Articles by author: Brock University

• Brock prof raising the profile of international women’s hockey

  Wednesday, February 01, 2017 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE: R00022 – 31 January 2017

  In a world where men’s hockey dominates in profile, prestige and revenue, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) is turning to Brock University Sport Management professor Julie Stevens for advice on how to promote women’s hockey around the globe.

  “There is worldwide interest in developing women’s ice hockey programs, but the process is slow and requires a co-ordinated international effort and commitment,” said Stevens, who was asked to speak on the issue at an IIHF conference in Russia last month. “Since men’s ice hockey generates so much money, it garners most of the attention, but some national hockey federations are beginning to seek advice on how to make women’s ice hockey a priority.”

  Stevens, who conducts diverse hockey research, was a lead presenter at the first World Hockey Forum held in Moscow. Her understanding of the unique needs of each country and knowledge of best practices for growing the sport has made her a sought-after expert.

  “I don’t think fans in Canada and the U.S. realize how much women’s hockey is played around the world,” Stevens said.

  In Russia, the Brock prof talked to members of the IIHF about how they could use similar strategies to men’s hockey to build up their women’s programs, “but also recognizing the need to adopt specific approaches which help to overcome the country-specific social, gender and economic barriers women face,” she said.
  Stevens got interested in hockey at a young age. Her experiences as a competitive player and coach helped her cultivate a strong understanding of the sport’s history.

  “Starting out in a grassroots hockey system as a girl and then joining university hockey in the late 80s allowed me to experience hockey at a critical time for the sport in Canada,” said Stevens.

  “In Ontario, when we were on the brink of losing our women’s hockey varsity program, university administrators stepped in to save the sport. Their commitment taught me the importance of a strong governance system as a key factor to expand women’s teams.”

  By using university and club governance models as examples, Stevens regularly speaks to the many opportunities there are to develop women’s hockey programs globally.

  “Men’s hockey developed because countries were extremely competitive with each other,” explained Stevens. “To effectively grow women’s hockey, I envision a more co-ordinated global approach that not only shares success stories among nations, but also recognizes that each country will need to develop at its own pace and with a method that best suits its unique hockey system.”

  Since attending the World Hockey Forum, Stevens has connected with sport leaders in Europe and Asia to do research and further develop strategies for building the sport.

  “I feel very fortunate to be in the position of helping open doors for future female athletes around the world,” she said.

  In addition to her research accomplishments, Stevens is an assistant coach for the Brock Badgers varsity women’s hockey team.

  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

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  Categories: Media releases

• Soaring demand continues for joint GAME program

  Wednesday, February 01, 2017 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE: R00023 – 1 February 2017

  It’s a nice problem to have. Brock University staff have been flooded by applications in a new program where students learn about the design and production of video games.

  The GAME program is a partnership between Brock and Niagara College. When it launched for its debut season in September, nearly 400 applications were received for 50 available spots. And now hundreds of applications are again being received for the program’s second year of classes in September, 2017.

  “It just shows how much demand there is from students for this kind of program,” said Assistant Professor Jason Hawreliak. “It’s been going better than we had ever hoped” with students showing immediate investment in the learning material.

  GAME’s unique structure has students earning a university degree and an advanced college diploma in four years. Students choose their stream at Brock, either aiming for a Bachelor of Arts in game design or Bachelor of Science in game programming.

  It was the collaborative approach between the two institutions that drew Ivy Truong to the program. The first-year GAME student was enticed not only by the ability to earn a degree and diploma in four years, but also by the program’s focus on theoretical and practical learning.
  Hawreliak said the program aims to turn students into experts on the tools of the trade while also focusing on the principles, design and theory behind gaming.

  “What we’re really excited about is students are really getting the best of both worlds here.”

  The program, nearly a decade in the making, is closely linked to the local game industry with experts providing feedback on student assignments and participating in workshops on campus.

  “This is very much a living program,” Hawreliak said. “We’re always speaking to students, always speaking to the industry to see what’s up and coming.”

  Students will also participate in internships once they enter their third year.
  Linda Roote, Associate Dean in Niagara College’s School of Media Studies, said the program’s content has helped to keep students engaged from the first day.

  “We’ve had a terrific retention rate,” she said, adding she’s been impressed by the student investment she’s seen.

  With a small cohort of students and many applications coming through the door, those who are accepted to the program are “destined for success right out of the gate,” Roote said.

  Expansion has already entered the minds of program facilitators, but growth will be limited by capacity restrictions in the newly-renovated labs. Renovations were completed in the summer of 2016 in the Interactive Media Labs in the Centre for Digital Humanities to support increased enrolment through the Interactive Arts and Science and GAME programs.

  New state-of-the-art computers were installed in the GAME lab, which students have 24-hour access to in order to work on their projects without owning the expensive equipment.

  “We tore down the instructor’s podium at the front,” Hawreliak said. “This used to be a typical lab focused on top-down instruction and now it’s a more collaborative space.”

  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

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  Categories: Media releases