Month: April 2019

It’s been a little more than a year since Ontario’s now-former Liberal government bumped the minimum wage to $14 an hour, from $11.40.

In that time, business groups have argued that the move has caused them to lay off staff, or defer hiring, or speed up automation. Those were the arguments Premier Doug Ford’s government used to justify cancelling the planned increase in the minimum wage to $15.

Watch: Canada’s most in-demand jobs for 2019. Story continues below.

It’s hard to know what an economy would look like in a “what if” scenario that never happened. We’ll never know what Ontario’s economy and job market would look like had the minimum wage hike not happened.

But we can look at more than a year’s worth of job data from Statistics Canada, and compare Ontario to other provinces that didn’t have such a large hike in the minimum wage.

To be sure, all provinces hiked their minimum wage in 2018, but by far less than Ontario, which raised its wage by $2.40 per hour, far more than Alberta’s increase of $1.40 per hour (to $15) and B.C.’s $1.30 jump to $12.65 per hour.

Quebec increased its minimum wage by 70 cents, and all other provinces hiked by between 10 cents and 30 cents.

So if minimum wage hikes kill jobs, then Ontario should stand out from the other provinces in that regard, in the job data for 2018.

Let’s begin by looking at job growth. From January, 2018, the first month that the new minimum wage was in place, until January, 2019, Ontario increased its total number of jobs by 2.4 per cent, historically a very strong showing and in line with several other provinces that also clocked strong years for job growth.

So the minimum wage hike doesn’t seem to have had much noticeable impact on overall job growth. But let’s take a closer look at the situation. Minimum-wage jobs are generally concentrated in two broad industries: food and accommodation, and wholesale and retail.

Looking at job growth in those industries, it’s clear this was not a good year — at least not when compared to the overall job market, which had a strong 2018. Wholesale/retail shed 2.6 per cent of all jobs in Ontario, while food and accommodation added 0.5 per cent, a weaker showing than overall job growth.

But the situation in these sectors actually looked worse in many other provinces. All provinces except Nova Scotia and Quebec shed jobs in wholesale and retail, while employment in food and accommodation was all over the map.

So it’s clear that these sectors are shedding workers in many places, but the link to a minimum wage hike is far less clear. The sudden appearance of those self-serve checkouts at McDonald’s and your local supermarket may have more to do with this, but to the extent that minimum wage hikes convince business leaders to speed up automation, there may be a link there.

Still, we can see that Ontario’s outsized wage hike did not have an outsized impact on hiring in industries that are reliant on minimum wage workers. Other factors are clearly in the driver’s seat here.

Now let’s break things down by age group. Young people are much more likely to be employed in minimum wage jobs than others. So what has been happening with youth employment?

It was not a good year for youth jobs. Canada as a whole had 2.9 per cent fewer employed people aged 15 to 24 in December of 2018 than a year earlier. The numbers were dragged down by large declines in Ontario, B.C., Alberta and Quebec. It’s interesting to note that, with the exception of Newfoundland, the provinces with the largest declines in youth employment were also the ones with the largest minimum wage hikes. So there may be some negative impact on youth employment.

But again, youth jobs are also the ones most likely to be targeted for automation. So how much of this is automation and how much the minimum wage? Good luck unraveling that one.

Let’s look at employment rates — the percentage of people in a given group who have a job.

Looking at “school-aged workers,” those aged 15 to 24, we see that employment fell nationwide over the course of 2018, but more so in Ontario. But employment grew in the “core working-age group” aged 25 to 54. While this appears to be a nationwide trend, it’s stronger in Ontario.

Now let’s look at wages (or what businesses call the cost of labour). Wage growth among youth in Ontario was stronger over the past year than it was among core working-age Ontarians. The average hourly wage for youth grew 10.2 per cent in 2018, versus 2.7 per cent growth for working-age Ontarians.

Looking more closely at the data, we see that Ontario youth working in sales and service jobs saw wages grow by 18 per cent, compared to an increase of 11.9 per cent nationwide. In an era of sluggish wage growth, there is no explanation for this other than increases to the minimum wage. Young workers and those in low-wage industries benefited greatly from the wage hike.

The verdict

The data suggests that Ontario’s minimum wage hike had very little effect on the overall provincial job market. It certainly did not derail job growth province-wide, as growth has been strong over the past year, and in line with other provinces which had much smaller minimum wage hikes.

The lack of a clear link between large wage hikes and job growth in food services and wholesale/retail suggests other factors are more important than the minimum wage when deciding on hiring.

