The Gryphons’ Lair Issue 49 - Feb 2021

What Happened in January?

Bell Let’s Talk

Our Gryphon Family continued a tradition of speaking to students at John Galt Public ​ ​ School about the importance of Mental Health and Wellness. The message is more important than ever: don’t be afraid to have a conversation. Share to help create awareness. Click here to watch a video of this special event. ​ ​

Doug Pflug Signs a Book Deal

Douglas Paul Pflug has just signed a book deal with CRC Press Taylor & Francis Group of Boca Raton, Florida, USA.

The book is entitled Finding your Granite: The Four Cornerstones of Personal Leadership. "I am honoured to have this amazing opportunity" stated Pflug, "the book will be an expansion of the recent podcast I gave on Sports and Wellness: Finding Multiple Roads to Resiliency, and I hope to further coach, counsel and mentor others and help them achieve and find their own granite through personal and professional success." It is hoped that the book will be published and available for sale in the Summer of 2022. To listen to this podcast, visit https://omny.fm/shows/tactical-breakdown/doug-pflug ​

CRC Press Taylor & Francis Group partners with world-class authors, from leading scientists and researchers to scholars and professionals operating at the top of their fields. Together, they publish in all Humanities, Social Sciences, Behavioural Sciences, Science, Technology and Medicine sectors. They are one of the world's leading publishers of scholarly journals, books, eBooks, textbooks and reference works.

Gryph Nation Podcast

Gryph Nations’ 1st podcast episode of the new year was released. They chat with Jed ​ Tommy & Pat Tracey to reflect back on the Gryphons only Vanier Cup title in 1984! Click here to listen. ​ ​

Next Gryphon

In the month of January, we added a long list of commits to our #NextGryphons family. Stay tuned to our social media accounts for their official signings.

Othniel Green, a 6’1, 215 lb Linebacker from Apple Valley, MIN. Click here to watch his ​ ​ ​ highlight tape.

Sito Berrio, a 6’1, 205 lb Running Back from Hamilton, Ontario. Click here to watch his ​ ​ ​ highlight tape.

Celebrations

Gryphon Football Virtual Gala

Details of the Gala Celebrations include: 25th Anniversary of the 1996 Yates Cup Team Introduction of the 2010-2019 Team of the Decade Honour Jersey Presentation to Kyle Walters Distinguished Alumni Award to Billy Vastis

Stay tuned as a separate invite will be emailed for the event.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats sign first-round 2020 CFL Draft pick Coulter Woodmansey

Coulter Woodmansey has signed a contract with the Ticats through the 2023 season, per sources. He is the first member of the 2020 CFL Draft class to sign a CFL contract.

The six-foot-four, 305-pound blocker was a guard at the University of Guelph where he was named a Second-Team U Sports All-Canadian in 2019. He was the second offensive lineman taken in last year’s draft after Tomas Jack-Kurdyla out of Buffalo.

To read more of this article by 2 Down Nation’s John Hodge, click here. ​ ​

Riders sign five 2020 CFL draft picks, including receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker and AJ Allen

The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed five members of their 2020 CFL draft class.

Receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker, linebacker A.J. Allen, defensive back Vincent Dethier, running back Jonathan Femi-Cole, and offensive lineman Jesse Lawson.

The six-foot-four, 195-pound Schaffer-Bake spent four USports seasons at the University of Guelph. The Mississauga native played in 28 games recording 95 receptions for 1,544 yards and eight touchdowns. He impressed at the 2019 East-West Bowl where he led all receivers with five catches for 126 yards and a touchdown.

To read more of this article by 3 Down Nation staff, click here. ​ ​

Metchie Agrees to Extension

The have signed national defensive back Royce Metchie to a contract extension, the team announced on Monday. Metchie was set to become a free agent in February.

“Royce was very impressive in his first season as a starter at safety and I look forward to watching him continue to develop,” said Stampeders president and general manager . “He has the ability and intelligence to be an all-star.”

A third-round draft selection by Calgary in 2018, Metchie has played 24 regular-season games over two seasons with the Stamps including 17 starts at safety in 2019.

