Volleyball ||Miss Canada Natural Fitness: Allison Ethier

by Mare Macdonald

SPORTS EDITOR The U.P.E.I. volleyball team, 1- 7, played its final pre-Christmas break games this week- end. The Panthers were defeated by Memorial. “Tt could have just as easily been a split,” UPEI coach Jeff MacEachern said. “They’re [Memorial] the best team in the league.” The Panthers lost Saturday’s game 3- 2 and were defeated 3-1 on Sunday. ee well in bo matches and fre- quaaey had the Sea awks scramblin for the ball. Panther Sherri Aylward, second-year, made a number of serves that resulted in points as well as several aces. UPEI first-year middle, Melissa Milton, made some impor- tant blocks and kills for the Panthers, while first-year Jill MacEachern added to her nation- leading kill percent- age. Unfortunately, the loss ch one . player will compli- cate the rest of the year. Rookie and star player, MacEachern, will be leaving the team to attend school in Switzerland. The departure of MacEarchern who is ranked number one in kills in the Canadian Inter- Unie Athletic Union (CIAUV) will be a crucial loss to the Panthers. Whether or not the Panthers will have MacEachern next season remains to be seen, but UPEI’s coach said there is a 50/50 chance of her retunticseerse

by Jim-Beaux Lieyeah

It'll be nice to be the first article read in the paper by a majority of men... and unfortunately for me it is not because of the writer. Allison Ethier, a 23 year old first year Education student, won the Miss Canada Natu- ral Fitness competi- tion in Toronto, on INov.13, 1999, with her 1 minute, 36 second routine to “techno like music.” Allison went to Toronto as the reigning Miss Fitness New Bruns- wick, which she won in Moncton on Oct.30th. She went to the nationals with a groin injury she described as a hip flexor. I didn’t need to pursue that line of questioning any further. The 5 foot 4 inch, 115 pound athlete from Moncton took time out from her busy schedule to be interviewed by us last Friday...

The sky is blue and the sun is warm on the Memo- rial Building patio. The weather is appropriate to interview the only UPEI athlete to win something this year. Here is what she had to say in an interview with Stephen MacQuaid and Jimbeauxlieyeah... pea WEy did you

e up the sport of “Body Fitness?” A. It’s a sport without age limits. 1 could do this for

the rest of my life, if 1 wanted. The goal is always attainable. There’s also the performance aspect which is showy, flashy and entertain- ment all mixed up! Q. How long have you done fitness training and for how long did you train for this particular competition?

A. I’ve been train- ing like this for 2 years but it has only heen the last four months that I have trained for competi- tions like this. My training includes dieting, weights, and practising my routine. 1 was also a cheerleader for 9 years which cer- tainly helped with the routine.

Q. What is the judging criterion for com- petitions like this? A. It is like model- ling, ina sense, where "Hz Z judgement is based on body symmetry, tone, cuts, muscu- larity, and leanness. Judges do not want to see jiggling or

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any excess body fat. But all judges have there own view of fitness, which means rules are not etched in stone.

Q. How did training effect your diet?

A. | eat things with high protein, low carbs, and that are low in fat. The average day 1 would eat oatmeal for breakfast with coffee (my only indulgence); chicken salad and a protein shake for lunch and either an omelette, chicken, or tuna for supper. 1 snack on soy beans, fruits, vegetables and drink a lot of water. As part of my training, | try to eat every 2.5 to 3 hours.

Q. What is coming up in your sports calendar?

A. There are two competitions com- ing up next spring.

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The first is the Atlantic, which will be in April, in Moncton, and the second is the Canada Cup which will be in May, back in Toronto. That one might even be on TV. If 1 win that one, | will get my pro card, which means | can compete for money! Q. How much money? A. Anywhere from $1000 to $25000 which would go a long way to cover- ing my expenses, including travel, costumes, and food. Q. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now? A. Hopefully in magazines doing this but it will take at least three years for me to have a realistic chance of getting there. Of course 1 hope I'll have a job teaching as well. Q. | can’t resist asking some stranger questions about your sport. For instance, is there a lot of back stabbing that goes on at events like this? A. Most girls are not catty. There’s no oil in hair spray, al- though 1 use aerosol to avoid this poten- tial problem. But it is still an amateur sport where every-

- one’s pretty friendly

and even help each

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other get ready. It’s pretty fun actually... and when it is not fun, 1 will get out of it.

Q. How much of a role do you think beauty plays in something like this? A. It is like a beauty pageant for the athletically inclined. There is the subjec- tive nature of judg- ing the sport, kind of like figure skating. It’s also like what happens in life in general. Human nature | guess.

Q. Do you think bias lie towards more renowned established athletes, like in figure skat- ing?

A. I’m still learning the system. But 1 know it exists. The sport is still young. It has only been in Canada for about 4 years and just 10 years in the States. For instance, there was this guy in Toronto who won because of who he is but not necessar- ily for how buffed or cut he was.

Q. Have the people around you been very supportive of you?

A. It has been great, especially the people at the Sports Center. My roomies Bryn, Phil, and Jason have been there all along and of course my mom (who I got my height from) and Denise. Allison puts on her big black hat, puts her chair back, smiles, and walks away with the confident stride of Canada and UPEI’s newest

champion. END

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