Bison sports and health briefs

Bison all-sport season passes announced

It just got even easier to take in a Bison game. A new ticket package has been announced for the upcoming 2009-10 Bison sport season. Students, staff, and youth (ages 7 – 17) can now purchase a Bison all-sport season pass for only $25 and it is valid for all Bison home games in football, hockey, basketball, volleyball, and soccer. This is a great value and an opportune way to catch some quality CIS sport action. Adults can purchase the pass for $50 and there is also a family pass (which is good for two adults and two youth) for $99. Children under the age of 6 are free and individual game tickets are $5 for students, staff, and youth. Adults attending an individual game will pay $10.

The passes are available at the Answers booth in University Centre and at the Frank Kennedy Centre customer service desk. Bison Sports marketing coordinator Andrew Paterson is enthusiastic about offering the new ticket package and said that “pre-game festivities are in the works for all Bison home games.”

77 Bisons named CIS Academic All-Canadians

In a record-setting announcement, 25 per cent of 306 Bison student-athletes achieved a grade point average of 3.5 or higher at the end of the 2008-09 academic year. This is the highest number of student-athletes to ever achieve this distinction at the University of Manitoba, and for 22 of the student athletes, this is their second time making the list. With the physical demands as well as the time demands of being a Bison athlete, it is an impressive feat to excel academically as well.

Lesley Worsnop of the Bison women’s soccer team is a second-year student in the Pharmacy faculty and playing her second year with the Bisons. She is a CIS academic all-Canadian along with eight of her other 23 teammates from last season. When asked to reveal her strategies for balancing soccer and school work, Lesley said, “I study during my spares at school.” By using her time on campus to focus on her school work, Lesley has found a routine that obviously works for her. She added that coach Walt McKee provides study rooms for the players when they are on the road. There is also ample time to study in the van when travelling to and from out of town games.

Campus Food Bank requires donations

As athletes are sometimes more than aware, the food that we consume has a direct correlation to our abilities to perform as athletes. The same is true for students and academic performance. For many students on campus, food is not a concern — they can eat what they want when they want. However, this is sadly not the case for a growing number of U of M students. Over this past summer (May to August), 200 food hampers were issued to feed close to 400 students and their families. During the past school year (September to April), 960 hampers were issued to feed approximately 2,000 people on campus. This is a significant number, indicating that many students at the U of Manitoba are having trouble getting their most basic needs met.

In order to acquire food, the Campus Food Bank puts donation bins around campus in various faculties as well as at the UMSU office. However, according to Phoebe Zhao, coordinator of the Food Bank, “Most of the food is bought from a grocery store once per week during the school year and once per two weeks during the summer.”

Donations of money, food, and time are always welcome at the Campus Food Bank. Canned meat, milk, and bread are the most needed food items and volunteers are asked to commit one hour per week. There is also baby food and formula available, along with a variety of recipes that incorporate foods offered at the Food Bank.

The Campus Food Bank is a service for full-time students and is located on the fifth floor of University Centre.