But the evidence does suggest that the wage hike in Ontario, and the somewhat smaller hikes in Alberta, B.C. and Quebec, dampened demand for young workers and possibly accelerated automation in food services. The flip-side of that is that those in these industries are earning considerably more money today.

So whether or not the wage hike was a success depends on your values — which of these effects you consider more important.

Sam Barlow has fully unveiled the follow-up to 2015’s award-winning Her Story, with Telling Lies picking up the tale of four people and their interconnected lives through the filter of a stolen NSA hard drive.

In a stylistic spin on Her Story’s formula, the stories unfold through footage of the characters talking to each other online, and once again it’ll offer a non-linear approach through its tale as you use search terms to unearth footage. It’s a bigger, broader game than Her Story, and features a recognisable cast – Prometheus’ Logan Marshall-Green, X-Men: Apocalypse’s Alexandra Shipp, Halt and Catch Fire’s Kerry Bishé and Westworld’s Angela Sarafyan take on the four starring roles.

Telling Lies is being published by Annapurna and is set to come out later this year on mobile and desktop. We’ll have plenty more on the game early next week for you.

LAS VEGAS, Nevada – The 2014 NFCA National Convention officially kicked off on Wednesday at the Bally’s Las Vegas with a record 1400-plus members in attendance.

 

NFCA MOBILE WEBSITE

The annual event began at 8:30 a.m. with committee meetings as the various groups had an opportunity to meet face-to-face, often for the first time, to toss around ideas and discuss issues from rules to education to recruiting to NFCA publications.

The highlight of the day was the annual pre-convention seminar as Jeff Janssen (pictured), the founder and president of Janssen Sports Leadership Center, led over 300 attendees through a talk from Noon-4 p.m. entitled “Building and Sustaining a Championship Culture: How to Create a Winning Culture of Commitment and Accountability.” In a very interactive seminar, Janssen focused on the eight kinds of cultures (Congenial, Constructive, Country Club, Comfortable, Competitive, Corrosive and Cut-Throat) and the five “Aligned Systems” (Credible Leaders, Clear and Compelling Vision, Core Values, Standards of Behavior and Committed and Unified Team), had coaches discuss their cultures with fellow colleagues, evaluate themselves and develop their core values.

Following the pre-convention seminar, the NFCA Golden Shoe and Diamond Sports Catcher of the Year awardees in attendance were honored during the 4:30 p.m. General Session. In a very emotional moment, the newly created Donna Newberry Perseverance Award was presented to Notre Dame Head Coach Deanna Gumpf, whose daughter Tatum recently reached her second year of remission in her battle with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (diagnosed in 2010).

Following presentations on the state of National Pro Fastpitch by league commissioner Cheri Kempf, opportunities in USA women’s baseball by Jenny Dalton Hill and updates on the International Softball Federation and ASA / USA Softball from executive directors Ron Radigonda and Craig Cress, respectively, NFCA Executive Director Lacy Lee Baker provided members with an update on the state and growth of the Association. NFCA President Rhonda Revelle (head coach, Nebraska) followed with the annual President’s report and internationally known motivational speaker Dan Lier wrapped up the session with the keynote address.

New attendees got a chance to learn the ropes at a one-hour orientation presented by President Revelle, Michigan State head coach Jackie Joseph and NFCA Associate Executive Director Carol Bruggeman. The evening concluded with the Louisville Slugger reception, along with Division I and II Head Coaches Committee meetings, a Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Panel, a Mid-American Conference meeting and the International Caucus.

The 2014 NFCA Convention program continues on Thursday as numerous divisions hold their annual Caucus Business Meetings (DI, DII, DIII, NAIA and NJCAA) before the exhibit hall opens for business at 11 a.m.

Coaches who reached milestone victories in 2014 will be honored with certificates, plaques and crystal during the Easton Victory Club luncheon at 11:45, while the exhibit hall drawings and silent auction are slated for 1:30 p.m. Speakers including Florida State head coach Lonni Alameda and an all-star Hall of Fame Panel featuring four retired Hall of Fame head coaches, Bill Edwards (Hofstra), Dr JoAnn Graf (Florida State), Margie Wright (Fresno State) and Dr. Gerry Pinkston (.

The evening includes a mentoring session from 7-9 featuring NFCA Hall of Famer Sue Enquist where veteran coaches shared their knowledge with the new and young coaches. Coaches will conclude their day sharing food and fellowship at either the Diamond Sports Social at the Chateau in Paris or by participating in the FCA Three-Dimensional Coaching Session (9 p.m.).

