Silhouette Sports

The Silhouette PRESENTS

McMASTER SPORTS

YEAR IN REVIEW

2010-2011

Peter Goffin Executive Editor

INDEX

Brian Decker Sports Editor Fraser Caldwell Assistant Sports Editor LAYOUT & DESIGN Fraser Caldwell Brian Decker Peter Goffin Dan Hawie Natalie Timperio

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PHOTO & GRAPHICS Christopher Chang Brian Decker Jonathon Fairclough Jeff Tam Renee Vieira RIchard Zazulak

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KNOCK DOWN YOUR SHOTS

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AWARDS

EDITING Fraser Caldwell Brian Decker Peter Goffin Roxanne Hathway-Baxter WRITERS Fraser Caldwell Maggie Cogger-Orr Brian Decker Jonathon Fairclough Santino Marinucci Ben Orr Victor Pek Victor Raso Patrick Thornley

MCMASTER SPORTS IN 2011

EDITORIAL

BY BRIAN DECKER

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SPORTS TIMELINE

10 MCMASTER CHAMPIONS 14 SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY 16 TALKING TRASH 18 ATHLETES &AND SUPERSTITION 20 TONY BUZZIN 22 ATHLETICS AND SCHOOL

From Burridge Gym to the Back Ten fields, there’s something that feels like home for McMaster athletes. Long after they’re done making tackles and scoring points, they’ll be able to look back on Mac’s fields and courts as their own stomping grounds.

Balancing school and sports is a labour of love for athletes, no doubt bringing its challenges and tough times. But perhaps that’s what makes these places feel like home for athletes; it’s where they commit to something that becomes a part of their life forever.

Part of that life is spent on the court or field, and for any sport, there’s certainly no shortage of hours spent in the gym. But being an athlete is about more than practice, games and workouts. It’s about being part of a family of teammates and coaches; it’s about making connections; it’s about making yourself into a whole new person.

These pages will tell you a lot about what happened on and off the fields and courts for McMaster’s teams this year. There’s a lot to talk about, with three championship banners and countless OUA and CIS medals brought home - the Marauders weren’t shy about bringing home the hardware this year.

The men’s lacrosse team ended a long title drought, staking their claim as the best university team in Canada. The men’s rugby and volleyball teams both defeated bitter rivals from Western to win OUA Championships. And perhaps most impressively, Jessica Pearo put her name in history books by winning the CIS Cross Country championship.

Those were all great accomplishments that will appear in Marauder lore for years to come. But there was more to the year in McMaster sports than just the glory of those who claimed trophies, banners and medals.

In this publication, you can read about everything from the talented people that make up the McMaster community to the intricacies that define the culture of sports.

Whether you’re an athlete yourself, a fan or just somebody with an occasional interest in varsity sports, there’s somebody in the McMaster sports community who’s got a story to tell.

Read about these people here; maybe when you do, you’ll feel at home at too.

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Charting Success Highlights from a year of Marauder athletics Nov. 13

Oct. 30 Marauder football team defeats the defending champions from Queen’s in the OUA quarterfinals.

October

Oct. 30 The women’s cross country team wins OUA silver with Jessica Pearo taking the individual title in Guelph.

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Jessica Pearo follows her OUA-winning run in Guelph by topping the field at the CIS national championship meet in Sherbrooke.

November

Nov. 7 McMaster men’s lacrosse team completes its Cinderella playoff run by beating Brock 11-10 to clinch the CUFLA title.

November 14

Feb. 10-12

Men’s rugby tops the Western Mustangs for the OUA title at Fletcher’s Field.

The swim teams each win provincial overall bronze. McMaster swimmers clinch medals in 20 events.

December

January

Feb. 26

Mar. 11

The men’s volleyball team clinches a four-set victory over the host Western Mustangs to win the OUA Championship in London.

Victoria Coates garners a silver medal in the 3000m event at the CIS Track and Field Championships.

February

Nov. 27

Feb. 25-26

Mar. 18-20

Victoria Coates wins gold at the Canadian Junior Cross Country Championships.

Sara Giovannetti leads the Marauders at the OUA Track and Field Championships with a silver medal in the 3000m event.

Both squash squads claim bronze medals at the OUA Championships in Kingston. Patrick Morkus wins the Rookie of the Year award.

Feb. 26 Ryan Blake and Kevin MacLellan win silver medals at the CIS Wrestling Championships at Lakehead.

March

Mar. 18-20 The Marauder badminton teams each win bronze at the OUA Championships.

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2

KNOCK DOWN YOUR SHOTS

by VICTOR

PICK A TARGET Your hand-eye coordination is what lets you knock down shots anywhere from short range to beyond the arc.

Eye a specific place on the rim and try to hit it with your shot.

A lot of players look at the back of the rim or mesh and try to visualize the ball hitting it and going through the hoop.

