Toronto Uncovered

Photo via BlogTO

Last year I wrote a post reviewing different sports leagues in Toronto. The TCSSC (Toronto Central Sports and Social Club) is definitely the main league organizer and probably offers the widest variety of different sports, nights and times.  One would hope that the largest organizer would be organized themselves, setting good examples for other companies and delivering strong league services. Unfortunately, that is a hope that they continue to dash.  In the years I have played with them, I have never been overly amazed at their level of organization, communication or customer relations. They are often more expensive than other leagues, ranging in cost from $100 for an individual to upwards of $800-$900 for some teams. I continued to play with them because I was able to overlook their inadequacies and focus on the fun and good times of the games I was playing.  Until now..

This Winter season we signed up a team for our 4th season of Sunday night Ultimate Frisbee.  We are in the rec league, which is described by the TCSSC as

“almost no players will have experienced at an organized level of the sport, most having not played at all”.

This fit our description pretty well.  We were signing up to learn and have fun.  As the season got underway, we realized we were losing pretty badly each week against teams that had definitely played before, and were very well organized (ie. running drills during time outs).  Some skill differentiation between teams is to be expected,  but the real deal breaker for me was finding out that at least 2 of the teams are actually comprised  of TCSSC employees. They are literally doing somersault catches and boasting that they usually play at the intermediate or advanced level.  WTF?

Being a letter-writer by nature, I wrote the TCSSC a concerned and less than impressed email yesterday. The captain of the 1st place team responded saying,

“We happened to get a couple new players this season who have proved to be quite good, as well our team as a whole seems to be getting better at the game too.” and “We figured we would be good this season but we didn’t think we’d blow away all the teams (and we don’t have a perfect season, 1 tie and 1 loss)” out of a total of 9 games played.

The team in 2nd place is also comprised of TCSSC employees, winning 7 of their 9 games.

M point is this: People sign up to play because they are hoping to be competitive and to have some fun. From time to time its expected you will come up against a team that is probably out of your division. To face crushing defeats week after week is not so much fun and it is unacceptable that these dominant offenders are the organizers of the league itself. Surely they know the guidelines for each divisions, and surely they also know their skill set before they sign up. I honestly feel that our Sunday “games” are their practice. Why would we want to continue to pay hundreds of dollars to the TCSSC only to have them negate their own guidelines and rules and wipe the floor with us on a weekly basis? Where is the fun in that?

I am writing this because I am slightly outraged, and feel that anyone reading this post should be aware of the current situation. I am not sure if this has been happening in any other leagues but welcome feedback and discussion.

A few months ago I wrote a post about the types and benefits of hot yoga and the different studios I have tried around Toronto.  As you might remember, I prefer Bikram’s style of hot yoga over Moksha because it pushes me to achieve higher levels of difficulty and fitness.  Since that post, one of my good friends has been urging me to try his hot yoga studio, iam yoga, which offers a number of different hot flow classes.  At first, I was reluctant because I thought, like Moksha,  it would be too light and fluffy for me.  Luckily, his persistence eventually paid off and I joined him for my first hot flow class on Saturday and my second last night.  These classes are 60 minutes, instead of the 90 minute Bikram, and are a mish mash of different yoga styles including: Hatha, traditional flow, Ashtanga, Bikram and some Pilates inspired movements as well (straight legged bicycles in a 100 degree heat is NOT easy). The main part of the flow class is that in between every major set of positions you come back to a flow, which is a transition from downward dog, into chaturanga followed by upward dog, ending back in downward dog.

I have to say that these classes to be a perfect middle ground between Bikram and traditional Moksha. They are definitely challenging and work towards improving your mental and physical strength, but they are not as intense as the Bikram and offer a variety of different movements each class.

The downtown location celebrates its 1 year anniversary in February and there is already such a huge sense of friendship and community among those who practice. The uptown location, Moksha Yoga Uptown, is more of a Moksha style, but also offers flow classes for anyone living further North.

I have to admit I’m a bit of a convert. Ill probably mix up practicing between Bikram and these flow classes depending on my mood and energy levels.

