Our Grey Cup Champion

On November 28, 2017, the Toronto Argonauts won the 105th Grey Cup. Our community's very own Jamal Campbell was an offensive lineman on the team, and he proudly brought the cup to our community on January 23, 2018, sharing a message of hope and perseverance with Elia and C.W. Jefferys students.In 2009, I helped kick-start the creation of a football team at C.W. Jefferys by securing support from the Ford Foundation and interest from the school administration. I had hoped to give students a new opportunity for mentorship and access to a new sport that required strong teamwork and discipline. The Toronto Argonauts helped put the final pieces of the puzzle together and a new high school football team was born in our community. The team played for an exciting four years, but ultimately ended in 2013. I often wondered what came of this team, so full of hope. Enter Jamal Campbell.Our new local hero, Jamal was a 16 year old student at C.W.J. at the time. Athletic and at a towering 6'4", he played basketball on the school team. He still remembers the surprise and excitement at the school when the chance to try out for a football team was announced, "I watched football on TV but I was never really exposed to the sport until then. There was no way I would pass up the chance to play."Jamal says that opportunity to play football was a blessing, "High school football taught me discipline, time management, and healthy living. Playing on the team was a reward and not a right, so we had to keep our grades up and attend practices. We were reminded that we were students first and athletes second. Less than one percent of athletes make it pro, so you need an education to fall back on. What I gained from football opened a door for me to go to university."Jamal was granted admission to York University in 2011 and tried out for the York Lions, "I met players who had been playing since they were 8 years old so I had a lot of catching up to do. I was red-shirted in my first year and used the time to build and strengthen my body. I really pushed myself to excel and became a starter on the team in the next year."In March 2016, Jamal's years of football were put to the test at the CFL Combine, an important event where top Canadian university talent compete at a camp in front of CFL scouts and coaches. On May 10, 2016, Jamal was drafted by the Toronto Argonauts, beginning his professional career in Canadian football.Jamal won the Grey Cup in 2017, and on his day with the Cup he brought it home to his old schools, Elia and C.W.J., York University and even the corner of Jane and Finch. He spoke proudly of his tour here with the Grey Cup on January 23, "I brought the Cup back to the place I started. This is a win for our community and all of those who supported me. I want the youth in our area to know you can overcome any obstacle and reach your dreams through determination and perseverance."Current C.W. Jefferys Athletic Director, Tracey Galbraith, rejoiced in Jamal's success and is interested in exploring football again at the school. She discussed some of the challenges the earlier team faced such as sustaining the morale of forty players during a rigorous schedule in the starting years of a team. Tracey is hopeful for the future and believes Jamal's achievements will galvanize student interest.Congratulations to Jamal, our local hero. His win is a shining example of what can happen when we give our students new opportunities and invest in their success.

Toronto FC: MLS Heroes

It seemed like just yesterday when Toronto FC was facing Seattle Sounders in the 2016 MLS Cup Final. One full year later and the exact same Cup Final was just what the doctor ordered, but this time in the Canadian cold. The TFC boys, coming off a record breaking season, had a point to prove this time around and they did it in spectacular fashion. Michael Bradley, Victor Vazquez and Sebastian Giovinco were unplayable at times and kept Seattle chasing shadows for large parts of the game. Although the decisive goal didn’t come until the last minute of play, Toronto looked comfortable and out for revenge throughout. Giovinco’s spot-on pass allowed Jozy Altidore to get the goal that would put Toronto one-step closer to lifting the MLS Cup. Even though the tide could have turned at any moment at 1-0, Toronto continued to hold control of the game and eventually scored their second in the dying stages of the match. The second goal-scorer, Victor Vazquez, coming back from a long spell on the sidelines with injury, sealed the victory by beating the Seattle defenders to a cheeky tap-in. The MLS Cup Champions were crowned that cold night, and it was the cherry on top of a fantastic season from the boys. Toronto FC showed all other MLS teams that there is a new sheriff in town, and they are ready to take on anyone. Their record-breaking MLS season and their heroics in the MLS Cup post-season playoffs has earned Toronto FC the chance to compete in the CONCACAF Champions League where they will be facing some of the finest teams in North and Central America. Now that they are the Kings of MLS, it’s certainly time to step up the competition and continue this never-before-seen run of dominance by an MLS side. TFC will be taking on the Colorado Rapids in the round of 16 of the CONCACAF Champions League. The opening game will be played in Colorado on February 20 and the second leg will be played on February 27 at BMO Field.