To read more of this article by the CFL.ca staff, click here. ​ ​

Reliable special teamer, Canadian linebacker Curtis Newton stays in the Hammer

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have re-signed national linebacker Curtis Newton.

Newton played in all 18 regular season games for the Ticats in 2019 registering seven special teams tackles. The six-foot-two, 220-pound native of London, Ontario also suited up in both of Hamilton’s playoff games, including the 107th in Calgary.

The 25-year-old has appeared in 60 career League games during his four-year career with the Toronto Argonauts (2016-2017) and Tiger-Cats (2017-2019), registering two defensive tackles and 25 special teams tackles. Newton was originally drafted in the fifth round, 40th overall, in the 2016 CFL draft by the Argos.

To view this article by 3 Down Nation Staff, click here. ​ ​

Training Talk

February Update by Coach Kania

I write to you this month with a certain element of deja vu; a term that I used on a team meeting video call just a few weeks back.

I feel like we’ve been here before: in lockdown, isolated from each other as well as our ability to get better through the necessary means of open fields and training tools.

But, despite that feeling, there is also a feeling of optimism because...we’ve been here ​ before.

You see, last time we were under a provincial lockdown, we were not prepared. No one was prepared. We did not know what to expect. We did not know how long it was going to last. We did not know what we were dealing with.

So, yes, this time feels different. Because, we’ve been here before.

And we’ve adapted.

Seeing the potential of another stoppage in training, your Gryphon football players took it upon themselves to go and get some equipment for their garages and their basements. They went online and bought skipping ropes to keep themselves conditioned. They built squat racks out of buckets, concrete and 2x4’s. We have linemen jogging the streets of the Royal City during the winter to keep in shape. Our commits down south and out west are on the program, ready to compete for starting spots.

We’ve adapted.

And while not everyone is fortunate enough to own equipment to go through what would be considered “proper” football training, there are plans in place so that no Gryphon is left behind.

When the green light is given to get back onto the field, I like to think that we will hold a slight advantage over some of our opponents. It will be evident who made things happen, and who waited for something to magically occur.

We will not be the latter.

Featured Alumnus

Our Featured Alumnus for this month is former Gryphon, Dave Hume. ​

Dave was actually a Redmen back in the day, before the University of Guelph was created. He played from 1957 to 1961 as a tight end, wide receiver and defensive back. When he finished playing, he received an invitation to go to try out for the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He was already half way through his Master’s degree in agriculture and decided to pursue a career in academics. He finished his M.Sc. in 1963 and then a Ph.D. degree in Agronomy at Iowa State University. Dave was then delighted to be hired by the University of Guelph as a faculty member in the Crop Science Department in 1966. Hume finished teaching in 2019 after 53 years of teaching, research and administration. “I was Department Chair in Crop Science, then I ran the OMAFRA (Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs) $55 million a year program for the U of G, and was the acting University Vice-President for Research and Contracts”, states Hume.

Dave was a co-captain of the Redmen in 1961 and says that the most important take-away was “being responsible on and off the field”. “Those lessons in leadership were very useful in teaching”, says Hume. “If students look to you for guidance, that’s important. If your undergraduate and graduate students operate as a well-oiled machine, then your research impact is going to be enhanced”.

Dave’s favourite memory was playing alongside Bill Sproule, who recently passed. “Bill and I got good at what Head Coach Tom Mooney called the do-dad block”, he recalls. “We would team up on the defensive tackle and then one of us would slide off to block the middle linebacker while our guard pulled and blocked the defensive end. We ran that play a lot against McMaster and I really enjoyed watching Ron Bogart run through the hole for big yardage.”

We are so proud of Dave’s contributions to Gryphon Football. Thank you for being our featured alumnus, Dave!

Featured FOGF Member

Our Featured FOGF for this month is former Gryphon, Steve Stewart. ​

Steve is a gold FOGF member who strives to support the group in their effort to provide some “extras” for the football program. “I see football not just as a game to be played but as a builder of character and life long friendships and shared experiences, as well as a rallying point for the student body. Gryphon football deserves our support”, says Stewart.

As a Gryphon alumnus, Steve has many fond memories of games, training camps and teammates. He says that he often recalls the team’s last game in Ottawa, a loss, where a win would have seen them heading to the Atlantic Bowl, but the culmination of gradual team improvement from a group that had been together for four or five years. “That pre-game speech from Coach Brown that is still a fond memory”, says Steve.

