UNews - Ashley Patzer

Horns' trio helps Canada to gold

trevor.kenney — Tue, 24 May 2011 17:05:10 +0000

Former ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns women's rugby standout Ashley Patzer, along with current Horns Brittany Orr and Kelsey Willoughby, helped Canada to a third straight gold medal in international women's sevens rugby action this past weekend.

Patzer scored a pair of tries and added two conversions in Canada's 29-10 victory over Samurai International in the final of the Amsterdam Sevens Tournament. The victory capped off a run of three consecutive tournament wins for the sevens team as they also won events in Las Vegas and Hong Kong.

Orr played a big role in the Canadian team's semifinal victory over the host Netherlands team. She pitched the ball to a sprinting Arielle Dubisette-Borrice to produce an overtime try as Canada prevailed 26-19 in extra time. Patzer also had a try in that victory.

For a full recap of the tournament, visit this link.

Horns benefit from Langevin's stature

trevor.kenney — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 19:39:32 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge boasts some of the country's most distinguished researchers, professors who bring worldly knowledge to their classrooms on a daily basis.

The quality of the U of L experience doesn't end in the classroom however, as the campus is also home to one of the most accomplished coaches the country has to offer in women's rugby boss Neil Langevin (BA/BEd '91, MEd '10). The former head coach of Canada's National Senior Women's Rugby Team has been away from the national program for five years but Rugby Canada saw fit to make him an offer he couldn't refuse recently, and Langevin is once again back in the fold.

Toby Boulet (left), team manager, and Neil Langevin, head coach, have made the Horns women's rugby program a national power.

"I thought it was a great opportunity to get back involved at the national level but not at the commitment level that I had been involved with the senior team," says Langevin, who will take over the women's U20 program for what he describes as an open-ended tenure. At the very least, he is committed to working with the program through five regional evaluation camps this spring and summer and leading the squad when it participates in a summer international tournament in California.

"Helping identify and develop potential national senior players and potential Olympians is exciting," says Langevin. "The prospect of an international tournament this summer and the opportunity to work with potential Olympic sevens athletes was too much to turn down."

Sevens rugby is being added to the 2016 Olympic schedule and Rugby Canada wanted experienced coaches working with its junior players in preparation for their graduation to the senior level.

Langevin's credentials are unparalleled. The only head coach in Pronghorns women's rugby history, he has led the Horns to five consecutive Canada West titles and won three consecutive CIS championships from 2007 to 2009. It's no accident that elite players seek out the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and the opportunity to play for Langevin. To that end, he says the Horns are restocked and ready to take another run at a national title in the fall, after failing to medal at last year's CIS championship tournament.

"We've been really active in terms of recruiting," says Langevin. "I think we've got about 10 players confirmed for next year already, including some pretty high profile locals who are with the junior national program."

And while last year's squad fell short of extending the program's national title run, he was quick to point to how close his injury-depleted squad came to defending its three straight crowns.

"To be really honest, we were only seven points and two minutes away from going to the final with a very beat up team," he says, referring to a tight semifinal loss to Concordia Stingers. "Knowing that and the incoming recruiting class, I'm pretty confident in saying this team will be competitive for the next five years."

It has been a good offseason for Horns rugby on the whole. In addition to Langevin's appointment and a strong recruiting class, two more Horns were named to senior national teams. Both Kelsey Willoughby and Brittany Orr earned senior national team appointments with the Canadian Sevens squad, joining erstwhile national team member and former Pronghorn Ashley Patzer.

"We're really proud of those athletes," says Langevin. "The number is six now that have gone on to the senior national program over the years, either in the sevens or the 15s, and I think it's a testament to the girls who come into our program and take to the environment we have in training."

Horns' Willoughby added to national roster

trevor.kenney — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 22:34:01 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns rugby player, Kelsey Willoughby, will join former Horns standout Ashley Patzer in Hong Kong at the end of the month as part of the Canadian Senior Sevens squad.

Following a successful Rugby Canada camp in Las Vegas in February, both Willoughby and Patzer were named to the roster that will play in the Hong Kong Sevens tournament, beginning Mar. 22.