After school tennis program brightens the lives of children in Downsview

In its third year of operation, the Sunshine Project offers subsidized, professional tennis lessons to children in low-income neighbourhoods who may otherwise not have access to this sport.Each year, 300 kids ages 6 -12 receive high quality tennis lessons twice a week over the course of 10 weeks and receive their own take-home tennis racquet.”By making use of public tennis sites located adjacent to our schools, this project succeeds in breaking down the biggest barriers to tennis: proximity, price, and required equipment to play”, the website explains.“The project will move to new neighbourhoods every year, giving different children a chance to play”, said Founder and Program Director Carolynna Gabriel.This year, programs will be running at Chalkfarm Park, Gracedale Park, Maple Leaf Park and St. Conrad Catholic School.“It’s been going really well! We had our first registration day in February and we now have over 200 kids with about 90 spots left” said Gabriel. She confirmed there is still availability at St. Conrad and Maple Leaf Park and a rolling registration will continue until all 300 spots have been filled with students.“Parents have a willingness to try the program as a new sport. We love to hear that because it shows there’s some openness in the community to try something different”, said Gabriel.The Sunshine Project is also hiring youth for paid positions for the 2016 program.“We hire two local youth for each park and integrate them into the staff team. They help with warm ups, taking attendance, supervising participants, and other responsibilities that are similar to an intro training to being a camp counselor. They get paid and develop leadership through sport”, said Gabriel.In addition to the application process, youth are required to submit a bi-weekly invoice stating the work they completed. It exposes them to a new form of work experience which helps to prepare them for the real world.If you’re interested in the job, don’t worry- no need to have extensive knowledge of tennis! “We just need eager athletes who wants to eventually work in sports. We want anyone to apply until spots are filled”, said Gabriel.The Sunshine Project is meant to maximize the use of existing tennis facilities in the city reaching into areas where tennis courts are commonly empty and transforming those spaces.Participants work towards preparing for a showcase event at the end of 10 weeks. Scheduled for Saturday, June 18, 2016, participants can expect to celebrate their accomplishment at a fun competitive event where students from all four locations come together to play in a tournament where an ultimate champion in each age category is crowned.Last year, the celebration included a dunk tank, a bouncy castle, face painting, musical chairs, play station areas and a big community barbeque.At the end of the program, happy and fulfilled participants will get to take home their tennis racquet, a yearbook, a t-shirt, and most importantly, a new skill that will help them enjoy the game of tennis for life.For more information on how to register visit: www.sunshinetennisproject.comFacebook: Wilmington TennisTwitter: @wilmingtontg

Sunshine project provides access to tennis for youth

With the recent successes of Canadian tennis players Eugenie Bouchard and Milos Raonic at Wimbledon, the sport has experienced a real boom in this country.

However, with the cost of lessons and equipment, it can be rather expensive. The Sunshine Project, a subsidized after school tennis program in the Jane and Finch, Rexdale and West Humber neighbourhoods is helping to provide many local children with affordable access to the sport. Participants pay a fee, which operates on a sliding scale based on family income.This approach is modelled after the City of Toronto’s Welcome Policy and opens the door to tennis training for many youths who might not otherwise have been able to play. Youth from low-income families who reside within three km of the designated Sunshine sites have priority to enter the program and generally pay $40 or less for 33 instructional hours over 11 weeks. All participants receive a personal racket, tennis balls, a guidebook on the rules of tennis and a map of local tennis programs and courts. The youth are mentored by four youth leaders from the neighbourhood, who belong to the Sunshine leadership team. Additionally, they receive training from the Wilmington Tennis coaching team.The students train ever yday after school on public tennis courts at Firgrove Park, Lanyard Park, Gracedale Park, and Sunnydale Acres Park. This year The Sunshine project celebrated its one year anniversary on June 21 with a tournament and graduation awards ceremony with more than 270 children in attendance.The project has been made possible by a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation and will run until 2016. For details on how to join the Sunshine Project please contact Pomme Corvellec atwilmingtontenniscommunity@gmail.com by Yasmin Parodi

