My first intramural game on a men's hockey team

There are four men's hockey teams here at UTSC:

• Tri-Campus (very competitive contact hockey)
• B-Team (very competitive non-contact hockey)
• C-Team (competitive non-contact hockey)
• R-Team (competitive non-contact hockey)

As mentioned in my last post (Tryout hangover), I made the B-team! YAY! I was so proud of myself to be able to compete and keep up with the men's team, that I had a constant smile on my face for at least two days. 

Growing up with brothers and playing competitive hockey all my life, I've never been the "puck bunny" type. I'd rather strap on the skates and compete with the guys, rather than drool over their missing teeth and wild helmet hair in the stands. As a result, I looked forward to playing my first game with the new team. I felt confident in myself that I'd be able to keep up, rather than make a fool of myself and get benched. 

On Saturday (game day) I was calm and composed......until I entered the arena. 

It was then I saw a glimpse of the other team. They had guys triple the size of me. I started to doubt myself quietly in the change room. Will I be able to keep up? Will I be laughed at? Will I fit in with the team? These questions started racing through my head. 

Being a female player on a male hockey team isn't always easy. Even though I've had success playing in mens leagues, I've had my share of inappropriate comments off and on the ice by other male players. I've heard it all. 

"Girl's can't play hockey!" "You're just a pylon!" "Is she a joke?" "Figure skating's the next arena over!""Don't pass to her!"

I usually block those comments out and play my game, but they all came rushing back as I stepped onto the ice to warm up. I've never felt so nervous. 

When the game started, I got into my groove. My defence partner was amazing and we worked incredibly well together. I started to notice that shift after shift, I was improving. I was just as fast, my shots were just as hard, and my passes were just as accurate.

We were leading 1-0 at the end of the first period. 

At the start of the second, I received the puck at the blue line and took a slap shot right at the goalie. To my surprise - it reflected off the other team and WENT IN! I couldn't believe it! I scored a goal! All my teammates and coaches were super supportive and congratulated me. I didn't feel like a girl on the ice, I was one of the guys and they treated me as such. 

The game ended with a 2-0 win for us. All the doubts and nerves I was thinking of beforehand seemed to have enticed me to work harder and prove that a girl can be just as good as any guy on the ice. Myself and two other amazing girls on the team seem to prove this theory well. 

Our next game is against UTM on Oct. 11 at 9 p.m. - Varsity Arena.

If you're a female athlete, do you have a similar experience? How do you deal with hurtful comments? If you're a male athlete, what are your thoughts of girls playing on your team? Comment below or tweet me @Jessica_Moy!

How do I balance school and sports? It gets hectic, but I do have some advice, click HERE!

Tryout hangover

This morning I felt like a zombie. Forced myself out of bed, gulped back two bottles of water from constant dehydration and regretted all I'd done the night before.

The tryout hangover. I know it well.

Push-ups, crunches, laps, scrimmages, sprints -- It's been a crazy couple weeks. Even though my body is feeling the aches and pains, I can proudly say I tried out for FOUR different sports teams this semester at UTSC. Am I crazy? Um. Yes.

I'm only taking three courses this semester, so I do have a bit more time to dedicate to athletics.

The teams I tried out for were girls soccer, hockey, flag football, and boys hockey (yeah, I'm surprised too).

Soccer tryout

I've been on the girls soccer team for the past three years, so I felt extremely comfortable being at tryouts and already knowing the coaches and past teammates. I was surprised to learn there will not be a girls B team this semester (usually there's an A and B team), and I can tell it bothered a few players. One girl even started a petition to get the B team back, but unfortunately, it didn't go through. I was also surprised at the amount of players who showed up. At least 50 girls pulled up their socks, tied their cleats, and competed for a spot on the team. I've never seen so many players at a tryout, it was awesome!

Tryouts are now over and the team has been made. I made the team (yay) and we already won our first game! :)

Flag football tryout

What's a fourth down? Don't ask me, I have no idea. So, why did I tryout for flag football? I wanted to try something new this year, and I thought this sport would be perfect. I learned quickly that you can be an amazing athlete, but in football, if you don't know strategy or football logic, you won't go far. At tryouts I was pretty good at throwing and catching the ball, but it was the plays and cuts that threw me off.

Actual conversation.

