New fitness equipment leads to big gains at Tait McKenzie Centre

Recent upgrades to the fitness equipment in York University’s Tait McKenzie Centre have led to huge improvements as the York Lions’ Campus Recreation Department continues to make big strides in increasing program options and user satisfaction.

A full-scale update to the equipment kit in the Fitness Centre was completed in December 2018, while upgrades to two of the studios, including the addition of women’s-only programming and accessibility services space, have made for a more welcoming and positive atmosphere for users.

“The upgrades to the space and the new equipment make all the difference – it now feels like you are working out at an exclusive club,” said Maureen Barnes, director, Student Accessibility Services at York and frequent user of the Tait McKenzie Fitness Centre. “Not only are there are new machines to integrate into existing routines, but the strength and conditioning area has new toys so that keeping workouts challenging is never a problem. What was especially helpful was being able to do an intro session to see how to incorporate the new equipment into daily routines.”

Fourth-year kinesiology and health science student Malcolm Glennie agrees that the changes to the Fitness Centre have increased the options users have when completing their workouts.

“Changing up your workout routine is important and the new equipment at Tait is perfect for adding some diversity and creativity to your workouts,” said Glennie.

The new equipment purchases increased the equipment kit size, variety, quality and elevation of spaces within the Fitness Centre and studios. In the Fitness Centre itself, all previous cardio equipment, selectorized strength, plate-loaded strength, training stations, Olympic benches, and racks were replaced with new and upgraded models.

Elevated space within the Fitness Centre was also created to include a functional training area that features Escape Fitness equipment, a premium and industry-leading brand, that offers users unique equipment design as well as increased functionality. The new Escape Fitness equipment area has allowed for new programming, and the Campus Recreation Department recently launched the popular Olympic weight lifting program in January. Led by the student staff members, the Olympic weight lifting program is executed in a group training format that takes place three days per week and caps off with a mini Olympic weight lifting event. The new program has elevated both the Fitness Centre’s program offerings and the professional student staff who lead the sessions, as they have all completed their Level 1 Olympic weight lifting coaching course.

The women’s-only programming and accessibility services space has found a home in Studio 3, which has undergone a facelift that includes new flooring, paint, lights, ventilation, and new selectorized and free weight equipment. Studio 1, which is used for spin classes and drop-in fitness classes, has also been improved with new paint, ventilation, Keiser spin bikes and an Escape Fitness training rig.

“The new Fitness Centre equipment has turned the studio space into an inviting, safe space for training clients at Tait,” said Vienna Nguyen, a fourth-year kinesiology and health science student and Fitness & Lifestyles staff member who leads the programming associated with student accessibility services in Studio 3.

“Having a separate space allows our clients to feel comfortable and confident when exercising, and creating a space like this is a huge benefit to have for our clients.”

The new equipment purchases include selections from the industry-leading brands Precor, Life Fitness, Hammer Strength, Escape Fitness and Matrix. The impact of the new equipment can already be seen, as the Fitness Centre recorded 11,775 more total visits when compared to January 2018, which represents an increase of 29 per cent.

For more information on the Tait McKenzie Centre and to find out about memberships and program options, visit the Campus Recreation website.

Weekend wrap: Lions fall to Marauders in four sets in OUA quarterfinals

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York U Lions

The York University men’s volleyball team was defeated by the McMaster University Marauders 3-1 in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) quarterfinals on Saturday evening at Burridge Gymnasium in Hamilton, Ont.

Despite the Lions being up against the No. 4 nationally ranked Marauders, they came out of the gates strong, won the first set and made it tough on the Marauders in the final three sets.

The Lions were confident entering the game, fresh off two wins in a row last weekend, and had an impressive first set. The start of the set was extremely close for both teams until the Marauders, after an 11-11 tie, earned five points, while the Lions only added one, to enter the mid-set break with a 16-12 lead. More details on the York Lions website.

Road ends for Lions with loss to Warriors in quarterfinals

The York University women’s volleyball team was defeated 3-0 by the University of Waterloo Warriors in the OUA quarterfinals on Saturday evening at Physical Activities Complex in Waterloo, Ont.

The Lions, who earned a playoff spot as the fourth seed in the OUA East division, were up against tough competition with the No. 4 nationally ranked Warriors who finished in first place in the OUA West division. The Lions, however, were fresh off a big five-set win against the Trent Excalibur last weekend.

The Lions were the first to earn a point at the start of the first set, but the Warriors had a strong start entering the mid-set break with a 16-8 lead. The Warriors picked up their biggest lead of the set after a service error by the Lions, to lead by 10 points, 20-10. Despite the Lions attempting to close the large lead, the Warriors took the first set 25-17. More details.

Weekend wrap: Lions men’s and women’s teams finish fourth at OUA championships

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York U Lions

The York University Lions men’s and women’s teams both finished fourth overall in the team standings at the 2018-19 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) track and field championships.

The Lions, who hosted the event on their home track at the Toronto Track & Field Centre Feb. 22 and 23, brought home a total of 14 medals over the course of the two-day event. Their medal haul included six gold medals, three silver medals and five bronze medals.

On the women’s side, the University of Guelph Gryphons came out on top with a commanding 218 points, followed by the University of Western Mustangs in second place with 135 points and the University of Toronto Varsity Blues in third with 115. The Gryphons men also claimed an OUA banner with 153 points, followed by the Varsity Blues in second with 123 and the Mustangs in third with 117.50. More details on the York Lions website.

Lions advance to OUA quarterfinals with huge win over Gaels

The York University women’s basketball team upset the Queen’s University Gaels 76-70 in the first round of playoffs on Wednesday evening at the Athletics & Recreation Centre in Kingston, Ont.

