adrenaline march 2010

www.adrenalinereginasports.com 1

March2010

Battle of the Prairies Haley WielerYoga

Regina’sTaryn

Wicijowski

ADRENALINE Regina Sports March 20102

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March Features

04 Welcome

05 Y’er WelcomeA rush of Adrenaline

06 Gear up to...Stretch, Strengthen, & Relax

7 All AboutGroup Training

12 In ReginaBattle of the Prairies

14 Taryn Wicijowski

16 Dami EgbeyemiMind & Body Training

20 Focus OnYoga for Athletes

22 Event Calendar

TABLE OF CONTENTS

18 Forever & TodayDennis SobchukPart of the 1974 Regina Pats Memorial Cup team, Dennis Sobchuk’s #14 jersey hangs from the rafters of the Brandt Centre. While no longer living in Regina, his heart still belongs with the Pats.

10 Get to KnowEric ClarkAfter five years with the University of Regina Cougars track and field team, Eric Clark is ready to move on to the next step and take on the business world.

8 Haley WielerRecognized at home and internationally, Haley Wieler is moving through the ranks as a linesman and looking forward to achieving all her goals.


March, in the sports scene, is a time for playoffs. Our hockey teams are looking for big wins, basketball is nearing the end of the season, and the University of Regina Cougars are looking to the CIS Championships.

Olympic fever is coming to a close after we cheered on our athletes in the last two weeks of February. Regina produced big things with three gold medalists in Lucas Makowsky (long track speed skating team pursuit), Ben Hebert (curling), and Ryan Getzlaf (hockey). Also be sure to tune into the Paralympic Games, held March 12-21 in Vancouver.

There are exciting things happening in Adrenaline this month. Our newest columnist needs no introduction. Bob Hughes has been a well-known sportswriter for many years, covering every team and level of play in the city. We are lucky to now have Bob writing for us each month, sharing his views on Regina’s sports community.

We also welcome on board the YMCA, who are joining us as a fitness partner. Sports and recreation are part of a healthy lifestyle. Each month the YMCA will share their knowledge on many aspects of health and fitness.

In this issue we focus on the mind and body connection in addition to our regular sports features. We feature Dami Egbeyemi, who uses brain training to further his martial arts career, and we talked to Stu Foord of the Saskatchewan Roughriders on how yoga can benefit any type of athlete.

With so much going on, we want to know what you think! Contact us or visit us online at www.adrenalinereginasports.com and stay connected.

Cheer hard,

Julie FolkEditor

FROM THE EDITORAdrenaline: Regina Sports

Issue 6: March 2010

Published by: Adrenaline: Regina Sports

Editor-in-Chief: Julie Folk

Administration Manager: Allie Folk

Sales & Marketing: Ashley Kasdorf

Contributors: Bob Hughes, Maurice Laprairie, Patrick Ash, Keenan Flegel

Printing: Impact Printers

Distribution: Canada Post

ISSN: 1920-468X

Contact:Adrenaline: Regina Sports(306) [email protected]

To advertise: [email protected]

Website: www.adrenalinereginasports.com

Cover design: Jay Roach/AdSpark

Creative Direction : Jay Roach/AdSpark

Copyright covers all contents of this magazine. No part of the publication may be re-used or copied without the expressed written consent of Adrenaline: Regina Sports.

GET YOUR COPY OF ADRENALINEWestern CycleRiver City SportsTrack & Trail/Sunshine & SkiWest Soccer Rugby ShopRegina Sport GroupUniversity of ReginaJava Express, Stone’s Throw, Second CupSouthland MallVictoria Square MallSudsCelis Taekwon-DoMajor Medical Centres

1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION JUST $22/year! Email: [email protected]: 1434 Wascana Highlands, Regina, SK, S4V 2K2

Playoff time...


I like people who dream big. I like

people who not only dream big, but go out and take their dream into the real world. Maybe I like that because I’ve had the opportunity through a long newspaper career as a columnist with daily newspapers in Regina, Saskatoon and Calgary to watch some of the greatest dreamers take their ambitions to reality.

I’ve spent a day with the greatest boxer ever – his name was Muhammad Ali. I used to go to Edmonton all the time

when the Oilers were in their dynasty years and, so, I got to watch and spend some time with perhaps the greatest hockey player ever in Wayne Gretzky. While on a break from a vacation in Scotland and England, I watched Tiger Woods win the 2006 British Open Golf Championship at Hoylake in Liverpool. I saw Ron Lancaster win more than he lost when he was a Saskatchewan Roughrider, and I was gifted in that we became good friends, forming a bond that lasted until his death. They all had one thing in common, those people did. They dreamt they would be the best they could become, and they all achieved remarkable sporting status though great athletic ability and a burning desire to succeed.

About six months ago, a friend asked me if I had come across Adrenaline: Regina Sports. “What’s that?” I responded. He told me it was a new sports magazine that had just been published in Regina. I hadn’t seen it. But I went out and found one. It was launched in July of 2009, its first issue appeared in September, and it has already made a significant impact on the city’s sports scene. So far, five issues have come out and they’ve been distributed to an expanding list of readers, numbered around 10,000.

It’s slick, well designed, well packaged and imaginative. It features stories and photographs of a wide variety of Regina sports events, teams and athletes. You won’t find anything like it in the city. There’s never been anything like it in this city.

I first came across Julie Folk during the days she was freelancing with The Leader-Post. When she left The Leader-Post after the paper went through a series of staff cutbacks, I felt they had lost somebody who had a genuine talent for writing.

Little did I know that she would surface at the top of her own magazine, living her dream.

The first time I saw the magazine, I was blown away by its

diversity in stories and its writing. It’s the real deal, and it’s going to be around for a long time.

