UNews - coach

Pronghorns women's rugby team kicks off season

trevor.kenney — Fri, 20 Sep 2013 17:49:55 +0000

For the first time since 2007, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns women’s rugby team enters the Canada West season as the hunter and not the hunted after seeing their reign of six consecutive conference championships snapped in 2012.

The ‘Horns will not have a home game until the Canada West Championships and will play all four of their conference games on the road, starting this weekend with a trip to the west coast to face the Victoria Vikes and UBC Thunderbirds.

In addition to losing their conference crown, the ‘Horns also had their 22-game conference winning streak snapped in the process, losing to the Calgary Dinos 31-18 during the regular season. It was the Dinos who also put an end to the ‘Horns' reign as conference champions, beating the U of L 33-32 in a thrilling Canada West semifinal.

Heading into the 2013 season, the ‘Horns will need to fill some key holes left by the departure of five-time Canada West all-star Brandi Van Eeuwen, fly half Laura Murphy-Burke, scrum half Alex Hendricks and heart and soul leader Kendra Reeves. Despite these departures, the cupboard is far from bare with the return of 2013 Canada U20 members Sarah Gordon and Ashley Delaney. Add in team captain Jillian Ankutowicz, Kim Leavitt, Tiffany Wideen and Lindsey Duxbury, and the leadership group will be solid.

Newcomers Allison Toews and Lisa Hildebrand have also impressed early for the ‘Horns.

The ‘Horns' first opponent, the Victoria Vikes, will look to rebound from last season’s winless campaign and welcome a fresh, elite group of recruits to the fold. The Vikes boast 15 new members, 11 of whom competed provincially this past summer.

The UBC Thunderbirds enter the 2013 Canada West women’s rugby season with a new coach in Maria Gallo, who is working to replicate the success she enjoyed as a player at both Guelph ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta. The former national team member won three CIS championships and was named the CIS Most Valuable Player in 2002.

Gallo takes over a relatively young squad that returns most of its players from last season, which ended with a loss in the Canada West bronze medal game. There are no fifth-year seniors on the roster, but there is a large group of third- and fourth-year players who will provide leadership.

The Canada West Championships will be hosted by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, Oct. 18-20 at the
U of L Community Sports Stadium.

Horns' Millman always had U of L on his mind

trevor.kenney — Tue, 10 Sep 2013 20:56:58 +0000

Peter Millman’s track career began with him trying to run over hurdles as fast as he could. Today, Millman could just hurl them out of the way and waltz down the track – he’s clearly found his niche.

“I thought I was going to be a hurdler in Grades 6 through 8 and honestly, was really bad, and it was sort of embarrassing for my dad,” laughs Millman, whose father Paul coached track at the provincial and national level. “So I started throwing the discus in Grade 8, won provincials my second year and that’s basically where my throwing career began.”

Ready to embark on his second year of studies at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, Millman is already a known commodity on the Canadian Interuniversity Sport track and field scene. That will happen when you win gold and silver medals in your first Canada West Championship meet and are named Canada West Rookie of the Year – and that was just the beginning.

Millman, 19, spent the summer racking up personal best throws and more accolades as he claimed three medals at the Canadian Junior Track and Field Championships. The Truro, N.S. product won gold in the shot put and silver in each of the discus and hammer throw events. He was then named to Canada’s Pan American Junior Championship team and competed in Medellin, Colombia at the end of August, qualifying for the finals of the hammer throw event and improving his Pan Am ranking from 10th to seventh position.

Peter Millman prepares to throw the shotput during the Pan American Junior Athletic Championships.

“Coming here and focusing on throwing and training with Larry Steinke, I believe opens everything up for me,” says Millman, who eyes world championship and Olympic appearances in his future. “I had opportunities to go to the United States but to me, it looked like an athlete factory down there and with Larry, it’s one-on-one focussed training designed to get you to the next level.”

The U of L didn’t have to spend a lot of time recruiting Millman, he was essentially in the family from the time he took his first training trip to Lethbridge in his Grade 10 year.

“I tried to convince my parents to let me move out here in Grade 10 and just start training with Larry but that wasn’t going to happen,” he says. “I had chosen the U of L by Grade 10, it was always where I was coming.”