RASO

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with BRIAN DECKER photos by JONATHON FAIRCLOUGH

ELBOWS OUT Get your arms out with your right elbow pointed at the rim. This sets up the extension and follow through of your release.

MAC'S SHARPSHOOTER GUARD DISHES ON HOW TO SHOOT THE ROCK

HOW TO SHOOT A BALL

Being a good shooter is about more than just talent.

You need solid fundamentals to consistently make shots, especially in game situations. Here are some ways to make your shooting more consistent.

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FOLLOW THROUGH With your shooting hand under the ball, follow through so your hand and fingers point downward. This helps you put the proper amount of arc and spin on the ball.

RASO STATS FIND YOUR BALANCE At the start of every good jump shot is a good foundation; you push off the ground to get your power on long range shots. You need to get your feet under you, your weight on the balls of your feet and be ready to lift off.

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POSITION: GUARD YEAR: 2ND PROGRAM: KINESIOLOGY POINTS/GAME: 10.2 REBOUNDS/GAME: 5.3 THREE-POINTERS: 40

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BEST OF 2010-2011 KEVIN MACLELLAN / WRESTLING

TYLER SANTONI / VOLLEYBALL

NATASHA TURNER / RUGBY=

Men’s Athlete of the Year Individual Sport

Men’s Athlete of the Year Team Sport

Women’s Athlete of the Year Team Sport

MacLellan came up just one match short of bringing home a CIS gold medal, falling to the three-time national champion in the 76kg class final and settling for silver. Still, the Hamilton native produced a stellar season, winning the OUA Championship in his class and adding another victory at the Western Invitational.

In McMaster’s Cinderella run to a provincial crown, Tyler Santoni was a constant presence on both the offensive and defensive sides of the net. In his fifth and final year with the Marauders, the Kingston native helped to lead a young and inexperienced team to an OUA title, being named a First Team All-Star in the process. Among the conference leaders in points per game average and blocks, Santoni provided a vital example to his teammates. His drive and intensity on court was unparalleled, and will be sorely missed in his absence next season.

For the fourth year in a row, a member of the women’s rugby team was named a member of the CIS All-Canadian squad.

But for the first time, Turner, a four-time OUA All-Star, appeared on the squad, joining the likes of Nina Bui and Sarah Van Hoof before her. Despite missing much of the season with a concussion, Turner was sixth in OUA scoring with 35 points off seven tries and was a constant threat as one of the most dynamic players in the country.

JESSICA PEARO / TRACK

SHAUNA WENTZELL / SQUASH

DAVE PRESTON / VOLLEYBALL Coach of the Year

Women’s Athlete of the Year Individual Sport There’s a certain aura about an athlete that dominates their sport so much that their winning becomes nearly a foregone conclusion. In 2010, Pearo became one of those athletes, winning every race she entered, including the OUA and CIS Championships. The fourth-year Kinesiology student left the competition in the dust at the CIS Championship, winning the race by a full 10 seconds on her way to becoming Mac’s first national Cross Country Champion. For Pearo, this wasn’t just a athlete of the year-type season - it’s a season that will go down as one of the best ever by a McMaster athlete.

Women’s Rookie of the Year Competing in a sport which pits her in one-on-one confrontations with many an older, more experienced player, Wentzell showed a level of composure this season that entirely belies her youth. As a rookie player, the Mississauga native claimed top spot in the ‘A’ Division of the Canadian University and College Squash Championships in Toronto. She later competed as the Marauders’ third seed at the OUA tournament, contributed to the team’s bronze medal finish.

Things can only get better for this young Marauder.

Preston proves it again and again: he simply knows how to win. McMaster’s men’s volleyball coach was faced with a tough task this season, standing at the helm of a team in transition. Yet, by season’s end, Preston had clinched yet another OUA title, marking his third in the past four seasons. His methodical approach to training succeeded in getting the absolute most from his group. For that, Preston must be lauded as the most effective coach in maroon and grey this season.

ANDREW FERGUSON / RUGBY Men’s Rookie of the Year The scrappy scrum-half from Mississauga was a major factor in taking a young, relatively inexperienced Marauder team from questionable pre-season expectations to becoming OUA Champions. Scoring 51 total points and being named an OUA All-Star, Ferguson never once looked like a rookie on the pitch, instead becoming a team leader and painting the picture of a very bright future for McMaster rugby.

SCOTT BRITTAIN / BASKETBALL Play of the Year With a huge divisional matchup at stake (against a CIS top-10 team no less), Brittain threw down a massive two handed dunk with time about to expire to give the Marauders a win over the rival Windsor Lancers.

The dunk wasn’t even so amazing for its thunderous ferocity as much as the epicness that only a game-winning dunk can provide.

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A YEAR OF

P I M O N A S H C 2010-2011

In a year which for many of McMaster's athletic programs was A rebuilding period, three teams managed to beat the odds and conquer the pack, winning Championship titles, banners and medals.

