The Gryphons’ Lair Issue 47 - Dec 2020
What Happened in November?
Gryphon football in the time of the War Measures Act Featured in Guelph Today
‘Uncertainty’ is one of the most accurate words to describe the feelings of many people during an unforgettable 2020. It’s the same for many members of the community, as well as those who make up Gryphon Football.
Exactly 50 years ago, a similar feeling existed in this country.
It wasn’t a devastating virus causing the angst – it was a decisive shift in the political climate that impacted Canadians, including a group of young football players from Guelph.
Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau invoked the War Measures Act in 1970 as a response to extreme actions taken by the Front de libération du Québec (FLQ). Trudeau’s move signified the serious nature of what was happening in the country, which also made a typical Gryphon Football trip to Ottawa that fall all the more unique.
As Guelph was preparing to take the long bus ride to the nation’s capital, Gryphon rookie Bill Laidlaw heard the chatter around campus.
To read more of this article written by David Dicenzo, click here.
The Hammer in the Royal CIty
Anthony Moretuzzo got his first taste of football as a young kid growing up in Hamilton. The U of G rookie, one of seven first-year players from the Steel City, would go to Ti-Cat games with his Nonno and just bask in the atmosphere created by the dedicated Canadian Football League fans with the town’s trademark industrial smokestacks providing the backdrop at the north-end stadium. Moretuzzo didn’t know the details of the game at that point in his young life but it gave him the foundation for a journey that would eventually lead to Guelph/
To read more of this article written by David Dicenzo, click here.
Gryphons 50/50 Lottery
The Department of Athletics is excited to offer a new 50/50 lottery! Managed electronically, this 50/50 draw has two early bird prizes with a final prize draw on December 15, 2020. All proceeds go towards supporting University of Guelph student-athletes physical, mental and academic well-being.
1 for $5 | 10 for $10 | 60 for $20
Purchase your tickets here.
Next Gryphon
In the month of November, we added a long list of commits to our #NextGryphons family. Stay tuned on our social media accounts for their official signings.
Cedric Smith, a 5’11, 185 lb Receiver from Los Altos Athletics in Los Altos, CA. Click here to watch his highlight tape.
Brayden Lefkas, a 6’0’, 200 lb Linebacker from Corpus Christi Catholic Secondary School in Burlington, Ontario. Click here to watch his highlight tape.
Shawn Lal, a 6’5, 210 lb Quarterback from the Westshore Rebels in Vancouver, BC. Click here to watch his highlight tape.
Keegan Dicks, a Receiver from the Etobicoke Eagles in Etobicoke, Ontario. Click here to watch his highlight tape.
Drake Davis, a 5’3, 180 lb Receiver from the Centennial CVI in Cambridge, ON. Click here to watch his highlight tape.
Gryphons in the Community
Gryphon Football Fundraises for Look Good Feel Better
Through October and November, Gryphon Football Advancement has been accepting donations in support of Look Good Feel Better Canada, a charity that helps women with cancer “feel like themselves again”. With each minimum $40 donation, the donor received a “Gryphon Strong” hoodie as a way of saying thanks. We are so excited to announce that $7000 was donated to Look Good Feel Better at the end of our campaign. Making a difference in our community is one reason we are all proud to be Gryphons.
Celebrations
Rob Maver Wins CFL All-Decade Punter Award
This month we celebrate Rob Maver’s achievement of the CFL All-Decade Punter Award. Congratulations Rob on this outstanding accomplishment. The Gryphon community is extremely proud of you.
Ryan Bomben Wins CFL All-Decade Offense Award
The Gryphon community would like to extend a huge congratulations to Ryan Bomben on receiving the CFL All-Decade Offense Award. What an amazing accomplishment!
Training Talk
December Update by Coach Kania
Business is steady with your Gryphons football squad. Just a few weeks ago, we wrapped up our on the field training as the weather started to get a bit colder. We recognized that we would have been hosting the Yates Cup game that particular week, in front of all of our phenomenal support.
That being said, from my perspective, I'm quite happy with the health and upkeep of our players. We did not suffer any soft tissue injuries and we're able to delve into a bit of our playbooks in preparation for the next time we took the field. This is a testament to your Gryphons training and recovery regimens, and the support of our Athletic therapy staff.
As exams start to roll in, our workouts will slowly be winding down to allow for the athletes to ensure they get the best marks they can in this unique year. There will still be programming, of course, and the option to lift. As many have stated, breaking from the rigors of school for an hour is a great way to de-stress and reset. Using our tracking app, TeamBuildr, it's great to see the progress we have made since September.
Further, I have to commend the young men of this program. They have followed and complied with all protocols to ensure they keep themselves away from as much risk as possible, and to not spread any sort of illness throughout the team. It is this type of attention to detail and responsibility which allows our team to grow.
As I'm sure you have seen by now, we have confirmed our supplier for the renovations to the Alumni Stadium weight room. The visual renditions provided by Sorinex are nothing short of spectacular and provide a glimpse into what the future holds for our team's training. No detail has been missed. We will have the best facility in the country.
