University of Windsor
Being There Without “Being There”: How the Lancer Women’s Hockey Players are Helping Girls Connect with Sport During COVID-19
Photo credit: golancers.ca by: Shaun Smith With a lack of programs designed to keep young female hockey players connected to sport throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, at the start of 2021 the Lancer Women’s hockey team brainstormed and created the Lancer Development Bubble. The first round of the bubble began in January and ran through February. For four weeks approximately 10 girls aged 10-14 participated in hockey-specific discussions, home workouts, mobility exercises, and in the words of Amy Maitre, “gave them some hockey at a time when they can’t be on the ice with their team.” Maitre, who took the lead
From Playing on the Floor to Stylizing it: How a former Lancer Basketball Player Became a Fashion Entrepreneur
by: Shaun Smith What comes after the Lancers? For Chris Poloniato, who played guard on the varsity men’s basketball at the University of Windsor from 2016-2020, the answer was slightly different from most graduates: a clothing line. “It was an idea where I’d seen shirts that said [basketball related-phrases] before, but it was a one-off. I’d think that’s a really cool shirt, and then I’d never see one again.” Chris, a graduate of the kinesiology program, and his brother, Nick, co-founded “Hoopn” last year and launched their first products in December. Through their line, they contend, basketball players to be
Kinesiology and Athletics Combine for Rebranded Centre for Human Performance and Health
by: Shaun Smith The Department of Kinesiology, in both its sport management and movement science streams, has long worked with the Athletics and Recreation Services in research and a new on-campus initiative seeks to build on that history. In a project lead by Chad Sutherland, the Centre for Human Performance and Health (CHPH), seeks to formalize many prior informal and individual efforts to the benefit of both units. “This Centre is really Kinesiology’s focus on creating a healthier community,” says Sutherland. According to the Centre’s webpage, the CHPH offers a framework for multidisciplinary research, bringing together experts from a variety
A Strong Demand and Little Supply: The University of Windsor’s Recreational Facilities in the COVID-19 Pandemic
by: Shaun Smith The regulations and policies put in place to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in Ontario has impacted everyone. For the university athletic staff, it has been a hard line between following the rules and accommodating the requests for facility usage. On one hand, there are the ever-present needs of the varsity coaches and their athletes. On the other, there are the responsibilities that the athletic department has toward the student community in general. Managing both of those groups has not been easy, but everyone has been understanding of the circumstances. “We are like any other facility in
All of the things I could’ve done…but probably wouldn’t have: A student’s reflection on COVID-19
by: Shaun Smith Five years ago, at my first orientation at the University of Windsor, older students that spoke with us echoed one thought: “I wish I’d become involved sooner.” The word “involved” means a lot of different things on a university campus. For some, it might be as simple as applying themselves properly in their studies and getting good grades. That’s how I, as a freshman, interpreted it. But it can also mean an entire world’s worth of things that a student entering university cannot yet comprehend. Over the course of my time in university, I played intramural sports,
Screens Seen as Potentially Dangerous, Addictive
by: Mitch Stewart That screen? The one you’re watching now. Or that other one, on your phone? Or the one you’ll watch later? It turns out mom was right, all these screens in modern life may really be rotting your brain. Researchers at University College London have proposed that excessive screen time can be a contributor to dementia in people over the age of 50. “Research suggests that television is a bit of unusual activity for the brain because you’ve got lots of bright and fast-moving images so your brain is very alert,” explained Dr. Fancourt from the UCL Institute
Richard Moon: UWindsor Law Professor and conspiracy aficionado
by: Rowan Dunne In a compelling interview regarding conspiracy theories and misinformation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic on February 26th, I spoke with Richard Moon. Moon is a Law Professor at the University of Windsor and a renowned author on the subjects of freedom of expression, religious freedom, and conspiracy theories. He is also currently editor-in-chief of the Windsor Yearbook of Access to Justice. In September last year, Moon published a written piece in the Literary Review of Canada entitled Language Barrier: The life of a conspiracy theory. In this written segment he discussed the psychology behind the prominence of conspiracy
An interview with the UWindsor Campus Physician
by: Rowan Dunne In an interesting interview on Microsoft Teams with Dr. Matt Scholl, I had the chance to gain insight into the perspective of a medical professional regarding misconceptions and conspiracy theories surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics covered in the interview included the danger of an apathetic mentality about the virus, the viability of rules and regulations implemented by the government in Canada, and the tendency of many to drift toward believing in some whacky theories which do not align whatsoever with scientific evidence during times of uncertainty. Dr. Scholl stated, “public health measures, we have to put those
Look Out for Esports
by: Derek Marshall While the COVID-19 pandemic has functionally limited the vast majority of Lancer varsity teams for past year, a new team has emerged amidst the restrictions. From the beginning of the fall semester, Lancer Gaming, the University of Windsor’s esports team, has been the only university team competing against other academic institutions. For those that aren’t aware, esports is the term used to describe the world of competitive, organized video gaming. Lancer Gaming competes against 16 other teams in the Ontario Post-Secondary Esports (OPSE) organization. OPSE is comprised of provincial universities and colleges. The organization has $24,000 in
Restricted Assessment: Recruitment Amidst the Pandemic
by: Derek Marshall The recruitment of student-athletes can be a daunting task for varsity coaches during a normal year, let alone during a global pandemic. With the variety of ever-changing restrictions imposed by various levels of governing bodies, the difficult yet important task of student-athlete recruitment has changed over the past year. Rather than relying upon in-person observations of sought-after athletes at tournaments and games, coaches must now rely upon highlight tapes, game films and if regionally permitted, streams of live competitions. “There’s been no face-to-face contact interaction by coaches with specific student-athletes,” said Mike Havey, Director of Athletics and