The draw of course is head coach Steinke, leader of the national throws program and the mentor to Olympians Jim and Heather Steacy. He’s been mining talent from Truro for years, having previously brought Kate Forbes and Jonathan Doucette (now the coach at Dalhousie ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ) to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. Along with Millman came Kayla Gallagher (last year’s CIS gold medallist in weight throw) and Montana Forsyth. In the fall, Millman says his dad will bring another high school group to Lethbridge for a week of training, possibly laying the foundation for future throwing prospects attending the U of L.

“The thing about Larry is that his programs are so individually based and he’s so knowledgeable about track, even outside of throws events, he knows the sport so well,” says Millman. “He understands what you need in terms of lifting, really everything within your training, he sets it up. Everybody has their own program focused on what they individually need to develop.”
Millman has changed his academic focus this fall, moving away from international management and focusing on history. He admittedly struggled last year and looks to return to the strong classroom performances he put in while in high school.

“I wasn’t going to force myself to study something I didn’t really want to do,” he says of the management vein he tried to follow in the shadow of father’s career (he runs an international student recruitment program in Nova Scotia). “I want to take something where my interests lie and I’ve done that this year. I really like the courses I’m in this semester so I hope things go a lot better.”

His competitive goals are enhanced this year as he looks to build off his rookie success as well as the summer experience he gained internationally.

“Hopefully, I want to medal this year at the CIS Championships. I had such a great outdoor season with the shot, I hope it transfers to the indoor season,” he says. “After that, theoretically the NACAC Under-23 (North America Central America and Caribbean) Games are a possibility. I’m still pretty young and would have another shot at it in two years but it’d be great to make that team.”

GET THE FACTS

• Millman says he still has an autograph from former Pronghorn thrower and Olympian Jim Steacy on his bedroom wall back home in Truro from his initial visit to Lethbridge in Grade 10

• Millman competes in each of the discus, hammer/weight and shot put events but says, “I’m starting to think that maybe I have more potential in the shot put.”

• Millman has a younger sister in Grade 12 who he describes as a “genius”. She also throws hammer and is looking at attending an Ivy League school in the eastern United States

• Millman placed fifth in shot at the Pan American Junior Athletic Championships, while Horns teammate Kayla Gallagher won bronze for Canada in the hammer throw

Horns bolstered by Kodiak recruits

trevor.kenney — Tue, 28 May 2013 16:02:17 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns head coach Mike Hansen has begun re-tooling the men's basketball roster with the signing of a pair of ACAC all-stars from the Lethbridge College Kodiaks.

Hansen announced the signing of southern Alberta products Rob Olsen and Jared Baker on Monday afternoon, wlecoming a pair of players whom Hansen previously coached at Lethbridge College during the 2009-2010 season. Olsen and Baker then embarked on their two year missions for the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints. This past fall, both returned to the Kodiaks program and did not miss a beat, finishing one-two in team scoring.

Both Olsen and Baker have also excelled in the classroom, with each being named CCAA Academic All-Canadians this past season.

Olsen, a 6'1" guard from Cardston, Alta., finished fifth in South Division scoring averaging just over 19 points per game and was named an ACAC first team all-star, while shooting 49.6% from the field and over 47% from behind the arc. He also added 6 rebounds per game and 2.39 assists.

Prior to joining the Kodiaks, Olsen starred for the Cardston Cougars and was named the Southern Alberta High School Basketball League MVP in his final season (2008-09).

"Rob is an incredible talent and an outstanding young man," says Hansen. "I believe Rob is the best player to come out of Cardston since his uncle and former high school coach Ken McMurray. Ken was an all-Canadian for the Horns and I'm confident that Rob will have the same success with us."

Hansen adds that Olsen is also very accomplished off the court and represents the ideal of the Canada West student-athlete.

"Rob represents everything we look for in a recruit, he was not only an all-star, but a CCAA Academic All-Canadian. He is a character kid and will be a great ambassador for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge."

A Raymond, Alta., product, Jared Baker was named an ACAC second-team all-star this past season and averaged 15 points per game for the Kodiaks, while adding just under 6 rebounds and 3.13 assists per contest.

In high school, Baker was a two sport athlete, winning provincial titles for the Raymond Comets in both football (2008) and Basketball (2009). He led the Southern Alberta High School Basketball League in scoring in grade 11 with 24.1 points per game and was named league MVP in 2007-08.

"I'm very excited to be coaching Jared again," says Hansen. "He is such an incredible competitor and is willing to do whatever is needed for a team to be successful.

