For Episode 25 of Gryph Nation Radio, we chat with a pair of outstanding Gryphon varsity coaches, as Colette McAuley (Gryphons women's rugby) and Megan Reid (Gryphons women's basketball) stop by the podcast.

The focus of our conversation with Colette and Megan centers around female coaching opportunities in sport, as we explore some of the history, obstacles and benefits when it comes to female coaches in sport. Both Colette and Megan are important voices in the "She Can Coach" initiative, with both taking part in the Gryphons women in sports series (highlighted by a live, online event on Dec. 8, 2020). 

Colette McAuley has served as head coach of the Gryphons women's rugby program since 2007, and has helped establish the Gryphons as a perennial power in U SPORTS women's rugby. A three-time U SPORTS Coach of the Year, and six-time OUA Coach of the Year, Colette's decorated coaching credentials are complimented by an equally impressive background as a player. Colette was a two-sport star as a Gryphon (rugby and track), as well as a long-serving member of the Ontario Provincial team and National rugby squads. She represented Canada 21 times for the national Women’s 15s, including a trip to the World Cup in 2002 and Canada Cups in 2001, 2003 and 2005. McAuley was a member of the National Women’s 7s team for two years, winning tournaments in San Diego and Toronto, as well traveling with them abroad to Hong Kong, Dubai and Los Angeles. After a decade of contributions, she retired from the National team in 2007.

Megan Reid is currently in her fourth season as an assistant coach with the Gryphons women's basketball team, and arrives at Guelph with a decorated coaching career at both the collegiate level (as the lead assistant of the Mohawk College women's basketball team) as well as the high school level (as a former head coach of the senior boys and senior girls basketball teams at John F. Ross Collegiate Vocational Institute in Guelph, where she led her teams to AAAA OFSAA appearances on four separate occasions). As a player, Megan split her varsity basketball career between York and Western, and was part of Mustangs teams that made back-to-back trips to nationals, including a CIS bronze medal in 1996.

Joining us for Episode 24 of the Gryph Nation Radio podcast are a pair of global giants in the world of sports business and marketing, both of whom just so happen to have a close affiliation with the University of Guelph thanks to their integral roles in helping with the 2018 launch of the University of Guelph's International Institute for Sports Business and Leadership.

For the full bio on both Dr. Richard Pound & Dr. Norm O'Reilly, please visit our Gryph Nation Radio homepage.

Episode 23 marks the second edition of our reoccurring segment, Champions Corner, where we do a little blast-to-the-past to catch up with former Gryphon student-athletes who helped secure some of the greatest championship moments in U of G history.

For this edition of Champions Corner, we're chatting with Steph Yallin and Sharon Hollinshead, two star players from the 2004-05 OUA champion Gryphons women's basketball team!

During the 2004-05 season, the Gryphons women's basketball team captured the 2nd OUA title in program history (and first in 25 years, with the only other conference banner coming during the 1979-80 campaign).

Both Steph Yallin and Sharon Hollinshead were instrumental in helping the Gryphons take home the OUA title, starring as sophomores throughout Guelph's 2004-05 championship run. In our conversation with Steph and Sharon, we chat about their incredible basketball careers not just at the University of Guelph, but also dating back to their teenage years, with the Port Colborne and Welland natives playing with and against each other in club basketball, before ultimately deciding to both attend the University of Guelph as part of one of the greatest recruiting classes in Gryphon basketball history. 

Steph Yallin, the eldest of five Yallin sisters, all of whom played varsity basketball for the Gryphons, was a four-time OUA All-Star during her outstanding four-year career at Guelph (2003-04 to 2006-07). Steph's memorable Gryphon career was also capped off with national recognition in her senior season, when the biological science major was named the recipient of the U SPORTS Sylvia Sweeney Award for her outstanding commitment to athletics, academics and community service.

Sharon Hollinshead is one of the most talented and athletic players in Gryphon women's basketball history, with the Welland native earning OUA West First Team All-Star status during the Gryphs' 2004-05 championship-winning season. The human kinetics major was the focus of attention for opposing defences throughout her three seasons as a Gryphon (2003-04 to 2005-06) and was an integral part of Guelph's success, including a memorable performance in the OUA gold medal game, where Sharon recorded 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting while adding 9 rebounds and 4 steals in the Gryphons dominating 87-68 victory over the Ottawa Gee-Gees.

For Episode 22, we chat with one of the most generous and influential donors in the history of U of G Athletics in Gryphon Hall of Famer, Larry Pearson.

Larry Pearson's successful business career was highlighted by a nearly two decade tenure as the President and COO of the Guelph-based Linamar corporation (one of Canada's largest automobile parts manufacturers).

