Bishop-Nriagu and Fairall web

Lions mourn the passing of Windsor coach Dennis Fairall

by linkinbioNational

Our sport has lost a giant, and we have lost a friend.

The Ottawa Lions are extremely saddened by the passing of famed University of Windsor coach Dennis Fairall. The Lancer legend had been battling progressive supranuclear palsy for years. He was 67 years old.

The “Big Dawg” as he was affectionately known as was an incredible coach and leader, and accomplished what we all hope for sport – leaving it in a better position than when he entered it. While the championships and accolades are numerous, and readily searchable, Fairall will be best remembered for the personal effect he had on the thousands of athletes and coaches he interacted with over his more than four decades in the sport. Numerous members of the Lions pride spent their formative year’s under Dennis’ guidance at the University of Windsor and benefited greatly from his tutelage – chief among them being two time Olympian Melissa Bishop-Nriagu who Fairall continued to coach personally up until last year.

University of Windsor Director of Athletics Mike Harvey put it best, “His coaching tree is wide and deep; and that impact will continue to be felt for years.” We understand the truth of that statement first hand with Executive Director Richard Johnston having learnt under Fairall’s wing during his ten years with the Lancers program.

Our hearts are with Fairall’s wife and two children as well as the entire Lancer family during this difficult time.

Leslie Estwick Coaching

Estwick named 1 of 12 mentors for Inaugural Black Female Coach Mentorship Program

by linkinbioNational

HIGH ACHIEVERS: Stay-Safe Edition

Respected Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club coach Leslie Estwick has been named one of 12 mentors for the inaugural Black Female Coach Mentorship Program for 2020-21. The Black Female Coach Mentorship Program is the next step in the Coaching Association of Canada’s Women in Coaching program, which also includes the Enhanced Female Mentorship program.

Coaches mentoring coaches exists because of funding support from Sport Canada and the federal government’s priority of gender equity in sport by 2035. The Black Female Coach Mentorship Program will focus on three areas:

  1. Provide Black female mentorship;
  2. Advance coach professionalism through mentors and mentees;
  3. Provide a sustainable model of mentorship to increase accessibility, support, leadership development for Black coaches.

The 12 mentors represent 4 provinces – Ontario (7), Quebec (2), Nova Scotia (2), British Columbia (1) and 8 sports – basketball, flag football, ice hockey, field hockey, track and field, volleyball, rugby, swimming.

The Black Canadian Coaches Association contacted Estwick, looking to expand its network of coaches beyond basketball. Estwick, a Chartered Professional Coach granted by the Coaching Association of Canada, was interested and agreed to be a mentor. “The mentorship opportunity is a great idea,” Estwick said. “It would have been really useful for me 30 years ago.”

Estwick has been a volunteer coach with the Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club for more than three decades, starting when she was a high jumper. “Coaching is still a male dominated activity. There are not a lot of paid coaching jobs for women and women of colour,” she added. “We need more coaches in all sports, all levels, more female coaches, more black coaches.”

Over the next year, Estwick and the other 11 Black Female Coach Mentorship Program coaches will assist coaches (mentees) with their individual needs in a variety of sports to empower, guide and assist them move forward.

“The coach may want to learn more skills, mental training, some sport specifics, coaching specifics or networking help,” said Estwick, adding it may be easier for a coach of colour to learn from another coach of colour.

“It’s good to have a coach to talk to for experience to climb the ladder, write a resume or develop a path to follow. There’s a confidence building aspect to it. Yes, you are capable of doing this,” Estwick said.

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This story was originally posted as a series of tweets by journalist Martin Cleary

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Bishop-Nriagu and Crew highlight Twilight #3

by linkinbioNational

When Melissa Bishop-Nriagu toed the line at Wednesday night’s Twilight Meet it marked the first time the two time Olympian had competed in the summer series in more than a decade. Her last appearance was July 18, 2007 when the then 18 year old Bishop-Nriagu won the women’s 800 metres in two minutes and 10.51 seconds, completing her final preparations before heading to BC the following week to capture Canadian gold at the U20 Championships.

Competing under entirely different circumstances Wednesday, Bishop-Nriagu was still the class of the field. Winning the women’s 400 metres in 56.77 seconds, the Twilight meet environment presented the Nike professional a unique opportunity. “I had a lot of fun,” declared the Canadian record holder at 800 metres following the competition. “It was kind of back to old times. You know the atmosphere obviously isn’t the same, but I think everyone is doing their best to kind of keep it as hype as they can.“

While returning to competition has meant adjustments for everyone in terms of sanitizing and social distancing, professionals are also adjusting to competing without stands full of fans. The last time Bishop-Nriagu toed the line in Ottawa was during the 2017 Canadian Championships, where the bleachers were overflowing with cheering spectators and stadium attendance topping 3000 people.

However, with COVID protocols limiting capacity at Terry Fox to a total of just 100 athletes, coaches, and volunteers, the environment forces you to refocus your approach to the situation. “A lot of the time the crowd can create an extra boost of adrenaline and we just don’t get that here, so you really have to find it from within to compete hard,” said Bishop-Nriagu. 

Shot putter, and fellow Nike professional, Brittany Crew echoed those feelings after she won her event Wednesday night. “I try to do a lot of mental prep before,” said the Canadian record holder of her approach. Crew’s winning throw of 17.50 metres, was more than a meter off her seasonal best, but still nearly six meters ahead of Beckwith Athletic Club’s Erin Sweeney in second.