Where better to start up a local sports magazine than Regina, a city that’s growing rapidly, and a city that’s crazy about sports, both professional and amateur? There is no better place, and that’s why this magazine will soon be in every home and business in the city. People here can’t get enough of sports, and Adrenaline: Regina Sports is giving them something they won’t find anywhere else.

When I retired from The Leader-Post almost two years ago, I figured my days of writing a column were done, and I was quite content with that. Forty-seven years of it had given me my fill. But, my wife Loretta, who owns a real estate company (Exit Realty Fusion), came across Julie’s magazine and looked at advertising in it. “You should write a column for her,” Loretta told me. She mentioned the same thing to Julie. So, here I am, getting a rush of Adrenaline, as it were.

Julie is the best kind of editor to work for. She told me I could write about anything I wanted. So, I did, and I will, and it’s going to be fun.

Julie has put together a great web site with up-to-date sports stories and results. You can check it out at www.adrenalinereginasports.com.

And, don’t forget to check out the actual magazine. It’s worth the journey.

A rush of Adrenaline By Bob Hughes

Live life now.Stapleford Physiotherapy & Rehab Clinic is the premier wellness centre in Regina. We offer a wide range of programs and services to get you back to optimal health. Our team of professionals are friendly and knowledgeable. We want you living life to the fullest. Call our office at 543-0990 or visit www.staplefordphysio.ca.

376 McCarthy Blvd N., Regina, Saskatchewan • Phone: 306.543.0990

PhysiotheraPy • exercise theraPy • occuPational theraPy • Dietician

Y’ER WELCOME

Column photo by Maurice Laprairie


Cotton Fleece Hoodie

Hoodies are extremely comfortable, especially here in Saskatchewan. To make it even better, One Tooth offers the choice of 100 per cent cotton, or cotton with a fur lining. The hoodies are even more popular because of the many colour choices available – from watermelon pink to rainforest green to royal blue and much more.

Yoga clothing is fun, functional, and comfortable. Not only that, but it’s also versatile to become activewear or lounge wear. Regina shoppers have often made the trip to Moose Jaw for Hoopla clothing. Now they can stay in the city for their yoga wear, as One Tooth Activewear – which has the same product and the same owner – has set up shop in Regina. “We make quality products at the most affordable prices. We realize that a fun yoga experience doesn’t have to be expensive,” said Deanne Guest, manager of One Tooth, who showed us some of their most popular products.

Stretch, Strengthen, and Relax

O Jacket

The O Jacket is perfect for anyone, with its long torso, generous sleeve length, and slimming lines on the front and back. It’s functional with two zipper pockets, quick dry and wicking. Available in several colour combinations, it also makes a great team jacket; team discounts are available.

Button Long Coat

One Tooth has short, medium, and long shell jackets. The button long coat is very popular and can be dressed down to wear to yoga or dressed up with a pair of heels. The outer layer is wind- and water-resistant for all weather. The coat is available in brown, charcoal, black, grass, and wineberry.

Belly Band Top

When it comes to yoga or workout tops, there are many different styles to choose from. The Belly Band Top has a long torso and a cross-back, with a built-in shelf bra. It’s wicking and quick dry as well as chafe-free with flat seams to wear to yoga, for a run, or to a workout at the gym.

Rainbow Pants

Yoga/activewear pants are available in many different styles, from figure flattering to loose fitting. The Rainbow Pants are low rise with a straight leg and a unique angled top band, in several different colour combinations. They can be bought with a regular length or in the long style for those with a little height. Also wicking and quick dry with flat seams and chafe-free, the Rainbow Pants are great for yoga, workouts, or to lounge in style.

GEAR UP TO...


One of the most popular trends in fitness is group fitness training. Experience new ways to get fit and have fun

doing it! If you are not sure what to do when you show up at your fitness centre or if your regular workout is feeling too routine and uninspiring, mix things up and try group fitness training.

Is the following your usual routine at your fitness centre? Jump on a cardio machine and complete a few strength exercises, maybe chat with a few people you know, and then call it a day. Next time you show up you just repeat the same routine. You notice that your current routine really hasn’t led to any significant change in your body or how you feel. The primary reason for this is because over time your body will adapt to your same routine, and without adding new challenges or changing what the exercises do, you are bound to stay and look the same. This is when group training can be a great alternative for you.

Group fitness training involves a structured exercise session led by a fitness trainer. Often the group is made up of friends and/or family, which provides great motivation, encouragement, and accountability for participants. A typical group training class involves a variety of training

methods in order to make your workout fun, exciting, and help you achieve the results you are looking for.

One of the most important decisions you will have to make is to figure out what type of group training you should join. For example, at the YMCA of Regina we have two group training classes to meet the needs of our community.

The first class, called “Newbie,” is twelve weeks in length and designed to help those either new to the fitness centre or at beginner level, introducing them to a structured exercise program. This program allows a maximum of eight participants and includes a variety of exercise methods to keep you excited, motivated, and challenged while helping you improve your fitness.

The second class we offer is a more advanced option for those looking for a greater challenge. “Rippled ’N’ No Chips” is a 12 week fat-busting lean-muscle-building program which is designed to specially increase your metabolism while decrease your body fat. The training involves a variety of dynamic movements and exercises, all geared towards changing your body into that lean mean machine you’ve always wanted.

We encourage you to give group training a try and see how it can change the way you view your fitness centre and, more importantly, how you feel and look! If you are interested in finding out more information about our Group Training programs please contact us at 757-9622 or email Keenan at [email protected].

Group fitness trainingALL ABOUT

By Patrick Ash and Keenan Flegel


SPORTS PERSONALITIES

Haley Wieler initially began officiating due to curiosity.

That curiosity now has grown to a passion and a way of life.