Larry's long and distinguished association with Gryphon Athletics dates back 50 years ago, when he first set foot on the University of Guelph campus in 1969 as a two-sport student-athlete (varsity volleyball and junior varsity basketball). Larry completed his varsity career in 1972 and three years later, he would take the reins of the U of G men's volleyball team, serving as head coach and eventually leading the Gryphons to their first, and to this day only, OUA championship title run during the 1977-78 season. While he has been an influential member of the men's volleyball program for decades, Larry's scope expanded when he took a leadership role in the university's Building Potential Campaign and the plan to build the Guelph Gryphons Athletics Centre. He was a key member of the advisory council for the campaign and a personal gift he donated in 2007 kickstarted the project. Larry, who also served on the University of Guelph's Board of Governors from 1995-2001, spearheaded the support of varsity athletes and has contributed to athletic scholarships through his Larry Pearson Scholarship Fund. Larry's perseverance through multiple administrations, both at the Departmental and University level, was instrumental in ensuring the completion of the Guelph Gryphons Athletics Centre.

His philanthropic impact has been felt not only on U of G campus, but also throughout the entire City of Guelph through a wide variety of infrastructure projects ranging from baseball facilities, to expansions at the Guelph General Hospital, to community splash pads. In our chat with Larry, we ask him about his successful business career as one of the top automotive executives in the country, and also dive into his philanthropic efforts and the role sports has played throughout his life. 

For Episode 21, we chat with one of the most decorated coaches in OUA men's hockey as Shawn Camp, Gryphons men's hockey head coach, swings by the Gryph Nation Radio podcast. The 2020-21 season marks Shawn Camp's 14th season in charge of the men's hockey program at the University of Guelph. Throughout his U of G coaching career, Shawn Camp has helped shape the Gryphons men's hockey program into one of the top programs in the OUA. This past season (2019-20), Coach Camp helped guide the Gryphons to a thrilling playoff run, which culminated with a triple overtime victory in the OUA title game in March of 2020, giving the Gryphons their 7th OUA title in program history.

In total, Shawn has brought a trio of championships to the city of Guelph at both the OHL level (as head coach of the 2004 OHL Champion Guelph Storm) as well as at the OUA level (as head coach of the 2014-15 and 2019-20 Queen's Cup champion Gryphons). In our conversation with Coach Camp, we reflect on not only his impressive run as a head coach in the university ranks, but also dive into his coaching experiences at the CHL level, while also chatting about some of his time within Hockey Canada, including leading Team Canada's U18 team to a Gold medal at the 2005 World Jr. Cup (leading a roster which included the likes of Carey Price and Jonathan Toews).

We end the conversation by asking Coach Camp about his role with the NHL's Ottawa Senators, where he has spent the better part of the past two decades working for the Sens as a development camp coach, working alongside the organization's top prospects each summer at the team's Development Camp.

For Episode 20 of our Gryph Nation Radio podcast, we’re connecting with one of the most influential members of the Gryphon family, as we chat with Carrie Chassels, vice-provost (student affairs) at the University of Guelph. Back in August of 2018, Carrie began a five-year appointment as the vice-provost (student affairs) at the University of Guelph, with a portfolio that involves nearly 300 part-and-full-time staff, as well as over 1,000 student employees. Carrie oversees six different units across U of G campus (Co-operative Education & Career Services, Student Experience, Student Housing Services, Student Wellness Services, Child Care & Learning Centre and Gryphon Athletics and Recreation).
 
Prior to arriving at U of G, Carrie called Canada’s west coast home, as she served as the associate vice-president of student affairs at Vancouver Island University. She also has strong Toronto roots, having completed her undergrad at York University before heading to the University of Toronto to complete her Masters and PhD in Education Administration from U of T’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.

Carrie stops by the podcast to provide some updates on what the past eight months have looked like from her end as she has helped our student affairs division navigate the mounting challenges of a global pandemic. We also dive into Carrie's background, from growing up in rural Ontario to her academic and professional pursuits in Toronto and Canada's west coast. Please enjoy, Episode 20 of our Gryph Nation Radio podcast with University of Guelph vice-provost (student affairs), Carrie Chassels.

For Episode 19 of the Gryph Nation Radio podcast, we chat with the Mayor of the City of Guelph, and avid Gryphon supporter, Cam Guthrie. Prior to becoming Mayor of Guelph, Cam Guthrie was a licensed insurance broker and local entrepreneur for 16 years. He holds a business diploma from Sir Sandford Fleming College in Peterborough. In 2008, the Guelph Mercury named him one of the city’s top “40 Under 40.” After serving as a City Councillor (Ward 4) for four years (2010-2014), Cam was elected Mayor of Guelph in December of 2014. In 2018, he successfully was re-elected for a second term.

On top of his accomplished career in politics, Mayor Guthrie is also a talented drummer, having played on several studio recordings, and produced or co-produced several albums. He is also a loyal fan of the Guelph Gryphons, the Guelph Storm, and the Guelph Royals. He and his wife, Rachel, are the proud parents of two children (Anikan, age 17, and Adelaide age 16).