Coach: Jess, you're going to run a hook.
Jess: A what?
Coach: A hook.
Jess: What's that? Do I run far?
Coach: You run and cut at a 45 degree angle.
Jess: Cut where? At what angle?
Coach: You basically run straight and turn right.

Embarrassing.

For the sake of my dignity, I didn't attend the last tryout. It wasn't a sport I could see myself enjoying, but you can't blame me for trying!

Hockey tryout

Hockey is my safe place. I feel at home on the ice. Being on the team for the past two years, tryouts didn't even feel like work, it actually relaxed me. I have so much fun on the team and all the girls and coaches are great! The only frustrating part is we don't have a goalie...

If you, or someone you know, is a hockey goalie and is a girl who attends UTSC - WE NEED YOU!

Boys hockey tryouts is a WHOLE different story. I have a lot to say when it comes to being a girl playing with guys on the ice. I did make the team, but I will save this discussion for my next post.

Until then, if you have any questions about any intramural sports, comment below or tweet me @Jessica_Moy and I'll try my best to answer! :)

At UTSC, we are spoiled when it comes to athletics. Intramural sports are FREE to join, not to mention jerseys, water bottles, practice time, transportation are FREE as well. So don't be shy, it's never too early or too late to get involved!

See you guys next week,

Jessica Moy

UTSC students support Varsity Blues Football

Hey everyone!

First off, welcome back to another fantastic school year! Whether you've entered your first year (little rookies) or fifty-sixth year (oldtimers, like myself) I hope your first week went swimmingly.

For those of you who are new to UTSC Pulse, my name is Jessica and I will be providing you with regular Tuesday posts regarding UTSC athletics and fitness! I'm not actually in my fifty-sixth year of undergrad (even though it feels like it), I'm a fifth-year journalism student and will be graduating this June (eeks)!

I have been an active athlete at our school, playing soccer and hockey, not to mention the odd belly-dancing and zumba class. My goal is to promote fresh and exciting news about UTSC sports, fitness programs, and events! The difference between me and a website or newspaper who will just "promote" is that I promise to participate in all I write about (example, my video last year of me attempting belly-dancing which you can watch by clicking: HERE).

The school year has only started a week ago, but I have already participated in an event the SCSU & SCAA have organized: U of T Varsity Blues Football Homecoming. On Saturday afternoon, the Varsity Blues Football team faced the University of Windsor Lancers at Varsity Centre.

UTSC students got all geared up in blue attire and face paint to cheer on the Blues at our home field!

Katie, Lily, Leah, and myself ready for the game to start! 

It's time for face paint!

Paige and her U of T gear! 

Here comes the Blues! 

One of the best parts of coming out to watch a U of T game? It's FREE if you have a valid T-Card! If not, it's only a general admission fee of $5. A great way to spend an afternoon with friends and meet other U of T students! :)

Let's go boys!

Most of the Scarborough campus girls at the game! We were lucky to have amazing weather!

Kyle and I!

Want a more inside scoop on the team? Fourth year defensive back Kevin Kinahan writes blog posts about the team off and on the field. Even he admits it's awesome to see Varsity Centre packed with Blues fan! You can read his posts by clicking: Kevin's Critique

Cheering on the team! 

Biggest fan? I'd say so.

We were clearly the loudest cheering section. 

Chad starting the wave!

The game ended with a 55-4 loss to the Windsor Lancers. Even though it was a tough loss, all of us who came out to support our Blues had a great time! 

The next home game for the Varsity Blues Football team is Oct. 6 at 1:00 p.m. against the University of Ottawa! Enhance your university experience by coming to at least ONE game this year. Even if you don't like sports or don't know what's going on, it's still a great time to dress in blue and scream at the top of your lungs!

If you guys have any blog ideas or fitness classes you want me to try, let me know in the comments below or tweet me at @Jessica_Moy! See you guys next week!

Jessica Moy

When I Say Drop, YOU SAY FEES!

Ladies and Gentlemen,

TODAY IS THE DAY!
All Out Feb1 st. National Day of Action.

Here is how things went down according to me.

So I was suppose to get up super early and head over to Queen's Park with UTSC, but I slept in (to be fair, I was really excited and I couldn't sleep, so when I did finally sleep, I slept till 10:30 AM)

11:33 AM: Arrive at Queen's Park (I couldn't figure out where the protest was taking place). Someone told me Hart House, someone else told me King's Circle!