The Lions were the underdog team heading into the game as they were playing against the fourth-seeded Gaels on their home court. However, the Lions played outstanding basketball all game long and clinched the game in the final minute of the fourth quarter. They would go on to defeat the Gaels by six points and celebrate with a large group of Lions supporters who had travelled by bus to cheer on the team.

The first quarter was extremely close for both teams, as the Lions and Gaels each had a chance to lead. The quarter was tied a total of five times; however, it was the Lions who came out on top after one final jump shot by Cyanna King to lead the Gaels 16-14 by the end of the first frame. More details.

Three days later, the Lions were defeated by the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees 89-53 in the quarterfinals of the OUA playoffs on Saturday afternoon at Montpetit Hall in Ottawa.

The Lions were fresh off a huge win on Feb. 20 as they defeated the Queen’s Gaels 76-70 in the first round of the playoffs. With the win, they found themselves up against the Gee-Gees in the quarterfinal game, a strong team that came in first place in the OUA East division with a 21-2 record during the regular season.

The Gee-Gees had an early lead, but the Lions came out strong and tied the game 10-10 with a jump shot by Lauren Golding, and took the lead 12-10 after a jumper by Madison Bardoel. After more baskets by Cyanna King and Chante Clarke, the Lions picked up a six-point lead on the Gee-Gees, 16-10. A hard-fought battle in the final minutes of the first quarter ended with the Lions and the Gee-Gees tied 18-18. More details.

Adarkwa top finisher for Lions at U SPORTS wrestling championships

The York University Lions wrestling team took on the best in the nation this weekend at the 2019 U SPORTS championships at the University of Calgary.

Mary Adarkwa led the team with a fifth-place finish in the women’s 72kg division. Adarkwa defeated OUA silver medallist Ashley Gravelle of the Lakehead Thunderwolves by a score of 10-0 in her first-round match and wound up in fifth place in her weight category.

Other Lions competing this weekend were Shevonne Witter-Watts, who finished in sixth place in the men’s 57kg category; Nashane Ralph, who also finished in sixth place in the men’s 61kg category; and Lynelle Vassell, who finished in seventh place in the women’s 82kg category. More details.

Lions net big road win over Varsity Blues

The York University men’s volleyball team defeated the University of Toronto Varsity Blues 3-1 on Friday evening at Goldring Centre in Toronto.

The Lions took the game to the Varsity Blues who fell to 11-6 with the loss. The Lions are in fourth place in the OUA East standings with 14 points, eight back of the Blues who sit in third. Despite losing the first set, the Lions dug deep and won the final three sets to defeat the Varsity Blues.

The Varsity Blues came out strong and led the Lions early into the first set and entered the mid-set break leading 16-7. Their strong lead allowed them to take the first set 25-18 and pick up a 1-0 lead over the Lions. More details.

The next day the Lions beat the Trent University Excalibur 3-1 on Saturday, Feb. 23 in Peterborough, Ont., in their final game of the regular season.

The Lions’ Andrew Shotbolt led in points between both teams with 18 points in total, which were great aids to help the Lions take their final regular-season win.

In the first set, the Lions beat Trent in a 25-19 game set. In the second set, the home team, which is currently ranked seventh in the OUA East division, was able to surpass the Lions and take the set by three points for a 25-22 set win. More details.

Lions beat Excalibur in five sets

The York University Lions women’s volleyball team beat the Trent University Excalibur 3-2 on Saturday, Feb. 23 in Peterborough, Ont., in their final regular season game of the 2018-19 season.

The Lions took the first set 25-16 against the Excalibur. The second set went past the 25 mark as the Excalibur took the set 26-24 against York, bringing the score to a 1-1 tie. In the third set, the Lions were able to surpass Trent by five points as they took the set 25-20. The Lions took a temporary lead against the Excalibur before Trent was able to tie the score as they took the fourth set 25-18, bringing the game to a fifth and final set. More details.

On Friday night, the Lions were defeated 3-0 by the University of Toronto Varsity Blues at the Goldring Centre in Toronto.

The Varsity Blues picked up a 1-0 lead on the Lions after taking the first set 25-19. The Lions led the Varsity Blues early into the second set, 8-7, and eventually entered the mid-set break leading 16-10. After eight consecutive points, the Varsity Blues led the Lions 18-16, and they took the second set 25-20. The Varsity Blues defeated the Lions 25-16 in the final set and won the match 3-0.

Sarah Williams led the Lions, earning nine points, six digs and two blocks. Celeste Witzell earned 8.5 points and one dig, while Olivia Kim had eight points and 10 digs. The Varsity Blues were led by Alina Dormann who earned 16.5 points, 12 digs and one block. More details.

Lions fall to Gee-Gees in first round of OUA playoffs

The York University men’s basketball team fell in the first round of the OUA playoffs after a dropping a road game by a score of 92-77 to the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees on Wednesday evening at Monpetit Hall in Ottawa.

The Gee-Gees picked up an early lead, adding seven points at the start of the first quarter before the Lions were able to get on the scoreboard. Just three minutes into play, the Gee-Gees picked up a nine-point lead, 17-8 over the Lions. And even though the Lions picked up their offence, they managed to hold onto their lead to end the first quarter up 35-24 over the Lions. More details.

Lions open playoffs against Badgers in first round series

The puck drops on the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) men’s hockey post-season this week and the York University Lions will take on the Brock Badgers in the first round of the 2018-19 playoffs.

The best-of-three series will begin on Wednesday, Feb. 13 at 7:15 p.m. on Brock’s home ice in St. Catharines, Ont., while the Lions will host Game 2 on Friday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. at Canlan Ice Sports. If necessary, Game 3 will be played on Sunday, Feb. 17 at Brock.