Make sure to send along your unique or funny tweets during the NFCA Convention (follow us at @NFCAorg) for a chance to win a free registration to the 2015 NFCA Convention in Atlanta. To enter your tweet in the contest you must add the official hashtag of this year’s event: #NFCAallin

It was a blustery 10th of October. A light dusting of snow laid out a typically Canadian welcome mat for my family. Disembarked from a long flight, we were bleary-eyed and ill-prepared for an early winter. Or winter in general, really.

Arriving in Toronto from Kenya, the Noronha clan was more accustomed to removing layers to deal with oppressive heat than layering up to deflect the chill. But layers would become our new norm.

It was the 1970s, and dictator Idi Amin had seized control of Uganda. My Ugandan-born mom was living in Nairobi with my Tanzanian-born father. They had a quiet life in Kabete, a small Eastern suburb, raising my older sister and brother, when unrest in neighbouring Uganda broke out. Their friends and family were scrambling to flee. It was their first real indication that they may not be wanted on a continent that was all they had known until that point.

Born to Goan parents, they were members of an Asian diaspora, who in large part, were running East Africa’s economy. Amin wanted to put an end to that in Uganda, by any means necessary. The autocrat ordered the expulsion of the country’s Asian minority, giving them 90 days to leave. There were approximately 80,000 South Asians in Uganda at that time.

The expulsion took place against a backdrop of Indophobia, with Amin accusing the Asian population of disloyalty, non-integration and commercial malpractice, claims that were disputed by Indians. Amin defended the expulsion by arguing that he was giving Uganda back to ethnic Ugandans (sound eerily familiar folks?).

My parents knew little of Canada, aside from its snowy winters and that they had a potential chance of emigrating here, thanks to then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau’s new open immigration policy (Until the 1960s, Canada granted entry to immigrants based on racial and ethnic preferences, rather than the individual merits of the applicant, until the Trudeau government reformed the Immigration Act in 1976).

Mama and Pops Noronha had no family in Canada, but a friend offered hope for their predicament: risk their security in East Africa or relocate to a country on the other side of the globe and trust in the unknown. It’s a predicament that makes me feel all the feels — sadness at the fact they were no longer accepted in a place their community helped to build — but also, immense gratitude.

I’m grateful they turned their hardship into opportunity for themselves and more so, for my older sister, brother, and I — a wee newborn — at the time of their emigration.

The fact that my parents landed in chilly Toronto on Thanksgiving weekend many, many years ago, with little more than two pieces of ragged luggage and their offspring (all of their assets were frozen by the Kenyan government and they were robbed before fleeing), isn’t lost on me.

As a strong-headed woman who grew up with the aspiration to become a worldly journalist — going against my parents’ wishes for me to adhere to a more “traditional route” — I so often think about what my life would have been like had we stayed in East Africa.

In the aftermath of Amin’s destructive reign and the subsequent unrest that trickled into its neighbouring countries, would I have had the same access to education, health care and opportunities? Would I have been able to pursue my career dreams? To move to India to work with a women’s rights organization as a young woman? To travel and live in other parts of the globe?

Maybe. But so much of who we are is shaped by our environment, and it’s something I often muse about. Canada isn’t without fault, and our Thanksgiving holiday has a colonial history we all must contend with. But in these current, polarizing times, Canada still feels like a place that welcomes most and provides opportunities often non-existent in other countries.

For a family that left everything they knew to enter the unknown, that unknown became the best of all of their worlds. My dad, a communications engineer, who initially worked menial jobs in Scarborough, Ont., eventually got a job at Bell Canada where he stayed for 35 years. My mom’s teaching degree wasn’t recognized here (the ongoing immigrant plight in Canada), but she went on to manage a catering company after a few odd jobs.

My sis, a nuclear engineer, and my brother, a successful business owner, are raising their own families, which include two nephews at major universities, a 16-year-old niece who owns a vegan catering business and a couple of other cuties who are living their best lives. As the somewhat black sheep of the family, I did become a journalist and got to and am still travelling the world, and I remain as strong-headed as ever.

This year, like most Thanksgiving weekends, we’ll break papadum over sorpotel, while trying to keep the curry from the traditional Goan pork-based dish from seeping over onto our turkey and sweet potato mash. There will be feni (a Goan drink made of cashews) and wine.

