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HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS IN EL SALVADOR UBc’s rinGLEADERS BIG BLOCK CLUB BLUE;GOLD GOTHUNDERBIRDS.CA FALL 2011 We’re committed to athletics. At TELUS, we believe all young Canadians deserve the opportunity to enrich their lives through sport and realize their athletic and academic goals. That is why are proud to support the TELUS Millennium Scholarship Breakfast. Every customer helps us give where we live. Thank you. telus.com/community © TELUS 2011 11_00486 BLUE;GOLD FALL 2011 BLUE;GOLD EDITOR DON WELLS ASSISTANT EDITOR STEVE TUCKWOOD THE LINEUP DESIGNER SHARM THIAGARAJAH PHOTOGRapHY MARTIN DEE BOB FRID RICHARD LAM JON PESOCHIN BLUE+GOLD is published twice a year by the UBC Department of Athletics and is distributed free of charge to the UBC Alumni and friends. 9 6 Opinions expressed in the magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Athletics or the University. ADDRESS CORRESPONDENce TO: THE EdITOR UBC Department of Athletics 272 – 6081 University Blvd. 10 7 Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z1 email to [email protected] ADveRTISING RATES ; DEPARTMENTS Matthew Tan Business Development Officer 4 MESSAGE FROM THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR 604.822.2532 5 MESSAGE FROM THE UBC PRESIDENT UBC ATHLETICS CONTacTS 7 LOCKER ROOM GeNERAL INQUIRIES 604.822.2503 9 BIG BLOCK CLUB BLUE+GOLD EDITOR 604.812.5613 19 2011-12 HOME SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS WAR GYM BOX OFFIce 604.827.4547 GROup TICKETS 604.822.3094 DeveLOpmeNT OFFIce 604.822.1972 ; FEATURES SpONSORSHIP 604.822.2532 ADDRESS CHANGES 604.822.8921 6 HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS IN EL SALVADOR UBC’S RINGLEADERS BIG BLOCK CLUB [email protected] IN EL SALVADOR FORGE UNIQUE BOND BLUE✛GOLD GOTHUNDERBIRDS.CA FALL 2011 10 ubc’s RINGLEADERS ReTURN UNDELIveRabLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: Development Office UBC Department of Athletics 272 – 6081 University Blvd. Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z1 ON THE COVER } Volume 7, Issue 2 • PrInted In Canada by RR donnelley UBC basketball team captain Nathan Yu CANADIAN PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT #41473026 had a busy summer, playing for Canada at the World University Games and building houses in El Salvador on a Habitat for SCORES, NEWS & EVENT INFO: Humanity mission. UBC’s Kevin Hanson, in GOTHUNDERBIRDS.CA background, coached the Canadian team. MESSAGE FROM THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR s always, a great deal of thought went community. Thanks to the generosity of former UBC and into choosing the cover photo for this national rugby team standout Gerald McGavin, construction edition of Blue and Gold. We decided will soon begin on the new Gerald McGavin UBC Rugby on an action shot of fifth-year guard Centre. Located south of the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Nathan Yu, taken during the gold medal Sports Centre, the new rugby centre will be home to UBC’s final of the World University Games men’s and women’s teams, complete with shower and locker last month in Shenzhen, China. Playing rooms for home and visiting teams, a new natural turf field Aunder UBC head coach Kevin Hanson, Nathan and his team and spectator seating area. mates defeated the defending champions from Serbia in There is also news concerning recent coaching appointments. pool play, but had to settle for silver medals after a re-match We are pleased to welcome former CIS women’s hockey MVP against Serbia in the final. UBC swimmer Tera van Beilen also and Toronto Varsity Blues assistant coach Jen Rawson as the stood out for Canada at Universiade, with silver medals in 50 Thunderbirds’ new head coach, as well as former assistant and 100 metre breaststroke. Our congratulations go out to swim coach Steve Price, who has returned to take over as Nathan, Kevin, Tera and the 19 other UBC athletes, coaches, head coach for both the UBC Thunderbirds and Pacific staff and alumni who represented our country and university Dolphins swim club. A familiar face is also returning to the in Shenzhen. men’s basketball program with the appointment of former The feature story in this edition focuses upon three former All-Canadian and Canada West MVP Casey Archibald as the Thunderbird athletes who have gone on to their own form team’s full-time assistant coach. Meanwhile Matt Lebourdais, of achievement in international sport. Tricia Smith, John a former Canada West All-star and All Canadian with UBC’s Mills and Tanya Foley have joined a growing list of UBC men’s volleyball team will also return to War Memorial Gym graduates who have played prominent roles within Canada’s this fall as an assistant coach. sport community and who are now at the top of their games Finally, I want you to know that there is another reason we as leaders in national and international sport administration settled on Nathan for the cover shot. Earlier this summer, and governance. By way of this