This is BEFORE THE ACTION:

(Really Empty!)

11:57 AM: I hear cheering. Heads towards cheering. There was a hype rally in front of Sid Smith. We were all waiting for the other university buses to arrive.

For like a good 30 mins we were all cheering things like,
"The students united, will never be defeated"
"When I say drop you say fees!"
"Education under attack, what do we do? FIGHT BACK"
"Education is a right, we will not give up the fight!"
And other things like,
"SO SO SO, SOLIDARITY!!!"
"What do we think of OSAP? And the crowd said "F**K OSAP"


12:46 PM: We start marching around King's Court Circle. Guided by this truck which came with a microphone, speakers, and a DJ.

1: 12 PM: The crowd gets bigger and bigger:

I noticed that people took turns speaking, while on the truck. The different student unions (i.e Ryerson, York, UofT) all spoke out at the rally about how, not just undergrad students, but ALL students are affected by the high cost and rise of tuition fees. Yay Solidarity :D!

I had to leave the protest early because I got really claustrophobic. I honestly couldn't feel where I was going. I took a breather and got some really awesome videos and pictures to share with you guys.

It felt absolutely amazing to be a part of such an incredible energy and movement. I only hope that our government listens! Although I didn't see familiar faces, I did see friendly ones. My favorite part was the homemade signs people made.

I mean cmon' how does this not convince you?

I really hope everyone over at Queen's Park marching is safe and hopefully it all stays peaceful (I have no doubt it will be).

Epic Quote: "Don't get arrested, I'm not there to bail you out!"-- Somone's mom

Epic Song of the Week:

P.S Guys follow the action on twitter. #Feb1 #DropFees #AllOut
Enjoy everyone :)

Ultimate frisbee at UTSC

"STALL 1, STALL 2 STALL 3!"

Know what that means?

If you're an ultimate frisbee player, you do!

"Stall is the term used when a defender is covering an opposing player with possession of the frisbee. The defender calls 'stall 1, stall 2, stall 3' until they reach 8, in which the opposing player loses possession ofthe disc if they have not already thrown it."

The game of ultimate frisbee can be a new sport for most. For a select few however, the game is more than throwing a flat disk casually across the field. At UTSC, this intense game is taken to another level. UTSC ultimate frisbee player Kyle Larkin explained the basics of the intramural sport offered at our school. The fourth year journalism student gave me a clearer understanding of the game and how it is played.

Ultimate frisbee player - Kyle Larkin.

When did you join the ultimate frisbee team?

I joined back in first year but was only able to play one game due to time constraints. This year I decided to play again because I hadn't played a sport since baseball in the summer, and I was looking to have some fun while keeping in shape.

What part of the game do you like the most?

I have always loved frisbee, but to play on a competitive level makes it that much better. I definitely love running for those hail mary passes. 

What's a hail mary pass?

End to end!

Tell us about the sport to those who are unfamiliar (rules, what you wear, where you play, etc).

During first semester the schools play traditional ultimate frisbee on a soccer field. In the winter, we play an indoor game called speedpoint, horizontally on a soccer field. Each team has 5 players, of which 2 must be girls. One team begins with a pull (kind of like a kick off). When the frisbee is caught, you have to slow to a stop, and can only pivot on one foot. From there, you have 8 seconds to throw it. You get a point if you catch the frisbee in the endzone. Once you score, you drop the disc, and the other team immediately picks it up and starts their possession!

What sort of teams do you play? 

There is an A and B level, and we play in the A level. Every year UTSC is among the upper echelon of talent.

Do you think the sport is commonly unknown to UTSC? 

I don't think it's that well known, especially because there aren't really competitive leagues at the high school level. However, the talent at UTSC seems to be pretty competent on an annual basis.

What could UTSC do to promote the sport more? 

I think the school could promote the sport by imploring students to come out and watch our games down at Varsity Stadium!

What would you say to those who are new to the game?

A lot of people laugh when they hear about UTSC having a competitive team, but to those I urge to just watch one game and see it intense it can really be. Last Saturday, one of the boy's tricampus teams were privy to one of our games for the first time, and they ended up being louder than a stadium full of fans. They were shocked at the insane throws, catches, swats and overall athleticism that the teams displayed.