The series marks the second straight season the Lions and Badgers will match up in the playoffs. The Badgers had the upper hand last year, defeating the Lions after three hard-fought games in the third round of the playoffs. Brock would go on to claim the OUA silver medal and advance to the U SPORTS championships where they were knocked out after losing to St. FX in the first game. They have continued their strong play this season and earned the second seed in the OUA West Division with a 19-5-4 record. The Lions, who had a strong first half of the season, enter the playoffs seeded seventh with a 12-14-2 record.

The Lions jumped out to a 9-2-1 record to start the season and looked to be one of the teams to beat in the OUA, but a slew of injuries to key players affected the team’s depth and resulted in them winning only three games in the second half of the season. The Badgers, on the other hand, have played consistent hockey all season long, never losing more than two games in a row. The teams matched up three times in the regular season and played in three close games that all ended up in the Badgers’ favour.

In their first matchup of the year on Mark Cross Memorial Night in January, the Badgers won 4-3 after taking the lead in the third period. Lions defenceman Sal Filice rung a potential game-tying shot off the post with just seconds left in the game as Brock hung on for the victory. The OUA West rivals have played twice already in February, with the Badgers picking up a 3-1 victory on home ice in a game that was tied 1-1 heading into the third period, and the Lions losing a 5-1 game on home ice that was closer than the score would indicate with the Badgers icing the game late with two empty-net goals.

The underdog Lions are led by team captain Scott Feser, who paced the Lions in points this season with a career-high 32 (13 goals, 19 assists). Not far behind Feser is fifth-year senior Reid Jackman, who led the Lions with 15 goals. Jackman has proved he can score in bunches this season, picking up three hat tricks en route to a career-high in goals and points (30). Third-year goaltender Mack Shields has also continued his stellar career this season, keeping the undermanned Lions in many games with his outstanding play. He heads into the playoffs with 11 wins and a .913 save percentage.

Solid goaltending has also been a hallmark of the Badgers’ success in the past two seasons. Starting netminder Logan Thompson led the OUA with 18 wins while placing second in save percentage (.934) and third in goals against average (2.22). Up front, the Badgers are led by forwards Ryan Burton and Ryan McDonald, who tied for the team lead with 19 points apiece, while defenceman Skylar Pacheco led the Badgers’ defence with five goals and 10 assists.

The Lions are just two seasons removed from winning the 2016-17 OUA championship and hope to rekindle some of the playoff magic that led to their first OUA championship win since 2004. With 10 returning players from that championship team, the Lions are a battle-tested playoff group who, despite their second-half struggles, have played well against the second-place Badgers and figure to give them all they can handle in this first-round series.

All games in this exciting first round matchup can be seen live on oua.tv.

Weekend wrap: Lions score biggest win of season over No. 6 Gee-Gees

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York U Lions

The York University men’s basketball team played their best game of the season against the nationally ranked University of Ottawa Gee-Gees on Saturday evening at the Tait McKenzie Centre and picked up a huge 78-67 win.

The Lions started the first quarter by playing some impressive basketball, picking up a six-point lead at the midway mark. After the first two points came from Gene Spagnuolo sinking two free throws, Nana Adu-Poku added the next eight points for the Lions off two free throws, two lay-ups and a jump shot to lead the Gee-Gees 10-4. With two minutes remaining, DeAndre Pierre nailed a three-pointer to lead the Gee-Gees 17-10. The Gee-Gees added two final points and trailed 17-12 by the end of the first quarter. More details on the York Lions website.

A day earlier, on Friday, Feb. 8, the Lions lost 102-57 to the Carleton University Ravens, the current No. 2-ranked team in the country, at the Tait McKenzie Centre.

In the first quarter of the game, the Ravens led with 23 points and the Lions were able to secure 16. York’s Gianmarco Luciani secured the first two points for the Lions and also led the team in points in the first quarter with seven points; however, the Ravens were able to push past the Lions and leave the first quarter with a 23-16 lead.

In the second quarter, the Ravens continued to lead the play on the court and on the scoreboard. They were able to score 23 points and held the Lions to six to end the first half with a 46-22 lead. More details.

Sparling wins gold medal at OUA fencing championships

The York University Lions fencing team took part in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) fencing championships at the University of Toronto over the weekend and the Lions’ Adrien Sparling brought home some hardware with an outstanding performance.

Sparling took home the Schwende Trophy as the OUA men’s sabre individual champion after a dominant 15-6 victory over Brock’s Aaron Olmstead in the final. Carleton’s Ghazal Mo placed third, defeating RMC’s Gerson Zamor 15-9 in the bronze-medal match. As a result of his win, Sparling was also named as an OUA all-star.

Overall, the Lions finished in ninth place out of 13 teams from across the OUA. The host Blues won the team gold medal, followed by the Carleton Ravens in second place and the RMC Paladins in third. More details.

LePage leads way for Lions with two medals

All-world athlete Pierce LePage led the way for the York University Lions track and field team this weekend at the Spire NCAA Division 1 Indoor Invitational in Geneva, Ohio.

LePage picked up two medals for the Lions. The first, a gold medal with a leap of 7.42m in the men’s long jump, which qualified him for the U SPORT championships and leaves him ranked first overall in Canada. He followed that up with a silver medal in the shot put with a season’s best throw of 14.01m.

Other podium finishes for the Lions on the men’s team included Abdiaziz Ali with the silver medal in the 600m with a new personal best of 1:19:99 and Jason Clare with a bronze medal in the pole vault with a new personal best jump of 4.73m. More details.

Lions sweep Badgers 3-0 on road

The York University men’s volleyball team defeated the Brock University Badgers 3-0 on Saturday afternoon at Bob Davis Gym in St. Catharines, Ont.