While Patzer has become a fixture in the senior national program on both the full squad and Sevens teams, second-year Pronghorn Willoughby is one of two new faces added to the Sevens team for the tournament. Brittany Orr was also named a non-traveling reserve for the Hong Kong tournament.
A total of 50 players from across the country were invited to Las Vegas for the tryout camp and tournament, with four teams created for two separate tournaments. The top 12 players played for Canada and the next 12 played for the Maple Leafs in the International tournament, while the remaining players played in the open division for Maple Leafs Red and Maple Leafs Black.
Willoughby, the 2010 Canada West player of the year and 2009 rookie of the year, earned her first look at senior level play at the Las Vegas camp and, despite not making the top team for the international tournament, she made an impression while playing for the Maple Leafs. This past summer, Willoughby starred for the Canada U20 team at the 2010 North American Caribbean Rugby Association regional tournament.
Patzer, the most decorated rugby player in Pronghorn history, was part of the Canadian team that won the Las Vegas International, defeating the Netherlands 22-17 in the final. The two-time CIS player of the year won three CIS and four Canada West titles over her Pronghorn career.
Patzer played for Canada in the Women's World Cup of Rugby this past summer, and was Canada's leading scorer and the tournament's fourth leading scorer in the last Sevens World Cup in Dubai in 2009.
With the inclusion of Sevens rugby in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero, events such as the highly competitive Hong Kong tournament take on added importance in terms of player development. The team assembles in Victoria, B.C. for a training camp, Mar. 18-21, before departing for Hong Kong on Mar. 22.

MacDonald to join national squad

trevor.kenney — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 21:24:28 +0000

A third former ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns women's rugby player has been named to the roster of Canada's Women's Rugby World Cup roster.

Former Pronghorn Ashley MacDonald has been called up from the non-traveling reserve roster as an injury replacement and will join Ashley Patzer and Paige Knauf (nee Burdett) on the Canadian squad that will participate in the Women's Rugby World Cup, Aug. 20 to Sept. 5 in England.

MacDonald suffered a broken leg in the dying minutes of the 2009 CIS Championship game, and endured a long road to recovery. She worked extremely hard to be fit for the summer rugby season and had a very strong showing at the Can-Am series in Vancouver earlier this summer, narrowly missing the Canadian roster. A recent injury to Marie-Eve Brindamour-Carignan prompted the Canadian squad to activate MacDonald off the reserve roster.

MacDonald began her university career in her home province with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Prince Edward Island. While there, MacDonald was a CIS All-Canadian before transferring to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge for her final two seasons. During her two years as a Horn, Ashley was a member of two conference and national champions, earning Canada West All-Star and CIS All-Canadian accolades during both seasons.

The 2010 edition will be the sixth Women's Rugby World Cup.

There are three pools of 12 teams scheduled to compete, each seeded according to the 2006 WRWC results. After the pool phase, teams will be re-seeded based on the position they finished in their respective pools.

Two venues will host the 2010 WRWC in London. Most of the matches will be played at the Surrey Sports Park. The Twickenham Stoop, home of the NEC Harlequins, will host the semifinals and finals.

Canada will play the opening match of the 2010 WRWC when they kickoff against Scotland, Friday, Aug. 20 at 5 a.m. (MST).

Horns' rugby trio looking for World Cup spots

trevor.kenney — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:12:06 +0000

A trio of former ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns women's rugby players will suit up for the Canadian Senior Women's Rugby Team later this month for a two-game tune-up in advance of the 2010 Rugby World Cup.

Ashley Patzer, Ashley MacDonald and Paige Knauf (nee Burdett) are all looking for final roster spots on the Canadian team that will travel to England for the 2010 Rugby World Cup. The tune-up matches, June 14 and 18 against the United States, will serve as a final preparation for the tournament, after which the official Canadian roster will be selected.

