my family. I let them down and I lost sight of what is important.”

Acknowledging the temptation to give up school and drop out, Thompson knows how important it is to learn from this experience, study hard and graduate.

“I still practice with the team and I am appealing my marks right now,” said Thompson. “Basketball for me is life. If I am having a bad day, I can come to the gym and all my problems go away. I still see a future in basketball, whether its coaching or refereeing, the game will always be with me.”

For the coaching staff, it’s hard to make a plan and stick to it when a number of players have to sit out.

“I have at least one student every year who fails a class,” said Hawks head coach Shawn Collins. “We are a deep team this year and I carry a lot of guys, for development and for situations like this—and of course injuries.”

The team has had a long break between games ever since the holidays, but in the coming weeks its schedule will get a lot busier as it draws closer to the playoffs.

“The student athletes have a lot on their plates,” said Collins. “We’re getting close to playoffs and with the loss of five guys, it just means that other guys will be given an opportunity to play more.”

The team won their game last week and has been on an eight game undefeated streak that dates back to early November.

“We have to keep focused on the season and on managing our schedules,” said Collins. “There is a lot of pressure on student athletes to perform but there is also the opportunity to do something special while they are here and we have a lot of resources to help them be successful both on and off the court.”

Humber guard Daviau Rodney makes a big jump shot in the fourth quarter. PHOTO BY JAVED KHAN

Jesse Thomas
Sports Reporter

The Humber men’s basketball team extended its league-leading eight game winning streak and clinched first in the OCAA West after a gritty 94-80 road victory over the Niagara Knights on Jan 25.

Despite the win, Humber was initially a little lackluster, sending Niagara into the locker room with a 41-40 lead.

“A lot of the calls in the first half were weak calls,” said Humber guard Daviau Rodney, fourth year fitness and health student. “I felt like the referees didn’t want me in the game, so when I was on the court I tried to release my frustration by slashing hard to the hoop.”

Rodney shot 64 per cent from the field and hit four three-pointers, averaging 21 points in his last two games.

On the opposing end, Niagara guard Alex Cambell terrorized Humber’s defence all night long, leading to a stat line of 31 points.

“I played well, but overall we had a bad game as a team. I would feel much better if we came away with the win,” said Cambell. “In the fourth quarter, we collapsed, they started making shots and we got discouraged.”

In the second half, Humber’s defence tightened up on Niagara’s shooters and shut down the lanes that Niagara penetrated easily throughout the first half.

“Coach Collins told us to relax and weather the storm because we were not at home,” said Rodney. “He told us to get back to what we do best, and that’s playing defence.”

Humber guard Akeem Sween came out with a killer instinct, claiming 15 points in the second half alone, 22 points overall, and shooting 50 per cent from the field.

“Fourth quarter is Kobe time,” said Sween. “I tried not to force my shots and I attacked areas that the defence was giving me.”

Humber Varsity cheerleading team practicing a stunt move. PHOTO BY: SASHA LINDSAY

Sasha Lindsay
Sports Reporter

Humber’s cheerleading team hopes to repeat as gold medalists in the 2012 Cheer Evolution Ontario Championships, set for March 3 and 4 in Kitchener.

Over 185 teams will vie for the provincial title, with the top teams from Ontario to go on to the World Cheerleading Championships in Orlando, Florida.

Humber’s head coach, Kristina McCahon, lead the team to a 2011 Cheer Evolution win in her first year as head coach, and raised her 26 member team to the top level of competitive cheerleading.

“There were two level six athletes when I started coaching and now the entire team is level six, which means they are advanced and can perform complex and difficult manoeuvres, such as two and a half high pyramids, free flipping inversions and twisting elements,” said McCahon.

Stephanie Wood, a rookie front base cheerleader, said that McCahon holds practice three to four times weekly and makes them “extra challenging” leading up to competitions.

“We do about 40 minutes of conditioning like sit ups, sprinting, squats and lunges.  We also use teammates to condition, like holding someone in the air or running with someone on your back,” said Wood.

Lauren Kuzmich, a third back spot base cheerleader, is proud of her team’s accomplishments, after placing first at Jam Fest Super Nationals and second at the PCA Nationals in Brampton last term. She also notes that the rigours involved parallel those of any sport—injuries such as concussions are common.

“Cheerleading is a sport,” said Kuzmich. “People assume you just cheer with pom poms.  You have only two minutes and thirty seconds to prove yourself in every competition. We work just as hard as any other team,” she said.

Humber’s cheerleaders believe they are paving the way for the sport to grow in Canada.

“If we continue promoting varsity cheerleading at the rate that we are, we’ll be one of the first teams to bring more attention to the sport, since cheering isn’t taken seriously in Canada,” said Wood. “By competing, we’ve already inspired other college teams in Ontario to raise their level of competition.”