Relive the glory of three different victorious squads, each with their own triumphs and each forever marked as champions.

THE CHAMPIONS

MEN’S

RUGBY

By Maggie Cogger-Orr and Brian Decker After a disappointing fourth-place OUA finish in 2009, there were many who questioned whether the McMaster men’s rugby dynasty was coming to a close. Head coach Phil White took a sabbatical trip to New Zealand, and was replaced by the fresh-faced Shaun Allen. Veteran players like Keegan Selby and Andrew Lombard, architects of some of Mac’s finest victories, were nowhere to be found, and a host of talented-but-green rookies dotted the field for the McMaster side. It looked as though the team that had won five of the past eight OUA titles was on its way down. But those doubts were eventually dispelled and, at season’s end, another OUA Championship banner was raised in McMaster’s hallways.

Instead of overpowering foes like a 15-man wrecking ball, this year’s young, athletic team took up a regimen of fitness, speed and agility – one that would end up paying dividends. Bigger teams found themselves overmatched by the breakneck Marauders squad, which now looked to forget their weaknesses and build from their strengths. In this new-look lineup, versatility was key.

Explosive rookies like Davor Stojanov and Andrew Ferguson gave McMaster an edge over slower enemies, while battle-hardened veterans like Tyler Ardron, Mike Sheppard, and Grant Schneider provided the the squad with plenty of muscle.

Suddenly, there was a new, yet ominously familiar challenger to OUA supremacy. That challenge was posed to the OUA status quo, with Mac completing a quartet of teams fighting it out for the Turner Trophy. Lesser teams like U of T and Guelph couldn’t keep up with McMaster, while close battles were fought with Queen’s and Brock in intense regular season matches.

And then there was Western. With Mac and Queen’s hav-

ing lost veterans to graduation, the Mustangs were touted as the team to beat in 2010.

That accolade certainly seemed to be true as the Mustangs defeated Mac 14-8 on their own field in the regular season finale. And before McMaster could even hope to exact revenge on Western, they would have to go through the defending OUA Champions from Queen’s. But the Marauders authoritatively dismissed the Gaels to set up a rematch with Western in the finals.

As the Marauders took the pitch for the championship game, a steady drizzle fell from the sky and the pitch turned from crisp green turf to a muddy battlefield befitting the barbaric warfare of a championship rugby game. And, with the unforgiving conditions staring them in the face, the young team grew up a bit.

When the game got underway, it was suddenly the Mustangs who looked like the underdogs.

McMaster used its deft speed and crisp execution to dominate play and take a suddenly commanding 20-7 lead before halftime. The Mustangs slowly made their charge, coming within three points as the final minutes approached. But then, unbecoming of their youth, McMaster pushed back. With their veterans holding strong, the young team was suddenly an emboldened and energetic one, proving to be too much for the tired Mustangs to overcome. As the final whistle blew, a 20-17 final score proved that a team that was dismissed as too young to win a championship had done exactly that.

If there is a lesson to be learned from this Cinderella story, it may be that, when it comes to McMaster rugby, you ought to think twice about questioning such a dominant tradition.

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THE CHAMPIONS

MEN’S

LACROSSE

By Ben Orr

PHOTO C/O CAMERON DUNLOP

The 2010 edition of the men’s lacrosse team got off to a shaky start, falling 11-5 to the Western Mustangs. But the Marauders ended the year strong, winning their Canadian University Field Lacrosse title since 1987.

For head coach Ed Comeau, the victory carried major significance. The last time Mac hoisted the Baggataway Cup as national champions, he was a player on the team. “It has been a long time but I have one as a player and a coach now. I am happy to be part of this. I am real proud of our team. A great group of guys who believed in what we did and worked hard to get it done,” said Comeau after the win.

The victory is especially impressive considering their opponents in the final were the juggernaut Brock Badgers, who had won seven of the previous eight titles. The 2010 Brock team boasted four All-Canadians, and had defeated the Marauders 6-5 in their heart breaker of a final regular season game.

After notching a 5-5 record in the regular season, the Marauders’ underdog playoff journey began against the leagueleading Guelph Gryphon’s in the CUFLA quarter finals. The Gryphons had six All-Canadians on their roster, and had led the country with 20 points and a 10-0 mark in the regular season.

However, riding a pair of momentum-gaining strikes by Tommy Hurley, the Marauders defeated the mighty Gryphons 9-4 in Guelph. The victory earned them the right to play Bishops Gaiters in the national semi-final.

The semi-final proved to be much closer, but the Marauders were not to be denied, squeaking out a 11-9 win in a fourthquarter comeback. Kevin MacRory and Carter Williams both had

four goals in the nail-biting match. Brock defeated Carleton in the second semi-final match, setting up a national final between the Marauders and the CUFLA-dominating Badgers.