Patzer, the reigning CIS Player of the Year, has been a mainstay with the national program and is likely a lock to make the squad. She is the Horns' most decorated rugby player, winning three national titles, two CIS and Canada West player of the year honours and is a four-time Canada West all-star and CIS All-Canadian.
Patzer and MacDonald capped their collegiate careers this past fall by leading the Pronghorns to a third consecutive CIS National title.

Knauf last played for the Horns in 2005, and was a member of the Pronghorn group that is credited with spearheading the Horns' move towards national prominence. Knauf, a two-time Canada West all-star and a 2004 CIS All-Canadian, was also a member of the first Horns team to compete at the CIS tournament in 2003.

The Canadian team will face the USA June 14 and 18 in Vancouver, before opening the World Cup against Scotland on Aug 20.

Bowles, Patzer named top Horns athletes

trevor.kenney — Fri, 07 May 2010 20:06:31 +0000

Scott Bowles did his work on the defensive end while Ashley Patzer was at her best leading offensive forays, but the one thing they had in common was their ability to lead. The duo took home honours as Pronghorn Male and Female Athletes of the Year respectively, celebrating with more than 330 athletes, administrators and special guests at the recently held Pronghorn Athletics Blue and Gold Banquet.

Bowles, in his third year as the Horns men's hockey team goaltender, was at his best in the second half of the season as the Horns made an impressive playoff charge, eventually falling just two points shy of reaching the post-season.

Bowles was named a second team Canada West all-star after leading the conference in saves and most shots faced and placing second in victories.

Patzer, competing in her final season of eligibility, went out with a bang, leading the Pronghorns to their third straight Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) national title while earning CIS player of the year, all-Canadian and CIS tournament all-star honours.

The Horns went undefeated throughout the year and Patzer led the charge, scoring 75 points in the 10 U of L victories. It is Patzer's second straight female athlete of the year award.

Other major award winners included:

President's Award (highest academic standing)
Kathy Curtis, women's soccer (4.00 GPA)

Team Academic Award
Pronghorns men's track team (3.32 combined GPA)

Team MVPs

Men's soccer – Mike O'Brien, Matt Medoruma

Women's soccer – Ashley Cowan

Men's hockey – Scott Bowles, Dustin Moore

Women's hockey – Kailey McMaster, Kendal Tremblay

Men's basketball – Jeff Price

Women's basketball – Lauren Taal, Stephanie Price

Men's track – Kyle Murray

Women's track – Ashlee Deschamps

Women's rugby – Ashley Patzer

Bowles, Patzer named top Horns athletes

trevor.kenney — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 17:50:18 +0000

Scott Bowles and Ashley Patzer were honoured as winners of the Male and Female Athlete of the Year awards respectively, as handed out by Pronghorn Athletics during the year-end Blue & Gold Athletic Awards banquet recently.

Bowles, while rarely recognized outside of his own dressing room, has been the backbone of the Horns men's hockey program throughout his three-year Canada West career. A second team all-star this past season, Bowles finished first in the conference in both shots faced and total saves and was second overall in total wins as he backstopped the Horns to a late playoff push that fell just short.

Patzer capped her Pronghorn career by leading the Horns women's rugby program to a third consecutive CIS title. Along the way she was named CIS Player of the Year, an All-Canadian and CIS tournament All-Star.

For all the awards, check out this Pronghorn Athletics link.

Significant And Mentionable

trevor.kenney — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 20:46:27 +0000

Global connections

When you think of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's global reach, you might not initially think of a connection to the current war in Afghanistan. However, that's just where some members of the U of L student and alumni community are right now, based in Kandahar, Afghanistan, literally and figuratively one of the world's hot spots.

Bombardier Keenan Geiger (left) is a current fourth-year Edmonton campus management student majoring in Human Resources. Now taking a break from school, he is on a seven-month deployment in Afghanistan as a reserve member of the Canadian Forces. His unit is part of the 20th Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery, based in Edmonton. Geiger shows off a U of L flag with Cpl. Andrew McDonald (middle) who graduated in 2006 with a bachelor of arts in political science, and (right) Calgary police officer and Lt. Kevin Collier, who holds a bachelor of management degree in accounting, which he obtained in 2004. U of L alumnus Tyler Paynton (BA '07), a member of the 18th Air Defence Regiment in Lethbridge, is also serving in Afghanistan but was not able to be in the photograph.