“The reason I got into it was because of (my husband) Nathan,” said Wieler. “I wanted to understand why he enjoyed it so much, and why it was so important. It just so happened I had a knack for it and I’ve been able to travel the world because of it.”

Since becoming a linesman through the Saskatchewan Hockey Association seven years ago, Wieler has worked her way up to officiating AAA Midget and Senior B hockey locally, and to an international level at world competitions. She never imagined this type of success in officiating when she first began, but now she can’t imagine living without it.

Wieler had learned to skate when she was a child through figure skating and ringette, but had never played hockey. Her husband, Nathan, had been a referee since he was 16, and was reffing in the WHL.

“I had never officiated but had always played sports,” said Haley, who was a softball player. “I didn’t really understand why he was so into it. You don’t win, you don’t lose. But I knew he loved it and I knew he was really good.”

Haley attended many of the games Nathan officiated, and eventually decided to take the Saskatchewan Hockey Association referee clinic. When she went, many other referees didn’t take her seriously. But she continued on, and not only learned from the clinic, but also got back on the ice. Then 24, she had been off her skates for 12 years so it took some work to get back into it. Her first game was nerve-wracking, but she said pretty soon a light bulb turned on.

“The first year I only did maybe three or four games,” said Haley. “The next year – I’m not kidding you – I did 254 games of hockey. I just couldn’t get enough. I loved it. I used to go to the outdoor rinks to work on my skating. All of a sudden when I started to get my edging back I could keep up with the play. I was working on my skating all the time and had Nathan as a personal coach. A lot of the credit goes to him coming to the minor hockey games and coaching me as I became a student of the game.”

Nathan initially was surprised at Haley’s interest in the game. But it didn’t take long for her to exceed his expectations through hard work and a passion for hockey.

“She’s fallen in love with the game,” said Nathan. “She has a determination and a competitiveness, which I think is driven by being a female in the male game. She loves being on the ice and being a part of it, so that’s also a big motivator. She cares so much about her performance on the ice. If she does have a mistake she learns from it and she’s made sure her skills are where they need to be.”

In her third year of officiating, Wieler was asked to an entry level tournament in Salmon Arm, BC, for the Women’s Under-18 National Championship, where she did the bronze medal game. From there, the opportunities kept coming. The next year she went to the Women’s Esso Nationals in Sydney, Nova Scotia.

Her first international game came on New Year’s Day in 2006, an IIHF Canada vs United States Olympic Exhibition game in Winnipeg. Wieler worked with two officials who were selected to go to the Olympic Games that year.

“That was probably one of the most amazing games I’ve ever done,” she said. “I believe Canada won but I honestly can’t really remember. There were over 16,000 people there. When I skated on the ice, I thought my legs were going to give out. Canada came on five seconds after us. The whole crowd erupted.”

Wieler has continued to attend international competitions, including the 4 Nations Cup in Kitchener, Ontario in 2006, the Women’s Worlds pre-tournament game in Winnipeg in 2007, the Women’s World Division IV Championship in Miercurea Ciuc,

Making the call


Romania in 2008, the Women’s Under-18 World Championship in Calgary in 2008, the Women’s Worlds Division I Championship in Graz, Austria in 2009, and a Women’s Canada Cup game in Vancouver, among other national tournaments. She’s worked hard for the opportunities at an international level in women’s hockey and has the goal of officiating at the Olympic Games.

Wieler has also worked her way up in the local hockey scene. She still refs minor hockey games, but primarily does higher levels of hockey. Four years ago she began officiating in the male and female AAA midget leagues, and three years ago began in Junior B after requesting the placement.

For two years running, she has been voted by the teams and coaches as the Junior B Linesman of the Year, an accomplishment she was happy and excited to receive.

“It’s really cool to do women’s worlds, but you’re not expected to make it very far in men’s hockey,” said Wieler. “It was a different happiness. When I got the call to go to Romania or Austria, I was really so excited. (The award) is the same thing but in a different sense. More emotional, because it was like, ‘wow, they actually think I’m good.’ My next goal is to try to make the SJHL.”

As a personal trainer, Wieler has no problem keeping up with the play, breaking up fights, getting hit by a slap shot, or getting checked into the boards, as often happens. She can also put up with fans and coaches who try to get involved in officiating decisions.

“It actually makes it interesting and fun,” she said. “Fans, parents, and people who don’t know the game are in the stands looking down, and from there everybody can ref the game... but if everybody really understood how difficult the job can be, it would eliminate the yelling and officiating wouldn’t be as fun. Often it’s amusing for us – people seem to check their brains at the door of the hockey rink.”

Another aspect of the game and officiating that Wieler loves is the stories and the “remember when’s” that come out of so many games. Her own story she finds embarrassing but also has the ability to laugh at it.

“In my second or third year, I couldn’t hear what the ref said to me after he called a penalty,” she explained. “I was skating around looking for the penalized player to take him to the box. I couldn’t find him so I went to stand between the boxes for

presence. Then the ref gestured to the net and I thought he told me to go get the puck. I skated to the net and couldn’t find the puck. Everyone was standing by the benches and I was wondering if he was having trouble calling the penalty. Then I see the puck at centre ice, so I skate over to get it. I’m about to bend down and I see a guy standing there. I finally realized it was a penalty shot and left it. Everyone was watching. Oh, the feeling of embarrassment...”

Embarrassing stories aside, Wieler has a passion for the game and for officiating, and while she’s come a long way, she wants to continue climbing the ladder – locally and internationally, there’s no limit to what she can do.

Photos courtesy of Maurice Laprairie

Saskatchewan’s Team Transportation Specialists

Phone: (306) [email protected]


GET TO KNOW

Eric Clark

Eric Clark manages to do it all – athletics, school, work, and a social life have all been possible over the last five

years. In that time, the 22-year-old sprinter has picked up medals at Canada West and placed fourth at CIS Nationals with the 4 x200m and 4 x400m relay teams on the University of Regina Cougars, in addition to competing in the 60m and 300m events. Ready to finish this season strong and looking forward to new things next year, Clark sat down to answer a few questions about his life in school and on the track.