Where do you practice? Any other good hot yoga studios downtown?

If this week’s cool temperatures are an indication of anything, its that Torontonians will not be blessed with an Indian Summer. This time of year is always a little bit difficult for me – I don’t adjust well to the lack of sunlight and cold weather. Staying active and warm has always helped – hot yoga is the perfect remedy for my winter doldrums.

I first started practicing hot yoga while I was living in the Annex during University and recently picked it up again in the East end. I am no stranger to yoga, having taken some form for years.  Hot yoga, which is done at a temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit, has certain benefits which I find are absent in other forms.

First, I am completely in ‘the moment’ for the entire 90 minutes of class. My mind is fully focused on the different movements and poses, never drifting to other topics. In other forms of yoga, I find my mind wanders and I am rarely in a truly meditative state. Clearing my head of daily distractions allows me to recharge and gives me a much better outlook and perspective.

Second, the physical benefits are unmatched by any other form I have taken. In one 90 minute class you can burn anywhere between 1000 and 1700 calories. The class is intense and challenging from beginning to end, providing a true sense of accomplishment when completed. Hot yoga also increases my metabolism, flexibility and overall strength more than any other form. I have even noticed improvements in the health of my skin and hair.

Third, because of the heat, you will sweat more than you ever believed possible – if you’re not dripping from head to toe within a few minutes, you’re not human! This provides an amazing detox and flush of your system, unparalleled in any other exercise I have encountered.

There are two main forms of hot yoga: Bikram and Moksha.  I have taken both and prefer Bikram. The main difference is that Bikram is the same every class. You go through 26 predefined poses, holding them for a specific amount of time each. Each pose has its place in the sequence for a reason. Good Bikram instructors will explain the different poses and their benefits as you go through them. Moksha is more flexible, with similar poses as Bikram, but not necessarily and any predefined order. I found Bikram to be more difficult, and therefore, I had a greater sense of achievement after class. It really comes down to your own personal preference.

If you’re looking for good studios to go in and around town check out the following – I have tried all of these, and find them to be clean, well priced, and above all else staffed with excellent instructors.

Bikram Yoga Centre (42 Colborne Lane)

Bikram Yoga Annex (720 Spadina Avenue)

Moksha Yoga Downtown (577 Wellington Street West)

Namaste!

I have often said that there are tons of amazing people doing amazing things in Toronto. Last weekend I was invited to participate in the 3rd Annual Koski Kup, a full day ball hockey tournament in support of Lupus Ontario. It is hosted and organized by Jordy and David Koski, who lost their dad to Lupus a few years ago.

Arriving at 9am on Saturday October 3rd, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I like to play sports and end up signing myself up for enough teams here and there, but I wouldn’t really call myself ‘naturally athletic’.  I had briefly grazed the website and looked at pictures of previous years: crazy outfits, lots of laughter and hilarious pictures were front and centre.  It was clear that fun and charity were top of mind, followed closely by a healthy dose of competition and trash talking.

Five teams, 8-10 players each, participated in the tournament.  The top four went on to playoff rounds. Our team, Les Tabernouches, went all the way to the finals, clinching first place bragging rights and the Koski Kup. Money was raised throughout the day byentry fees and selling raffle tickets, hamburgers and hot dogs to spectators who came out to support the cause – or maybe they were there to laugh at us as we attempted to play ball hockey on a soaked rink all dressed in wigs. Either way, the total amount surpassed the $2500.00 mark.

The entire event was well planned and a lot of fun. I laughed so hard my sides hurt, and could barely walk the next day from running so much. Many thanks to Jordy and Dave for an amazing day and for having such a great outlook on life.

Image by: Rick Loftus

Summer, summer, summer time! It looks as though summer has finally arrived in Toronto (better late than never I suppose).  Last year I discovered that if you owned a net, you could play beach volleyball  at Ashbridges Bay for free. This discovery, while it may not seem overly significant, changed my summers from here on out. I bought a net and quickly became a beach rat, playing every weekend without fail.