To send a brief message to Geiger or his colleagues in Afghanistan, e-mail: sam@uleth.ca

Grading education

This past fall, U of L researcher and veteran educator Dr. Noella Piquette-Tomei was one of only a handful of Canadians invited to participate in the Return to Salamanca: Global Conference on Inclusive Education. There, she and fellow experts reviewed the Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education, an understanding signed by all members of the United Nations that pledges to further inclusive education, providing all children with opportunities to learn.

As a result of the conference, she has been asked to contribute to a case-study book that will be used across Canada by pre-service teachers and community workers for strategies when facing various disabilities.

Win President Bill Cade's car

Who is Michael Nolan? It's a question that's been murmured repeatedly around campus over the past few months. On Feb. 22, 2010, the surprising answer was revealed: a 1984 BMW 325e.

The car, which President Bill Cade bought brand new, was fondly named Michael Nolan after a distant family member who provided a trust fund for Cade's mother. In the spirit of giving back, Cade has donated the long-loved BMW to the Students' Union to be raffled off in support of student scholarships.

Tickets are $5 each or three for $12 and are on sale until the end of the semester, at a variety of functions, and from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays at the Students' Union office (SU180), the Advancement Office in ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall (A735) and the SU Service Centre in the SU Building.

For details about the car and to watch a video of President Bill Cade with Michael Nolan, visit: www.uleth.ca/unews/content/nolan-campaign-benefit-students

MythBusters prove science is cool

On Feb. 6, 2010, MythBusters Grant Imahara and Tory Belleci made a public presentation at the U of L as part of the Science Alberta Foundation's Science Happens Here program.

Those lucky enough to score tickets to the sold-out evening heard Belleci and Imahara speak candidly about their path to stardom, their craziest stunts and other personal trivia like favourite movies and songs on iTunes. But more importantly, audience members young and old were exposed to the fact that science has relevance.

"One of our founding goals was to encourage young Albertans to enter careers in science and technology, by fostering an interest in these areas," explains Dr. Arlene Ponting, CEO, Science Alberta Foundation. "We were pleased to work with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge in delivering this unique event, as the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ showcases some of the most innovative science in the province."

Chillin' for Charity

In late November, the student-run Jeux du Commerce (JDC) West 2010 Team hosted Chillin' for Charity, an

President Bill Cade takes a dip for charity.

event that raised approximately $15,000 for the United Way. Always willing to give back, U of L President Bill Cade was the first to jump into the icy cold water.

Whishaw earns prestigious ASTech award

Dr. Ian Whishaw, a founding member of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's pioneering neuroscience research group and a leader in behavioural neuroscience research internationally, was awarded the 2009 Alberta Science and Technology Outstanding Leadership in Alberta Science award.

Whishaw, who is among a select group of Alberta's top scientists and innovators to receive the award, is one of the top contributors to the field of behavioural neuroscience, and based on citations, is one of the 200 most influential neuroscientists in the world.

Mrazek presents at Copenhagen conference

In late December, Dr. Rick Mrazek returned from the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen where he was presenting his research on Rivers and Oceans and Water Under Fire. The topics of Mrazek's research include the negative impact of the northern Alberta tar sands, Canadian water consumption in relation to other countries, global assistance in terms of water and the dire state of the world's water supply.

Athletic accolades

On Nov. 5, 2009, fifth-year ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge fly-half/fullback Ashley Patzer was named player of the year in Canadian Interuniversity Sport women's rugby for the second time in her career. The five-foot-two Lethbridge native became the third double MVP since women's rugby was added to the CIS program in 1998.

Both Patzer and teammate Ashley MacDonald were named to the All-Canadian team. It is the second straight honour for MacDonald and fourth overall for Patzer.

U of L Pronghorns women's rugby coach, Neil Langevin, was also recognized. Langevin was the first coach from a Canada West women's rugby program to be named CIS coach of the year.