feature, we salute their while balancing summer employment and hopes of making contributions and thank them for the extraordinary work Canada’s Universiade team, he joined nine other UBC they are doing in support of high performance sport. student-athletes in a Habitat for Humanity project in El Once again, there is news regarding sport infrastructure Salvador, one led by basketball alumnus Bill Humphries. development on campus. I am pleased to report that an There is an inspirational first-hand account written by one of outstanding new indoor tennis centre was completed just the participants on page 6. I’m confident that when you read weeks ago in TP. The facility features eight new indoor their story, and all the other news concerning our student- courts and is now open for use by all members of the campus athletes, you’ll again be reminded why they need and deserve all the support we can provide. Sincerely, Bob Philip 4 BLUE;GOLD FALL 2011 MESSAGE FROM THE UBC PRESIDENT n 2008, after years of background preparation, athletes, not just here at UBC, but across Canada as well. UBC Athletics and Recreation recommended to the As a first step toward driving change, the presidents of all UBC Executive that UBC Vancouver should move CIS universities unanimously endorsed a proposal for new its competitive sports programs from Canadian governance arrangements and more active oversight of CIS. Interuniversity Sport (CIS) and the National I am pleased to report that at its June AGM, CIS voted to Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) accept this proposal. At the same time, I am disappointed to into the National Collegiate Athletics Association note that a recommendation by the presidents of five of the I(NCAA) Division II. A Review Committee was subsequently larger universities in the Canada West conference urging CIS formed which undertook extensive public and campus to institute a two-tiered system of competition beginning in consultations over a two-year period, and received close to 2012-13 did not appear on the AGM agenda, and has yet to 500 written submissions, all of which revealed a tremendous be formally considered. diversity of opinion at all levels. This has not diminished the resolve of Canada West Last April, I announced that the University of British member universities to work together to invoke significant Columbia, after weighing options in a very thorough process, reforms within CIS - reforms that must include enhancing would for the time being both honour and seek to build upon scholarship opportunities to offer Canadian student our grand tradition of participation in CIS. Honour – because athletes the kind of competitive opportunities they need UBC has a proud history within CIS as both a founding and deserve. Scholarship reform requires more flexibility member and highly successful competitor. Build upon – in how scholarships can be awarded within teams, while because it must be said that the status quo is not acceptable. maintaining an overall cap. UBC’s goal has never been to In re-affirming our membership in CIS, we also committed launch an unproductive battle of the scholarships amongst to driving change. Athletic competition amongst institutions sister universities. that are similarly committed to athletic and academic To that end, with the collaboration of Canada West, in excellence, including attracting and retaining more top July I convened an inaugural meeting of a representative Canadian student-athletes, is of paramount importance, and committee of Western Canadian university presidents and I believe that a re-invigorated CIS is in UBC’s best interests, athletic directors to further explore the scholarship issue and and the best interests of our diverse community. other areas of potential change, as well as possible strategies I want to acknowledge the very principled stand that some for introducing formal reform proposals at the national people – and I include my colleague Bob Philip – have taken level. A subsequent meeting at the end of August was highly in favour of NCAA membership. I realize that my decision encouraging and productive. Additional meetings will be not to pursue membership in the NCAA Division II came as a held in the near future, after which I shall endeavour to disappointment for some loyal UBC Thunderbird supporters, update you on outcomes. especially after such a long process of consultation and Sincerely, deliberation. In bringing forward the NCAA option, however, I am convinced that Bob and all those who supported that view have succeeded in securing a better future for student Stephen J. Toope FALL 2011 BLUE;GOLD 5 HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS IN EL SALVADOR FORGE UNIQUE BOND BY DIANE RIZZARDO his past May, a group of ten UBC student ever-needed translator Ron as well as each house’s resident athletes, one basketball coach and UBC mason and four generations of family members we would basketball alumnus Bill Humphries met be working with side by side, we split up and got our hands at an unmarked bus stop in Vancouver dirty.