Playing in front of a capacity crowd at St. Michael’s College Stadium in Toronto, the Marauders led 7-3 going into the third quarter. After back-and-forth play, and by goals by MacRory and Kyle Dawson, the Marauders were able to hold on for the national championship.

“We thought we had been playing real well the last six weeks. We thought we had a chance to get it done. Brock is a good team, they have been a champion for a lot of years for a reason. We are happy to get a big win, it is great for our program,” said Comeau.

He also applauded the stellar play of MacRory and goaltender Joseph Tallis, who was named tournament MVP. “Kevin MacRory seems to have a knack for scoring big goals for us. He has done it every year he has been here. He is a true finisher.

He played great, but we go great efforts from so many of our guys. Joe Tallis was awesome and he has been awesome all year.

When you have a goalie back there that you are confident in to make a save it makes a big difference to your defence.”

MacRory and teammate Jon French were named CUFLA All-Canadians, and the Mac coaches were named Coaching Staff of the Year. MacRory led the team with 17 goals in the regular season and 11 in the playoffs. It was as improbable as it was long over due, and the underdog Marauders now look to the 2011 season. Next season, however, it’s unlikely anyone will view the Marauders as underdogs for a second time.

THE CHAMPIONS

MEN’S

VOLLEYBALL

By Fraser Caldwell It wasn’t supposed to happen. The Marauders were young, vulnerable, and missing a key component of their team. They might be able to compete, but they couldn’t possibly hope to win a title, could they?

That was the narrative on many observers’ minds as the OUA men’s volleyball championship came into focus in late February. And yet, the underdogs from McMaster did much more than compete at the provincial Final Four. They won it all. Quite convincingly in fact.

The Marauders toppled the competition in both the semifinal and final rounds of the championship tournament, knocking off the hometown favourites from Western to claim provincial supremacy. It was the most jubilant of scenes for the Maroon and Grey, and one which had seemed entirely improbable only months earlier.

Rewind the Marauders’ season to Oct. 23, and you would find them in the same building, Alumni Hall, encountering drastically different results. It was only the second match of McMaster’s conference season, the team having dropped their opener the previous night against the Windsor Lancers.

Already having been dealt a major blow the previous week, with the injury of star outside hitter Jeremy Groenveld, the Marauders were on the ropes. The graduation of several key players had left the McMaster squad with more holes than the theory of intelligent design. Gone were their starting setter and first-choice libero and, at the early juncture which saw the Marauders on a fall visit to London, none of the team’s legion of fresh faces had managed to take over either of the contentious positions.

And so it is perhaps understandable that McMaster seemed ill-equipped to handle a more experienced and cohesive Western squad on that October night. The purple-clad Londoners taught their visitors a stern lesson, sending them home to Hamilton after four unsuccessful sets.

For a program as accustomed to success as McMaster’s volleyball outfit is, a 0-and-2 start is an alarming rarity. But rather than hit the panic button and heap further disaster on their season’s inauspicious beginning, the Marauders remained confident

that success was just around the corner.

Lo and behold, the wins began to appear. The Maroon and Grey racked up victories in droves. Soon enough, McMaster was back in the position of contention that it had grown so accustomed to in recent years.

Of course success was not uniform or uninterrupted. Don’t believe me? Just utter the word “Waterloo” in coach Dave Preston’s presence. Or – if you value the proper functioning of your limbs – don’t. But for the most part, the Marauders found their feet in the treacherous climes of the OUA. Why the change? How had a team seemingly without direction gathered steam so suddenly? Simply put, the men of the Maroon and Grey had found a collective identity.

On a technical level, the positions in which uncertainty had reigned at the opening of the season were filled. More than occupied, spots were gladly taken up by men who were equal parts motivated and capable.

But McMaster’s reversal of fortunes was a result of much more than simple X’s and O’s. It came about through the leadership of a core group of Marauder veterans, which enriched the team’s legion of youngsters and lent them an all-important measure of belief. It was a process achieved through the vocal exhortations of Tyler Santoni, slowly crafted through adherence to the understated examples of Josh Lichty and Kevin Stevens. And it was immensely powerful.

Armed with such a force, McMaster could confidently confront opponents whose team sheets appeared far more impressive than their own. And so it was that the Marauders put the lauded lineups of Queen’s and Western to the sword on the largest stage.

Certainly the Cinderella story was not completed in the fullest sense. McMaster would not enjoy quite the same magic when they fought for the national volleyball title in British Columbia. But their OUA accomplishment was impressive enough by that point.

The Marauders had overcome crippling uncertainty to be crowned provincial volleyball royalty. And who could honestly ask for more?