Despite a close first set, the Lions easily led the Badgers through two more sets to pick up the 3-0 win. During the first set, the Badgers nearly caught up to the Lions near the end of the set; however, York held onto their lead to defeat the Badgers by three points, 25-22. The second set was a breeze for the Lions, taking the set 25-17. Similarly, the Lions won the final set 25-21 to defeat the Badgers.

With the win, the Lions are still sitting in a playoff spot, fourth place, four points ahead of the Nipissing Lakers. The Lions have five games left in the regular season to secure a spot in the playoffs. More details.

On Sunday, the Lions were defeated 3-1 by the McMaster University Marauders at the Burridge Gymnasium in Hamilton, Ont.

The Lions picked up an early 1-0 lead on the Marauders and led throughout the entire first set. The Lions comfortably led the Marauders by six points, 23-17 near the end of the set, and despite the Marauders earning four more points, a kill by Aleksander Grzegorczyk and an attack error by the Marauders led the Lions to take the set 25-21. More details.

Lions score four power play goals to defeat Gaels

The York University women’s hockey team picked up a big 4-1 win against the Queen’s University Gaels on Friday evening at Canlan Ice Sports.

The Lions had an impressive game scoring four power play goals against the Queen’s Gaels, whose goaltender, Makenzy Arsenault, came into the game leading the OUA with a 1.17 goals against average and ranked second with a .947 save percentage. This was York’s first win against Queen’s since the 2015-16 season when the Lions beat the Gaels 2-1 in overtime.

The Lions had a strong first period despite the Gaels getting on the scoreboard first. At 8:27, the Gaels took a 1-0 lead on the Lions with a goal by Nicole Posesorski. The Lions out-possessed the Gaels for the remainder of the period, keeping the majority of the play in the Gaels’ end and taking a total of 10 shots on goal. More details.

The next day, the Lions lost 6-2 to the University of Toronto Varsity Blues on Saturday, Feb. 9 on the road at Varsity Arena. York’s Natalie Dean, with assists from Kara Washer and Ellen Donaldson, scored the first goal of the game to give the Lions a 1-0 lead.

The Lions remained the sole team on the scoreboard for the remainder of the first period; however, in the second period, Toronto’s Kassie Roache responded 36 seconds into the start of the second period with a goal for the Blues. More details.

Fotinos makes 49 saves in 2-1 loss to Rams

The York University Lions men’s hockey team lost 2-1 to the Ryerson University Rams in their final game of the regular season at Canlan Ice Sports on Sunday, Feb. 10, which began with an on-ice ceremony honouring graduating players Josh LaFrance and Stefano Pezzetta.

The Rams overpowered the Lions in shots in the first period as they fired 18 while the Lions responded with 10 of their own. The game remained scoreless for the first half of the period until the Rams were able to score at 10:54 on a goal by John Carpino. Ryerson, who had a fast-paced start, remained in the Lions’ end of the rink for much of the first half of the first period, but Lions goaltender Alex Fotinos did not allow them to extend their lead. More details.

The day before, the Lions lost 5-1 against the Brock Badgers on Saturday, Feb. 9 in St. Catharines, Ont.

At 7:22, Brock’s Brandon O’Quinn scored the first goal for the Badgers. A few minutes later, York’s Reid Jackman scored the first goal for the Lions, which was assisted by Alex Mowbray and Sal Filice as the teams ended the first period tied 1-1.

In the second period the Badgers were able to add another goal on the scoreboard. The Lions fired 16 shots on goal, none of which were able to find the back of Brock’s net. The Badgers shot 11 at the Lions. More details.

Lions toppled by Marauders on Road

The York University women’s volleyball team was defeated 3-0 by the McMaster University Marauders on Sunday afternoon at the Burridge Gymnasium in Hamilton, Ont.

The Lions fell in three sets to the Marauders despite an early lead at the start of all three sets. The Lions opened the first set leading the Marauders up until their 10th point, 10-8, after a service ace by Olivia Kim. The Marauders picked up a strong lead on the Lions, 16-10, after earning eight consecutive points. The strong lead led the Marauders to take the set 25-17.

The Lions once again led the Marauders throughout the first half of the second set. The Marauders tied the set 7-7, but the Lions earned five more points to lead the Marauders 12-7. The Marauders picked up their first lead on the Lions 17-16 and maintained their lead to win the second set 25-19. More details.

The day before, the Lions fell 3-1 to the Brock University Badgers on Saturday afternoon at Bob Davis Gym in St. Catharines, Ont.

The Lions made it difficult for the Brock Badgers to pick up a 3-1 win, keeping the game close in all four sets. The Badgers led the Lions 1-0 taking the first set 25-19. The Lions managed to tie the game, winning the second set 25-21. Despite a strong effort by the Lions, the Badgers took the final two sets, 25-20 and 25-17, to defeat the Lions 3-1. More details.

Lions start strong but drop game to Ravens

The York University Lions women’s basketball team lost 66-47 to the Carleton University Ravens on Friday, Feb. 8 at the Tait McKenzie Centre.

The Lions began the game by opening up a big lead in the first quarter. The Lions were able to drop 19 points in the first quarter of the game compared to eight for the Ravens. York’s Emma Jonas was able to secure eight points for the Lions in the first quarter, including two three-point shots. Katrina Collins-Samuels followed Jonas and was able to drop six points of her own to contribute to York’s 19-8 lead over the Ravens. More details.

The next night, the Lions fell 78-50 to the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees on Saturday evening at the Tait Mackenzie Centre.