Mayor Guthrie stops by the Gryph Nation Radio podcast to provide us with some terrific insight into the dynamic between the University of Guelph and the City of Guelph, and how those two entities have worked together seamlessly through the years. The Mayor weighs in on a variety of topics, from the City-wide benefits that have come from the contributions made by the U of G students, and to some of the most successful programming offered by Gryphon Athletics, including the local high school football "Fryday Night Lights" series, which was launched back in 2018 to showcase Guelph high school football, with games taking place at U of G's Alumni Stadium.

For Episode 18 of the Gryph Nation Radio podcast, we're celebrating some of the incredible academic accomplishments of our Gryphon student-athletes. The 2019-20 season was a record year for Gryphon Athletics in terms of success in the classroom, with 1-in-3 of our varsity athletes earning the title of Academic Award Winners! Joining us for Episode 18 are three exceptional student-athletes, all of whom have played key roles for their Gryphon teams while also excelling academically in their respective majors.

Brooke Davidson, a fourth-year goalkeeper on the Gryphons women's soccer team, earned U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian status during her third season in 2019-20 after posting a 94.7% average in Human Kinetics. The Cambridge native has now applied to med school at McMaster, Queen's, U of T and Ottawa and is scheduled to finish her undergrad at U of G in the spring of 2021.

Dylan Niepage, a second-year accounting major from Barrie, is coming off a standout rookie season as a Gryphon in which he led the U of G men's curling team to an OUA bronze medal at the 2020 OUA Curling Championships. Niepage also impressed as a freshman in the classroom, where the accounting major posted an average of 88.5% to earn U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian honours. The product of Eastview Secondary School in Barrie has aspirations of pursing his designation as a Chartered Professional Accountant following the completion of his undergrad at U of G.

Tara Tanasijevic, a fourth-year standout on the Gryphons women's volleyball team, has received early acceptance into U of G's prestigious Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program at the Ontario Veterinary College. The Toronto native posted a 93% average while studying Bio-Medical Science during the 2019-20 season, a season in which she also impressed on the volleyball court, where she helped lead the Gryphons to an OUA bronze medal (the programs first OUA podium finish since 2011).  

Episode 17 marks the first edition of our new, reoccurring segment which we've titled Champions Corner where we will be doing a little blast-to-the-past to catch up with former Gryphon student-athletes who helped secure some of the greatest championship moments in U of G history during their time as Gryphon varsity student-athletes.

For our first Champions Corner edition, we’re going back 24 years to March of 1997, when the Guelph Gryphons were crowned national champions for the first (and still to this date, the only) time in Gryphons men’s hockey history. Nearly 6,000 fans filled the lower bowl at the iconic Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto to watch the Gryphons capture the 1996-97 CIAU title, skating to a 4-3 win over the University of New Brunswick. Joining us to re-live the greatest moment in Gryphon men's hockey history is team captain Chris Clancy, standout goalie Matt Mullin and star defenceman J.P. Davis.

Chris Clancy, a Kitchener native who studied arts and played forward for three and a half years with the Gryphons (joining the team mid-way thru the 93-94 season and ending his U of G career with a national title in 96-97) served as team captain and was a former draft pick of the Buffalo Sabres who went on to become a three-time OUAA All-Star during his standout Gryphon career. Matt Mullin, a Guelph native who studied agricultural business during his two seasons as a star goalie for the Gryphons (1995-96 to 1996-97) was the first individual in program history to be named National Player of the Year, earning the prestigious Senator Joseph A. Sullivan Trophy during the Gryphons national-title winning season in 1996-97. J.P. Davis, an Oshawa native who studied biology at U of G, was a two-time All-Canadian who also was named the CIAU Player of the Year during his senior season at Guelph in 1997-98. To date, J.P. Davis and Matt Mullin remain the only Gryphon players in program history to take home National Player of the Year honours. Davis played five seasons with the Gryphons (1993-94 to 1997-98), earning All-Canadian status in each of his final two seasons. In 2014, J.P. Davis was inducted into the Gryphon Hall of Fame.

For Episode 16 of our Gryph Nation Radio podcast, we are joined by a trio of great guests as we focus our conversation around concussion-related issues in sports.

The certified, professional voice joining us is that of Judy Lynch, the head athletic therapist within the University of Guelph's Department of Athletics. Judy is one of the most familiar faces in the department, with over 30 years of experience treating patients and clients, including extensive experience leading the treatment of our very own Gryphon student-athletes.

Also joining us for this important chat about concussions is a pair of student-athletes who offer some excellent first-hand perspective when it comes to some of the challenges that exist when it comes to navigating the road to recovery after having suffered a concussion in sport. Burke Bechard is a fourth-year psychology major at U of G and a star on our Gryphons women’s basketball team, a two-time OUA All-Star who is fearless on the basketball court. The native of Dover Centre, Ontario has picked up more than a few injury setbacks throughout her impressive athletic career, and she opens up to us specifically about some of the concussions she has suffered during her basketball career. Ross Williams, a landscape architecture major from Oshawa who is in his final year as a Gryphon, competes on the Guelph Gryphons men’s rugby team, and has emerged as an extremely valuable voice when it comes to opening up about his experiences having suffered multiple concussions during his rugby career.