PHOTO BY RICHARD ZAZULAK

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WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS

Tip #3: Action vs. Reaction There’s a common misconception that shooting sports is all about the action. Remember that a photo tells a story and that every sports game has a winner and a loser. Athletes will react to their environment, sometimes celebrating and other times breaking down. Understand the game you’re shooting, follow it very closely, and try to capture the positive and negative reactions of the athletes. The most telling sports photos are the ones that evoke an emotional reaction from the viewer, allowing them to react to the picture like they’re actually there.

Jonathon Fairclough explains how to shoot top-quality sports photos Photos by Christopher Chang, Brian Decker and Richard Zazulak

Tip #1: Know your camera There’s no point showing up to a sporting event and shooting in “Auto” mode.

Understanding your camera will allow you to track the action freely without having to think about settings on your camera. You’ll need fast shutter-speeds (over 1/500 of a second), telephoto lenses, low apertures (anywhere from 1.2f – 2.8f), and precise ISO levels in order to achieve the right shot.

Tip #4: When in doubt: shoot, shoot, shoot.

Think Dirty Harry: shoot first, asking questions later. You’ll maximize your chances of snagging some useable photos if you shoot freely and without hesitation. Shoot athletes at readyposition, mid-action, and after the fact. Take photos of mascots, cheerleaders, crowd members, coaches, and officials. Anticipate the play and shoot the entire thing all the way through. Who knows, you may even get a silly photo of the opposition, like this one!

Tip #2: Think like an athlete, not a photographer.

Try to anticipate where your subject is going, and prepare yourself for the shot ahead of time. If you follow your subjects every move without thinking forward, you’ll just be leaving it to chance.

What would you do if you were playing?

Where would you go? Plan and shoot accordingly.

Tip #5: The bigger the dive the better People tend to take photos of the primary action in a sports game. Whether it’s someone shooting a basketball, kicking a soccer ball, or spiking a volleyball, most beginner photographers will shoot the primary action instead of getting the excitement in between. Anticipate a tackle, a block, a hit, a dig, or even a mad scramble for the ball.

Some of the most entertaining sports photos are of great leaps and dives, so plan accordingly.

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Say it

cks to make ri b h g u o n e ’ in w ro th “You’re

a house.”

“You shoot

LOUD

“T blind, “Are you

ref?”

Santino Marinucci investigates “No b atter, no bat ter, no bat ter!”

the fierce tradition of talking trash in sports

m t hi r “Hi you h t wi se!” pur

PHOTO BY JEFF TAM

like my dea

he Leafs suck!” “Alex Rodriguez is totally overrated!” “You’re only a Green Bay fan because they won the Super Bowl, don’t talk to me about football!”

As a sports fan, you have a potent variety of options when it comes to voicing your frustrations with your fellow spectators. Or you can take your anger to the referees, who seem to constantly manage to completely screw up while doing their job. “Get off your knees ref, you’re blowing the game!” is probably one of the tamer things to say when a ref just isn’t getting the memo and you’re three beers into a Raptors game.

In any event, whether the referee is throwing games, or the world’s most hated player is on the field, people love to trash talk, and they especially love it when they are doing so from the safety of their seats.

Trash talking and sports have become synonymous over the years, and it is almost a competitive element of sports themselves, getting people so riled up about their favourite team or player.

What is even more amazing is that we condition our youth to do the same, to pick one team over another, to call the players out when they cross the line. Ever since sports have been around there has been trash talking.

The best part about it? We love it even more when chirping occurs between the actual players. I like to think of it as watching a soap opera of men on the ice, field, or basketball court, except that these soap operas have fistfights and swearing. Because when you really think about it, when we make a big deal about trash talking and feuds between players, we are just dressing up Gossip Girl in athletic equipment and sports.

Take LeBron James, for example. If he were to walk into Cleveland right now he would probably be castrated upon arrival. This player-city conflict is mainly because of the Decision LeBron made, but it was taken to an entirely new level with trash talking. Cavaliers majority owner, Dan Gilbert, eloquently said in a letter to the team’s fans that James’s decision was both “narcissistic” and a “cowardly betrayal.” He called James’s televised special a “shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own.”

Ouch, that hurts.

Sometimes there can be reoccurring trash talking rivalries between specific players whenever they are matched up against each other. A good example of this would be Sean Avery vs. whoever pissed him off that day. I point to the “Gatorade incident” back in 2008, when the Dallas Stars’ Avery was trash talking players on the San Jose Sharks, and subsequently sprayed Gatorade on Shark, Jody Shelly just because he had pissed Avery off.

One could argue that trash talking is present in every sport, which to some extent is true. However, it is more prevalent in sports like hockey and basketball because, with 82 games in a season as opposed to 16 in the NFL, there is plenty of time to get angry at opposing teams and players, creating heated rivalries.

Though many people think that there is no place in sports for trash talking, and it is just a vulgar by-product of the game. In most cases, there are fouls and penalties against players who excessively trash talk during the game, so it is not as if this sort of thing goes unchecked. In some instances, when it gets out of hand I would agree that verbal jousting should be toned down. However, the majority of the time, it is a very important aspect of the game and, without it, one of the most important factors in sports becomes lost: team pride.