Adrenaline Regina Sports: What is your background in track and field?

Eric Clark: When I was young – about 13 – I was faster than other people, so I continued in the sport. I developed really fast and tended to win, so I enjoyed it. I went to Thom Collegiate and was with the Regina Wheat City Club before coming to the University of Regina.

ARS: Why did you decide to join the University of Regina track and field team?

EC: It was partly a decision between sports. I also played rugby and football in high school. The U of R offered me an entrance scholarship for track that I decided to take. I was always injured playing football so part of it was I thought this would be a bit easier on the joints. What drew me to the U of R was being able to compete in front of a home crowd and I had a lot of exposure to the program.

ARS: What has been your strongest relay team?

EC: This year is probably our strongest team because for once it’s the exact same team as last year in the 4 x 200m. Last year we placed fourth in CIS. This year we should do quite well. We just ran in Winnipeg with a time of 1 minute, 28 seconds, which is a good time for a 4 x 200m, and one of our guys pulled up late at the end. So if we get that together, we should be able to get our time to where it is very competitive nationally, which is very exciting.

ARS: What do you enjoy about the relay events?

EC: The relays are the most fun. They’re always at the end of the meet and so you’ve got the entire team there – everybody is there cheering for both the 4 x 200m and the 4 x 400m and they’re exciting. Track and field is such an individual sport that the relays are the only factor that are actually team oriented and it makes it more fun to run. You’ve got people counting on you, you’re counting them, and you don’t want to let those other people down. And really with everybody there watching and cheering it’s quite a bit of pressure but by far the most fun event.

Photo courtesy of Maurice Laprairie


ARS: What has your education been like at the U of R?

EC: I’m in Business Administration, majoring in Finance. I have been fortunate to be a part of JDC West, which is a Western Canadian business case competition we went to in January. Each team consists of smaller case teams; I was on the business strategy team with two other guys. We were given the same case as the other teams, and had three hours to deconstruct it, and put our solution into a 20-minute presentation. We placed second, which was quite good, and our school placed third overall for the second year in a row. So that was exciting and a lot of fun.

ARS: You also work part-time. How do you balance work, school, and athletics?

EC: My first year was more of a challenge but I got better at it. You learn what you need to do to compete well and maintain good grades. It’s always work and you have to manage your time appropriately.

ARS: How does being part of the track and field team, in particular the relay team, help you in business administration?

EC: The part of being on the team that’s been really helpful for me is that this is my second year as captain on the team, and that’s really helped me develop leadership skills and the ability to talk to people and figure out what needs to be done when and get it done when it needs to be done. It’s been really helpful in that way. Track’s also been good in that you’re always dealing with individuals. It’s the least team-focused sport you can be in. I’ve learned to be able to deal with people who are very focused on what they are doing and get them focused on the team, which is not as easy as it may sound. On the relay team, you learn to evaluate what you’re capable of. In the relays, different people

will be good for different areas of the race. So you just kind of learn how you fit best in the scheme of things, how to make that happen, and how to deal with people who fit better in different positions and how to support them so they can perform in those positions.

ARS: You have Type I Diabetes. How do you manage this as an athlete?

EC: It’s still kind of new. I was diagnosed about a year and a half ago now. It doesn’t really affect my performance or training that much, but I do have to be conscious of it all times or else I may have problems. I have to know what my blood sugar is at and what it’s going to be doing on race day or else I risk my blood sugar going low while I’m in the blocks and it would ruin the race. I’ve always been fairly health conscious, but I do have to watch what I eat a little more than I did before and keep that under control. It has become routine now and I’ve learned to manage it.

ARS: What are your plans after this year of track and school?

EC: Moving forward, hopefully I will get a job because I am done my degree at the end of April. I’m going to take quite a bit of time off from track. I might come and train once or twice a week just to stay in shape with track, but I think I’ll do other things. I’ll play rugby in the summer, maybe join a flag football team in the winter, spend time in the mountains – I’ll try other sports out and see what I like.

ARS: Do you enjoy Regina’s sporting community?

EC: Absolutely. No matter what sport you’re in, it’s easy to find good games. There are great people all over the sporting community – track, soccer, rugby, football, everywhere. It’s a really good, really supportive community.

With over 80stores and servicesPhone: (306) 584-7644

Fax: (306) 586-6404www.southlandshoppingcentre.com

With over 80stores and servicesPhone: (306) 584-7644

Fax: (306) 586-6404www.southlandshoppingcentre.com


Boxers rise up through sparking flames and hissing smoke, ready to take

on their opponents in the ring in front of hundreds of spectators.

They match up with their competitors, ready to represent themselves and their clubs.

It’s an event that many athletes aspire to take part in; perhaps more so than any other boxing event in Western Canada.

It’s the Battle of the Prairies, hosted by the Lonsdale Boxing Club in Regina on Friday, March 12th at the Conexus Arts Centre.

“I look forward to it every year,” said 15-year-old Marco Muller, who enjoys the Battle of the Prairies for the entertainment value in addition to the competition. “Last year was an amazing experience for me. I was tied on points in the last 30 seconds of my match, and just the adrenaline that got going and having everybody cheering for me got me to go hard. I ended up winning by six points in the last 30 seconds.”

Frank Fiacco, coach of the Lonsdale Boxing Club, said the educated crowd was really into Muller’s match because they could see how close it was.

