45 C Dr. Douglas Smith Guest columnist December 1, 2016 Drug-free athletes • Week This SPORTS have the edge It is critical for elite athletes to make sure their body and mind are healthy and in tip-top shape. By developing and maintaining a drug- free lifestyle, one can increase the chanc- es of creating optimum performance. Most of the athletes, coaches and par- ents we have worked with over the last three decades have learned to appreci- ate the benefits of a drug-free philosophy and experience. Young athletes learn primarily from observing the habits of their heroes. If these key role models rely on drugs to get them through daily activities and dif- ficult situations, young athletes will tend to follow in their footsteps. Adolescent athletes tend to copy what they see and ignore what they are told. This is especially true when the expert’s Photo courtesy Way Productions actions conflict with the advice given. MISSISSAUGA -- Bowmanville’s Abokan Bokpe landed a punch on Whitby’s Brock Arthur on way to victory in their cruiser- Legal drugs such as alcohol, caffeine wight bout at the Hershey Centre. and cigarettes can be in some cases as damaging to health and performance as illicit drugs like steroids, marijuana and street drugs. Local boxers pack a punch Teenage athletes are also turning to abusing prescription drugs. Pain kill- ers, benzodiazepines (used to treat anx- Oshawa’s Gabriel, Nelson said the experience of going a iety and sleep disorders) and stimulants full round will help Gabriel in the long (amphetamines) are the most common Whitby’s Rose, run, but he was proud of how he respond- prescription drugs used by adolescent Bowmanville’s Bokpe ed in the second round. Following Nel- athletes. son’s advice, Gabriel threw more punch Using and abusing these drugs can prevail at pro event combinations, and then attacked the lead to addiction, overdose, athletic inju- body when he realized Ortega was vul- ries, harmful behaviours, athletic and BY BRIAN McNAIR nerable as the round went on. academic failure. [email protected] “He just launched that attack and the Dozens of professional athletic careers guy was toast after that,” Nelson said. “The and families have been destroyed OSHAWA — Don Nelson and the Motor nice thing was that Jerome really showed because of drug addictions. Many have City Boxing Club couldn’t have asked for that killer instinct.” lost their lives from drunken driving much more out of fighters Jerome Gabri- Rose has risen to third in Canada for accidents and suicide. el and Phil Rose at the Hershey Centre in Photo courtesy Way Productions middleweights in the BoxRec rankings, Learning and employing mental and Mississauga on Nov. 19. MISSISSAUGA -- Oshawa’s Jerome while Gabriel sits 10th in the super mid- emotional skills on a daily basis at an Both came away victorious, and in short Gabriel has his arm raised in victory. dleweight class, where he will typically early age prevents drug addiction from order, which was expected out of Gabri- fight. developing. We have found that simple el, but not so much where Rose was con- before he retired, but yet Phil’s known as Nelson said he would like to see Rose relaxation and breathing skills alone can cerned. a puncher, he has a reputation,” said Nel- get a better tune-up fight before trying to have a tremendous impact on reducing Nelson, the head coach of the Motor son, adding that Rose was expected to go after the Canadian title, and he is try- anxiety and frustration in sport and life. City club, said he knew Rose was capa- lose. “If Phil Rose hits you, you might go ing to land Gabriel another fight as soon Combining relaxation skills with set- ble of pulling off an upset, but few oth- down, and he caught Ryan Young.” as possible. He hopes to see Gabriel reach ting and achieving athletic and life goals ers gave the 34-year-old Whitby resident Gabriel, a six-time amateur champion, the world top 10 in two years. produces endorphins. These feel-good a chance against Oakville’s Ryan Young, was making his professional debut about Among the other bouts at the Hershey chemicals are produced naturally in the who came in with an unblemished 10-0-0 a year into his return to the ring following Centre, Bowmanville’s Abokan Bokpe brain. They lead to natural highs which pro record. a six-year absence. improved to 4-0-0 with a unanimous eliminate pain, frustration and the need Rose, who has a reputation as a heavy Although a heavy favourite, it took the decision over Whitby’s Brock Arthur in for drugs. puncher