Hawks left-side Aleks Inveiss had one kill in the game. PHOTO BY JESS RAYMOND

Sasha Lindsay
Sports Reporter

Humber men’s volleyball team is still undefeated after a home court sweep of the Conestoga Condors on Jan. 31.

The Hawks’ now boast a division standing of 13-1 after a three straight set victory, in a packed stadium of cheering fans.

Humber dominated the first set, with powerful offensive and defensive plays en route to a 25-10 win.

The second set saw the Condors improve their offensive game, but the Hawks took an early lead with a kill from middle blocker and right side hitter, Andre Brown, eventually winning 25-18.  The third set was much the same, entertaining with a long rally for the game winning point, and the Hawks coming out on top, 25-17.

Humber star right side Terrel Bramwell who led the game with nine kills said the performance was one to be pleased with.

“We played a solid match and are getting ready for Ancaster,” said Bramwell, 21, a first-year tourism & hospitality student. “Our practice sessions will definitely boost our performance there.  I’m proud of our team.”

Rookie left side hitter, Cam Fletcher, had an early kill in set two, which helped the Hawks’ momentum.

“For this game, as a rookie, it was a test to prove that we deserved to be number one in Canada,” said Fletcher, a third-year sustainable energy & building student. “The next game is going to be another test, especially with over four hundred Redeemer Royals fans yelling but I’m confident in our team’s abilities.”

Bramwell echoed the sentiments, saying that focus is key to handling the loud Royals fans.

Andre Brown, right side hitter and middle blocker, had a strong offensive and defensive game, with five kills and four blocks.

“Overall, we played really well,” said Brown, a first-year business administration student. “It feels great to be the number one team in Canada.”

“To be number one in the country means a lot, not only to me but to the whole Humber varisty [team],” said Bramwell. “It’s the first time Humber men’s volleyball team has been ranked at number one.”

The Hawks visit Ancaster on Fri. Feb. 3 and take on the Redeemer Royals at 8:00 p.m.

Curling head coach Cindy Bishop. PHOTO BY SHANNON O'REILLY

After nearly 30 years, curling has returned to Humber College under the leadership of prominent head coach Cindy Bishop.

Athletic manager and sports information director Jim Bialek said a few things played into Bishop’s favour when she was being considered for the role.

“One, her actual resume. Two, the fact that she is currently very active at a club and that’s her job,” said Bialek. “She is in the system, so she sees high school athletes and junior players.

“Three, she’s a dynamic person,” Bialek continued. “As an individual she’s personable and welcoming, and pretty tough, which is a good thing for a coach.”

Bishop said she demands a high level of commitment from her athletes, as well as respect.

“Respect everything that has to do with (the) game,” said Bishop. “The officials, your opposition, everything. I expect them to give 100 per cent, 100 per cent of the time. Then they will never have any regrets afterwards.”

Bishop first started curling in her teens and played up to the provincial level, later taking up coaching when her children got involved in the sport.

“I wanted to teach them the proper way to curl,” said Bishop. “Not to teach them my bad habits.”

She then went on to be the high-performance coach for the women’s New Brunswick and Ontario teams, and later had stints coaching the Austrian and Netherlands national teams.

“With Austria, we went to the European championships and won gold in the B-Haul,” said Bishop, referring to the qualifying level below the Olympics. “That was very exciting because for Austria that was like winning the Olympics.”

After declining offers to coach full-time in Europe, Bishop has settled down as a curling professional at Weston Golf & Country Club, where Humber’s team is based.

“It was a great result for us because we were able to put all our curlers in the club at the beginning of the year,” said athletic director Doug Fox. “This is not usually what happens. Other colleges are only having their tryouts in January. Our teams have been playing together since October with the Weston club.”

Humber was to set to face its first OCAA competition this weekend but the tournament was cancelled. Although her team has yet to play a match against another college, coach Bishop is confident in the abilities of her athletes.

“I’ve watched them within Weston Country Club and mapped their games and how we can get better that way,” said Bishop. “We want to finish in the top four and go to nationals.”

The women's volleyball team has placed first in the OCAA championship four times in a row, and aims for a fifth. PHOTO BY ANDREW MILLICHAMP

Andrew Millichamp
Sports Reporter

The Humber women’s volleyball team has set its sights on taking home an Ontario College Athletics Association championship for the fifth straight year, and its due in large part to their head coach, Chris Wilkins.

“The gold medal is the end goal,” said Wilkins, a former assistant who in his 10th year as head coach has seen his fair share of medals.

The Hawks have competed in the OCAA championship game for the past six consecutive years. The team fell short in 2007, but have claimed gold ever since.

In the last 14 years they’ve won gold eight times and placed second the other six seasons.

“Chris is the reason this program wins,” said Hawks assistant coach Dean Wylie.

Athletics manager and sports information director Jim Bialek praised the coach for the team’s repeated success.