What has been the most valuable lesson since being on the team? 

Definitely the most valuable lesson is to not take the sport lightly. Our coach, Hussain Masoom, likes to run us pretty hard in practice, and it's not so easy after sitting on your butt for four months! I enter each game with as much intensity as I would when I play rugby. We want to outmatch our opponents in every way possible, and coming away with a victory is as satisfying as any other sport I have played.

Team huddle! 

Thoughts on ultimate frisbee? Would you ever play? Remember to tweet me a @Jessica_Moy! If you're interested in going to a game, the team plays every Saturday afternoon at Varsity Stadium! 

Tour of our athletic facility

Hey everyone!

Emily Kakouris so kindly offered to take me on a tour of our athletic facility at UTSC! If you're not familiar with the "The Key" "Cyclefit Room" or didn't even know we had a "Golf Cage" - watch and see for yourself what our lovely school has to offer!

Interhouse soccer - and why I was a huge chicken

Two years ago I received a Facebook message from a guy who goes to UTSC asking if I wanted to play interhouse soccer. He explained it was a co-ed league that played every Tuesday at the school gym.

I was reluctant to agree, but he pleaded because his team needed to recruit more girls.

[For those of you who don't know, interhouse are co-ed leagues that include sports such as soccer, cricket, volleyball, ball hockey, and basketball. The best part is, they're free and happen right here at our school. 

You have to be a U of T student or 2011 - 2012 Athletics and Recreation Centre member. To play, you can sign up as an individual or gather an all-star team of your friends. Registration begins the beginning of each semester. Visit the UTSC athletics centre for more information.]

Back to my story!

Of course, I didn't know anything about interhouse nor did I know anyone on the team very well. After much deliberation, I pulled out my indoor soccer shoes cluttered beneath my closet and told the Facebook guy i'd meet him at the gym on Tuesday.

Game day rolled around.

Even at the beginning of my second year at UTSC, I was still getting used to the campus. I wasn't fully comfortable with entering a place I didn't know much about - this included the UTSC gym.

I walked to the gym, pulled out my T-card, and past the turnstiles. I immediately heard yelling and cheering. I looked to my right, through the tiny windows of the gym doors, and saw a bunch of soccer players and fans watching intense five on five action. 

The ball was bouncing every which way, players aggressively fighting to score a goal, and fans cheering from the benches. 

I was intimidated. 

My next initial move was to enter the gym and start warming up with my team. But - I didn't.

I turned around and left.

Yes, I was a huge loser. I chickened out. 

Like many of you, I wasn't comfortable with the space or the players I didn't know.

The next day I got a message from a girl on my outdoor soccer team saying, she was on that interhouse team I was supposed to play for. I told her I was hesitant on going, but she said to come with her to the next game. 

Fast forward to next Tuesday. Going with her made me a lot more comfortable. I saw the guy who messaged me on Facebook and briefly introduced myself before he threw a pinny at me, saying it's time to warm up.

I only knew a few names on my team, but I did my best to remember.

The game was fast pace and I did my best to keep up. The majority of the league consisted of male dominated players. For this reason, any girl who scores, their goal counts as two.  So, the last couple minutes of the game my team kept passing to me - saying to go for the net and score. For my first game, I believe I held my own pretty well.

I can't remember if we won or lost, but I do recall my relief when it was over. 

I continued going to interhouse each week and got to know more soccer players at the school. I quickly learned the small community I was becoming a part of.

Becoming well-known in the UTSC soccer community, I was asked to play in indoor soccer tournaments at UTM and Humber College. It's a wonderful thing when you get involved with the school, different opportunities present themselves to you.

If you'd like to join interhouse - message me and let me know. I'd be more than happy to introduce you to players and make you part of a team.  No one wants to be the chicken who leaves before giving the game a go.

I think I need Sugar Addicts Annonymous...

Just around this time of year I get the hankering for some post-Halloween candy. Ever since I outgrew my trick-or-treating years (is there such a thing?) I’ve been sad and alone holding my own day of sweet celebration that I call “Cavity-Inducing Day of Awesome” - CIDA for short. Not to be confused with the other important, government-y thing, CIDA is the one day of the year I let my glucose-coloured glasses colour my world awesome.