The girl in the picture

Kim Phuc graced the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge campus on Feb. 10, 2010, and shared a powerful message. Phuc, a Vietnamese-Canadian, is widely known as "the girl in the picture" for her role in an iconic photo taken during the Vietnam War.

On June 8, 1972, Phuc's village of Trang Bang came under attack by South Vietnamese planes, which mistakenly dropped napalm in an area where the North Vietnamese were infiltrating. While running for safety, nine-year-old Phuc was severely burned. The now famous photograph instantly became evidence of the cruelty of war toward child victims and a symbol of civilian suffering in war.

Nearly 40 years later, Phuc uses her experiences to advocate for peace and forgiveness. While on campus, she made a presentation to students and was the guest speaker at the 18th Annual International Dinner, A Celebration of Humanity.

U of L's iGEM team is golden

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge iGEM team won a gold medal at Massachusetts Institute of Technology iGEM International competition in Boston, Mass., at the end of October.

A total of 112 teams vied for gold, silver and bronze medals. Only 10 Canadian teams received gold medals, three of which went to teams in Alberta.

The iGEM competition is regarded as the premier undergraduate synthetic biology competition in North America. Student teams are given a kit of biological parts at the beginning of the summer from the Registry of Standard Biological Parts. Working at their own schools over the summer, they use these parts, along with new parts of their own design, to build biological systems. They then operate these systems in living cells.

The U of L team, led by Dr. Hans-Joachim Wieden, included Roxanne Shank, Alix Blackshaw, Lisza Bruder, Ashley Duncan, Fan Mo, Mackenzie Coatham, Megan Torry, Jeffrey Fischer and Kristen Rosler.

Daycare dream realized

It was a big day for some of the smallest members of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community. On Feb. 25, 2010, the U of L proudly celebrated the grand opening of its new Daycare. A long-envisioned dream, the $2 million project was completed on time and on budget. The facility, located near the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ residences, has space for 54 children and includes a large outdoor play area.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ moves up in rankings

In the 2009 Maclean's magazine annual ranking of Canadian universities, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge moved up one spot – from seventh to sixth – and retained its place in the top 10 listing of 22 primarily undergraduate institutions.

As well, the U of L maintained or increased its placement in 10 different measures, among them the amount of support for student services and scholarships and the number of awards per full-time faculty members.

While noteworthy results, the rankings do not include several items that show additional investment in student resources and do not reflect the U of L's focus on graduate studies.

"We increased our student scholarships and bursaries significantly, which increased our ranking, but those figures do not include an additional $2.4 million our students receive through the Alberta scholarship program," reminds U of L President Bill Cade. "As well, as we move forward with our strategic plan and continue to develop as a comprehensive research university, there's no accommodation for our dramatic increase in masters and doctoral candidates in our School of Graduate Studies."

In a separate national ranking focused on research, the U of L moved up three places as one of Canada's top 50 research universities. The results were released by Research Infosource Inc. and based on Statistics Canada data and the Research Infosource Canadian ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ R&D database.

With a 22 per cent increase in funding, well ahead of the national average of six per cent, the U of L's gain demonstrates the institution's strength in key research areas.

"During the reporting period (2007-08), our research funding increased from $13 million to more than $16 million, and moved us up from 38th to 35th place, in the middle range of the top 50 group," explains U of L Vice-President, Research, Dr. Dan Weeks.

"Our researchers should be extremely proud of this accomplishment – it is proof that the U of L is successfully moving forward in many directions. Even in a tough economy, we are seeing great success. I am pleased that we were among the top 15 universities to record significant percentages of overall research growth."

To view the entire issue of SAM in a flipbook format, visit this link.

Blood, sweat and happy tears

trevor.kenney — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 20:17:54 +0000

For a program that has claimed three successive national championships, remarkably, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns women's rugby team does not focus on winning. The goal for this group is to see just a little improvement every day and – for three years – it has made the Horns better than every other post-secondary team in the country.