but went into the fight with a 27-year-old Oshawa resident into the the cruiserweight division. However, parents may need to call in pro record of 5-4-1, knocked Young to the second round to finish off Mexican Jesus The Motor City Club will be hosting an a professional when all their efforts to canvas three times in the first round and Ortega in their light heavyweight bout. amateur show, called Season’s Beatings, change the drug habits in their budding won by technical knockout before the bell “Even though he has tons of experience, on Sunday Dec. 11 at the Best Western star performer fail. rang in their middleweight bout. I could tell he was nervous,” Nelson said in Oshawa, starting at 2 p.m. Gabriel and Dr. Douglas Smith is a licensed psychologist in “The way the promoter looked at Phil of Gabriel and his tentative start. “He had Rose will be on hand to meet any fans. Ontario specializing in sport psychology since was that he was off in retirement for two those first-time jitters. It’s still a different Advance tickets are on sale now at the 1985. Contact him at 905-430-3538 or drdoug@ years, and had lost the last two fights game when you go into the pros.” club (725 Bloor St. W.) for $20. promind.ca; website www.promind.ca durhamregion.com 46 SPORTS OW December 1, 2016 Cirelli lone General in hunt for Team Canada This Week • Week This Captain off to Blainville, the fact that he’s so strong defensively, he can kill penalties, he’s a great five-on-five Quebec Dec. 11-14 shut-down centreman … and he’s also got a knack, as we very well know, for scoring BY BRIAN McNAIR big goals.” [email protected] On the flip side, Mitchell Vande Sompel was not among the 10 defencemen invited OSHAWA — It’s that time of the year when to the camp, a list that included only one junior hockey clubs don’t mind so much from the OHL, Victor Mete of the London losing players for an extended period. Knights. For Oshawa Generals captain Antho- “I am disappointed for Mitch and sur- ny Cirelli, he’s hoping it will be for nearly prised that he didn’t get invited,” said a month as he heads off to the selection Hunt, adding, “but, again that’s where we camp for the Canadian team in advance of go back to the fact that Canada is a pretty the world junior hockey championships. big nation with a lot of great players. Cirelli is one of 32 players who have been “We have to turn, for us, Canada’s loss invited to Blainville, Que. for the Dec. 11-14 into the Oshawa Generals’ gain,” he said. camp, where he hopes to be among the “We want him to handle it in a real posi- 22 who will represent Canada at the 2017 tive way and allow us to get wins and him championship being hosted by Toronto to develop his craft.” and Montreal Dec. 26, 2016 to Jan. 5, 2017. Among those also not invited were for- “Anthony is a testament to any player that mer General Cliff Pu, who’s fifth in the OHL has taken the long route to success, from with 42 points for the Knights, and Kelow- being undrafted in the OHL, to making our na Rockets defenceman Cal Foote, son of team as a free agent, winning a Memorial Whitby native and former NHLer Adam Cup and then being drafted by the Tampa Foote. Bay Lightning and later signing an NHL Foote, who is expected to be a first-round contract,” said Roger Hunt, Oshawa’s vice- pick in the next NHL draft, was born in president and general manager, in a press Ryan Pfeiffer / Metroland the United States and is a dual citizen, but release. “Anthony will be a fantastic addi- OSHAWA -- Oshawa Generals captain Anthony Cirelli has been invited to Canada’s must reside in Canada for 16 consecu- tion to Team Canada and we would love selection camp in advance of the 2017 world junior hockey championships. tive months and play here for two seasons nothing more than to watch him wear the before being eligible to play for Canada. maple leaf.” been a consistent performer in all three Memorial Cup, scoring both goals in a 2-1 The Generals have one player even more In his third season with the Generals, zones and has led the team to a record of overtime win over the Kelowna Rockets in likely to play at the world junior tourna- Cirelli leads the team in several catego- 16-4-0-2 since returning from the Light- the final. ment than Cirelli. Although the team has ries, including goals (13), points (30), plus- ning’s training camp, during which time “For me he would be a for-sure guy, but yet to be announced, Latvia is expected to minus (+17), game-winning goals (3), face- the Generals lost their first three games.