Give or take the odd team brawl due to trash talking, the phenomenon has its place in sports culture as an acceptable means of heckling, of which almost everyone approves.

d grandma.”

“Jeter sucks!”

k more c u s u o Y “ cuum!” than a va

17

S

WHAT'S YOUR

RITUAL? Fraser Caldwell looks at the weird world of athlete superstition.

Playoff beard, undefeated in three years

Lucky jersey, worn since peewee

Lucky gloves, stolen from the Bulldogs dressing room

Lucky boxers, gift from parents

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pend any considerable time around a sports team in the lead up to a competition, and you’ll notice something quite peculiar. Each athlete is preparing in his or her own unique way.

Some can be seen lounging in their seat on the charter bus, with eyes closed. Music is loudly blaring from ear buds as they hypnotically nod their heads to the beat, absolutely oblivious to the world around them. One shudders to think what scale of disaster or atrocity would be required to actually wake them from this trance.

Others play cards, and banter loudly in the back rows. They gather together before competition as a rule, often in exactly the same groups each time.

For these athletes, there is comfort to be found in company. The comments and jokes serve to keep them perpetually loose, oblivious to any pressure associated with competition.

These are two of the most common archetypes one witnesses within a team, but they are hardly the only ones. Because a belief in routine is rampant among athletes, and those strict sets of preparatory steps are as unique and varied as the individuals who practice them.

But does an adherence to routine amount to superstitious belief? Popular accounts of professional sports stars often play up the superstitious nature of their trade, highlighting the most interesting and confusing practices.

Think of Michael Jordan, who was said to wear his collegiate North Carolina shorts beneath his jersey at all times, with a fervent adherence that could described as almost religious in nature.

What about Patrick Roy? The legendary goalie boasted a few of the most curious superstitions of any professional athlete. He made a habit of conversing with his goal posts, and would strictly avoid skating over the blue and red lines, regardless of the arena in which he found himself.

Stories such as these lead many to assume that athletes are inherently superstitious. We come to believe that should anything interfere with the strange rituals of our favourite performers, they will simply lose their all-important self-belief.

However, upon quizzing varsity athletes, one comes to realize that their conception of pre-game ritual is radically different than the popular vision of superstitious dependence.

While they acknowledge that routines exist to a large degree, they deny that any violation of these routines would actually cause them to lose confidence or adversely affect their performance.

Rather, routine is a means of ensuring comfort and peace of mind, as opposed to rationalizing a guarantee of success.

For his part, linebacker Ryan Chmielewski, the third-year centerpiece of the Marauder football squad’s formidable defence insists that he cannot be regarded as superstitious.

“I wouldn’t say that I am superstitious, but I do have a routine that I like to do,” said Chmielewski.

“A couple hours before our games, I like to go to the middle of the field and stand on the team’s emblem.”

“I stand there to think about the upcoming

game, and what I need to do to help us win. It’s the same routine on the road as it is at home, but I do get a bit more pumped up by being able to stand on our symbol as opposed to other ones.”

The linebacker indicates that this routine of his came about instinctually, almost as soon as he donned the maroon and grey.

“I started doing this in my first game for McMaster and to be honest, I don’t know how it started,” said Chmielewski. “It helped me focus on the game and block out other things that I had going on in my life and so I continued to do it.”

However, the linebacker does not believe that interference in his routine would adversely affect his ability to play the game, as he argues that his purposes are highly flexible.

“When people interrupt me while I’m trying to think, it’s not a big deal. In fact, it kind of makes me think even harder about what I have to do for the team.

As long as I get those few minutes to myself, I’m fine.”

As a team, the Marauder football contingent has one routine in particular which the players and coaches cherish. It involves each player hitting a team plaque that hangs in the dressing room before moving out onto the field. Chmielewski recounts the significance of this act for the team.

“This symbolizes who we are, and what we will do for the team. Hitting this plaque means that you’re a McMaster Marauder and that you’re going to give everything you have for the team on this day.”

A number of shared drills and a series of player and coach speeches round out the Marauders’ routine, and they are designed specifically to energize and focus the squad.

Kevin Stevens, a standout sophomore hitter on the McMaster men’s volleyball team similarly indicates that he and his team have highly defined routines, but discounts the level to which they represent superstition.

“My routine involves a number of steps,” said Stevens. “I shower before every practice and game to clear my head. I call my parents back home in Winnipeg before games to remind myself of all the people I want to make proud, listen to the same playlist of music to visualize outcomes before I head out on to the court, and place my jersey in the same spot on the bench.”

Despite the complicated nature of this routine, the Manitoban outside argues that it cannot be strictly regarded as superstitious, because a break in its chain will not do any serious damage to his playing ability.