“Usually we have an atmosphere and we got fans and we got competitors, but today, obviously, I’m kind of competing against myself,” said Crew, acknowledging there was more work to do in a Twilight Meet environment. “It’s definitely hard to get amped and pysched up for a tiny little meet, but I’m just glad we can compete.”

Both women also acknowledged the opportunity a Twilight meet provides to inspire the younger generation of athletes who you are competing alongside. “I think it’s nice for the young throwers to actually see me compete because I’m usually not around,” described Crew, who largely competes in Europe.

However, both athletes confessed they thought many of the younger were hesitant to approach them. “I think a lot of them are too shy,” said Bishop-Nriagu who regonized her competition demeanor may have kept some away. Nonetheless, she admitted, with a smile, she still managed to pose for eight socially distant selfies with some young fans.

The Ottawa Summer Twilight series will continue tomorrow, Saturday, August 14th, where for the first time in history the series will take place outside of its regular Wednesday night schedule For all those present, please make sure to complete your health questionnaire before arriving at the facility.

 

Terry Fox Aerial

National team members highlight Twilight #3 start list

by linkinbioNational

For shot putter Brittany Crew, a meet on August 12th would have likely taken place somewhere in Europe, falling in the twilight of a long competitive season that began way back in February. However, with the bulk of the competitive season scrapped as a result of COVID-19, the Canadian record holder finds herself in Ottawa tonight for Twilight #3, competing in just her second meet since that early season trip to New Zealand.

Crew is a leader among a small contingent of Team Canada athletes venturing to Terry Fox for tonight’s competition. The two time world championship finalist will be joined by two members of Canada’s men’s 4×400 metre relay team – Phillip Osei and Daniel Harper. Osei was a member of Canada’s silver medal winning mixed 4×400 metre team at last year’s World Relay Championships while Harper has donned the red and white at both the Pan Am Games and NACAC senior championships.

All three Team Canada athletes are scheduled to compete in their marquee events. Crew’s shot put competition is scheduled for 7:30pm while the Osei and Harper will duel it out over the one lap race around 8pm.

The full schedule of events for tonight’s Twilight is available at ottawalions.com/schedule and live results can be found at liveresults.ottawalions.com

Please remember to complete your health questionnaire before arriving at Terry Fox.

MRR_OTTL_2020Twilight#1_00869_web

Alexis nearly sets world masters record

by linkinbioNational

It’s not every day you come out to the track and almost see a World Record set. Well, for the small number of athletes and coaches in attendance at Wednesday night’s Summer Twilight #2 that’s exactly what they got.

For as long as Wendy Alexis has been around a track, she’s been one of the fastest women in the race. With enough medals to fill a closet and her fair share of records, there has been one that has eluded the retired elementary school teacher – a world record. For a brief moment Wednesday night, she thought she had it.

Running the 100 metres in a heat with competitors up to 52 years her junior, Alexis showed she’s still got what it takes, winning in 13.91 seconds. As the time was announced over the loud speaker, there was a veritable eruption of euphoria just beyond the finish line as Alexis reacted to what would have equaled the current world record in the W65 100 metres held by fellow Canadian Karla Del Grande. Unfortunately, for Alexis the wind gauge had registered a positive 3.0 metres per second to nullify any possible record (the acceptable limit is 2.0 m/s).

Wednesday night’s competition was the second Twilight Meet of our COVID shortened season, and the first open to the athletes from outside the Club. Exactly 100 athletes took part across 17 events, as they ventured to Terry Fox from as far away as Guelph to the west and Montreal to the east.

Those who peaked out at the long throws were treated to some impressive performances in both the javelin and hammer throw. Club Sisu’s Jared Skeath was victorious in the men’s hammer throw. The former USports champion hurled the 16 pound ball out to an impressive 60.07 metres – easily eclipsing the longest distance at any Twilight Meet in recent years. Skeath’s club mate Ashley Pryke had a similar performance in the javelin as she took victory based on her first throw of the competition. The University of Memphis graduate’s best throw of 51.97 metres, was well short of her seasonal best 57.38 set back in February, but was the closest anyone has come to Cheryl Coker’s 1990 meet record of 54.07 metres in some time.

Twilight Meet #3 will take place next Wednesday, August 12th at 6:30pm at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility. For more information, please visit ottawalions.com/schedule.

 

TFox Twilight

Ottawa Summer Twilight Series to kick off next week

by linkinbioNational

While originally slated to start back in early June, the Ottawa Lions are excited to announce the 32nd season of Ottawa famous Summer Twilight Series will kick off next Wednesday, July 29th at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility.

“After much work with valued stakeholders like Athletics Ontario, Athletics Canada, and the City of Ottawa, we as an organization are very excited to bring back some sort of normalcy to our members in the form of our long running Twilight Series,” said acting Executive Director Richard Johnston. “After much hard work behind the scenes, we were able to return to formal training just under a month ago, and the framework has been working well. Certainly, providing a safe competitive opportunity to our members was the next logical step for our organization.”

Next week’s event will be open to Ottawa Lions members only before the series expands to allow for registered athletes (both able bodied and athletes with a disability) from all of Canada’s provincial branches.

Given the ongoing risk mitigation strategies related to COVID-19, the Terry Fox Athletic Facility will be enforcing a 100-person capacity, including athletes, coaches, volunteers and meet organizers. Participants are to respect all physical distancing regulations put in place by Ottawa Public Health and those not competing or warming up will be asked to wear a face mask.

For a full list of events offered, series schedules and requirements to participate, please click the following link.