The college’s logger sports varsity team has had another successful year.
While its most difficult challenge has been facing off against the big schools such as McGill, which have had the same students for four years — whereas logger sports team coach Chris Ryan’s students are only in school for one or two years — it still has done well.
“We are doing well against them, we are beating them,” said Ryan.
There are team events, single events and double events in each tournament, and if a student does one event they cannot do another. This makes it a puzzle for Ryan to decide who should compete in what event.
Being on the lumberjack team helps students get a job, especially for forestry and fire fighting students because it shows strength.
“They all say, if you were on the lumberjack team, it is a big plus,” said Ryan.
Students must display accuracy and speed in order to win.
The team is based at the Pembroke campus and is fully funded by Algonquin’s Students’ Association.
The team of seven to eight people starts practice the first week in September and the competition season goes into late February.
“It is a very good team dynamic,” said Matthew Manion, a member ofthe logging team.
There are four logging competitions in a year but the school can only afford to attend two.
Every year Ryan gets to bring four students to an Ottawa Redblacks game to do a logging demonstration.
“The students love it,” said Ryan.