"He has evolved from being a shooter to an all-around player. Jared has a high basketball IQ and the success he's experienced playing for Todd Heggie's Raymond teams shows in the way he carries himself. His CCAA Academic All-Canadian also demonstrates that Jared expects excellence for himself."

The men's basketball team will look to round out its 2013-14 recruiting class in the coming weeks.

Gallagher caps rookie season with CIS gold

trevor.kenney — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:40:48 +0000

The torch has officially been passed and it continues to burn as bright as ever for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns throws team.

With the brother/sister combination of Jim and Heather Steacy no longer competing, and winning medals, for the Horns, a new group of throwers debuted at the U of L this track season. In terms of medal counts, the team hardly missed a beat.

Rookies Kayla Gallagher and Peter Millman posted double medalist performances at the Canada West championship meet, each winning gold in their respective weight throw events and silver in the shot put. Gallagher then set the track community on its ear with a dominant performance at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport national championships, claiming gold in the weight throw for yet another throws national title for the program.

"I just wanted to place higher than what I was ranked going into the meet," says Gallagher, who was ranked fifth nationally. "A fourth-place finish would have been fine with me and getting on the podium would have been awesome – that was my thinking."

First-year Pronghorn thrower Kayla Gallagher continues the long tradition of excellence in the Horns' throws program.

She exceeded awesome by throwing 18.24 metres in the CIS final, a personal best by nearly two metres and almost a metre better than the rest of the field. At just 19, Gallagher is already on the fast track to a stellar career, and serves as another example of the talented athletes that head coach Larry Steinke continues to bring into the program.

Of course, Steinke had the inside track on Gallagher all along. A Truro, Nova Scotia product, Gallagher comes from a throwing hot spot, training with the Truro Lions club that spawned former Pronghorns Kate Forbes (the CIS Championship Meet record holder in weight throw) and Jonathan Doucette.

Her Truro coach, Paul Millman, is the father of fellow rookie Peter Millman, and is a close friend of Steinke's, so much so that Gallagher had twice visited the U of L for training camps as a high school athlete.

"I was never going to stay home for track," says Gallagher. "The biggest decision for me was whether I would go to the United States or stay in Canada but I honestly never really looked at any schools in the U.S., it just made sense to stay in Canada."

And to work with Steinke, the national team coach who has consistently produced the country's best young throwers.

Of course, it wasn't all record-setting throws and medals for Gallagher this season. She actually opened the Canada West season well off form.

"It was a rough start to the season, I was throwing worse than I had been two years ago," she says. "I had to reevaluate what I thought I could accomplish."

Devoting more time to weight throw (she also throws discus and shot put), Gallagher started to see results. She threw a personal best at the Canada West championship meet and established the longest throw ever for a CIS rookie in winning gold.

"When I threw 18-plus metres at CIS, it didn't surprise me because that's what I'd been throwing in the two weeks of practice leading in. The fact that I did it in a competition as opposed to just in practice was the big thing," she says.

She credits Steinke's coaching technique for much of her success, as well as the opportunity to train alongside Olympians such as Jim and Heather Steacy.

"I really enjoy Larry as a coach, he explains things really well and can show you how to correct things," she says. "He uses a lot of visual techniques, either with a video camera or by physically just showing you what to do, and that works for me because I'm a very visual learner."

Her transition to university life is an ongoing learning cycle. She admits that the time constraints of training for track and working a job take their toll on studying. Interested in psychology, Gallagher says she is working hard on improving her time management skills.

Considering the strides she made in the throwing circle in just one season, it's safe to say that when Gallagher puts her mind to something, she's likely to reap the rewards very soon.

GET THE FACTS

· Gallagher is currently training with Steinke and a group of elite throwers in Phoenix, AZ through Apr. 8

· Millman was named Canada West Rookie of the Year

· Gallagher has set her sights on breaking Kate Forbes' CIS weight throw record of 19.66 metres (2005 CIS Championships), then wants to take aim at Heather Steacy's Canada West and school records (20.28 metres)

· Gallagher will compete for Nova Scotia at the Canada Summer Games in August, and hopes to turn a strong performance at the Canadian national meet in Quebec into an invitation to the Pan American Junior Track and Field Championships in Peru, also in August

This story first appeared in the April 2013 edition of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Hansen named Horns men's head coach

trevor.kenney — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 21:45:05 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns Athletic Department announced that Mike Hansen (BA '96, BEd '99, MA '09) has been named the new head coach of the Pronghorn men's basketball program Friday, becoming the 10th head coach in the program's history.