“These steps can be broken,” said Stevens.

“If my iPod isn’t charged, it’s not the end of my day.

It changes a step in my routine and may affect me for that moment, but I can’t be consumed by it.”

The players believe their routines to be something quite separate from superstition, and their conviction does much to dispel the popular myth of athletes who live in a constant fear of failure.

These performers do not follow a set pattern of practices in an alarmed attempt to avoid losses. They simply see them as a means to boost morale and ensure comfort among their respective teams in preparation for the rigours of competition.

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IN BALANCE Anthony "Tony Buzzin" Bishop dishes on being a baller,, a rapper, and a father at the same time

BY VICTOR PEK Anthony Bishop is a unique member of the McMaster community. At age 24, Bishop is a tremendously gifted athlete on the Marauders basketball team. Despite missing much of the 2010-2011 season with a back injury, he hopes to rebound in a big way in the upcoming year. In addition to sports and school, Bishop has embarked on a musical career under the name Tony Buzzin.

He is serious about pursuing music and has released a video entitled “Turnt Up” which features him rapping over music by Roscoe Dash. On top of that,and perhaps most importantly to him, Bishop is a family man. He has a three-yearold daughter, Nevaeh, whom he is raising while he studies, plays, and raps.

Bishop’s academic requirements, athletic commitments, musical artistry, and family responsibilities all contribute to a very busy lifestyle, but he is determined to make it work. Marauders coach Amos Connolly has said that Bishop plays the game of basketball with a high level of intensity. It becomes quite apparent when talking to the young renaissance man that this fervour follows him off the court. Bishop attacks all of his goals the same way he attacks the rim: with desire and drive.

PHOTO COURTESY TONY BUZZIN

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What’s the story behind your rap alias, Tony Buzzin?

Well my first name is Anthony, so “Tony” comes from there.

“Buzzin” comes from a guy that used to go to Mac named Ibrahim Bamba. Whenever he saw me, he would say “Whaddup Buzzin Buzzin Buzzin?” He’s a French guy, and I had no idea what that was about, but I liked it. I used to go by “Bishop” or “Young A.B.” but one day I was in the studio and it just came to life. I said ‘Tony Buzzin” and I stuck with it.

You have four major things going on in your life right now. You have academics, basketball, your music career, and family life. What is it like to balance so many important responsibilities?

You mentioned that your mom was apprehensive about the music that you listened to growing up. Now that you yourself are a parent with a young daughter, what are your thoughts on her listening to such music?

Truthfully, there are so many different kinds of rap and music.

I’m a very artistic, creative person, so I don’t close the door on any avenue. But there are definitely certain words and lyrics that I would not want her exposed to until she is old enough to truly understand the meaning and the weight behind them. But I’m definitely not someone that would say “You can’t listen to rap”. I would have to sit down and speak to her, in-depth, about the meaning behind what she’s listening to.

It’s crazy. It’s actually insane sometimes.

It helps that my partner, Brooke, is so supportive of every aspect of my dreams.

Some days I’m waking up at 7:30 am, dropping Nevaeh off at day care, coming to school and going to class, and then going to practice from 6:30-8:30pm. I really only record on holidays and during the summer.

I shot the [music video] right before the school year. During the Christmas break I just write the whole time, and throughout school semesters I write. Then I take a chunk of time and go into the studio and just bang out a lot of songs.

Do you ever listen to your own music when preparing for games, or do you have other material that you prefer?

Do you draw on anything in particular during your songwriting process? Does basketball play a role?

I was injured for the majority of the season, which was really hard. I was still going to every practice and every game because I love the team. I was really supportive.

When I finally got my chance, [my teammates] were so happy to see me back.

When I had my first in-game dunk, they went crazy for me. That was an amazing feeling. I’m really looking forward to being healthy for next season.

When preparing for games I love to listen to hard-hitting rap. I like a lot of Rick Ross and a lot of South beats. But I definitely have some of my songs in the mix, and [McMaster game host] DJ Jukebox plays one of my songs over the speakers during warm-ups.

What are some of your best memories from this past basketball season?

No, not really. I usually draw on things that I experience with my friends. I’m not really a political rapper, I just like a good fun time. [I write about] things going on in my life, things I see on TV. It’s all about a vibe I get about different situations in my life.

Are you working on any albums right now?

PHOTO COURTESY RICHARD ZAZULAK

I’m working on my first mix tape right now. It’s going to be called The Resume. I’m just putting it together and trying to decide on a DJ to co-host it. I want to put it out this summer, that’s my wish, and just have my first piece of “all-me” out there.

What kind of material do you use as inspiration for your brand of rap?

A lot of the new guys, a lot of backpack stuff. I was first inspired to start rapping by Jay-Z’s The Blueprint. I was in New Jersey at my cousin’s house and he had a copy of it. We were just bumping it and I thought, “This stuff is so sick.” It inspired me to start writing. My mom didn’t really let me buy rap CDs because they’re so explicit, so my friends used to buy them for me. I would hide them inside comic books in my room. One time she found one and played it, and heard some of the lyrics. That disc got Frisbee’d real fast.

