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Wesmen Inner City Sports

Inner City Spring Break Camp Upcoming

Monday, January 28, 2013 - The University of Winnipeg is preparing to host their second annual University of Winnipeg Inner City Wesmen Spring Break Sports camps.  The camps are run in partnership with local community groups and are a great way for inner city youth to get some fun and fitness during their week off.  The camps are for boy's and girls ages 10-15 and run from March 26th, to March 28th.  Basketball will be run in the morning from 10:30-12 and soccer from 1-2:30, with an additional camp being added for elite basketball players from 3-6.  The camp instruction will be provided by Wesmen athletes and coaches, which provides a great opportunity for our athletes and coaches to connect with our inner city youth.  There is no charge to attend these camps. For more information please contact Grant Richter at (204) 786-9897 or by email g.richter@uwinnipeg.ca


Inner City Wesmen Golf Program

Monday, January 21, 2013 - What is the ideal sport for Inner City Kid's to participate in when it is 30 below in Winnipeg?  That's right, golf.  The University of Winnipeg is excited to host a group of Inner city kid's to the Duckworth Centre Tuesday evenings for the next 3 weeks to learn the fundamentals of golf.  Professional golf instructors Adam Boge and Glen Sirkis will lead the group through a specialized skill development program with the assistance of University of Winnipeg students.  The Winter golf program will continue into spring and summer golf for inner city youth. For more information please contact Grant Richter at (204) 786-9897 or by email g.richter@uwinnipeg.ca



Inner City Wesmen Wrestling Program


Goal

The intent of this new initiative is to introduce the growing sport of Olympic wrestling to youth in low income neighborhoods across Winnipeg. 

The University of Winnipeg Wesmen Wrestling team will take its’ ‘traveling mat’ off campus to community centres, schools and after school programs offering mentorship, instruction and opportunities for advancement in the sport to hundreds of boys and girls living in pockets of poverty across the city.

The initiative will introduce youth to a sport that is rarely offered in Manitoba schools.  Wrestling is an inclusive sport, open to boys and girls, regardless of height and weight.  It is an inexpensive activity, a great conditioner and provides participants with an opportunity to develop a positive self-image and healthy self-esteem.

Partnership

The program is collaboration between the Youth Agencies Alliance, a partnership consisting of 18 youth serving agencies in Winnipeg, The University of Winnipeg’s Faculty of Kinesiology and The University of Winnipeg Wesmen Wrestling Team which competes in Canadian Interuniversity Sport and represents the highest caliber of wrestling in Manitoba.

Between January and April 2013, Wesmen wrestlers and coaches will visit four community locations eight times, once per week.  Youth with an interest in pursuing wrestling further will be given the opportunity to participate in the development (club) program at The University of Winnipeg, as well a week-long summer camp.  It is the hope of organizers that exposing youth to a university environment and culture will provide them with a confidence to believe that they too can achieve a post secondary education.

Additionally, The Inner City Wesmen Wrestling Program will help grow the sport of wrestling in Manitoba, raise the profile of Manitoba’s lone University wrestling program and bolster the provincial talent pool.

A Proven Success

The Inner City Wesmen Wrestling Program is modeled after a hugely successful program in the United States called Beat the Streets, which operates out of several major centres.  The program has enhanced the lives of thousands of at-risk youths, led to university scholarships for many and produced champion wrestlers, including 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist Henry Cejudo who grew up in a low income neighborhood in Phoenix, Arizona.





Winnipeg Sun Inner City Girl's Classic... A Success


Wednesday, December 14, 2011 - The inaugural Winnipeg Sun Inner City Girl's Classic was a great success. The two day event featured six teams displaying their basketball talents. The Inner City Jr. Wesmen team, coached by Bob Axworthy finished the event in second place.

Game Recaps

Kids Benefit From New Hoops Program - (Winnipeg Sun Video, December 13th)        





2011-2012  Inner City Basketball Season Set To Begin

The Inner City Wesmen Basketball program started in 2006 this program is to help inner city kids thru sports, education and job placement. The ages are from 14 to18 girls and boys.