Hansen replaces Dave Adams, who resigned Feb. 25 after his fourth season with the program to pursue an international teaching opportunity.

"We are excited to welcome Mike back to the program," says Executive Director of Sport and Recreation, Sandy Slavin. "His track record at the college level speaks for itself and his connection to the basketball community in southern Alberta is equally important."

Hansen returns to the 'Horns program after suiting up for the blue and gold during the 1990s. He played in 74 games for the Pronghorns over four seasons under the program's all-time winningest coach, Dave Crook, and graduated after the 1994 season.

"It is such an honour to be able to lead the Horns program," says Hansen. "Dave Crook and Dave Adams have been two of the most influential mentors in my life. I have a huge sense of responsibility to live up to the standards they have set for this program, and I hope I can have the same impact on my players that they've had on me."

Coaching at both the college and high school level in Alberta, Hansen comes to the 'Horns with a wealth of experience. Over five seasons in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) with Lethbridge College and NAIT, Hansen compiled a 68-30 conference record and a 114-47 overall record. Hansen reached the playoffs in all five seasons in the ACAC, including bronze medal finishes in 2009 and 2012 and a silver medal at the 2011 ACAC Final Four Championship.

After leading Lethbridge College to a 17-1 record and a CCAA silver medal, he moved on to NAIT for one season and finished with a 16-4 record. He resigned from NAIT after one season due to the inability to relocate his family to Edmonton.

In addition to his college experience, Hansen spent 10 years as a local high school coach, winning three league titles, four zone championships and attending the provincial championships six times, including this past year when he led the Chinook High School Senior Girls team to its first 4A Zone championship and a fourth place finish at provincials. He has also been involved in Alberta's provincial program, serving as an assistant coach and winning a bronze medal at the 2001 Canada Games.

Hansen will have instant familiarity with the current 'Horns roster, having coached a number of the current 'Horns at Lethbridge College.

Legacy of leaders will live on with Horns' culture

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 21:26:23 +0000

Athletic programs often talk about creating a culture and a unique identity that defines the ideals and goals of the organization. In many instances, that's all it is – talk. For the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns men's basketball team, fifth-year seniors Derek Waldner and Julian Spear Chief-Morris embody Horns' culture.

"They have been cornerstones of transformational change in our program," says head coach Dave Adams. "We went from pretenders to contenders in the time that they were here, and I cannot say enough about the sacrifices that both of them made to push the program to where it is now. Anything that's happened in the program in the last few years has been built on the backs of these guys."

While each of them took different paths to the Horns' program, and each battled through his own adversity, it was fitting to see them walk off the court together in triumph, checking out of their final Canada West game to a standing ovation from the home crowd, a victory well in hand.

"It's really nice in life, because you don't see it all the time, when people will put in the work and then get rewarded for it and that's happened for both guys," says Adams.

Derek Waldner, left, won the majority of these position battles over the course of his five-year career with the Pronghorns. Photo by Paula Gorman

Neither of the two had an easy road to success.

Waldner, an Okotoks product, admits that the U of L was really the only Canadian Interuniversity Sport program to recruit him out of high school and that he had no promises or expectations about what his role would be when he arrived on campus.

Spear Chief-Morris began his career at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Victoria. A local high school star at Lethbridge Collegiate Institute, he chose to head west to play for the nationally-renowned Vikes, but after two seasons in Victoria and an invitation from Adams to come back to Lethbridge in hand, he returned to his roots.

He subsequently had to sit out a transfer season and then early into his first year with the Horns, suffered a devastating knee injury. A year later he was back on the court but it really wasn't until the last few months of his senior season that Spear Chief-Morris was able to play to his abilities.

"I didn't really have basketball in mind when I was recovering, I just wanted to be a healthy person again because I spent a whole summer not being able to run, not being able to jump, having to learn how to walk again," he says. "I just decided I'd worry about getting healthy first and in the end I decided I wanted to play again."

All the while, Waldner was emerging from obscurity to become one of the best rebounders in the country and one of Canada West's top post threats. A double-double machine (double figures in both points and rebounds), he would eventually set the all-time rebounding record at the U of L and lead the CIS in rebounding his senior season.

"It was the goal for me when I came out of high school," says Waldner. "My coach, Sam Aiello, when I graduated he told me to go get that record, because Nick Baldwin, who had the record before me, was his product as well."