Mentoring youth through basketball

By Yasmin ParodiThe Battle of Finch is an alumni basketball event at C.W.Jefferys Collegiate Institute that brings the community together to support each other.The basketball match pits the C.W. Jefferys senior men's basketball team against a team filled with alumni from local schools such as Westview Centennial Secondary School and Emery Collegiate Institute.The event, organized by Helping Neighbourhoods Implement Change (HNIC), isn't just about watching a good game of hoops, it also about mentorship. The alumni players, who have since graduated and moved on to careers of their own, give back to their community by helping to guide local youth toward their own future career paths.HNIC is a non-profit group dedicated to helping at-risk youth to lead successful and productive lives. To date, HNIC has helped more than 200 boys and girls from at-risk neighbourhoods between the ages of 13-18 to make successful transitions into higher education and the work force.Chris Blackwood, HNIC's founder said the organization has two different programs geared toward helping young men and women navigate what can be a sometimes challenging period in their life."Gentlemen H.A.T.S. (Having the Ability to Switch) provides our male youth with the ability to switch behaviours, attitudes, and characteristics in different social environments," he said. "Pretty in Pink provides our female youth with confidence and social tools to become a better student, employee, entrepreneur, women, and mother.  Ultimately, be better than the negative stereotypes that society has given our young women living in at risk communities."Blackwood said he came up with the idea for the community basketball game as a way to showcase the fact that C.W. Jefferys is a safe place for students and is filled with a positive and caring community.The school had been carrying a negative stigma ever since 15 year-old Jordan Manners was shot and killed inside the school in 2007.Blackwood, who also attended C.W. Jefferys, said the tournament is an opportunity for students to expressive themselves and to show the school in a positive light.The Battle of Finch has been a great success from the beginning bringing students, alumni and community members together and quickly morphed into an annual event. The third annual tournament was held on May 24 in front of more than 200 people.Blackwood said local coaches Roy Rana, coach of the Ryerson Rams men's basketball team, Phil Edwards, a community developer, John Smith, coach of the George Brown men's basketball team and Bob Maydo, coach of the Emery senior boys basketball team played a huge role in not only coaching the teams, but in helping to mentor all of the participants in the event.Blackwood said he wanted to give a special thanks to Adam Ali, founder of iWontLose.com and  Tom Rakocevic, a fellow C.W. Jefferys graduate and NDP candidate for York West. Blackwood said he also wanted to thank his HNIC team Rayon Brown, Harpreet Gill, Simone Spike, and Tanisha Evans for their massive contributions to the event.The first year, the tournament was held only at C.W. Jefferys, but it had proved so popular that by the second year, similar tournaments were also held at Westview, Father Henry Carr Catholic Secondary School, Eastern Commerce Collegiate Institute  and Jarvis Collegiate Institute.HNIC provides authentic and transformational mentoring to youth living in at risk communities throughout the GTA.

New Sports Facility for Downsview Youth

By Jessica PointonJust in time for the spring thaw, The Toronto Azzurri Soccer Club is proud to announce that they are in the final stages of the construction of their new Sports Clubhouse.It has been a twelve year process for The TASC and for the City of Toronto as they have been persevering alongside each other in order to make this 5,000 sq. ft. dream become a reality.The new athletic facility, located on the South-East corner of Keele st., and Steeles ave., is sponsored by the the Labourers' International Union of Norrth America (LIUNA) and will be named the LIUNA Club House.“The Clubhouse will be a Centre of activity for youth, not limited to Soccer,” said Robert Iarusci, the Chairman and Public Relations Assistant for TASC.Iarusci said that high performance Soccer was the core inspiration for the Club and for the creation of this Clubhouse, but the Centre will also provide a variety of programming in partnership with LIUNA and other community-based associations.With a main activity room composed of 2,000 sq.ft, and detailed with a large presentation screen and surround sound, the space offers multiple prospects, especially in terms of hosting numerous public events.The Clubhouse will also be able to increase its capacity to facilitate other activities in the future.Iarusci said The TASC’s ultimate goal is to see buoyant and compassionate character development amongst today’s youth, whether it’s through soccer or other skill-building activities.At-risk youth, in specific, need to be involved in programming that reveals their talents and helps them to develop new and positive abilities that are life-sustaining.LIUNA will be offering trades training, which will be an immense asset and inspiration for many young people who want to get involved with the trades.Sgt. Steve Hicks from 31 Division will be operating the For Kicks Program at the Clubhouse where he will facilitate different sports and activities like flag-football and wrestling. Hicks will also teach anti-bullying and provide nutrition lessons.The Beaches Art Centre will be conducting dance and other arts-based courses. Tim Horton’s Timbits soccer, The North York Hearts Soccer Club, and Canadian Tire’s Jump Start Program will also be operating sports programs at the facility.Each and every child and youth deserves to know that they have something to offer themselves and their community. Sports, because they encourage active living and avid sportsmanship, are a great way to build physical endurance and build self-esteem.When youth begin to realize their own potential as front-runners, they can reach out to other youth who have not had the same opportunities and be able to connect them to those opportunities.The result is the transformation of the vision, and for the population surrounding the clubhouses to be transformed themselves. Downsview will greatly benefit from this Centre of physical activity and personal growth.Those who are interested in registering their children or youth are encouraged to check the Toronto Azzurri website http://torontoazzurri.com/.  These are exciting opportunities that can enable nourishing experiences.