The Gee-Gees opened the first quarter by putting up seven consecutive points before the Lions were able to get a point of their own. Megan MacLeod got the Lions on the board with a lay-up as they trailed 7-2. Midway through the quarter the Gee-Gees led the Lions 13-4, but the Lions picked up their game and trailed four points, 15-11, with one minute remaining. The Gee-Gees sunk two free throws to end the quarter leading the Lions 17-11. More details.

Athletics & Recreation student staff participate in collaborative, experiential training

The York University Athletics & Recreation Department, the Centre for Human Rights, Equity & Inclusion (REI), and the Simulated Person Methodology (SPM) Lab recently teamed up to deliver a rich experiential learning and training opportunity for student employees.

No photo description available.The groundbreaking training session focused on educating student staff on how to handle issues in the workplace, such as sexual harassment, racism, and creating a safe and inclusive space for all.

“We wanted to foster a feeling of community, support and inspire confidence in the ability of our staff to serve members in difficult situations,” said Andrew Hvizd, manager of fitness, lifestyle and client services with Athletics & Recreation. “To provide the level of service and support we expect out of student employees, we called upon our campus partners to develop and deliver a high-impact workshop educating student staff on sexual harassment, racism and creating inclusive space. We couldn’t have been happier with how everything worked out, and collaborating with REI and SPM on this project was a great experience.”

With more than 800 casual staff, Athletics & Recreation employs the largest group of student employees at York University. Many of the students are front-line staff who must be prepared to respond to a variety of sensitive issues. REI worked closely with Athletics & Recreation to understand the organizational challenges and needs related to staff training and development, which enabled them to create an educational and engaging workshop.

“Partnering with the Department of Athletics & Recreation and the Simulated Person Methodology Lab was an exciting and unique opportunity for the education team with the Centre for Human Rights, Equity & Inclusion,” said Allison Bishop, advisor of education and communications with REI. “Together, we developed an experiential, impactful workshop designed to help student staff understand the impacts of racism, homophobia, transphobia and sexual harassment; apply strategies for addressing comments and incidents in the workplace; improve capacity to provide appropriate and inclusive services; and better understand the needs of diverse staff, students, faculty and the York community. We are always interested in working with campus partners to develop innovative training that responds to the needs of learners in relevant and engaging ways.”

To help drive home the message and the learning objectives of the workshop, the SPM Lab was instrumental in creating an experiential learning opportunity using simulated persons methodology. In one of the scenarios created for the training session, the simulated person acted as a member in the Tait McKenzie Centre reporting an incident of sexual harassment. It was an opportunity for the “learner,” who was a student staff member, to play out the scenario and practise the learning objectives of identifying behaviour as potential sexual harassment, demonstrating empathy, providing immediate safety and providing additional resources, such as contact information for the Centre for Sexual Violence, Response, Support & Education.

“The SPM Lab’s vision is to promote excellence in delivering simulated person methodology as an experiential education approach to foster pan-university collaborations, liaison and network, as well as become a leader by enhancing simulation research intensity and capacity,” said Eva Peisachovich, founder and director of the SPM Lab. “Our work is centred on using experiential education methodologies to explore how people or learners interact with their worlds and develop personally and professionally.

“The SPM Lab supported Hvizd’s team in enhancing the customer service skills of the staff in Athletics & Recreation, which involved a race and gender element by collaborating with the REI department and through the use of SPM. This was an excellent example of how SPM was used in a non-traditional environment for the purposes of the training session and a successful collaboration between three departments.”

In addition to educating the student staff members on how to respond to sensitive situations, the experiential training session also focused on developing the students’ global competency and leadership skills.

“Our staff benefited greatly from the workshop delivered by the REI team earlier in January,” said Vienna Nguyen, a student staff member in Athletics & Recreation who participated in the workshop. “As individuals that come into contact daily with so many different members of the York University community, it was extremely helpful to learn and discuss how to create a safe environment at the Tait McKenzie Centre. Being able to engage in realistic scenarios with the SPM Lab and practise our skills in a safe space gave us the tools to return to our jobs and promote an inclusive space for our community.”

With one successful workshop now in the rear-view mirror, the Athletics & Recreation Department is looking forward to continuing their relationship with the SPM Lab in the future. The opportunity for additional experiential learning and training sessions that further advance student staff competency and skills is of great benefit to the Athletics & Recreation Department, allowing the dedicated staff members to better serve the greater York community.

Weekend wrap: Witter-Watts claims silver medal at OUA championships

Lions logo
York U Lions

The York University Lions wrestling team took to the mats at the 2019 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) wrestling championships in Guelph, Ont., at the Gryphons Athletic Centre on Saturday. As a team, the Lions achieved seven top-five finishes, but it was Shevonne Witter-Watts who shone the brightest as he brought home the silver medal in the men’s 57-kg category.

Witter-Watts defeated Francesco Fortino of the McMaster Marauders in a tight match 17-15 to advance to the gold medal final. In the final, he met up with Ligrit Sadiku of the perennial powerhouse Brock Badgers and lost by a score of 11-0 to wind up in the silver medal position. The medal at the conference finals is a first for second-year wrestler Witter-Watts, as he finished in fourth place in his rookie season last year. More details on the York Lions website.

Lions defend home turf at York Open, Crew sets new school record in weight throw

It was a successful weekend for the York University Lions track and field team at the 48th annual York Open at the Toronto Track & Field Centre, where they earned 10 podium finishes.

Thrower Brittany Crew led the way with a new school record of 19.80m in the weight throw, erasing her own record of 19.38m she set in 2015. The mark leaves her as the No. 1-ranked thrower in U SPORTS, and she’s on track for another dominant season at the OUA and U SPORTS championships. She also continued her dominance in the shot put event, winning with a throw of 17.16m.