“Then the bell rung and they knew Marco had won,” said Fiacco. “I’m looking around, and on the tables and in the audience, people were standing, clapping. It was a standing ovation with 15, 20 seconds left because here were two 14-year-olds that should be tired, going toe-to-toe, trying to win it and be successful. That shows heart and determination, and the fans appreciate that. And they remember that from the year before – that’s huge.”

This is the sixth year of the Battle of the Prairies. The Lonsdale Boxing Club held the first event as a fundraiser for a trip to England. The event was such a success, it continued, and each year draws hundreds of fans to watch the 11 boxing matches.

“We try to keep everything reasonably priced,” said Fiacco. “You get there, eat, have a great time, and then there’s the entertainment, the boxing portion, the theatrics, and the show itself – the kids coming up on the riser with flames shooting out, in the middle of the Conexus Arts Centre, the fancy lights all over the place, the ring girls walking through the ring with a spotlight on them.”

Lonsdale has 11 ringside tables onstage in addition to hundreds of people in

the audience. The event starts with the younger boxers. Last year the first event was a demonstration with the Mini-gloves, the Lonsdale ten-and-under boxers. Then the opening ceremonies commence, introducing the athletes. The first matches include younger boxers, which then progresses to more experienced athletes and the main event, which in recent years has featured Lonsdale boxer Rob Umbach.

“There are crowd favourites here,” said Fiacco. “When the music starts and the crowd looks into the program for who’s next, they already start cheering. And they have their favourites from year to year. They’ve seen these kids from years before when they were younger and were just swinging to now they have a little more boxing technique and it’s the science of boxing – trying to hit and not get hit.”

For the first time last year, Lonsdale boxers won every match they competed in. Each year the club will find matches for a few of their experienced boxers. For the remaining matches, they ensure the athletes are ready to box and wanting to participate. Then they invite clubs from Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta, and B.C., and match up their athletes. Most years also feature female boxing as well.

IN REGINA

Battle of the Prairies

Photos courtesy of the Cortney Bodnar


After the Battle of the Prairies, a Lonsdale boxer who has shown dedication throughout his or her boxing career is awarded the Brandon Chief Most Dedicated Boxer Award, in remembrance of Chief, a Lonsdale boxer, who was killed by a drunk driver in November of 2007. Muller received this award last year, and with 25 to 30 athletes training hard and ready for competition at the club, there are many more candidates this year.

Any Lonsdale athlete who does not compete at the Battle of the Prairies is always more than willing to help at the event in other ways.

There are always many moments and stories the crowd takes home from the boxing matches.

“Three or four years ago, Shane Niebergall had a rematch against another boxer,” told Fiacco. “It was supposed to be three one-and-a-half minute rounds, which is under a ten minute match with breaks. It lasted for 20 minutes. One guy would be bleeding and the ref would have to wipe

him down. Then the second guy was bleeding and we’d have to stop and wipe him down. My towel was completely soaked; there wasn’t any white cloth left. I ran out of water in my water bottle. The table behind me happened to be his father’s table and they had glasses of water left from supper I had to borrow some to wet my towel and wipe him down. That was, so far, the most memorable, and also the first year we got a standing ovation for an athlete.... now every year when his music starts after intermission, the crowd gets right back into it all over again.”

Whether he’s boxing or participating in some other way, Muller is looking forward to the event.

“I’ve been to pro-amateur fights all over Canada and a few in the States, and I’d have to say this was the best,” he said.

For more information on attending this event, please call 352-3778.

“I look forward to it every year.”

- Marco Muller, Boxer


Driving to her goals“When you’re on your game, and

have that feeling that you’re doing the right thing but you don’t need to process or work hard to do it – that’s one of my favourite things about playing.”

Taryn Wicijowski has had that feeling many times in her basketball career, which has taken her all the way from Regina to the National Elite Development Academy in Hamilton to a world competition in Thailand to a leader on the University of Utah basketball team. The feeling is something she won’t be losing anytime soon as she is still right in the midst of her journey to reach all of her basketball dreams.

“I’m looking at the senior national team that competes in the Olympics, getting

deep into the NCAA tournament, and after I finish up here, I definitely want to play professionally,” said Wicijowski about the goals she has set for herself.

Her goals are high, but they always have been – and thus far, she’s achieved everything she has set out to do. Wicijowski, 19, began playing basketball in Regina, where she also excelled in hockey. She played on her high school basketball team at LeBoldus, on club teams, and with provincial teams. Also talented in hockey, she played with the AAA Midget Female Regina Rebels in her Grade 10 year. Then the time came to make a choice.

“There wasn’t enough time to play both anymore,” she said. “It was definitely a hard decision. Playing on national teams

has always been a pretty big goal of mine, and that’s what it came down to. I knew in basketball I probably had a better chance than in hockey.”

Wicijowski’s national wish came true. After playing on Saskatchewan’s provincial teams, she was invited to try out for Canada’s junior national team. When she reached tryouts, she didn’t think she would even make the team. She not only made it, but she helped lead the team to a second place finish at the FIBA Under-18 Americas Championship in 2008, and was captain of the team as it won fourth place at the FIBA Under-19 World Championships in Thailand this past summer.

“That was a huge moment for me,” she said. “We had to play Australia to get into


the quarterfinal round, which would be the top 8. The best Canada had ever done was ninth. Australia was undefeated – really good – and we ended up beating them by one point. It was a huge win, right down to the buzzer. Winning that game, we were so proud and it was a huge celebration.”

And playing for Team Canada is a feeling she’ll never forget.

“I don’t even know how to describe it,” she said. “The first year we put on our jerseys and just all stood there, because it’s an amazing feeling that you’re playing for your country and something that’s bigger than you.”

Wicijowski said the Regina programs helped make her into the player she is, because of talented teammates, great coaches, and the excellent support Regina provides to youth basketball.

