First World Café for SWLSB! - Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board

United Student Sports Federation at Laval Liberty HighStelios Klapsis – Student Leadership - Grade 10During lunch, Laval Liberty High School comes alivethrough the U.S.S.F.. Over 300 students gather on thebalcony overlooking the gym in anticipation for our lunch time game while listeningto music played by one of our school DJs.The United Student Sports Federation is an organization composed of and runentirely by us the students. The purpose of U.S.S.F. is to bring students togetherthrough a common activity. U.S.S.F. members referee all the games, keep all of thestats, take pictures and coordinate all of the games. Using sports the U.S.S.F. canteach students how to be responsible and how to work on a team.Throughout the year we hold many different tournaments like “3 on 3 Basketball”,The Liberty Flag Football Championship, Liberty Indoor Soccer Tournament, PanthersWorld Cup of outdoor soccer, Panthers Cup ball hockey tournament, LIHF ice hockey,Gladiator Dodge Ball and other sports like staircase tobogganing.Using a common activity the U.S.S.F. in partnership with Chomedey en forme can keepstudents included in school and motivated for academics as well as encouraging us allto stay active.Setting The Foundation For FootballBy: Kishan Patel – Secondary 3The Laval Liberty Panthers Cadet AA (Gr. 8-9) and Juvenile AAA (Gr. 10-11) teams were given the privilege of visitingtheir former elementary schools. The purpose of these trips was to promote our wonderful Football Programs. Grade 5and 6 students were targeted specifically during their first period gym classes.A select group of skilled Panthers players were chosen to lead these workshops. We were able to describe the goal ofthe program and educate students about various football positions. “Helping the younger generation was really fun. It’snice to see what’s up and coming into our great football program,” said Nick Madimenos, 15, cornerback of the LLHSPanthers Cadet AA team.To end the workshops, footwork and receiving drills were set up to familiarize students with techniques and plays.Potential players were then able to accustom themselves with various positions they may want to play for as a LavalJunior Vipers Benjamin (Gr. 7-8) team member.Personally, as a Panthers player, I can say that these visits will definitely benefit our football squad. It brought us closerand focused our goals. It’s important to have students choose what sport they want to play so that they can developtheir skill and bodies accordingly. I had a lot of fun teaching the students. It made me reminisce about the days when Iaspired to be a Viper. At the rateour Cadet AA team is going, andwith the upcoming help ofpotential elementary students, it isalmost guaranteed that in theyears to come, we will bevictorious.SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 40 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012