On the track, the York Lions relay teams had a dominant meet, with the 4x200m women’s relay team of Mikeisha Bobb, Christy Ihunaegbo, Marvelous Agbonwaneten and Diana Boa winning gold in a time of 1:42:42, which is a new season’s best. The men’s 4x200m relay team of Daniele Orsini, Mark Hutchinson, Tohma Van Bergen and Quinn Charles also won the gold, with a time of 1:31:71. The Lions “B” team of Brandon Shokour, Demari Grant, Majeed Zabsonere and Sodiq Ibrahim won the bronze medal in a time of 1:33:77. More details.

Lions pick up big win on road over Lancers

The York University Lions women’s hockey team picked up a big win on Saturday as they defeated the University of Windsor Lancers 3-1 at the Windsor Arena in Windsor, Ont., on Feb. 2.

In the first period of the game, neither team was able to get a goal past the other. The Lancers were able to get 10 shots on goal against the Lions; however, they were all saved by York’s goaltender Eva Hall. The Lions were able to get eight shots on goal against the Lancers, but they too were unable to get to the back of the Lancers’ net. More details.

Lions defeat Paladins 3-0 at Tait

The York University women’s volleyball team defeated the Royal Military College Paladins 3-0 on Saturday afternoon at the Tait Mackenzie Centre.

The Lions cruised through three sets to earn their seventh win this season and are now sitting in fourth place with seven games left in the regular season.

The Lions led the Paladins through the first two sets, taking the first set 25-16. Despite the Paladins’ lead at the start of the first set, the Lions earned seven consecutive points to pick up a large 9-3 lead. The Lions entered the midway break with a 10-point lead, 16-6, and won the set after a kill by Sarah Williams. More details.

On Sunday afternoon, the Lions were defeated 3-1 by the Queen’s University Gaels at the Tait Mackenzie Centre. The Gaels topped the Lions in the first two sets; however, a strong third set by the Lions forced the game into a fourth set. Despite a comeback attempt by the Lions, the Gaels took the final set to win the game 3-1.

The Lions opened the match leading the Gaels with a kill by middle Aleksandra Steins. The Gaels led the Lions 2-1 shortly after and maintained their lead throughout the set. By the mid-set break, the Gaels were leading 16-11, but the Lions nearly tied the game with four consecutive points, trailing 18-16 near the end of the set. Despite a strong attempt by the Lions, the Gaels took the first set 25-19. More details.

Comeback in third set leads Lions to defeat Paladins 3-0

The York University men’s volleyball team defeated the Royal Military College Paladins 3-0 on Saturday afternoon at the Tait Mackenzie Centre.

The Lions made a big comeback in the third set, from a six-point deficit to defeating the Paladins in straight sets. The Lions are sitting in fourth place in the OUA East standings, with a 5-6 record with seven games left in the regular season.

The Lions sailed through the first two sets, hardly giving the Paladins the chance to lead. In the first set, the Lions entered the mid-set break with a 16-11 lead. Andrew Shotbolt earned the final kill to end the set with a 25-16 win. More details.

The next day, the Lions were defeated 3-2 after five sets by the Queen’s University Gaels on Sunday afternoon at the Tait Mackenzie Centre.

The Lions jumped out to a 2-1 lead over the No. 9 Gaels, but Queen’s came back and won the last two sets to defeat the Lions. The Gaels are sitting in first place in the OUA East standings with a 12-3 record, while the Lions remain in fourth place with a 5-7 record.

The Gaels had a strong first set, leading the Lions 16-9 by the mid-set break. The Lions managed to cut the large lead to just four points, 24-20; however, the Gaels earned the final point to take the set 25-20. More details.

Lions defeated by Gaels on Friday night

The York University men’s basketball team was defeated 111-71 by the Queen’s University Gaels on Friday evening at the Athletics & Recreation Centre in Kingston, Ont.

The Gaels had a strong game against the Lions and controlled the glass throughout the game by out-rebounding York 47-29. The Lions did a good job getting the free throw line throughout the game, making 24 out of 34 free throws (70.6 per cent).

The Lions were quick to lead the Gaels 7-4 in the first quarter after a steal by Somto Dimanochie led Prince Kamunga to nail a three-pointer. Four minutes into play, the Lions continued to lead the Gaels; however, after a jump shot by DeAndrae Pierre, the Gaels tied the game 11-11 after sinking a three-pointer. The Gaels made a free throw to lead the Lions by one point and maintained their lead to end the quarter 24-16. More details.

Lions topped by Gaels on Road

The York University women’s basketball team competed against the Queen’s University Gaels and fell 80-64 at the Athletics & Recreation Centre in Kingston, Ont.

The Gaels picked up a seven-point lead on the Lions midway through the first quarter. Despite the deficit, the Lions added eight consecutive points to lead the Gaels 15-14. Lauren Golding made a jump shot to increase the Lions’ lead on the Gaels. The Gaels nearly tied the game, but one last jumper by Haley Bowie allowed the Lions to lead the Gaels 19-18 by the end of the first quarter. More details.

Lions topped by Blues in Monday matinee game

The York University Lions men’s hockey team lost 6-1 against the University of Toronto Varsity Blues on Monday, Jan. 28 in a matinee game at the University of Toronto.

In the first period of the game, the Blues’ Joey Manchurek scored the first goal of the game at 5:31 with an assist from Justin Brand and Matt Campagna. Ten minutes later, Manchurek scored again with an assist from Aidan Wallace and Willy Paul. The Blues led 2-0 after the first 15 minutes until the Lions responded at 18:58 with their first goal from Sal Filice, with captain Scott Feser and Justin Bean picking up assists. More details.

On Friday, the Lions lost 5-3 against the University of Windsor Lancers during an away game in Windsor, Ont.

