Destination X - Czeched In Congregation of Nations and Their Contribution to X Athletics

1. Destination X - Czeched In • Congregation of Nations and Their Contribution to X Athletics • HK 352; 2013 • By Jalin Couper, Jason Freeman, & Thommy Mayerhofer • Landing at X who wanted to experience competition at the university level in North America. This exchange between Charles University (Prague, Czech Republic) and STFX formally evolved into the international student exchange program, which is still in place today. Their first season playing together for STFX was 1989-1990. In 1993 STFX won its first CIS basketball championship under Richard Bella’s leadership. Richard Bella is arguably the most decorated international The emergence of STFX University on the national sporting scene was made back in 1966 when the varsity football team claimed the College Cup (Vanier Cup). Since then STFX’s athletics have remained a force to be reckoned with, especially with a recent CIS win by the Women’s Varsity Rugby team in 2013. The establishment of X’s sporting success seems to be strongly tied to the variety of international athletes that STFX attracts. This poster examines how international athletes directly impact the sporting successes and athletics at STFX. This also includes a thorough investigation of how these athletes arrived at STFX and the process by which coaches recruit players. • The Recruiting Process athlete at STFX. Mbongo and Nguilibet were not recipients of any major award, however they were tremendous team players and were huge contributors to the team’s success. Together the presence of the three French African players brought an AUAA championship and a CIAU men’s basketball history. Since that time the number of international athletes from Africa has been limited due to bureaucratic difficulties, mainly in obtaining student visas. The selection of varsity sports at STFX is quite diverse and hence there is a great variety in the coaching staff. With each coach comes a different team mentality and subsequently a different recruiting process. It seems that each team relies on different methods for procuring its international athletes. Many of the international football recruits at STFX were American due to alumni roots in Boston. Additionally, the majority of Caribbean athletes are currently acquired through strong • Czech ‘Sportovec’ affiliations with the head coach of Holland College, who is a STFX alumnus. However, men’s basketball was focused on recruiting specific positions. This specific recruiting transferred over to soccer with the retirement of Lou Bilek from coaching. Bilek’s retirement was the end of an era and with it the connection to the Czech Republic was weakened. However, recruiting efforts have broadened to other countries such as Germany, Australia, Nigeria, Dominican, and the Bahamas. • The Beginning The roots of athletes from the Czech Republic can be directly traced back to the work of Lou Bilek, who is prestigiously recognized for his contribution to athletics at STFX. Lou was the head coach of men’s varsity soccer for an astounding 39 years. The Czech connection slowly evolved from exclusively male soccer players to encompass a variety of athletes from • The earliest known international athletes at STFX can be affiliated to the football program, which had strong American ties. It was in succeeding years that STFX started to receive athletes from across the big pond. The majority of European athletes at STFX were of Czech origin and recruited by Lou Bilek. The presence of international athletes is as strong as ever in the 2013-2014 season, STFX currently has 17 international athletes. Football has eight international athletes, which is the most in the CIS. Additionally there are seven other American athletes at STFX. Other notable countries are the Bahamas and Nigeria, with two athletes from each as well as others from Germany, Australia, Switzerland, and Korea. Each of these international athletes tells their own story for why they chose STFX, we’re just glad that they did. We proudly recognize these highly-talented athletes within our community, for once they have joined the family, they are all Xaverians at heart. We have a kid who’ll run through a wall for you! That’s great but find me a kid who’ll jump over that wall -Coach Gary Waterman • Future Prospects • As a Czech native teaching and coaching at STFX, Lou had strong ties to his home country and would visit frequently. It was commonplace for Czech students to travel and to gain world experience. In a stroke of inspiration Lou decided that he could use that to his advantage. Lou labored to create an exchange program that would allow students from the Czech Republic to study for a semester at STFX. This was achieved in 1999 with the legal aid of John Hopkins. Lou admits that the reasoning behind the exchange never had purely academic intentions. • In the Czech it is believed that at the undergraduate level a cultural exchange may teach more than formal schooling can. The Czech students that traveled to Canada had to be highly academic and were generally excellent athletes • African ‘Athlète’ other sports such as X-country running, men’s hockey, women’s volleyball and basketball. The prevalence of Czech soccer players was not due to Bilek’s preference but rather the fact that a one-semester exchange coincided nicely with the single semester soccer season. The impact that these Czech athletes have had on STFX athletics is tremendous. Many of these international athletes have received Atlantic recognition and accrued a variety of titles. Of noteworthy mention are cross-country runners David Gerych, PetrDoubravsk, Monika Preibischova, and Petra Fouskovaas well as soccer players Mira Novak & Michael Marousek. The initiation of Central African athletes at STFX began in 1989 with the arrival of Richard Bella, Guy Mbongo and Aristide Nguilibet. Coach K caught wind of the three “big men” during his time with Basketball Canada. The promise of an English education as well as the opportunity to play university basketball was the deciding factor for the French African athletes. They arrived in Antigonish during January of 1989 to take high school level English to make them proficient in   the language before attending university. • References Gary Waterman: interview in person October 29, 2013 Bernie Chisholm: interviewed in person October 30, 2013 Steve Konchalski: interview in person October 31, 2013 Graham Kennedy: interviewed in person October 29,2013 Lou Bilek: interviewed in person October 1, 2013 Pictures: www.goxgo.ca • . • Men’s Basketball • CIS Champions • 1992-93 • 2007-2011 • Mira Novak & Michael Marousek • Men’s Soccer • Men’s Football • Future Prospects • 2013-2014 • 1966 • Vanier Cup • Men’s Football • 2006 • David Gerych • Cross-Country • Cross-Country • AUS Champions • 2009