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Principal says sports help keep kids well-rounded, teach teamwork continued from p.24 he said. "I don't find it as something I want to play, but I want to be involved. I just think it's a good idea. I like it. I like the concept." Other efforts to improve school morale, pride Morrison is quick to point out it would be unfair to give the MRMFL all the credit for any improved student integration at Morden. The school offers many other intramurals and clubs. Morrison said Morden's band program has been excellent for years, and also highlighted the school's opportunities in drama, technology and cross-country, among others. "We do have an extraordinary staff," said Morrison, who has taught at Morden for 15 years. "Everyone has their own thing they do. They pick a passion and go with it. We have tons of teachers with tons of passion." VanderHelm has also been active in increasing overall school morale. He was behind changes to the school's letterhead and sports logos, altering the letterhead to a similar look to the NHL's Winnipeg Jets and the sports graphic to the NFL's Seattle Seahawks (Morden's teams are also called the Seahawks, but previously had used a burgundy colour scheme similar to the McMaster University Marauders). The school's gymnasium received a facelift, including new basketball backboards, exercise mats and volleyball equipment. A student dance-a-thon raised enough money to pay for four new water fountains in the school. Complaints about inferior technology in the classrooms were addressed with the purchase of 70 iPads. "It's creating that culture of being proud of your school and part of a team. Now tons of kids are wearing Seahawks (clothing)," VanderHelm said. Morden also offers intramural ice hockey One of the school's other intramural activities is a co-ed pick-up ice hockey program that runs each Friday out of nearby Oakville Arena. There is no charge for students to participate, thanks to a reciprocal agreement between the Halton District School Board and the Town of Oakville that allows the exchange of ice time for gym time, and staff also suits up in the games. Not all students interested in the program have been able to play, however. Some children who did not have equipment could not afford it. The school received donations from Play It Again Sports and local minor hockey groups, but it still wasn't enough to outfit every interested student. Fortunately, a parent of a former Morden student was recently talking with her neighbour about the school's hockey program. That neighbour happened to be ex-NHLer and former Olympian Rob Zamuner, who subsequently met with 25 | Friday, November 29, 2013 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com W.H. Morden teacher Steve Morrison (front, left), student Connor Dekoning (front, centre) and others whoop it up on the way to a recent Toronto Argonauts home game. Dekoning's mother provided 50 tickets for Morden staff, students and parents to attend the game. | photo by Graham Paine -- Oakville Beaver -- @Halton_Photog VanderHelm. According to the Morden principal, Zamuner said he had never realized that some children in Oakville who wanted hockey equipment could not afford it. After quarterbacking the Eskimos in their loss a couple of weeks ago, VanderHelm returned into the school and opened some large boxes near the front door. Inside the boxes was $7,500 worth of new hockey equipment donated by the National Hockey League Players Association's Goals and Dreams Fund, which has contributed more than $21 million to grassroots hockey programs and related causes in 30 countries since 1999. Zamuner sits on the fund's board alongside Hockey Night in Canada's Ron MacLean -- another Oakville resident -- and has also offered to suit up in Morden's weekly shinny on Dec. 13. "It's a feel-good story," said VanderHelm. It's also another example of sports helping break down barriers at Morden, whether those barriers be sociological or generational. VanderHelm said he was no star athlete growing up -- he was a house league hockey player and also suited up for his high school football team before tearing ligaments in his knee -- but he fully appreciates the important role sports and other creative activities can play in the development of a child. "Everyone looks at EQAO results (when assessing strength of schools). I know in many schools, we've been cutting back on phys-ed and increasing English and math times. That's a concern to me," he said. "I don't know if that works. My theory is if you do more of the arts and music and phys-ed, the kids' scores will still improve because they are better, more well-rounded kids. "Sports keep kids well-rounded. They teach teamwork, looking out for others, being part of a bigger system. They teach getting out there when you're tired, keeping organized, school spirit. "We're a learning institution, first and foremost. But there are so many things that make a good school." Minor atom A Rangers win in Rochester The Oakville Rangers minor atom A red team won the championship at the recent Rochester Invitational Minor Atom AA Tournament, posting a 4-2 record in the competition. The Oakville Rangers minor atom A red minor hockey team made up for a pair of losses by rallying to win the Rochester Invitational Minor Atom AA Tournament. After recording a pair of decisive victories (7-1 over the Buffalo Bisons and 10-2 against the Webster Cyclones) on the opening day of the tournament, the Rangers had a tougher time on Day 2. Oakville was shut out in backto-back games, with the losses to the Nepean Raiders and Whitby Wildcats both ending in 3-0 scores. The Rangers bounced back to hand Whitby a 3-1 loss in the semifinals and handed out another dose of payback by defeating Nepean 3-1 in the final. Members of the Rangers are Eymen Dal, Nico Marandola, Liam Austin, Oliver Brenninkmeijer, Matthew Calderwood, Kael Carey, Matthew Caringi, Evan Constantopoulos, Andrew De Rango, Logan Fletcher, Ryan Gregoire, Adrian Jendrzejczak, Trey Magrin, Daniel McKnight, Matthew Rydz, Tyler Tufford and Daniel Verdon. The team is coached by John Verdon, Al Gregorie and Dan Magrin. Angelo Marandoa is the trainer and Michelle Constantopoulos is the manager.