In the first period of the game, the Lions had 12 shots on goal against the Lancers. York was able to capitalize off one of the dozen shots, at 7:26, when Justin Bean scored the first goal of the game. That goal was assisted by Morgan Messenger, his 12th assist of the season, and Stefano Pezzetta, his seventh assist of the season. The Lancers were able to shoot seven shots on goal, but none were able to find the back of York’s net. More details.

On Sunday night, the Lions finished off a busy week by losing 3-1 against the Brock University Badgers during a home game at Canlan Ice Sports.

In the first period of the game, neither team was able to secure a goal, though York was able to produce 11 shots and the Badgers were able to fire 10 shots on goal against the Lions.

The Badgers started off the second period of the game with an unassisted goal from Brody Silk at 17:16. With minutes to spare in the second period, the Lions responded with their only goal of the game, at 18:46, by Peter De Coppi. It was his second goal of the season. More details.

Lions sports medicine manager Andrea Prieur named Team Canada chief therapist for FISU Games

Andrea Prieur

York Lions sports medicine and sports injury clinic manager Andrea Prieur has been named Team Canada’s chief therapist for the 2019 FISU (International University Sports Federation) Summer Games.

Andrea Prieur

Prieur, who was selected for her role at York in July 2018, will serve as chief therapist at the FISU Summer Games for the third time after being appointed to the position for the 2005 (Izmir, Turkey) and 2009 (Belgrade, Serbia) events.

In her role as chief athletic therapist, Prieur will lead a team of sport physiotherapists, sport massage therapists and athletic therapists who will oversee all of the treatment and medical emergencies for all of Team Canada’s athletes. In addition to her on-site role at the games, she is also tasked with planning for all of the medical supplies and equipment the athletes will require and setting up the therapy clinic prior to the start of the games.

“It is always a thrill to be a part of Team Canada and I’m really looking forward to attending the FISU Games again this year,” said Prieur. “I’ve been fortunate to attend other multisport events, but particularly enjoy working in this role at FISU. Being able to see our Canadian university athletes succeed at this level is an amazing experience and I can’t wait to be a part of it again this summer.”

Prieur, a York alumna who earned her certificate in sport therapy in 1997, is well-versed in major multisport events, having served as a therapist at the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Games; at several Pan American Games, including most recently in 2015; and at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2014. She has also worked as part of the integrated support team for the Canadian diving team since 2010 for events around the world.

Prieur was previously a lecturer within York’s Athletic Therapy Certificate program for 16 years and served as the placement co-ordinator and course co-ordinator for the program.

The 2019 edition of the FISU Summer Games will take place in Naples, Italy, from July 3 to 14.

Weekend wrap: Lions win second straight game with victory over Lakers

Lions logo
York U Lions

The York University women’s basketball team defeated the Nipissing University Lakers 78-69 on Saturday evening at the Tait Mackenzie Centre.

With the win, the Lions are still sitting in fifth place in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) East standings with five games remaining in the regular season. Despite a comeback attempt by Nipissing in the fourth quarter, the Lions held off the Lakers to win the game 78-69.

Megan Macleod and Katrina Collins-Samuels opened up the first quarter with successful jump shots for the Lions. After a basket by the Lakers, the Lions made three consecutive three-pointers, one by Collins-Samuels and two by Emma Jonas. The Lions had a large lead midway through the quarter, leading the Lakers 21-6. A final free throw by Megan Stewart ended the quarter with the Lions leading 24-13. More details on the York Lions website.

On Friday afternoon, the Lions faced the Laurentian University Voyageurs in front of a packed home crowd and picked up a huge 89-67 victory at the Tait Mackenzie Centre.

With only six games left in the regular season, the Lions picked up a must-needed victory against their division rival. The Lions and the Voyageurs both entered the game with a 6-10 record on the season; however, with the win, the Lions have moved to fifth place ahead of the Voyageurs.

The Lions had a strong start on the Voyageurs, eventually picking up a five-point lead of 16-11 after Chante Clarke and Haley Bowie nailed consecutive three-pointers. The Lions had the momentum of the crowd as they led the Voyageurs 20-13 midway through the quarter. More details.

York wrestlers reach podium at Ontario Junior Championships

Members of the York Lions wrestling team competed in the 2019 Ontario Junior Wrestling Championships over the weekend in London, Ont., and brought home one gold medal and three silver medals.

Lions rookie Bailey Agard led the way with a gold medal in the women’s 53kg division. Agard defeated Brooke Fletcher of the Windsor Lancers by a dominating score of 10-0 in the final round to reach the top step of the podium. Agard has now medalled in all six tournaments she’s competed in for the Lions this season in what has been an outstanding rookie campaign for the Cognitive Science major. More details.

Shields makes 46 saves in Lions 5-4 victory over Warriors

The York University Lions men’s hockey team beat the University of Waterloo Warriors 5-4 on Friday, Jan. 25 at Canlan Ice Sports to snap out of a three-game losing streak.

The Lions began the game with a goal just under four minutes in the first period. At 3:52, York’s Reid Jackman scored the first goal of the game with an assist from linemate Scott Feser and defenceman Sal Filice.

Soon after, at 8:24, the Warriors were able to also get a goal in to tie the game 1-1 against the Lions. At 13:09, York’s Justin Maiolino scored his fifth goal of the season, which was assisted by Nik Coric. To finish the first period, Feser, who started the game off with an assist, scored a goal of his own at 14:22 with the aid of teammates Justin Bean and Jackman. More details.

Lions post big win at home over Lakers

The York University men’s basketball team posted a dominant 77-57 win over the Nipissing University Lakers on Saturday evening at Tait Mackenzie Centre.