The Horns flourished with both Waldner and Spear Chief-Morris in the lineup, but it wasn't only court success that defined their time in blue and gold. Waldner, a biochemistry major, is a four-time Academic All-Canadian, while Spear Chief-Morris, studying urban and regional studies, has achieved All-Canadian status three times.

"I'm a competitive person and anything I do I want to be the best at, so walking into the classroom is the same thing. Why not try and be the best at what you do?" asks Spear Chief-Morris. "That's why I push myself in the classroom, if I'm going to do something I'm going to do it well."

Julian Spear Chief-Morris was a mentor both on and off the court to the next generation of Pronghorns. Photo by Paula Gorman

While he doesn't tout himself as a role model for First Nations teens, he recognizes that his success both on and off the court can serve as a positive motivating factor for the Aboriginal community.

"I don't think I've ever looked at myself as a role model but now that I'm getting older, I've been put in situations where I've been confronted with that," he says. " I think I definitely do serve as a role model in some respects to some of the kids out there on the Reserve. I'm really just trying to live my life the right way, so if people look up to me, that's great."

For Waldner, combining the rigors of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ with athletics was never a question, it's always been a focus.

"It just takes a little discipline, it takes staying in and studying instead of going out with your buddies some times," he says. "Time management is the biggest aspect, and having basketball and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ at the same time has really taught me that life skill where time management will never be an issue for me."

Both Spear Chief-Morris and Waldner have plans to pursue graduate studies, and even may look at professional basketball opportunities should it fit in with their academic ambitions. More than anything though, the two are not content to revel in their glory days as Horns basketball players, knowing this is just a stage in their life plan.

"I'm just excited for what's next," says Spear Chief-Morris. "My time here was wonderful but all things pass and I'm looking ahead."

It's that attitude that Adams says will live on well past their time in uniform.

"What a blessing in a program when you have two guys that not only come into practice and set the work ethic example on the court, but then they back it up by what they do in the classroom as well," says Adams. "Imagine how blessed we are to have a locker room where that is the voice of leadership. It's a fabulous culture that those guys will leave as a legacy in that locker room."

GET THE FACTS

· Both players had their parents in attendance for their final CIS game

· Waldner had 252 rebounds this season to set a new Horns' single-season record and lead all CIS players. His career total of 874 rebounds is also a Horns' record and the fifth highest total in Canada West history

· Both players credited Horns alumni for truly representing Horns culture. "I know that I've played for two universities now and the support, not just from the community but from the alumni is not comparable," says Spear Chief-Morris. "It really is a blessing to have a group of people who honestly care about who you are and your success."

This story first appeared in the March 2013 issue of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

U of L Dance Team places second

trevor.kenney — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 17:24:06 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Dance Team grabbed a second place finish in the Senior Open Dance category at the Total Spirit Competition in Edmonton this past weekend.

The 100-team competition took place at the Ice Palace in West Edmonton Mall, with the Horns finishing second in their three-team grouping.

The Dance Team performs at all ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorn basketball games and holds open auditions at the beginning of the fall semester. The group is back in action this weekend for its final competition of the year, travelling to Calgary.

Those interested in trying out for the team can contact coach Kira Armstrong at 403-837-8520.

Adams resigns as Horns' head coach

trevor.kenney — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 22:50:33 +0000

Following a 12-win season, the most the program has achieved since the 1999-2000 season, Dave Adams has resigned as the head coach of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns men's basketball program to pursue an international opportunity outside of coaching.

Hired April 17, 2009, Adams finishes his second tenure with the program with a 46-60 career won-loss record, the second best winning percentage of any Pronghorn men's basketball coach. He also guided the Horns to three post-season appearances. His first stint with the 'Horns was as interim head coach for the 2001-02 season, following the departure of Dave Crook.

"One door is closing and another door is opening both in Horns' Nation, and in my personal life," says Adams. "My journey has been greatly enriched by the wonderful experiences as a player, assistant coach and then head coach at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, but both my family and I are excited about this new endeavour and exciting opportunity overseas."

Head coach Dave Adams, seen here during a timeout, leaves the Horns after one of the team's most successful seasons.

Also an alumnus of the men's basketball program, Adams suited up for 76 games for the Blue and Gold from 1976-81, having his best season during the 1980-81 season when he averaged 11.9 points per game.

