The passing of a legend
On Thursday Dec. 10, former Gryphon soccer coach Guenther Zemanek passed away. He was in his 90th year. Zemanek worked with both the men’s and women’s teams between 1982 and 1990 and was honoured with the Dr. John T. Powell Award in 1997, given to an individual who has shown exemplary effort and devotion in his/her contribution to Gryphon athletics. Before he and his wife, Hannelore, immigrated to Canada following World War II, Zemanek played professionally in Austria. He was also awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Ontario Soccer Association and was given a lifetime membership by the Guelph Soccer Club.
Coaching retirement
After nine years of leading the Gryphons varsity rowing team, head coach Brian Sulley has announced his retirement. Sulley was one of the leading individuals who campaigned for the club to reacquire intercollegiate varsity status in 2001 after nearly a 20-year hiatus. For his efforts in 2001, Sulley was also named OUA Coach of the Year by his peers. In 2009, the Gryphon rowing team earned its first OUA gold medal in 30 years when Kerith Gordon and Nicole Gough captured the women’s lightweight doubles crown. Three other Gryphon crews medaled in the provincial championships. Sulley will be replaced as head coach by Alan Oldham.
Back in the pool
After attending a two-week training camp in Florida, the Gryphons swimming team returned to Guelph on Jan. 9-10 for a pair of local meets – a dual meet with U of T on Saturday, followed by a larger event on Sunday that welcomed athletes from Laurier, Waterloo, Brock and a Huron team. In Saturday’s event, Chantique Payne shone for the Gryphons once again, qualifying for her ninth CIS race that will take place in February. In Sunday’s events, the Gryphons won 15 of 36 events, led once again by Payne, as well as Andrew Ford and Bethany Flemington.
Blades of Steel
After struggling throughout much of the first half, the Gryphon men’s hockey team played inspired hockey over the break, achieving their first ever win of the annual Steel Blade Tournament, hosted by Brock University. After dropping their first tournament game 4-2 to the host Badgers, the Gryphons stormed back in the second game, defeating Western 8-5 in a gigantic upset over the Mustangs, who entered the tournament ranked third in Canada. In the final game, the Gryphons and Badgers met yet again, but this time with different results as Guelph took the final game by a score of 4-1. Gryphons rookie centre Thomas Kiriakou led the club with eight points in the three games, including five assists in the win over Western.