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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, June 3, 2016 | 20 Kevin Nagel Sports Editor sports@oakvillebeaver.com Sports s p e c ial e v e nt "Connected to your Community" Oakville Rock begin lacrosse season with a win, unlike 2015 The Oakville Rock won its Major Series Lacrosse season opener last Sunday, unlike last year when the team started with six straight losses. Playing in Cobourg, Oakville doubled the Kodiaks 10-5 in front of 1,200 fans at the Kodiaks' new home. The Rock followed with a less impressive effort the next night, losing its home opener to the Peterborough Lakers 11-4. In Sunday's win, Oakville was down 2-1 in the first intermission, but Rock second-year forward Wes Berg scored two goals on Cobourg goalie Rance Vingeaux to get his team going. Berg secured his hat trick and Oakville led 5-2 on the way to the five-goal victory. Goalie Nick Rose was exceptional in the Oakville net. "I thought after the first period we really started to calm things down and control the play," said Rock head coach Matt Sawyer. "We were gripping the sticks a little too tight in the first and making passes too quickly." Berg finished with four goals and two assists while teammates Stephan Leblanc and Rob Hellyer contributed four and three assists, respectively. Facing the team that had eliminated it in the playsee Rock on p. 21 Oakville's Special Olympics team spent the weekend in Guelph competing at the S.O. Spring Games. The team (above) shows their excitement as the bus is about to depart to Guelph last week. In the photo (front row from left) are Dennis Gaul, Bill Hickson, Kaitlin Nesbitt and Ryan Lamey. | photo by Riziero Vertolli ­ Oakville Beaver (follow on Twitter @halton_photog) Aquinas star middle blocker Jessie Nairn recruited by McMaster Known for his ability to turn a phrase, McMaster University's women's volleyball coach Tim Louks believes his newest recruit has the "teamality" he is always looking for. He was describing Oakville's Jessie Nairn, a 5-foot-11 middle blocker from St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School who plays club ball with the Oakville Thunder. Nairn helped the Thunder to a 10th-place finish at the national championships. She was also a key part of the Aquinas squad that qualified for the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations championships the past season. Louks describes his newest Marauder as a player that makes whatever team she is part of better. "Jessie is hard-working, determined and impactful, and always in a positive energy frame," Louks said. "It is exciting to have her accept her offer to McMaster, after capping off her club season with an impressive finish at the nationals." Nairn admits she has always had something of a soft spot for McMaster, but her official campus tour made her decision much easier. "I knew I wanted to choose a school where I felt comfortable and McMaster definitely gave me that sense of comfort," said Nairn, who has been accepted to study engineering. "After being accepted, Mac was my first choice because the engineering program is so well known." The recipient of an academic scholarship from the Oakville Thunder Club, Nairn said being coached by Louks was also a major factor in deciding to wear McMaster colours. "I knew that if I was going to play varsity in university I had to connect well with the coach and have a good relationship with him," she explains. "Ever since Tim first approached me he's always been so encouraging. I also admire him a lot for his coaching styles, and others around me have told me just how good a coach he is." Echoing his new middle, Louks agreed that early bonds are important. "One of the great advantages of relationship building as a coach, before a player even arrives in your gym, is that your baseline and expectations are already moving from a foundation." "Jessie has made a great choice for her and (for) our team," Louks adds. "I expect her to make an impact in the training room right away, and certainly she will make her teammates better immediately." With her choice of university made, Nairn is now ready for the next step along St. Thomas Aquinas's Jessie Nairn (8) in action against the White Oaks Wildcats in Halton volleyball play. Nairn decided to take her volleyball skills to McMaster in the fall. | File photo by Justin Greaves ­ Oakville Beaver her volleyball path. "It took me a really long time to make up my mind, but I finally realized that Mac was the right place for me," said Nairn. "Now that that process is finally over, I feel like I can start getting excited for what's to come and looking forward to the future." -- Hamilton Spectator