The Lions started the first quarter strong defensively to lead the Lakers 6-3 after five minutes of play. The Lions held the Lakers to a total of eight points in the opening quarter. With two minutes remaining, Gianmarco Luciani sunk a three-pointer to increase the Lions’ lead to 15-5 over the Lakers. With 15 seconds left, Chevon Brown made a huge steal and impressive dunk to end the quarter with the Lions leading 17-8.

At the start of the second quarter, the Lakers added five consecutive points, bringing the score to 17-13 for the Lions. By the midway mark, the Lions led the Lakers 25-17. Prince Kamunga and Luciani consecutively sunk three-pointers, causing the Lakers to take a time out with less than two minutes remaining. The Lions ended the half leading 36-24. More details.

A day earlier, the Lions lost a close 79-77 game against the Laurentian University Voyageurs in an action-packed game on Friday afternoon at the Tait Mackenzie Centre.

The Lions, who are now 5-12 on the season, competed against the Voyageurs, who improved to 9-8 with the win. The Lions got out to an early lead, which they held for the majority of the game, until the Voyageurs clawed back in the fourth quarter and won in a controversial way – with the shot clock buzzer going off with three seconds left, leading to confusion on the court between both teams. More details.

Lions medal 11 times in three meets over weekend

The York Lions track and field team continued their road to the U SPORTS championships with some great performances this weekend at three meets across Canada and the U.S. The squad achieved a total of 11 podium finishes, coming home with three gold, five silver and three bronze medals.

At the Robert J. Cane Invitational at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., Emmanuel Nketiah earned the gold in the long jump with a huge personal best of 7.10m and followed that up with another personal best in the triple jump of 14.24m and a fifth-place finish. These performances moved him to No. 3 and No. 4 respectively in the U SPORTS rankings. Pierce Lepage opened up his season with a bronze in the high jump with a mark of 2.04m that places him fourth in the U SPORTS rankings. Teammate Jackson West also came in fourth place in the high jump with a new season’s best jump of 1.95m. Leading the women’s jumpers was Leah Jones, who won the long jump with a new personal best of 5.70m. This performance puts her 7th in the U SPORTS rankings. More details.

Lions falls 4-1 to Ridgebacks on Sunday at Canlan

The York University Lions women’s hockey team lost 4-1 against the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) Ridgebacks on Sunday, Jan. 27 at Canlan Ice Sports.

The Ridgebacks, who picked up their seventh win of the season, scored the opening goal against the Lions at 6:16. Kassidy Ford’s shot found the back of York’s net, giving them an early 1-0 lead over the Lions, who had eight shot-on-goals in the first period compared to UOIT’s seven.

In the second period of the game, the Lions answered the Ridgebacks’ first period goal at 15:47. With the assist of Erin Locke and Tayler Murphy, Taylor Davison scored the first goal for York while netting her second goal of the season. More details.

Lions drop close 3-2 game to Warriors

The York University men’s volleyball team competed against the University of Waterloo Warriors and after five sets were defeated 3-2 on Saturday afternoon at the Physical Activities Complex.

The Lions entered the match with a 4-5 record on the season, while the Warriors had a 3-6 record. With the loss, the Lions are still in fourth place, two points ahead of the Nipissing Lakers, in the OUA East standings.

A tough battle, and back-and-forth momentum throughout the match, led the Lions and Warriors to take the game to five sets. In the first set, the score was tied a total of 20 times. With the score tied 23-23, it was Tyler Covach serving for the Lions that led to two attack errors by the Warriors, allowing the Lions to win a tough set 25-23. More details.

Lions fall in three sets to Warriors

The York University women’s volleyball team was defeated 3-0 by the University of Waterloo Warriors on Saturday afternoon at the Physical Activities Complex in Waterloo, Ont.

The Lions competed against the Waterloo Warriors, who are undefeated and sitting in first place in the OUA West standings. The Lions now have a 6-5 record on the season and are just two points shy of third place with eight games remaining in the regular season.

The Warriors had a strong start in the first set, leading the Lions 7-1 before the Lions earned their second point on a service error. The Warriors picked up an eight-point lead midway through the quarter, which led them to win the set 25-18. More details.

Lions welcome Voyageurs to Tait McKenzie Centre for School Day Game

The York University Lions men’s and women’s basketball teams will welcome the Laurentian Voyageurs on Friday, Jan. 25 for two exciting Lions School Day Game matchups.

Elementary and high-school students from around the York community will attend, resulting in what should be a large and enthusiastic crowd of young Lions supporters.

The event will feature a Fan of the Game contest as well as an on-court obstacle course with great prizes up for grabs. Admission for York students is free.

Matchups:

Women: York (6-10) vs. Laurentian (6-10)
Men: York (5-11) vs. Laurentian (8-8)

Game details:

Women: Friday, Jan. 25 at 11 a.m., OUA.tv
Men: Friday, Jan. 25 at 1 p.m., OUA.tv

Women’s players to watch

York
• Madison Bardoel (guard) had a strong game against the Gee-Gees last weekend, scoring 12 points in 18 minutes off the bench. Bardoel was perfect from the field, sinking all four of her field goal attempts, including two three-pointers.

Laurentian
• Emily Tinnes (guard) ranks third in the OUA in minutes-per-game (36.1). She leads the team with 14.8 points per game, is good for fifth overall in the OUA, and also has 4.0 rebounds per game and 3.4 assists per game.

Men’s players to watch

York
• Prince Kamunga (guard) leads the Lions with a 41.9 three-point percentage. He is having an impressive sophomore season, averaging 9.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in 21.5 minutes per game.

Laurentian
• Kadre Gray (guard) is one of the premier scorers in U SPORTS and leads the OUA with 30.2 points per game this season. He also ranks first in the league with 7.1 assists per game and is tied for 14th with 6.8 rebounds per game.