NEWS - Performance Printing

SPORTSJOHN CURRY/METROLANDMembers of a Monday evening class at St. Stephen School in Stittsville who performed ahoop routine at the Kanata Rhythmic Gymnastics Club’s spring gymnaestrada at the Earlof March High School auditorium in Kanata last Friday evening, are, front row, from left,Mayanne Chiponski, Raniya Khokhar and Ashley Keefer; second row, from left, AsaydaFayhey, Kayla Spence and Lily Camp; and, back row, from left, coach Breanna Rich, JulieMarks, Abby Gambicourt and Amelia Zhang.Connected to your communityRichmond resident passes on lessons learnedJessica Cunhajessica.cunha@metroland.comMike KusiewiczEMC news - Former MajorLeague pitcher Michael Kusiewiczlearned many valuablelife skills playing baseball.As a high school student,the smallest noise, even thesound of a pencil dropping,was enough to distract him.But he discovered how tofocus his mind pitching at theball diamond, where his attentionnarrowed to his catcher’sglove at home plate.“The number one biggestinfluence in my life is sports,”said Kusiewicz, who went onto become the first Ottawabornplayer drafted by a MajorLeague Baseball team. “Ilearned on the baseball fieldhow to focus.”Kusiewicz and Team Canadafencer John Wright sharedsome of the life lessons theylearned participating in sportswith more than 260 Bridlewoodelementary school studentsat Deevy Pines Park inKanata during True Sport PlayDay on Friday, May 17.The sixth-annual event,organized by the BridlewoodCommunity Association,teaches children the values offairness, excellence, inclusionand fun.Students from Roch Carrier,Bridlewood Community,St. Anne Catholic, St. JamesCatholic, W. O. Mitchell andÉlisabeth-Bruyère FrenchCatholic elementary schoolstook part in the two-hourevent.True Sport is a nationalmovement to provide a safe,welcoming and rewarding experiencein sport.Aside from enjoying fun onthe field, students were treatedto presentations by Kusiewiczand Wright, two local, successfulathletes.Kusiewicz said another lessonhe learned on the baseballdiamond was to never giveup.He played for the East NepeanEagles before moving onto a men’s team at the age of16.In 1994, he was drafted inthe eighth round by the ColoradoRockies, and during hispro-career had stints playingin the Toronto Blue Jays,Boston Red Sox, MilwaukeeBrewers and Oakland Athletics’minor league systems.In 1998, the year he wasnamed the Rockies’ MinorLeague Player of the Year,Kusiewicz tore his shoulderand underwent surgery.“It felt like someone wassticking a knife into my shoulder,”he said. “But I didn’tquit.”He went on to play 10 moreyears, including at the 2004Summer Olympics in Athens,Greece, where Team Canada’smen’s baseball team finishedfourth.He retired in 2008.Now, the 36-year-old Richmondresident teaches at St.Nicholas Adult High School,in Ottawa, after spendingthree years as a teacher atSacred Heart Catholic HighSchool in Stittsville.Kusiewicz encouraged thekids to follow their dreams.“Someone next to youcould be an Olympian or afamous musician,” he told thestudents.OttawaNeeds You!Palliative CareVolunteer TrainingVOLUNTEERSThe HospiceOrientation Courseis a prerequisite inorder to be workingin the Residence, DayHospice, and HomeSupport programs.Information sessions will be held onTuesday evenings in June and AugustGOVERNMENT CONFERENCE CENTREOttawa’s White Hot SummerParty with DJ Mister ParkerAs guests arrive in hues of whiteLive Entertainment,Fashion Show, Cocktails& Hors D’œuvresVIP Experience $125Bash Pass $65Opt. Bottle Service $200The course will be heldon four Saturdays:September 7, 14, 28and October 5, 2013from 9:00 am – 4:00 pmYou can choose to: TICKETS ON SALE NOWwww.snowsuitfund.comR0012123086 R0012128625Stittsville News EMC - Thursday, May 30, 2013 27