Page 12 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 47

12 October 2016 If you saw an ad in Sports Energy, Please mention it to our advertiser.

Cornwall Girls Hockey to See Some Big Changes

This 2016/2017 Season

membership elected to look at the
By Molly Kett
ODWHA. The executive members
voted in favour,” says McLeod.
he Cornwall Girls Hockey
TAssociation (CGHA) has an McLeod says there have been some
exciting season coming up with a lot of “growing pains” in terms of timelines
change. Rod McLeod, in his twenty- required in order to submit rosters and
prepare schedules while understanding
fifth year with the association, through
being a volunteer coach and president the rules of the ODWHA.
of the association for seven years, says “It is obvious that making the jump to
there has been a major change in the the ODWHA has taken some autonomy
way they operate their house league from our association but it appears that
going to the ODWHA may be best for
this year.
the association in the long run,” says
“In the past, the association ran a
house league with teams from around McLeod.
the area such as Alexandria, Morrisburg, The CGHA provides hockey at a
and Akwesasne. Over the last few competitive level as well as house
league. This year, registration is
years these teams have either folded or
moved to the Ottawa District Women’s hovering at around 300 members.
Hockey Association (ODWHA). With McLeod says he is particularly proud
this kind of change our association of their Tyke program, which continues CGHA Team Members Working On Goalie Development.
continued to run a stand-alone house to grow year after year. Photo Submitted
league, but this became difficult to do Currently, the association is in the
given that some divisions were left middle of preparing their competitive the provincials in the same year. Of well received by our parents. We have
with one team,” says McLeod. and house tournaments that will be particular note was our Atom team also entered into an agreement with a
He continues to say the association held this October and November. that came home with the bronze medal goalie instructor, Adam Russo, to help
had to get creative when it came to “Teams from the surrounding areas as after having played seven full periods in our goalie skills development and he
scheduling games. “For the most well as from Ottawa, Toronto, and New of overtime hockey. Our house teams will be available to teams as a support
part our teams played inter-divisional York State have registered to play,” enjoyed a record year in terms of instructor and consultant.”
games. However in the last couple of says McLeod. “These tournaments championship and placement awards,” McLeod is certainly excited for what
years our association members began always require a lot of support and we says McLeod. promises to be another successful year.
to ask that we look to the ODWHA as are forever thankful of the volunteers After such a successful season last “Our association will be entering
a way to maintain interest in playing within the association who help make year, the association will maintain into uncharted territory. It will be a
hockey. We already had competitive both tournaments very memorable.” some of the same aspects as before huge learning curve for an association
teams playing in the ODWHA. It Last year, the association had seven amidst many changes. that has been operating as a stand-alone
was a matter of giving our membership teams earn their way to the Provincial “Our association continues to for over three decades,” says McLeod.

an opportunity to vote on the prospect Championships. maintain an emphasis on development. “But it is a new chapter and we are
of moving to the ODWHA or staying “This was largest number of teams Our novice skills development program looking forward to seeing how this
in-house. A small majority of the that our association has ever sent to is just in its third year and has been very story will unfold over time.”

Karate Komments - Improving Your Health

and Fitness with Karate

revealed that the martial artists had better aerobic keeping practioners focused, taking them away
capacity, balance, flexibility, and strength. The from the stressors of their daily lives. Very
By Jim Riddell, VO2 Max test results measuring cardio-vascular few people are genuinely fit – if fitness was a

Seaway Karate Club fitness showed that the martial artists enjoyed criterion for beginners not many people would
a significant advantage over their sedentary ever start karate classes. Adult karate classes
peers. A one hour karate class, twice per week are a mix of younger adults, some approaching
arate is an excellent sport to begin as an can help lower the risk of developing one or middle age, and some who have already entered
Kadult even if you have had no previous more of the couch potato diseases, such as high into those years. It is a sport that has a social
experience in the martial arts. The benefits blood pressure, high cholesterol, type-2 diabetes, aspect, can be started at any time, and continued
go well beyond learning some self-defence and obesity. As for weight management, it is for a lifetime. You may think that you lack the
and can help to improve your overall health estimated that an average karate class will burn speed, balance, strength, and co-ordination for
and well-being. The British Journal of Sports approximately 600 calories per hour, which the martial arts, but with a few short months of
Medicine reported on a study comparing two groups it at the top of the activity list for calorie training the self-confidence will begin to build.
groups of middle aged adults (both men and consumption. The training provides an aerobic You will begin your karate training as a white
women), one comprised of martial artists, the workout that uses every muscle group in the belt, but that is still a higher rank than you had
other a sedentary group. The test results clearly body. The benefits go beyond the physical, sitting at home on the couch.