“Chris is probably the top coach in the nation and possibly the best coach ever at Humber,” Bialek said. “His girls graduate. His girls are committed. His girls get better.”

Bialek said that other schools have taken notice, to the point where the head coach at Seneca sent his daughter to Humber to play for Chris.

“He said he would not tell a girl to go to Seneca first and turn down Humber, based on the respect of the program here and the coaching,” Bialek said. “When you have coaches thinking the best situation for girls is at Humber, that’s unique. That’s special.”

With such a reputation it goes without saying that practice makes perfect.

“Humber sets a standard of excellence and to continue that standard you can’t take days off,” said Wylie.

The coaching staff also expects players to give their best effort on and off the court. “We’ve had one person who came through the course and didn’t graduate since Chris has been head coach,” said Wylie.

With the coming departures of veteran players like Kris Dowling and Teresa George, the core of the Hawks is changing, but Wylie said he feels that the rookies will be back to fill in the gaps next season.

“It’s part of the lifestyle. Win or lose I think they’ll be back. They’ll be more inclined to be back if we don’t win because then they’ve got unfinished business.”

The Hawks held a 43-2 set shot this season and a perfect 14-0 in league with a convincing win over Conestoga Jan 31. Check www.athletics.humber.ca for the updated stats and results.

Humber guard Daviau Rodney makes a big jump shot in the fourth quarter. PHOTO BY JAVED KHAN

Javed Khan
Sports Reporter

The Humber men’s basketball team extended its league-leading eight game winning streak and clinched first in the OCAA West after a gritty 94-80 road victory over the Niagara Knights on Jan 25.

Despite the win, Humber was initially a little lacklustre, sending Niagara into the locker room with a 41-40 lead.

“A lot of the calls in the first half were weak calls,” said Humber guard Daviau Rodney, fourth year fitness and health student. “I felt like the referees didn’t want me in the game, so when I was on the court I tried to release my frustration by slashing hard to the hoop.”

Rodney shot 64 per cent from the field and hit four three-pointers, averaging 21 points in his last two games.

On the opposing end, Niagara guard Alex Cambell terrorized Humber’s defence all night long, leading a stat line of 31 points.

“I played well, but overall we had a bad game as a team. I would feel much better if we came away with the win,” said Cambell. “In the fourth quarter, we collapsed, they started making shots and we got discouraged.”

In the second half, Humber’s defence tightened up on Niagara’s shooters and shut down the lanes that Niagara penetrated easily throughout the first half.

“Coach Collins told us to relax and weather the storm because we were not at home,” said Rodney. “He told us to get back to what we do best, and that’s playing defence.”

Humber guard Akeem Sween came out with a killer instinct, claiming 15 points in the second half alone, 22 points overall, and shooting 50 per cent from the field.

“Fourth quarter is Kobe time,” said Sween. “I tried not to force my shots and I attacked areas that the defence was giving me.”

Mark Perrin, #5, goes for the shot against Fanshawe Falcons Jan. 12. The Hawks won 75-73. PHOTO BY JESSE THOMAS

Javed Khan
Sports Reporter

The Humber men’s varsity basketball team took over first place in the west division and extended their winning streak to seven games, in a last second 75-73 victory over the Fanshawe Falcons on Jan. 12.

This being the first game after the holiday break, the Hawks seemed a bit rusty, coming out a little flat in the opening quarter.

“We haven’t played a meaningful game since Dec. 2,” said Hawks head coach Shawn Collins. “But as long as we worked hard, did some things on our scouting report and hit some shots, we had a good chance to win the game.”

The battle for first place was back and forth, with four lead changes and seven ties throughout.

“It was a good battle that was decided with two seconds left and we had an open look with 15 seconds left, which we missed,” said Fanshawe head coach Glenn Johnson. “It was a horrible way to lose the game.”

Basketball fundamentals proved to be the deciding factor, as Humber guard Akeem Sween sank his only two free throw attempts with less than three seconds to play.

“Our guys stuck to the game plan, which allowed us to get some key turnovers,” said Collins. “It wasn’t the greatest execution, but we didn’t give up any offensive rebounds and we jumped on them late in the game when they looked a little tired.”

Humber’s defence and rebounding were the keys to victory. Humber out-rebounded Fanshawe 45-27 and its defence stifled Fanshawe’s offence late in the game.

“We came out a little slow and then settled down in the second half and our defence stepped up,” said Humber point guard Mike Dvorak, a fifth-year sport management student.

Humber guard, Daviau Rodney, a fourth-year fitness and health student, frustrated the Fanshawe defence all night, hitting six three pointers, leading to a stat line of 22 points, six rebounds and four assists.

The Hawks played Niagara Jan. 25, check www.athletics.humber.ca for results. Next home game is Feb. 1 against Sheridan.