"Our focus is on each person finding her role and then improving within that role," says U of L head coach Neil Langevin (BA/BEd '91). "The question we ask is: 'How are you going to make the Pronghorns better today?' We just continue working on improvement – it's very much a process that is not focused solely on results."

Pronghorns captains show off the championship trophy and banner.

It is a philosophy born out of necessity. There was a time when the Pronghorns were barely able to field a full roster, they had to borrow uniforms to compete and were thrust into a conference dominated by the national champion ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta. Victories then were measured incrementally, not by numbers on a scoreboard.

"It was very much a David-and-Goliath scenario," says Langevin of the Horns' introduction to rugby at the 1999 Canada West championship tournament.

"It was a hodgepodge. We had to borrow jerseys from the Lethbridge Rugby Club, and I was coach, assistant coach, manager, trainer and even had to be a touch judge. We didn't score a single point in the tournament."

Despite the lopsided losses, the program itself was not a lost cause.

"The thing I took away from it was the spirit of our southern Alberta girls," says Langevin, the only coach the Horns have ever had. "We got waxed, but we didn't quit and you could see improvement throughout the entire tournament. I didn't expect we'd go back and win the next year, but I felt we would do OK."

The program's development was measured but steady. The arrival of junior national team member Evelyn McGunigal in 2001 marked the first major recruiting coup for Langevin and a first medal for the Horns, a bronze at the Canada West championships. Consecutive Canada West silver medals over the next two years led to an appearance in the CIS championship tourney in 2003, where the Horns lost to host ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta in the final to finish second nationally.

While consistently losing to the U of A Pandas was frustrating (U of A won five straight CIS titles from 1999 through 2003), it provided the Horns a perfect measuring stick for the growth of their program.

"We knew the standard that we had to get to because we played against U of A all the time," says Langevin. "It was very concrete as to what level we were trying to reach."

As the reputation of the Horns grew, so did their ability to bring in talented players. Langevin became involved with the country's national program and developed key contacts that aided his recruiting efforts. Still, the Horns never strayed from their roots, relying primarily on local talent to fill out the core of the roster.

"We never put a firm number on it, but we've always tried to keep the team about 75 per cent local," says Langevin. "It has made it easier to recruit over the years, and the growth of local high-school rugby has mirrored the growth of our team. The local league is literally one of the best in the country."

Lethbridge native Ashley Patzer is the jewel of the program's recruit-local approach. She joined the Horns in 2005 and succeeded McGunigal as the second Pronghorn to win CIS Rookie of the Year honours. Now a senior national-team member, Patzer is generally regarded as the top back in the country.

She says the Horns were just starting to be taken seriously when she arrived, thanks to the foundation established by pioneers like McGunigal, JJ Ondrus (now an assistant coach) and Paige Burdett. By 2006, Patzer's second year, they were back in the national tournament and won a bronze medal, upsetting the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Western Ontario on its home field. The following three years reaped CIS gold for the Horns.

"It was fun experiencing the change from my first year to my last year. It's definitely a whole different mindset. In the first year, there was no pressure on us, and we'd just go and play our hearts out because there were no expectations," says Patzer. "In this last year, everyone was gunning for us and we had to prove ourselves because of what we'd accomplished."

As the Horns produced better results and gained a greater profile, gifted players were knocking at the door (more than 60 girls inquired about the four open roster spots in 2009). But, as Langevin attests, skill is only half the equation.

"The great thing with Ashley is that her leadership abilities rival her amazing athletic abilities," he says. "She recognized very early that many of the traditions and customs that leaders before her like Evelyn McGunigal and Paige Burdett had established, were important to keep alive – they are things we still do today."

Patzer describes simple activities such as potluck dinners as a way to create camaraderie, as well as the annual awarding of the hallowed Golden Shoe, a spray-painted rugby boot given to the player who exhibits the most spirit throughout the season.

"How close a group we are is definitely one of the biggest strengths of our program and why I think we perform so well," says Patzer. "Those before me started these traditions, and we think it's important to carry them on."

