Articles by author: Brock University

  • Canada’s top two varsity men’s basketball teams put on a thriller downtown

    MEDIA RELEASE: 3 December 2017 – R00229

    To head coach Charles Kissi a loss is a loss, but when it’s an overtime loss to the seven-time defending national champions, it’s hard to be too upset.

    Saturday night’s clash of the titans between the first-ranked Carleton Ravens and second-ranked Brock Badgers lived up to the hype as a packed house of 3,296 boisterous fans at the Meridian Centre in downtown St. Catharines were treated to an absolute thriller of a varsity men’s basketball game.

    When the dust settled, Carleton had won the game 80-75 in overtime, but the fourth quarter had more plot twists than a primetime drama. It also put the Canadian basketball scene on notice that the Badgers have the depth and talent to take on the country’s best varsity teams.

    “I think you saw it that we’re right there. We just have to make less mistakes,” Kissi said after the game. “They’re human. (Carleton) has had an incredible run with an incredible coach, but they’re human. They put their pants on one leg at a time like everyone else and you have to approach the game that way. If you go into a game thinking you’re going to lose, then you’re going to.”

    Brock, which drops to 9-2 after also losing to Ottawa Friday, was led by fourth-year forward Cassidy Ryan, who was on fire in the first quarter with eight points and finished the night with 20.

    The Ravens improve to 10-0, but it’s the first game in the Ontario University Athletics season which they’ve won by fewer than 14 points, and the first time a team has pushed them to overtime this year.

    That, however, was no consolation to Ryan.

    “It’s a loss. I’m not satisfied with that,” he said. “I think we played pretty well, but we made a lot of mistakes down the stretch, which cost us the game.”

    Brock was down 19-14 after the first quarter and 39-31 at the half, but the home side came out flying in the third quarter — outscoring the Ravens 19-14 to shrink the lead to three points.

    Brock again outscored Carleton in the fourth quarter, this time taking the lead for the first time in the game early in the frame, and eventually opening the gap to six points — sending the crowd into a full-on frenzy.

    But the Ravens fought back to tie it at 66-66, sending the game to overtime where the guests outscored Brock 14-9 for the 80-75 win. Behind Ryan, Dani Elgadi had 16 points for Brock, Daniel Cayer had 11 and Johneil Simpson had 10. Yasliin Joseph led Carleton with 17.

    “I feel really good about how good we are, I just think to try and get to the next level, we have to make less mistakes,” Kissi said.

    On the women’s side of Saturday night’s basketball doubleheader, the Badgers got off to a great start, but didn’t have an answer for the powerful Carleton shooters and lost 60-41 decision.

    It drops Brock to 4-7 while extending the Ravens’ undefeated record to 10-0.

    “We’re so young and being consistent is a struggle,” Badgers head coach Ashley McSporran said. “Carleton is a beast so holding them to 60 points is a small victory. They’re learning and I’m being patient with them because I believe in them. I’m asking them to do things that are a little outside of their comfort zone. We’ll get there.”

    The Badgers got off to a great start, outscoring the Ravens 12-10 in the first quarter, but Carleton’s shooting strength came alive in the second as the visitors outscored their hosts 20-6. They continued to extend the lead in the second half, going up 43-28 after three quarters en route to the win. Kristin Gallant and Baelie Campbell were the top scores for Brock with nine and eight points, respectively. Heather Lindsay led Carleton with 15.

    Campbell said the atmosphere in the Meridian Centre helped, but that her team needs to perform regardless of where they play.

    “Our team really feeds off the energy our fans give us,” she said. “I think it’s just a matter of us executing better. That comes with time. We’re a young team.”

    Before the game Saturday night, Brock honoured the Badgers men’s basketball team that won a national championship in 2008. After playing an alumni game earlier in the day, the players from that title-winning team took in the Brock-Carleton games.

    For Mike Kemp, seeing more than 3,200 fans packing the Meridian Centre to watch a Brock basketball game was a very good sign.

    “To see the program where it is now — because it struggled for a little bit — Brock Basketball is in the best place it’s been since we were there,” said Kemp. “And I would argue that this team is a lot more talented than we were in 2008.

    “The one thing we had over every team in the country is we all grew up together. That’s a rare thing to happen at a high level of sport.”

    For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

    * Dan Dakin, Media Relations Officer, Brock University ddakin@brocku.ca, 905-688-5550 x5353 or 905-347-1970

    Brock University Marketing and Communications has a full-service studio where we can provide high definition video and broadcast-quality audio.

    – 30 –

    Categories: Media releases

  • Institutions must do more to support those with mental health says Roméo Dallaire

    MEDIA RELEASE: 1 December 2017 – R00228

    We as Canadians must do a better job of both recognizing and supporting those around us who are struggling with mental health.

    That was the message from Lieutenant-General (ret) Roméo Dallaire as he addressed a crowd at Brock University to mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities on Friday, Dec. 1.

    Speaking to a large crowd at the University’s Sean O’Sullivan Theatre, Dallaire told graphic stories of his time serving as Force Commander of the United Nations peacekeeping effort during the Rwandan genocide in 1993-94, and what impact that and other conflicts have on veterans like himself.

    “The injuries they had in combat were not bullet wounds or shrapnel, the injuries were between their ears,” said Dallaire. “They came home and nobody understood them and they couldn’t get the support. As such, the walking wounded got worse, the wounds grew deeper and they ultimately destroyed themselves.”

    Dallaire has struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder since the peacekeeping mission and is now a champion for veterans’ mental health.

    “I wasn’t the same person I was when I left for Africa,” he said. “The individual who my wife married was not the same person who came back. There was somebody different who had been affected deeply and significantly. How can you live with that? How can you adapt to that?”

    Dallaire’s talk at Brock was spearheaded by Chris Lytle, the University’s Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Co-ordinator, who wanted to bring attention to the fact that invisible disabilities like mental health, which often don’t get the same recognition, are still disabilities.

    “I think it’s huge to have General Dallaire here at Brock. It’s not in Toronto or in another province, it’s happening right here in the Niagara region. It’s a huge opportunity for us to look at this information and have conversations to go forward and make systemic change,” he said. “Other places will look to Brock’s leadership for having done this.”

    During his hour-long address, Dallaire challenged the leadership of colleges and universities to do a better job of taking care of their students.

    “The student body faces an enormous amount of strain and pressure. The question is, are we recognizing that pressure? Are we giving them the tools to build resiliency to handle it?” he asked. “If you’re bringing them to the institution, the institution must be prepared that it’s creating casualties. They have got to take care of them.”

    He encouraged schools to be inclusive and nurture peer support.

    “Peer support is crucial in order to handle the complexities of our times,” he said.

    Friday’s talk drew a large audience of Brock students, faculty and staff, as well as many from the wider community.

    Katy Sniderhan heard about Dallaire’s visit from her brother, a Brock student, and made the four-hour drive from outside Belleville to hear the General speak.

    “I learned about the Rwandan genocide in Grade 9 and have been following him ever since. I’ve been wanting to see him for years,” she said. “Because of what he did, I started doing mission work. It really inspired me to help people wherever I can.”

    At the end of the event Friday, Dallaire was presented with a Convo Plate by Brock President Gervan Fearon. The symbolic plate is part of a nationwide movement meant to spark conversations about mental health.

    For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

    * Dan Dakin, Media Relations Officer, Brock University ddakin@brocku.ca, 905-688-5550 x5353 or 905-347-1970

    Brock University Marketing and Communications has a full-service studio where we can provide high definition video and broadcast-quality audio.

    – 30 –

    Categories: Media releases