After playing with the junior national team in 2008, she was invited to the National Elite Development Academy in Hamilton, Ontario, to which she credits her vast improvement. She had a month to decide whether to spend Grade 12 with her friends in Regina or head to Hamilton to play with the top twelve high school basketball players in the country.

“I didn’t want to have any regrets, and I thought I might if I didn’t move,” said Wicijowski. “It was really good. You’re playing against the best competition every day in practice, and we’d play games against boys high school teams, boys club teams, CIS university women’s basketball teams, and the best high school teams in the States.”

Her coach at the Academy, Mark Walton, had seen Wicijowski at tryouts for the junior national team, and he was impressed with her hard work, attitude, and demeanour on the court. She brought all of these traits and more to the program with her. Her responsiveness and dedication helped her to continue to excel and improve.

“She has a lot of heart, conviction, passion, and her attitude is infectious to her teammates,” said Walton. “She inspires by her leadership on the floor through her hard work and effort... She is a driving force with her aggressive defensive play, her spark on offence, and her understanding of the game.”

Walton said Wicijowski has limitless potential on the basketball court, and also transfers those skills to the classroom and beyond.

“She approaches the game and life in the same way,” said Walton. “Whatever she’s going to put her mind to, that’s what she’s going to do... I just loved every minute of coaching her, and if everybody in the world had her attitude, it would be a much better place.”

Photos courtesy of University of Utah

The six-foot-three Wicijowski had a lot of opportunity and offers from NCAA programs in the United States. The process of choosing was hectic, including visits to various programs. Her first visit was to the University of Utah, where she said she fit in with the team and the program.

The team is young and Wicijowski has emerged as a leader. Utah runs a lot of the same offences as the National Elite Development Academy, so she felt well prepared going into the program.

A biology major, Wicijowski’s ultimate goals extend to her career. She would like to eventually go into orthopaedic surgery. Right now, she deals with school and basketball with the same time management skills she’s always had.

With team-leading statistics, Wicijowski, a forward and a freshman on the team, looks forward to helping the team move ahead as it continues on to the end of the conference tournament and NCAA finals.

“I think I haven’t been expected to play like a freshman, but older than I am. I’m looked at to score, rebound, and basically just step up and take a position that needs to be taken on such a young team,” she said. “I like that role because I know my team and my coaches are expecting a lot out of me.”


Dami Egbeyemi trains hard – both

his body and his mind.

“Once you balance the brain, the body follows,” said Egbeyemi. “My background is in computer technology and IT; I have also been doing martial arts since I was about 14. Martial arts is a way to keep myself fit – both mentally and physically. Incorporating martial arts and technology is where brain training comes in.”

Egbeyemi took a break from Taekwon-Do for a few years and became involved in skateboarding and attended college. At 21, he returned to mixed martial arts, and moved back to Regina from Prince Albert to train with professionals such as Jeff Wiley. At the same time, he began to understand how training the mind is just as important as training the body.

“I was going through depression, anxiety, and stress, and I found that my sports performance wasn’t at its optimum,” said Egbeyemi. “I started doing yoga and meditation, and found I was able to improve performance quite a bit. Then I found out about guided imagery – visualization techniques that help me get better at what I do. A friend introduced me to Brain State Technologies. It was a video basically talking about how the technology can help people with depression and anxiety to improve their problems without the use of medication. That really appealed to me.”

Egbeyemi began researching and talked to the creator of Brainwave Optimization. He learned about the different ways brainwave

technology can help people, and also learned how it could help golfers improve their golf score.

“I thought, ‘if it can help golfers, what can it do for someone who is involved in martial arts, Nascar, or football?’” said Egbeyemi. “One of the reasons people reach performance blocks is because of the brain. When the brain perceives some kind of traumatic experience or event – even if it’s emotional – and the person can’t overcome it, what happens is they reach a peak and they can’t get through it or move to the next level. This technology actually trains the brain; kind of like an athlete would go into the gym, to become stronger and improve their performance. This is improving the performance of the brain so that it reacts faster, it’s optimized, and it’s functioning at a higher level.”

Brainwave optimization uses EEG (electroencephalography) sensors, which read brainwave patterns in different lobes of the brain. The lobes behave like muscles, each with their own specific functions.

The sensors read the energetic patterns coming off of the brain, and convert them into digital signals, which the computer translates into sound, using different frequencies.

The focus of the technology is to train the frequencies in the areas of the brain to increase or decrease depending on what the person wants to accomplish. The training is done non-invasively, with sensors acting as microphones.

The other part of the training is guided imagery techniques and visualization. Athletes visualize themselves using perfect technique, moving properly, and finally at the end of the competition, seeing themselves winning.

Egbeyemi began brain training in April of 2007 in Calgary for anxiety and depression

It’s all in the mindPhoto Courtesy of John Wang Photography

“When I get into the cage, it’s not like tunnel vision anymore. I can see the moves two steps ahead.”

- Dami Egbeyemi


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issues. The end result also had benefits in his martial arts training.

“All I could say was ‘wow.’ It was right before a match. When I competed, I was tired but my body just kept going. All those self-defeating thoughts, I was catching myself, and just doing what I had already seen myself doing,” said Egbeyemi. “After that match, I was totally convinced that this was what I wanted to do. Not only did it change my perspective and how I felt in terms of myself and my own self-confidence, but my performance improvement was mind blowing.”

Egbeyemi then began Mind Body Harmonics in August of 2008. The results he saw in himself and others combined with his own experience in computer technology prompted him to become involved as a business. His clients now include athletes as well as anyone suffering from a variety of ailments such as depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, ADD, addictions, stress, and more.

“Really this business is all about connecting the brain and the body,” said Egbeyemi, “bringing back that synergy if it’s lost a bit of its edge due to a person’s life experience... I want to help people overcome that.”