Finally, I personally want to welcome all of our current commits for the upcoming year. We have already been in touch regarding their training and preparation for their arrival. This class has shown it's maturity in conversations with me and I'm excited to see how they can contribute to our already stellar core.
When we get back together in January, we'll be working inside our indoor fieldhouse 4 days a week and lifting twice a week, barring any setbacks due to government regulations. As I've come to realize, we are at the halfway point between when we were first shit down, and when I anticipate we will convene for fall camp.
The urgency to be ready to vie for a National Championship in 2021 has been there throughout this fall. I'm excited to turn it up another notch come the new year.
Featured Alumnus
Our Featured Alumnus for this month is former Gryphon, Joel Varty.
During his time at the University of Guelph, Joel studied English and Computer Science. He has since gone on to pursue a career in the software development field, where he leads teams at Agility CMS, a cloud-based content management firm based out of Toronto and Vancouver. Joel has also returned to the University of Guelph to lecture a first-year comp-sci class. “It was great to see the faces light up when I spoke about the ideas they were toying with”, he says.
More recently, Varty started coaching highschool football in Port Hope, Ontario. “My own high school coach encouraged me to compete and play at the next level, and I wanted to help young people in my town have that kind of experience, too”, says Joel. “Once you’ve been part of a great organization like the Gryphons that creates a brotherhood among the players, coaches and staff, you want to do everything in your power to emulate that for the next generation.”
When asked to reflect on his Gryphon Football experience, Joel says that being a Gryphon taught him innumerable lessons about perseverance and brotherhood. “During my years, we were 1-7 in ‘95 and we bounced back to become one of the top teams in the country in ‘96 and ‘97. That happened because everyone in the organization supported each other”, he recalls.
Joel says that the team had an exceptionally strong drive and sense that they “were helping to build something bigger than themselves”.
We are so proud of Joel’s contributions to Gryphon Football. Thank you for being our featured alumnus, Joel!
Featured FOGF Member This month’s Featured FOGF Member is Rob Popkey.
Rob became an FOGF member “in an attempt to pay it forward to current members of the Gryphon Football Team”. He says that his years as a Gryphon were “the most enjoyable years of his life”. When reflecting on his time as a gryphon, Rob recalls learning many valuable life lessons including how to work as a team, motivate others, and strive to perfectly execute every play as it was designed. “The requirement of maintaining a positive mindset through the stressful daily pressures of a student athlete, prepared me for some of the tough business and life situations I have had to face”, he says.
Rob recalls that his most memorable moment with the Gryphons was winning the Yates Cup 45 to 10 over the favored Western Mustangs at the Skydome. “Everything went right, and I will never forget looking up at the clock in the final seconds thinking ‘we did it’”, he reminisces.
Being that Rob now resides in Chicago, he constantly checks in with how the team is doing virtually. “FOGF continuously keeps me informed of the exciting game outcomes and numerous events that raise money for the team”, he says.
Thank you so much for your support, Rob. We truly appreciate your continued involvement in Gryphon Football. You’re such a valuable member of the Gryphon family.
Tweet of the Month
The December tweet of the month was published by our very own Mayor of Guelph, Cam Guthrie. Mayor Guthrie has been keeping up with our recent Gryphon Football commits on twitter. It looks as if the Guelph Gryphons get his seal of approval!
To keep up with us on Twitter, click here.
Monthly Pick-Me-Up
Check out these shots of our players edited by the incredible Matt Sharpe.
Arts & Culture
This month's pavilion Arts & Culture feature highlights our infamous 9 3/4 sign. This witty Harry Potter reference was an idea championed by Kim Lang and reflects the school's comparisons to Hogwarts. This novelty touch can be spotted next to the player's entrance, better known as the "Gryphon Door".
Gryphons Gone Pro
This month’s "Gryphon Gone Pro" is the outstanding Rob Pavan. Pavan was a fourth round draft pick of the Montreal Alouettes in the 1987 CFL College Draft. The Alouettes folded just prior to the start of the 1987 season and Pavan was selected by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the dispersal draft. After one season in Winnipeg, Pavan was selected by Ottawa in the equalization draft in 1988. We are so proud of Rob’s success!
Did You Know?
Dan Crabbe knows about championships. The Gryphon Football alum was a key piece of the O-line when Guelph defeated the Waterloo Warriors to win the Yates Cup in 1996. As coordinator and position coach of the local GCVI Gaels, Crabbe also has a pair of consecutive D10 titles (2016 and 2017) under his belt.
Now the GCVI head coach, he is a man of many talents and has taken that winning mentality to another arena – cooking mouth-watering, trophy-worthy chili.
Crabbe founded the Chili Bowl nine years ago and takes almost as much pride in being a four-time champion of the Alumni Stadium event as he did hoisting the Yates Cup. The annual contest usually runs at the Gryphons’ last home game of the year, and its growth has been incredible.
To read more of this article written by David Dicenzo, click here.
Save the Date
Gala Dinner: May 15, 2021*
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.