Every year, I used to gorge on fright-night loots (back in the glory years of candy bags and generous neighbours), but more recently I satiate my sweet tooth with CIDA! It’s been a few years now that I’ve been gone from the childish land of trick-or-treating, so this year I decided to grow up the right way. I wanted to branch out a little bit - away from the fun pack of chocolate and the dollar-store candy, into the land of refined pastries and top-tier baked goods.

I wanted to use terms like: “baked to perfection”, “heaven for my tastebuds”, “bite your way to bliss”…  and CIDA gave me just the excuse. But, being a creature of comforts, I didn’t want to travel very far. So I did my research and  here I am sharing with you all, the amazing bakeries and cafes we have in our own neighbourhood!

Sugarbuds –

Major Intersection: Military Trail and Meadowvale Rd.

Right down the street from campus, this cute part-bakery/part café/part awesome cake shoppe offers a variety of specialty cakes, cookies and pastries for all occasion (along with the cursory sandwiches and snack type thingamabobs!) A view of the blissful Highland Creek Village, let's you forget about the concrete walls of UTSC. This Katy Perry-esque dreamland of delectable delights is run by a husband-and-wife duo, so you know you'll always get the personal touch. This is a perfect spot for some catch-up over a plate of your favourite flavour of bite-sized baked goods and the food is as good as it looks.

Lamanna’s Bakery –

Major Intersection: Kingston Rd. and Sheppard Ave.

With music straight from the streets of Italy and a head chef that bakes like the Cake Boss, this place is a go-to for anyone craving tiramisu, cannelloni or any other authentic Italian cuisine. With the added bonus of being a café, a bakery and a mini-restaurant, the convenient location (right next to a Rogers!) also makes Bakery L just a stop on the road to a very good night. Impress your significant other with a signature personalized mini-cake. You won’t be disappointed - the bakers are more like artists here! Check out their Facebook page for albums of the delicious and decadent cakes!

Mr. Beans Coffee Co. –

Major Intersection: Lawrence Ave. East and Port Union Rd.

This favourite of former Mowat Collegiate students (and some proud UTSCers) is the best place for a quick bite during all seasons. In the winter, “Beans”, as it’s known, specializes in hot chocolate and mocha lattes of all kinds and combination. This is your mom-and-pop version of Starbucks. And if the servers (some of them high school students with promising careers as coffee baristas) feel good, they’ll even do a bit of latte art for you! Delight in the freshly baked, croissants, cream puff pastries and cozy up with your favourite brand of authentic Italian coffee. Ask any kid from "the Island" (Rouge Hill), even in the summer Beans is the top spot for anything that will please you palate.

Coffee Culture –

Major Intersection: Ellesmere Rd. and Markham Rd.

 Nothing goes better with your slice of triple chocolate hazelnut crusted brownie than a sip of your favourite blend of coffee. Or as the German and the super-stylish say: koffee. This café is a favourite hangout of Woburn Collegiate kids, but many a UTSCer has been known to frequent this haven of delicious coffees and cakes for a bite of some amazing baked goods topped with a generous dollop of nostalgia.Also, check out their other locations all over Canada! Tip: That entire plaza is a goldmine for food options off-campus (check out Tangerine!)

So if you have a craving for sugar, need your daily dosage of delicious baked goods, or just a post-exam pick-me-up don’t be shy to take a trip down the street. You’d be surprised to see all it has to offer!What other sweet spots do you know around campus? 

Where is your favourite place to hang out and take a break? Let me know in the comments below and as always, tweet me anything and everything :) Until next time, om nom nom!

1 Love UTSC

Hello, fellow readers! This week's topic is about something near and dear to my heart. It has been central to the last 5 years of my life - it's practically in my blood. It has shaped my future and the person I am today. It has also lead me here - this blog - it has for whatever reason allowed me to write to you every week. If you're still clueless as to what I'm talking about, allow me to enlighten you. I'm talking about UTSC.

Whether you're in your 1st year or 5th year I'm sure you've heard something along the lines of "UTSC sucks", "UTSC is boring, there's nothing to do here", "I hate this place (UTSC), UTSG is so much better" and "I hope my degree doesn't say 'University of Toronto Scarborough' and just says 'University of Toronto'.

I for one, LOVE UTSC - I absolutely ADORE UTSC.

