Big-O

Waterloo County Rugby

2011-12-09T10:51:00.000-08:00

I started playing rugby in grade ten and i havn't looked back since. I play for Waterloo County Rugby Football Club, which is a combined club of Kitchener, Waterloo, and Cambridge. This past summer, out club won the Marshall Provincial League, which boosted us up to the Marshall Premiership. With this promotion, our club is getting very big and we had over 100 membersthis summer. I think that this is going to be great for all the young guys for myself because playing in the Marshall will mean that everyone gets great experience to play with the best of the best. I enjoy playing rugby with the group of guys that are in our club because we always work very hard and after the game we have a great beer up with the other team. Being promoted to the Marshall Premiership means that our travels will be longer and we will have to leave much earlier on Saturday mornings for away games. I am looking forward to playing again this summer, but the training has to start now in order to be ready for the summer. here is a link to our club's website: http://waterloocountyrugby.com/

The new Stork Family YMCA

2011-12-09T10:42:00.000-08:00

The newly built Stork Family YMCA, which is located on 500 Fischer-Hallman Road is a great place for the whole family to come and enjoy all different types of programs. Parents can come and drop off their kids in the morning at the fun factory, where kids play with toys and make crafts, while the parents themseleves go do a workout. They can also drop off their little ones in the play centre from 9-1pm, then someone will take care of their babies, while they go to their spin class or yoga classes and more. In the facility, there is a basketball court for everyone to enjoy all different sports and activities and upstairs there is a gym for people to workout in. There is also a swimming pool with lanes for people to swim in and a shallow end for kids to play in. There is a library for everyone to go and enjoy some quiet time and read their favourite books. The new YMCA is a great place for everyone to come and have some fun and there are classes of all levels for people to enjoy. I highly recommend a visit to the YMCA, where you can get a tour of the whole facility before becoming a member. Here is a link to their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/#!/YMCAsofCandKW

The Winter Season

2011-12-09T10:31:00.000-08:00

The winter season is by far my least favourite time of the year for many reasons, but here are the main reasons why I hate winter. I don't like shoveling snow off the driveway and scraping the car in the morning and also, I hate it when your socks and boots get all wet. I do not play any winter sports, which makes it hard for me to stay motivated and be active. I hate coming out from the gym and being all sweaty because that is when you catch a cold. Also, driving in the winter time can be very hectic because of all the bad drivers out there and the slick road conditions. Some people don't even bother to put on winter tired, which makes me think that they are crazy. Another reason why I hate winter is because the sidewalks are always piled up with snow and the city does not always get the chance to clear the sidewalks. When I walk to work, I have to climb a mountain of snow in order to get to the mall parking lot, otherwise I have to walk all the way around to get there. By the time I get over the pile of snow my hands are soaked and my boots are full of snow, which makes everything that much worse. Here is a link to the Canadian Tire website, which has all different kinds of winter tires: http://tires.canadiantire.ca/view/content/search?types=Category&key=Winter%20Tires&page=tire&cid=KW_etires_Winter_AD3_En&gclid=CJvOotDP9awCFYHAKgod_gvrSQ

Block Placement at the new Stork Family YMCA

2011-12-09T10:22:00.000-08:00

I started my placement on November 28, 2011 and I have had the greatest experience hee at the YMCA. In the morning I work with 3-5 year old kids in the fun factory, where they get to play with toys, read a story, have a snack, do a neat craft, and they play in the gym. After that I go to the play centre and work with little babies, which has brought a whole new perspective on things into my life, which I thought never existed.
I have had such a wonderful time here at the YMCA, that I am going to keep volunteering for three months in order to get a free membership. I love working with children and this placement experience has made me realize how great this field of work is.
Here is a link to the website for the new Stork Family YMCA:
http://storkfamilyy.ca/en/index.asp?utm_source=StorkFamilyY_ca&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=redirect

NBA lockout

2011-11-22T18:32:00.000-08:00

This years NBA season has been delayed and possibly cancelled due to a lockout, where the owners and players can't agree on certain issues such as the salary cap and other labour wages. The players are not able to play the game that they love and the fans are really missing out on this seasons excitement. The holidays will not be the same without the NBA and we will not have a game to watch on Christmas day. All the excitement of the NBA All-Star weekend will not be enjoyed this year because of the lockout and there will be no playoffs that we all love. Some players have gone to Europe to play basketball there and many more are considering it. In the near future, hopefully the players and the owners will reach a consensus and the NBA seaon will be underway. Stay tuned for more!