Some of the athletes Egbeyemi has worked with include Wiley as well as others he trains with. Wiley, who has won a bronze

medal at the Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt championship in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has said he will not compete anymore without training his brain first.

“I used the brainwave training for mixed martial arts fights, one at a provincial championship and one at a competition in Costa Rica. Altogether I’ve done between 20 and 25 sessions with brainwave, and I wouldn’t fight again without using it,” said Wiley. “It’s phenomenal for stress relief, focus, confidence, and being able to visualize your sport. For me, it’s visualizing the fight, being calm, and managing nerves. I’ve never been so focused as I go into these fights.”

The brain training can reduce anxiety levels, calm the brain down, help focus, increase pain tolerance, and relax muscles. Wiley said Egbeyemi as an athlete is

mentally very strong and has more focus than almost any other athlete he’s seen.

“Athletically, he’s phenomenal, and I think he can go far, even to the UFC,” said Wiley.

Egbeyemi credits his training: “When I get in the cage, it’s not like tunnel vision anymore. I can see the moves two steps ahead. I can see arm bars or I can see leg locks or I can see chokes from where I’ve never seen them before. My perspective has increased and I can see more what I’m doing instead of just doing it. So if a guy throws a punch I can see it coming from a mile away. It’s not taking away from the physical training of being an athlete, but it’s giving the athlete that extra little edge that might be missing, or entirely changing an athlete’s performance because there isn’t that block anymore.”


FOREVER & TODAY

Dennis Sobchuk’s life was shaped by hockey

and the Regina Pats.

“The world spins pretty quick and sometimes you don’t realize how important it was until you have that 100 per cent hindsight,” said Sobchuk, now 56, from his current home of Phoenix, Arizona. “Looking back, (hockey) has carried me to today. The friendship

is something you appreciate the most – the friends you make. All my best friends are from Saskatchewan. The Pats gave me the opportunity to make a name for myself, and they ejected me into a career I could never have dreamed of.”

Sobchuk’s hockey journey began in Lang, Saskatchewan, and took him from Regina to Phoenix, Cincinnati, and Edmonton in the World Hockey Association, to Detroit and Quebec in the NHL, to Switzerland and Austria in European Leagues, back to Saskatchewan, down to Bellingham, Washington, and now to a return to Phoenix.

“I have a little bit of a gypsy in me; I think GPS was created for my career,” laughed Sobchuk, who met his wife Julia in Cincinnati 31 years ago. They have two children, Justin, , and Ashley, , and a grandson, Carson, .

Sobchuk’s hockey career was varied and exciting, but it all goes back to the Regina Pats, with whom he was a vital part of the 1974 Memorial Cup win. Sobchuk passed on a year of a lucrative contract in the WHA to come back to his junior team and go for the title.

“It was 36 years ago when we won the Memorial Cup,” said Sobchuk. “We thought we should have won it all three years we were together – that’s how good a team we thought we had. In hindsight, we realized it’s one of the most difficult cups to win... we realized how hard and important it is to win that championship. The camaraderie of the team and that fellowship, it’s lasted forever... you start realizing the tradition and what it means, what hockey and the Regina Pats mean to Canada. We knew we had a good team. Out of 19 players who played on the Memorial Cup team, 18 were drafted over three years. That’s pretty good odds.”

Sobchuk had 416 points in three years in the WHL. He came to Regina courtesy of a trade with the Weyburn Red Wings, following in the footsteps of his brother, Gene, who played with the Pats in 1970-71 after the Red Wings became a Tier 2 team. Dennis was rookie of the year, and a first-team all star in his time with the Pats. Sobchuk was touted to be the number one draft pick in 1974, but became the first underage Canadian to sign a professional contract with a new league, the WHA. He signed with the Cincinnati Stingers, who also signed his brother Gene.

“He was electrifying,” said Dennis’ brother, Gene Sobchuk. “When he grabbed the puck, things happened. He had nice, soft hands, a great shot, and he could really skate. At 6’2”, he was really tough, and he could do it all. He was fun to watch. I went to Calgary when they went to the Memorial Cup, and it was really exciting to watch.”

The Pats also realized what a player Dennis was.

“It was quite an honour; in 1974 the Pats retired my number,” said Sobchuk. “They retired it at the end of the season. It was kind of a storybook ending. On May 12th, I played in the final game of the Memorial Cup, I was fortunate enough to score three goals, was named MVP, won the game, they retired my number, and I rode off into the sunset.”

But he didn’t quite get to the sunset – he just travelled to the sun, to play with the Phoenix Roadrunners. Cincinnati’s rink wasn’t ready so Sobchuk was loaned to Phoenix before going on to Cincinnati for another two and a half years. He was then traded to the Edmonton Oilers, where he played with greats such as Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier. In 1979 the WHA and the NHL merged, and Sobchuk originally went back to the Philadelphia Flyers – who had drafted him late in 1974 after he signed with the WHA – before being traded to the Detroit Red Wings.

When Dennis played on the Cincinnati Stingers, he had the opportunity to play with his brother, Gene.

“We’d always dreamed of the possibility of

A life of hockey

Dennis Sobchuk with his wife Julia and grandson Carson


playing further than junior,” said Gene. “When the chance arose to play in the World Hockey Association, we both jumped at it. We lived together at that time, and then injury set in with me and I ended up in Austria after breaking my arm. But while we did play together we enjoyed it. We’d play hockey in the winter and farmed together in Lang in the summer.”

In his time in the WHA, Dennis also had the opportunity to train with the WHA’s 1974 Team Canada.

“Ninety-nine per cent of them were my idols. I was 20, and here was Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, Davey Keon; all these guys I had watched on TV for the first 15 years of my life in the same dressing room as me. It was an honour. Hockey was the greatest thing in my life for me. It’s easy to look back now and appreciate it.”