Then there are the intangible elements that come simply from growing up in southern Alberta.

"It's hard to quantify but that toughness southern Alberta produces is really reflected in the players we have in our program," says Langevin.
"And then there's the teamwork of our staff. People such as JJ Ondrus, Toby Boulet, Rob Kossuth and Norm McDougall all play a huge part in the program's success."

Creating an atmosphere of trust and confidence among teammates is another hallmark of Langevin's philosophy. That was most apparent in 2007 when, with Patzer away at a national team commitment, the Horns still managed to win their first national title.

"I think for a lot of the players, the fact they won without her cemented how good they could be," he says. "Although Ashley was a huge part of the team, they no longer identified themselves as Ashley's team. It cemented the concept of roles."

While the 2007 title was somewhat unexpected and even considered a year premature, the Horns carried the weight of expectations the last two years. In 2008, they were pressured to repeat while host club of the CIS Nationals, and in 2009, a perfect season was in the balance as Patzer and a group of seniors looked to end their CIS rugby careers with a third successive title.

On each occasion, they rose to the challenge.

"One of my favourite things about our coaching staff is they never put any pressure on us to win a specific game," says Patzer. "Their focus was on how we performed, and if we performed well, we knew the rest would take care of itself."

For a look at SAM in a flipbook format, visit this link.

Horns win CIS rugby crown

trevor.kenney — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:47:18 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns are three-time national champions after successfully defending their national title for the second consecutive year, beating the St. Francis Xavier X-Women 20-3 in the CIS women's rugby gold medal game on Sunday at Thunderbird Stadium in Vancouver.

The Pronghorns were in the driver's seat all game, as the X-Women, like every opponent Lethbridge has faced this year, were unable to break down the CIS champions' defence once they fell behind. Andrea Letal (Calgary, Alta.), who was named the CIS tournament MVP, scored a try 11 minutes into the contest, and that turned out to be all the 'Horns needed to take home the gold.

"We were really well composed and the girls played exactly the game plan we asked them to," said Horns' head coach Neil Langevin. "The defence has been the hallmark of this group and it's just a wonderful group to coach. We played defence first. We kept the ball in their end as much as possible and tried to force them into mistakes."

That strategy paid off for Lethbridge, as they extended their lead in the 26th minute when sustained pressure in the X-Women's end of the field resulted in a penalty goal attempt for Ashley Patzer (Lethbridge, Alta.) from about 20 yards out. The All-Canadian and tournament all-star made no mistake, splitting the uprights to put her side up 8-0.

Brittany Orr (Fort Macleod, Alta.), also named to the tournament all-star team, provided the nail in the coffin just a few minutes later. She received the ball on the right wing 30 yards from goal, cut back to the middle of the field to beat a St. FX defender and scored to put her side up 13-0. Patzer's conversion made it 15-0, giving the X-Women little hope of getting back into the game against the stifling Pronghorns defence.

Courtnay Malcom (New Glasgow, N.S.) did get her side on the board before the half-time break, nailing a penalty goal from 20 yards in the 34th minute, but the X-Women could do nothing offensively in the second half. They did push deep into Pronghorn territory occasionally but were never able to finish their drives before the Pronghorn defence won back the ball.

"Our back three were important all weekend," said Langevin. "All the girls did a great job clearing the ball and we credit them a lot because they did face some pressure."

Letal added to her MVP credentials early in the second half with another try, this time a 30-yard sprint down the right wing to all but seal the win for the Horns, putting them up 20-3. It was their second straight meeting with the X-Women in the title game, as they won gold with a 29-15 result last year.

In addition to Letal, Patzer and Orr, Lethbridge's Alex Hendricks (Lomond, Alta.), Kelsey Willoughby (Lethbridge, Alta.) and Brandi Van Eeuwen (Duncan, B.C.) were also named tournament all-stars. Asya Bartley (Ottawa, Ont.), Tyson Beukeboom (Uxbridge, Ont.) and Ghislaine Landry (Toronto, Ont.) were named to the all-star team for St. FX.

UNews - Ashley Patzer

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