The program sponsored by the University of Winnipeg, has helped 100 kids so far. Plans are underway for the upcoming season.



For those players interested in participating or looking for additional information please contact:



Bob Axworthy

rda@mymts.net

(204) 489-0720







INNER CITY YOUTH SCORE JOB OPPORTUNITIES



University of Winnipeg, Inner City Jr. Wesmen, Pizza Hotline launch employment program



Tuesday, November 2, 2010 - The Inner City Jr. Wesmen program, together with the Pizza Hotline Café 22 are pleased to announce an employment partnership for inner city youth.



Bob Axworthy, coach and program director of Inner City Jr. Wesmen along with Pizza Hotline franchise owner Jerry Cianflone have developed an innovative program that will result in employment recommendations and, ultimately, jobs for inner city youth. Members of the program will earn the employment recommendation and will be required to go through traditional employment application and screening processes.



The initial pilot of the program has been successful with 15 young people already employed at Pizza Hotlines’ new store at 383 Broadway. The newest members of the Pizza Hotline team assume their starting line up roles when the store has its grand opening this week.



“This partnership with the Inner-City Jr. Wesmen is very much a win-win. This initiative fits with our company’s desire to give back to the community and help tackle the problems of the inner city, plus the program provides us with employees that have learned the most fundamental traits we are looking for - being on time, working hard, and having respect for others,” said Pizza Hotline owner Cianflone.



“The partnership with Pizza Hotline gives our program members a leg up on getting that all-important first job. Work experience gives these kids a meaningful opportunity to break out of the poverty cycle. They are gaining essential skills and a first foothold in the workforce. We are grateful for our partnership with Pizza Hotline,” said Inner City Jr. Wesmen coach Axworthy.



The Inner City Jr. Wesmen program now offers opportunities of sports, education and employment - a large combination that it hopes will help change the lives of inner city youth.



Click here to watch CBC TV Feature



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UWinnipeg is consistently ranked in the Top-10 in the country on an annual basis by both Maclean’s Magazine and The Globe & Mail newspaper. The University of Winnipeg is a leader in academic excellence, Aboriginal education, environmental studies & sustainability, and theatre & the arts. Find out more by visiting www.uwinnipeg.ca .



FOR MORE INFORMATION



Bob Axworthy, P: 489-0720, Jerry Cianflone, P: 291-2892





Inner-City Girls Basketball Receive New Outfits    (Girl's Basketball)

Inner-city Junior Wesmen basketball team heads to provincial championships in style

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2010

WINNIPEG, MB – Twenty-five teenage girls from Winnipeg’s inner-city are hitting the basketball circuit in style this week, thanks to the generous donation by Sport Chek Polo Park, which supports the Power of Sport for Kids program run by its parent company The Forzani Group Ltd.


The girls, many of whom are new Canadians aged 13 to 16, play basketball for The University of Winnipeg’s inner city Junior Wesmen team, led by volunteer coach Bob Axworthy. The Sport Chek donation means they now have coordinated uniforms, jerseys, jackets, duffle bags, basketball shoes and basketballs.

click here for full release (pdf)





Bob Axworthy Awarded Manitoba's Coach of The Month For February


Wednesday, March 3, 2010 - Inner-City Junior Wesmen Girl's 14U Basketball coach Bob Axworthy was awarded Manitoba's Coach of the Month featured on Global Sports for February. Fifteen-year-old Almaz Aschalew nominated Axworthy and wrote, “Coach Bob deserves to be selected. He is caring and is a great coach. He believes in us therefore we are committed to the sport.”



http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/pix/communications/bob-basketball.jpgAxworthy coaches kids with the Inner City Jr. Wesmen basketball program. This program was created to involve kids in sports with an opportunity for higher education. Players in the program have an opportunity to receive tuition credits for their involvement which they can use towards education. Axworthy also hosted the first Summer In The City Street Festival & Basketball Tournament on Spence Street this past June on campus.



Check out Axworthy's feature on Global Sports.



Coach of the Month recognizes outstanding Manitoba coaches in action. Nominations are accepted for coaches at all levels of sport (grassroots through high performance) who make extraordinary contributions to sport and athlete development.