WEEK IN REVIEW
October 2 - October 9, 2001 Vol. 4 Issue #38
Compiled and Edited by Julie Parkins

ATHLETE RESULTS

TEAM CANADA WINS SERIES AGAINST SWEDEN 3-0

CALGARY, AB--Team Canada finished their British Columbia Tour on a winning note, defeating Team Sweden for the third straight game, 10-0 at the Port Alberni Valley Multiplex in Port Alberni, BC.

Drolet

It was a night of milestones for Canada's National Women's Team, with Nancy Drolet scoring her 50th all-time goal with the National Women's Team and Gillian Apps scoring her first ever goal with the National Women's Team in the first period.

Wickenheiser

Canada jumped out to an early 1-0 lead thanks to Drolet's marker and would score four more times in the first period and take a 5-0 lead into the dressing room. Hayley Wickenheiser lead the way for Canada scoring two goals and adding three assists. Sami Jo Small recorded the shutout for Canada, stopping all nine shots she faced. Wickenheiser was named Canada's player-of-the-game, while Joa Elfsberg took the honors for Sweden.

COACHES: Daniele Sauvageau, Wally Kozak, Mel Davidson

CALGARIANS REACH EVENT FINALS AT PAN AMERICAN GYMNASTICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

CANCUN, Mexico-Scott Lang of Calgary was seventh on vault, while Kylie Stone of Calgary reached the event final on beam, at the Pan American gymnastics championships held this past weekend in Mexico.

Canada fielded a junior squad and placed seventh in the women's team event with Stone, Heather Purnell of Ottawa and Julie Medeiros and Tracei Rai, both of Vancouver.

COACHES: Tony Smith, Horia Iliesu, Stephania Iliesu

IN THE NEWS...

CALGARY COACHES TO RECIEVE AWARDS

OTTAWA - Fourteen coaches have been selected to receive Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Awards this year. The winners will be presented with their awards at the Coaching Awards Dinner on October 20th, 2001. The Coaching Awards Dinner is the highlight of the three-day Sport Leadership 2001 conference that is being held October 19-21 at the Delta Meadowvale Resort and Conference Centre in Mississauga, Ontario.

The Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Awards are presented to coaches whose athletes or teams win a medal at an Open World Championship, an Olympic Games or Paralympic Games. Award recipients will be recognized before more than 400 of their peers gathered at the Sport Leadership 2001 conference.

The following Calgary coaches will receive awards:

Moira D'Andrea of Calgary was a member of the US short and long track speed skating teams for 10 years. She represented the US at the 1992 and 1998 Winter Olympics. She now works out of the Olympic Oval in Calgary coaching Canada's junior sprint team. Moira receives the award for having coached Cindy Klassen to bronze medals in the 500m, 1500m and 5000m at the World Sprint Championships in January of this year.

Born in Windsor, Quebec, but now residing in Calgary, Yvon De Blois has a long history of coaching. He has coached at all levels, including seven World Championships and has been head coach at the FISU and Canada Games. He will receive a Petro-Canada Award for having coached Canada's women's speed skating team to a bronze medal at the World Championships.

Sean Ireland of Calgary was a member of Canada's speed skating team for seven years prior to turning his energies to coaching. He represented Canada at the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics. Sean coached Mike Ireland, Catriona Le May Doan and Jeremy Wotherspoon to gold and bronze medal performances at this year's World Speed Skating Championships.

Danièle Sauvageau grew up playing hockey in Montreal, but now she directs Canada's women's hockey team from the Olympic Oval in Calgary. Winner of the 3M Coaching Canada Award in 1999, and nominated for the same award this year, Danièle receives the Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Award for having coached our women's hockey team to a gold medal victory over the United States at this year's World Championship.

OLYMPIC OVAL LAUNCHES SLC 2002 SECTION OF WEBSITE

The Olympic Oval has launched a "Countdown to Salt Lake City" section of their website. Check it out for profiles on their Olympic hopefuls, a message board, and weekly features on athlete preparations for the games.

CANADIAN PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE ANNOUNCES NEW DIRECTOR GENERAL

Ottawa (ON)- The Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) is pleased to announce that Brian Mac Pherson is the new Director General as of October 1st. Brian assumes the Director General responsibilities from Bob O'Doherty who was functioning as the Interim Director for the past four months.

"I am excited and enthusiastic about the opportunity and look forward to serving the CPC team in accomplishing their strategic plan goals" says Brian. Brian has been involved in amateur sport for over 18 years as both a professional administrator and volunteer. Brian will be an outstanding addition to the Paralympic movement based on his knowledge, experience, and accomplishments in governance, resources and program development, and major games.

Brian comes to the CPC with a tremendous breadth of experience within the national sport system. Having held senior managerial positions within Water Ski Canada, the Federation of Canadian Archers and the 1988 Calgary Olympics, Brian developed his skills in games, event and facilities management and the operations of provincial, national, and international teams. As a volunteer within the Paralympic and Special Olympic movements, Brian has developed an intricate understanding of disability sport and the varied partners needed to develop a world class Paralympic team.

COACH IN PROFILE

YVON DE BLOIS - NATIONAL COACH,
SHORT TRACK SPEED SKATING
By CSCC Practicum student - Kristie Pletsch

Yvon De Blois believes that everyone should have a twinkle in their eyes.

De Blois, head coach for the national short track speed skating team, wants his athletes to enjoy their sport - from their training right through to competitions - and he strives to enhance this enjoyment whenever he is at the rink. But the greatest requirement that De Blois has of his athletes is that they must believe in themselves. That's why he looks for a twinkle in their eyes - because then he knows they are truly happy.

Yvon was a high school teacher for 22 years before he retired to become a full time speed skating coach. He was never a speed skater himself - rather he played the great Canadian sport of hockey. His introduction to speed skating occurred while he was coaching at a summer track and field camp when some colleagues approached him to coach speed skating the following season. He has never looked back.

Yvon firmly believes that you must live for each day, and not get stuck in the past. Successes may be had, or mistakes made, but coaches and athletes alike should learn from these, using them as stepping stones to always move forward. "A skater should be careful not to predict their performance at an upcoming race based on something they have done in the past," says De Blois. "Each day is a new day, and must be lived fully."

Coaching is not all about physical preparation but most of all being a person who cares, believes De Blois. He finds strength in his athletes and support staff team, and knows that he wouldn't be the coach he is today without the support of all those around him. Coaching is a difficult profession, because you are a coach 24 hours a day. Yvon believes that the most difficult aspect of being a coach is trying to constantly maintain that "twinkle in the eyes" knowing that he can never force it - it will only happen naturally.