What are your expectations for next season, for yourself personally, and for the team as a whole?

For myself, I don’t think a lot of people know my true potential.

I think a few teammates have an idea, but I really want take the opportunity to show everyone. As for the team, we have great new class of recruits coming in here, and our immediate goal is to win the OUAs, and then go eat up the nationals. We definitely would love to go there.

As on older player, do you feel that you can offer some help and mentorship to the new recruits as they try to adjust to the higher level of play?

Definitely. I remember when I came in, [former Marauder Adam] Steiner and those guys would talk to me and it was refreshing.

They helped me get through some turbulent times. I definitely want to take on a leadership and mentorship role.

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DOUBLE PLAY A look at the balancing act of being a student athlete

I

t’s 5 a.m. on a pitch-black Sunday morning in late September as you wearily make your way through campus towards the David Braley Athletic Center. Carrying your golf clubs, golf shoes, and a backpack filled with schoolwork, you hastily walk to meet the team vehicle. Campus is dead at this hour and the sound of your clubs rattling together as you move is the only noise to cut the heavy silence on the dimly-lit McMaster grounds.

Walking across campus provides you get the opportunity to think about the assignment you have due on Monday, and the test this coming Wednesday. It gives you time to think about the fact that your roommates had a party last night while you merely mimicked sleep for six hours.

Meandering through campus, filled with all of these thoughts, you realize that none of it matters to your coaches; today you have to perform in your first tournament.

This is one of many harsh awakenings to the reality of being a student athlete and member of the McMaster University golf team.

Now, I am probably the first person to admit that at six feet-four inches, and about one hundred and seventy pounds, I am likely pound for pound McMaster’s weakest varsity athlete.

However, for those who know the sport of golf, most of the secrets to the game do not lie in brute strength but rather in honing and finessing a deft touch with the short game and a smooth repeatable swing.

Like any sport, keeping your game in shape while trying to excel as a student is likely the biggest challenge an athlete faces while at university. Of course, for people who play more physically demanding sports like football or basketball, it may be hard to see why a varsity golfer would ever struggle to balance a sport and school. In that case, please indulge the following:

As golf is an outdoor, weather-dependent sport, the season comes at you in a fury from early in September until the Ontario University Golf Championships in late October. As a member of the golf team you are required to practice each weekday from about 3:30 p.m., until the sun is too low for you to see, usually about 8 at night. Add in the fact that a golfer can’t just go to a field on campus to practice, and there is another twenty minutes tacked onto each end of our practices for transportation to and from the golf course.

When you consider the number of classes most students have after 3:30 from Monday to Friday, it is easy to see

just how much school a varsity golfer misses for practice alone.

But every member of the team knows that part of what gets them a shot at playing in the events is commitment to the daily practices, so missing class is almost a necessity. Considering that most Mac golfers will play four to five events in a season, they are also losing upwards of 12 hours of schoolwork to play in each tournament. I’m not complaining; I knew all of this when I spoke to the coaches the summer before I came to university. None of it was a surprise.

As a student in the Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours) program, my workload is as heavy anyone’s, but I didn’t want to let golf negatively affect my schoolwork. So, before coming to university, I created four goals and told myself to keep all of them. I wanted to obtain good grades, play on the golf team, have a strong social life and foster a relationship with the Hamilton community through various volunteering extracurriculars.

What does this mean for a student athlete? Time management, focus, and dedication were are of the utmost importance. I know that from about 2:45 in the afternoon until about 9 o’clock, when I am home, showered, and done dinner, I will set aside time for the golf team. It simply becomes a question of how well you want to do in school and how little sleep are you willing to have nightly.

The hardest part about being a student athlete for me is coming home after an event in which I have played poorly.

It would be easy to play the woe-is-me card and pack it in for the night, but the beauty of student athletics is that it forces you to block out your school while playing your sport and to block out your sport while doing your schoolwork. The two separate worlds of academics and athletics both enrich my university experience and help me to stay focussed on what is truly important in my life.

I truly feel that being a student athlete is a great challenge, as your time management skills and dedication to your sport are put to the test. The temptation to let yourself fall behind in class, or to hit the snooze on that alarm clock is definitely enticing, but what golf has taught me is that without sacrifice and hard work you don’t get anywhere in the game or in life.

Admittedly, the school golf season runs me a bit ragged. But, like every varsity athlete, the opportunity to become part of a team - something bigger than myself - is worth every bit of the effort.

By Patrick Thornley

"Like every varsity athlete, the opportunity to become part of a team - something bigger than me is worth every bit of the effort.”

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PHOTO BY JONATHON FAIRCLOUGH