Beach volleyball is one of the most satisfying and rewarding ways to spend a Saturday or Sunday in Toronto.  The vibe of the Ashbridges volleyball community is awesome. I met a ton of great people last year who have since become good friends and weekend teammates.  We play pick-up most weekends, and our crew is growing each year.

If you like volleyball and are looking for a fun way to spend the day, stay in shape, and catch some sun all at the same time, Ashbridges is the way to go.  As the summer picks up you will need to arrive early if you have any hope of claiming a court. When I say ‘early’, I mean 8:00 or 8:30, especially if there is a tournament that weekend.  The best solution is to rotate the positions of ‘court squaters’, giving everyone a regular chance to sleep off their hangover.

I am always interested in meeting, and playing with, new people. If you have a net, or are just looking for some new players let me know!

A couple of years ago I became extremely restless with my usual routine of work, home, work, home, work. Even though I went out with friends on the weekends, and would hit the gym when the mood struck,  my boredom was definitely mounting. I started looking into sports teams and activities in and around Toronto. In the last two years,  I have captained, co-captained, and played on a number of different teams and absolutely love it.

There are two main companies that cater to organized sports in Toronto. Toronto Central Sports and Social Club (TCSSC) and Not So Pro Sports (NSP). Most of my experience is with the TCSSC. They are the larger organizer of the two and have more sports, locations, and availability. They are fairly well organized when it comes to  the schedules and games, however, their head office is close to Yorkdale, making it difficult to pick up and drop off equipment. I also find that they are typically more expensive than NSP, although it seems their pricing has started to drop. Not So Pro, on the other hand, is a little bit smaller, but a very reliable and well run company. They recently started expanding the sports they offer, providing a  solid alternative to the TCSSC.

Dodgeball was my first team. Dodgeball is best described as being as much fun as you remember in grade school, only now you actually know how to wail a ball hard enough to scare your opponents.  I’m not going to lie, our first season out was a little rough. We had our asses handed to us on a silver platter.  Fast forward four seasons, we have moved up from the recreational to the advanced level, and are now sitting pretty in first place.  As you might imagine, dodgeball can get a little heated at times. I mean, you ARE whipping the balls at people as hard as you possibly can. There have been moments where I honestly thought an argument over a play/point might come to blows. But this just adds to the fun and intensity that is dodgeball.

Last Summer we decided to move our love for sports outdoors and formed softball and beach volleyball teams. Softball was a lot of fun, and a total beer league, however, because we weren’t exactly top notch players, and Toronto has a limited number of playable diamonds, some of the games were either really late or really far away. Organizing number of cars and rides is a good idea before you sign up. Last Spring (like most others in Toronto) was pretty wet. We played most of our initial games in the cold rain. Take this into account before signing up for the Spring leagues. Fair weathered players should hold off until Summer.

The same can be said for volleyball – the Spring weather was pretty brutal at times. Some nights the sand was so cold we actually wore socks. Last year we played volleyball with the TCSSC, however,  Not So Pro is the better volleyball organizer hands down.  All NSP beach volleyball is at Ashbridges Bay (instead of the smelly Docks), and there are more teams and competitive players.

If you are having a hard time picking one sport, consider trying All Sports or Multi-Sport. This is offered exclusively through the TCSSC and allows you to play a different sport each week. Sports include: Basketball, Volleyball, Dodgeball, European Handball, Soccer, Ultimate Frisbee, and a few made up sports like Handoccer  (a personal favourite) and Rugbee Basketball.  Most of the sports are a good work out and let you change things up weekly. During the Winter, all sports are played inside, however, in Spring and Summer most games are moved outdoors.

Ultimate Frisbee was the most recent addition to my repertoire. During the Winter, the TCSSC has league play on BMO field . In Spring and Summer, we relinquish BMO to the Toronto Football Club,  although I’m still not convinced their skill level is much higher than ours. Indoor or out, I absolutely love Ultimate and look forward to playing it next season.

I have met a ton of people by joining Toronto sports teams, and  have managed to stay in great shape without going crazy from gym boredom. If you’re looking for something to do this coming season, I would highly recommend signing up. You can sign up as either a team or individual. No excuses. Hope to see you out there!