In terms of staying involved with the program, Steve and his wife Sue attend several games each year, regularly support the program financially, promote the Gryphons at every opportunity, and run up the flag on the Gryphon Flag on their front porch after every win!

Thank you so much for your support, Steve. We truly appreciate your continued involvement in Gryphon Football. You’re such a valuable member of the Gryphon family.

Tweet of the Month

The January tweet of the month was published by @JohnRush32. Gryphon alumni John Rush can be seen doing some incredible fundraising for the Rescue Dog Kitchen. We are so proud to see the positive impacts that our alumni have on our community.

To keep up with us on Twitter, click here. ​ ​

To read the full article about John’s vegan food blog and fundraising efforts, click here. ​ ​

Monthly Pick-Me-Up

Check out this shot of our players edited by the incredible Matt Sharpe.

Arts & Culture

The January art feature is the "Proud to be a Gryphon" sign. This piece is located on the front wall of our pavilion. It was created as a photo op for fans and has been featured all over social media!

Gryphons Gone Pro

This month’s "Gryphon Gone Pro" is the outstanding Lukas Korol. Korol appeared in six games for the Tiger-Cats last season, registering two special teams tackles. We are so proud of his performance in the CFL.

Did You Know?

Interview with Ole Miss EDGE Tavius Robinson In the month of January, Tavius Robinson was interviewed by NFL’s Draft Central. Click here to read his interview. ​

Gryphon Bobsledders

Orion Edwards was staying with an old friend when he received massive news that immediately determined his path. Edwards, a former standout Gryphon Football defensive back and 2017 Wildman Award winner, was sitting on the couch in Royce Metchie’s Calgary apartment when he found out he had made the Canadian Bobsleigh Development Team.

He looked up from his phone and happily told his Gryphon brother and old secondary school classmate that his “life had just changed.”

“I’m a national team athlete,” Edwards recalls saying to Metchie. “Royce responded, ‘Yeah, you are.’

“It was a surreal moment.”

The Newmarket, ON native compiled an incredible career at Guelph. A team leader blessed with great athletic gifts and a corresponding work ethic, he dreamed of making the . Edwards was right on course until he tore his ACL at a practice for the 2018 East West Bowl meant to showcase the best players in U Sports. It resulted in a year away from the sport he loved, as well as a setback on his quest to play pro ball To read more of this article written by David DiCenzo, click here. ​ ​

Have clipboard will travel: Mark Antonelli profile

In this article by Bernie Puchalski, Mark Antonelli references Guelph and Kyle Walters. If anyone could be excused for having divided loyalties on Niagara Catholic Athletic Association football fields, it would be Mark Antonelli.

Since he started his teaching career at the Niagara Catholic District School Board in 2008, the 38-year-old Etobicoke native, who was raised in Milton, has coached junior and senior football with: Kirstyn Carruthers, Dan Steele, Dave Maniaci, Dan McAlonan, Grant Owen and Gytis Bieksa, Brad Hubbard and Joe Pagnotta at BT; Steve Roach, Bernie Tessier, Rocky Dipietro, Terry Lehne and John Casasanta at Lakeshore Catholic; Rick Oreskovich, Paolo Sirianni and Antonio De Simone at Saint Paul and, Brian Carter, Loris Lucchetta and Keith Bomberry at Saint Mike’s...

Click here to read more. ​ ​

Save the Date

FOGF Gala - Friday Night Football - Virtual Fundraiser: April 9, 20 21 ​

Golf Tournament: July 23, 2021* ​

*Dependent on COVID-19 restrictions closer to the event

FOGF Memberships

Become a Member

Interested in becoming an FOGF Member? There are three different tiers to our memberships: Red, Gold and Black. To find out more information about our memberships and what is involved in each level, please click here. For questions about ​ ​ ​ the membership, please contact Bill Brown at [email protected]. ​ ​

Share Your News If you have any news or updates, we would be more than happy to share them in our upcoming newsletter. Please reach out to [email protected] for any celebrations, ​ ​ announcements of bereavements that you would like us to share.