New Zealand All Blacks World Cup Rugby Champions

2011-10-24T18:31:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, October 22nd, the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team won the world cup in New Zealand. They played a very strong team in France, who gave the All Blacks a hell of a match. The final score of the match was in favour of the all Blacks 8-7, which is a very low score in rugby. It is hard to lose by one point, but the French players gave it their all and left it all on the field. The next world cup will be held in London, England in 2015. Here is a video of the finals ceremony: http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/video/index.html

Ted Nolan Foundation

2011-10-24T18:23:00.000-07:00

This past week, I was able to spend a week with the Tim Horton Children's Foundation at Onondaga Farms, who have partered up with the Ted Nolan Foundation to serve aboriginal kids with an experience of a lifetime. During the week at camp, there are many activities that the kids can partake in, such as; archery, tile making, music, high ropes, sports like basketball, football, soccer, volleyball and many more. Other program areas such as the barn or mountain biking are very popular amongst the campers. Campers participated in a ceremonial circle and performed was what called "smudging" which was the burning of sage to take away all the negative aspects in your body and mind. I enjoyed being a counselor for the Ted Nolan Foundation because it gave me the chance to work with aboriginal kids, which I have never been able to do before. I had a great time at camp and I am looking forward to going back as soon as possible. Here is a link to the Tim Horton Onondaga Farms website: http://www.timhortons.com/ca/en/difference/onondaga.html

Funny video I found on Youtube

2011-10-12T13:35:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r1CZTLk-Gk&feature=share

BBM world is in a craze!

2011-10-12T13:31:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning and every had a status update on their Blackberrys or Facebook about BBM being down. Everybody is constantly complaining about how bad the service From RIM is and how they want to switch to an iPhone. I personally don't care that BBM is down because I can pick up the phone and call someone to contact them. I think that people are way to attached to their phones and that a simple phone call is out of the question for most people. People should worry more about what is going on in the world and not complain about how shitty BBM is.

Marketing in Recreation and Leisure

2011-09-29T07:42:00.000-07:00

Marketing in Recreation and Leisure is about the exploration of marketing concepts and methods available to public, commercial and private leisure service organizations. Topics include: the societal marketing philosophy, market research, market segmentation, and marketing mix strategies related to programming, distributing, pricing, and promoting leisure services. The benefits should not apply only to those who can afford to participate in activities or actively seek them out. Leisure's potential to improve the quality of lives of individuals with mental and physical disabilities as well as at-risk youth, adults, and families speak to the potential that recreation has for social welfare. Making the benefits of recreation available to the public requires that individuals, heads of households, and community leaders are aware of and buy-off on the benefits of specific programs. The job of recreation professionals is not only to provide opportunities for achieving benefits, but to get the word out. Stay tuned for more posts on proffesional marketing in Recreation and Leisure.

Condors Gameday

2011-09-29T07:32:00.000-07:00

Today the Condors will be travelling to Toronto to play Seneca College in a OCAA rugby match. This is a must win game for the Condors as we are coming off a tough loss against Mohawk College. Seneca is a solid squad and will play hard for 80 minutes. The Condors have to play their game and keep the tempo up for 80 minutes in order to come away with a victory. MY goal is to score a try today and also to play some solid defense against Seneca college. The game is at 4:30pm in Toronto, and we will be leaving the college recreation centre at 2pm sharp. Stay tuned for post game details!

Recreation and Leisure Services

2011-09-28T21:07:00.000-07:00

I'm going to be blogging about marketing in the field of recreation. Recreation and leisure is a very interesting field and it is hard to explain what a recreation professional does. This blog will help explain recreation throughout the semester as I post more about professional marketing. Stay tuned.

Canada beats Tonga!!!

2011-09-14T10:09:00.000-07:00

On September 14, 2011, team Canada opened their rugby world cup with a victory against Tonga. Due to the time zone difference from Canada to New Zealand, the game was broadcasted on TSN at 1:00am. Canada got off to a 10-0 lead early, but by half time the score was 10-7. The Canucks managed to comeback in the second half, while they were down 20-13. They then scored two quick tries to seal the comeback. This victory is the 7th world cup victory for Canada, and to win against Tonga is a huge momentum builder for the Canucks. The next match is on Sunday September 18, against France at 4:00am. The following match will be against Japan on September 26th, at 11:30pm. Stay tuned for more exciting updates on Canada at the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.