Adams has accepted a position as Principal/ Superintendent for the Alruwad International Schools in Muscat, Oman. There are four new schools set to open under the Alruwad International schools umbrella that will be offering Canadian curricula education in addition to sports academies. Two of those areas are close to Adams's heart - basketball and triathlon.

"I'm happy for Dave, I can't imagine a job that would be more perfect for him," says Executive Director of Sport and Recreation, Sandy Slavin. "He has done a great job for us these past four years, he's moved the program forward and is leaving it in great shape for the next coach. We will all miss the enthusiasm and excitement that Dave brings to Pronghorn Athletics."

Pronghorn Athletics will begin the process of searching for a new coach immediately.

Langevin takes year leave

trevor.kenney — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 23:25:41 +0000

On the heels of a season that saw an end to a six consecutive Canada West Championship run, 12-year ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns women's rugby head coach Neil Langevin has announced that he will take a year leave from his head coaching duties.

Former Pronghorn and long-time assistant coach JJ Ondrus has been named the interim head coach for the 2013 season. While Langevin will not be the head coach next season, he will stay on as an assistant coach.

"Neil has done a great job not only developing the student-athletes in his time but also his coaches," says Executive Director of Sport and Recreation Services, Sandy Slavin. "JJ will do a great job, and having Neil around to help with the transition is an asset and will also free him up to concentrate on other areas of the program."

Langevin, the architect of the 'Horns most successful athletic program, has been the head coach since its inception in 2000 and led the Horns to three consecutive national titles from 2007-2009, in addition to the six consecutive conference titles. The 'Horns also medaled on two other occasions at the CIS Championships, earning a silver medal in 2003 and a bronze medal in 2006.

Twice named the Canada West coach of the year (2002 and 2009), Langevin was also named the CIS coach of the year in 2009.

Over the 12 years, Langevin compiled a 41-21-0 conference record including a 22-game conference winning streak that spanned more than three full seasons.

Internationally, Langevin coached Canada's National Team to a fourth place finish at the 2006 World Cup. He also spent time as the head coach with Rugby Canada's National U20 Women's team.

"The challenge to contend for a national title every year has become difficult as I have two active boys with increasingly busy schedules and a full-time job," says Langevin of his decision to take a year leave. "JJ will bring her own ideas and strengths to build the program back to a national contender. I am proud of her and am confident in her abilities."

Ondrus began her Pronghorn career as a women's soccer player in 1997, playing three seasons, before moving to rugby. She was part of the inaugural women's rugby team in 2000. She finished her fifth year of athletic eligibility in 2001 when the Horns captured their first win against UBC in the Canada West bronze medal game.

Ondrus has been coaching with the program since her graduation. She's coached for over 10 years in the Southern Alberta High School Rugby League, most currently at Winston Churchill High School, where she teaches physics.

She has also travelled as a coach with two international high school rugby tours, one to England/Scotland (2006) and one to Wales (2010). Ondrus was an assistant coach for Rugby Alberta Senior and U23 Women at Rugby Nationals.

"I've been with the program since it started in 2000, so it is near and dear to my heart," says Ondrus. "I am very excited for my new role and cannot wait to bring my energy and ideas to the table. Neil has set the bar pretty high, but I know, as he does, that I am ready!"

The 2013 Canada West rugby schedule has yet to be released but the 'Horns will begin training camp in late August.

Schori to head Horns swimming

trevor.kenney — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 17:09:40 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns and LA Swim Club (LASC) have named Peter Schori as the head coach and director of swimming with both programs, taking over for the departed Brad Mori.

"Peter is seen as a leader in Alberta swimming circles and will do a great job of picking up where Brad left off," says Pronghorn Athletics executive director Sandy Slavin. "We feel he is the right person to continue to move the program forward."

Mori resigned from his post earlier this summer to pursue a position in Calgary.

Since 2001, Schori has been the head coach of the Alberta Marlin Aquatic Club in Medicine Hat, where he coached former Pronghorn swimmer and Canadian Olympian Richard Hortness. In his time with the Marlin Aquatic Club, he was named the Swim Alberta age group coach of the year in 2010 and junior female coach of the year in 2011. Prior to moving to Medicine Hat, Schori was the head age group coach with the Cascade Swim Club in Calgary.

Schori was also a member of the Team Canada coaching staff for the 2011 FINA World Championships. He officially takes over the 'Horns and LASC programs on Sept. 1.

UNews - coach

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