Over my 5 years here I've heard so many people hate on UTSC, for whatever reason, I almost started to believe what they were saying. I did come across students who shared the same love for UTSC as I did, but they were few and far between. As I progressed through my university years I found a few students who actually took pride in being a UTSC student and actually wanted to make UTSC a better place - most of those students have graduated and have gone on to making the world a better place but not without leaving their mark.

Former students like Andre Vash and Nigel D'souza (who arguably have the most love for UTSC) come to mind. They have gone on to create Butterfly Communities a local charity that focuses on local projects in Toronto. Their first and on-going project is a Mornel Court Community Centre refresh which is right near UTSC - talk about mad love for UTSC and the Scarborough community.

Now being in my 5th year, I find it hard to find students who even remotely have the same level of respect, love and pride in UTSC as those students who have gone. I was beginning to lose faith - until October 19th 2011.

October 19th "1loveUTSC" shirts went on sale. 240 tshirts were ordered and they were literally GONE by noon. I didn't even have a chance to get one. I remember seeing masses and masses of students lining up to get one and even more disappointed students not being able to get a shirt in their size or a shirt in general. Students were buying shirts in colours they didn't want and sizes too big for them to wear. It was a pleasant sight to see all those students willing to show their pride for UTSC. Since the sale I have seen a number of students rocking the 1LoveUTSC shirt everyday. I even have recent graduates of UTSC messaging me on Facebook and Twitter asking me if I could get them a shirt. To be honest, I never expected such an out pour of UTSC love from the students - I guess I got proven wrong and I'm kind of glad I did.

If you got one you were one of the lucky ones! However, for those who didn't have the chance to snag the most epic piece of UTSC swag, don't fret! I heard rumours from some well placed sources that there will be another order of shirts!

Do you have pride for UTSC? If so why? If don't tell me why - All in the comment section below! You can now post without a google account which makes things a lot easier! Remember to Subscribe and follow me on twitter @malcolmwong1

Instructional class experiment - Part 2

Mixed emotions of nerves and excitement overwhelmed me as I entered the UTSC dance studio Monday afternoon. I took my first EVER instructional class at UTSC - belly dancing.

The only minuscule knowledge I have of this Middle Eastern tradition is watching any music video by Shakira. I'm truly a rookie when it comes to shaking any sort of body part and keeping a rhythm.

The dance instructor, Zahra, started off with stretches to warm the body. Shaking our legs, moving our hands and arms on a yoga mat, making sure our body was ready for the routine.

Yes. Routine.

She turned on "Tonight I'm Lovin' You" by Enrique Iglesias and said to get into our first position.

F.Y.I - I'm 4 weeks behind the class. I had to catch up to their routine in less then an hour.

Find out my final results in the video below.

Shakira doesn't even know.

Last Night

Last night, I was at the place to be. I was at Ryerson University, attending the launch of the 4th issue of AQSAzine. Never attended before I was kinda nervous, and then I remembered all the stuff I was doing for the event

Your's Truly was...
Moderating a discussion panel
Performing
Crackin' jokes
Entertaining and hitting on the guest ;)

"AQSAzine (est. 2007) is a Toronto-based grassroots arts collective by and for young women and trans people who self-identify as Muslim. Our main project is the creation of a bi-annual zine of our writing, art, activism entitled AQSAzine. This zine is a creative avenue for young Muslim women and trans people to express ourselves, share our experiences and connect with others. We strive to work from an explicit anti oppressive, pro-choice, queer positive & trans positive framework." (AQSAzine offfical website)

To me AQSAzine is being able to share myself with the world, and not feel bad about it, to say and do things that I want. For me AQSAzine means being the person I wanted to be when everyone was telling me NOT to be that person. I could go on and on about how wonder and amazing AQSAzine is and all the great work they do but I just couldn't summarize their awesomeness and epicness because it's endless.

Just because I'm not involved on campus activity doesn't mean I'm not involved.
I take every chance I get to be involved in my community. This first semester I just wanna get the hang of things and find my place. It's like starting high school all over again, except more homework and less of.... that.

My goals for NEXT semester:
-Join ONE club
-Attend one on campus activity
-Sell all my old textbooks (TUSBE!)
-Volunteer on campus

Good luck and Good Night!
E.A.P