Sobchuk had a brief NHL career before it was shortened due to injury – after three shoulder operations and a removed clavicle, Sobchuk was slowed down a bit. He played in Zug, Switzerland, and Innsbruck, Austria, before retiring in 1984 and moving back to Saskatchewan to the farm he owned with Gene in Lang.

Sobchuk became involved again with the Pats in 1986 as assistant coach and assistant general manager before taking over as head coach and general manager in 1989. A low point in Sobchuk’s career was coaching when Brad Horning broke his neck on the ice. Sobchuk is still friends with Brad, but the accident made it difficult for him to coach later on. Halfway through the season he relinquished the coaching position and left after the season to become a professional representative with CCM.

His career eventually moved him to Bellingham, Washington, where the Sobchuks stayed for 17 years. Sobchuk was heavily involved with the sporting community there, helping build a new ice rink, becoming the vice president of minor hockey, managing the rink for three years, and building an indoor soccer facility adjacent to the rink. He then built another soccer facility in Mount Vernan, Washington, and ran programs there. With his building knowledge, Sobchuk began building custom homes until last year, when he and Julia decided to move back to Phoenix. He’s taking the time to enjoy working on their new home while he decides what he’d like to stay busy with in Phoenix.

Sobchuk still returns to Saskatchewan to visit Gene and his mother, and appreciates all of the good friends he has here. His 1974 Regina Pats team had a reunion ten years ago, and Sobchuk said it was as if only a day had passed since they last played together.

“It’s nice to hear from old friends,” said Sobchuk. “Looking back and knowing the Jollys, Staniowskis, Gretzkys, Messiers, I wonder, ‘how did I get there?’ It’s always because of the Regina Pats. I was fortunate in my career. I did a sportsman’s dinner with Ted Williams, one of the greatest ball players ever. I stood up with Gerald Ford, the President of the United States. I remember standing there because they wanted athletes to be part of the hoopla, and I looked back from Lang to Regina to here I was with the President of the United States. Why? Because of hockey and what the Regina Pats did for me. They gave me the chance to excel and win championships and do it all. The Pats are number one in my life and probably always will be.”

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FOCUS ON

Two years ago, Stu Foord was playing his rookie season as a running back

with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He excelled on the field, but realized there was an aspect to his fitness that needed a little help – his flexibility.

Foord learned about yoga through his teammate, Andy Fantuz, and like many athletes began the discipline to improve his flexibility, which he realized was so important to athleticism. He would soon learn the many benefits yoga would provide – so much more than he initially realized.

“I went to increase my flexibility, but with that came more strength, came more stability, and the confidence from when you gain these things,” said Foord. “And it really clears your mind for the rest of the day.”

Foord and some of his teammates began yoga class twice a week, working on strength one day and loosening their muscles another. By game day his muscles were relaxed and his preparation for game day was then focused on the mind. Through postures, breath work, and a commitment to his yoga practice, Foord found gains in his strength, especially in his weakest area of the hips. He found how using breath work can increase the capabilities of the body; he became much more flexible, which led to a decrease in his back pain; and he’d learn how much more relaxed and confident he could be.

“I’ll always be doing it,” said Foord, who still does his yoga practice about twice a week with Lori Lee of Yoga Haven. “I would recommend seeing an instructor to anyone starting out. It’s the quality of time you’re getting. As a football player,

Lori knows we’re really tight from lifting weights and working out, so she knows what we can do, which is especially good for hips and hip flexors. Once you’re in a routine, it goes so smooth and you see the benefits.”

Lee, owner of Yoga Haven and a certified yoga instructor, finds athletes of all sports see a great many benefits of yoga.

“Yoga is a great way to find out about your body, have more body awareness, and also mental awareness. With athletes I find you really have to work on that grace under pressure, so the meditation and the pranayama – the breath work – really help with that as well,” said Lee. “Yoga is great for strength building, for flexibility, and spacial awareness, knowing where your body is and what it’s doing. The breath work is really good for sustaining stamina, deepening the breath, and getting the full

Balancing the bodyAbove: Lori Lee

Above: Stan van Sichem of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (formerly with the Regina Rams), balances with yoga


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amount of oxygen into the blood, the brain, and the muscles.”

Athletes use many different styles of physical practice, including vinyasa (power yoga in which you move with the breath), or yin styles of yoga, which include more stretching. It all depends on what the athlete needs or wants in the practice.

The other part of every practice is meditation and the mental focus, which includes staying in the moment, and remaining calm in stressful situations.

Lee said one of the main keys of working with athletes is balancing the body and the mind.

“I find you really need to balance out where they’re weak and strengthen those areas, and then where they’re over trained, soften and stretch out those overworked muscles,” said Lee, who added that yoga is also a mental balance and an energy balance. “For example, the quarterback continually throws the football with the same arm, so we can soften and stretch out overworked muscles and balance the other arm by strengthening it. I’ve also worked with a lot of curlers, and they’re always in that lunge position. So we make sure to equally stretch out the other side. Whether it’s’ golfing, curling, throwing – it’s important to get the non-dominant side moving for balance.”

Much of yoga stems from the core, which

creates power and balance in most sports. Those strong back and abdominal muscles are easily achieved through yoga. Keeping the core and centre in yoga also creates grace under pressure, no matter what the body and mind are going through.

Yoga does create flexibility and help prevent injuries, but it is so much more than that, as it’s a complete focus on the moment. For athletes, recreational exercisers, or anyway with stress from a

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job or life in general, yoga provides more benefits than ever imagined – one just has to try it. Lee always emphasizes people practice yoga at their own pace, and find what works best for them.

“Just see if you like it,” said Foord, who said sometimes he finds people don’t understand what yoga really is. “Once you do it and realize how good it is, you can change your mindset pretty quick. Don’t be shy – go for it.”


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