My very Catholic mom (Goa was colonized by the Portuguese) will urge one of her five grandkids to say grace, but she’ll eventually take over anyway, and we’ll have to stop her well-intentioned but rambling pre-dinner speech so we can dig in. And my almost 80-year-old dad will be playing his favourite, Shania Twain (she’s apparently still a hit in India!).

So, I guess this is all to say: asante, Mom and Pops, for choosing this country to be our country. I am truly grateful for a home base that does feel strong and free, for the most part. For parents, who, in their 30s, uprooted their life with three tykes in tow, to make another life for us all. And for a Thanksgiving table overflowing with pilaf, gluten-free stuffing, and more than my share of pumpkin pie.

Born And Raised is an ongoing series by HuffPost Canada that shares the experiences of second-generation Canadians. Part reflection, part storytelling, this series on the children of immigrants explores what it means to be born and raised in Canada. We want to hear your stories — join the conversation on Twitter at #BornandRaised or send us an email at [email protected].

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Two-time defending national champion Tufts University stays put as the unanimous choice atop the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III Top 25 softball rankings.

 

They have received all eight first-place votes in the first four polls this season and last seven polls overall going back to last April. Tufts has been ranked No. 1 in eight of the last 11 polls and 13 of the last 17.

The Jumbos went 5-1 in the NCAA Championship at Texas-Tyler’s Suddenlink Field last season as part of a 13-1 postseason run en route to a 47-4 mark and their second straight Division III title. Tufts is set to open its season with a pair of games on March 14 at the National Training Center in Clermont, Fla.

Division III runner-up Salisbury (3-1), fifth-place finisher East Texas Baptist (6-0) and third-place finisher Wisconsin-Whitewater — which opens March 20 at the NTC Spring Games in Clermont, Fla. — continue to be locked securely in the second through fourth spots. Salisbury spent three weeks at No. 1 last season and has been the clear second choice in the poll since dealing Tufts its first postseason loss since 2012 in the first game of the best-of-3 NCAA Championship Series last May.

The Sea Gulls’ lone losses in Tyler came in the final two games to Tufts, including a 6-0 loss in 14 innings in the second game of the Championship Series that was scoreless for the first 13. Salisbury started this season with three straight wins before losing the second game of Tuesday’s twinbill with No. 11 Virginia Wesleyan (4-2) on a pair of errors in the bottom of the sixth that plated two runs and broke a 1-1 tie.

The Sea Gulls and new No. 5 Texas-Tyler (13-0) are the only teams other then Tufts to be ranked No. 1 in the past 20 rankings, going back to April 24, 2013, when No. 15 Montclair State held the top spot.

East Texas Baptist (6-0) doubled its win total over the past week following a 20-day weather hiatus with a three-game sweep at Mary Hardin-Baylor. Texas-Tyler, meanwhile, added to its stellar start with a three-game sweep at Howard Payne to move up from the seventh spot.

No. 6 Illinois Wesleyan (6-0), No. 7 Trine (11-1) and No. 10 Christopher Newport (3-2) all remained in the top 10, joined this week by No. 8 Emory (11-1) and No. 9 Luther (8-0), which moved up from 16th and 18th, respectively.

Averett (12-0-1), Fontbonne (4-0) and Louisiana College (9-1) join the poll for the first time this season, while Western Connecticut State (set to start season on March 14) returns after a one-week hiatus. Alfred, Coe, Messiah and Texas Lutheran all dropped out.

The NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll is selected by eight NCAA Division III head coaches representing the eight NCAA regions.

For the complete poll, click here

Canada’s largest cities are doing a solid job of attracting new businesses and new jobs, but these days, they are being outdone by their smaller cousins.

The Bank of Montreal’s labour market report card for the fourth quarter of 2018 found that Canada’s four largest metros — Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary — all declined in the rankings.

Watch: Should Canadians be worried about a recession in 2019? Story continues below.

At the top of the heap was Guelph, Ont., a relatively small city southwest of Toronto. It boasts an incredible 2.3-per-cent unemployment rate.

That “reflects a strong Ontario service/tech sector and spillover from the Greater Toronto labour market,” BMO economist Robert Kavcic wrote.

Other southern Ontario cities are also benefiting from the “spillover” of Toronto’s economic boom, such as Kitchener-Waterloo, London and Peterborough, all of which make the top 10. The same thing is likely playing out in British Columbia, where some cities in the interior are seeing “spillover” from Vancouver.

It’s not that Canada’s largest cities are doing badly on jobs; dig into the numbers and they’re still strong. It’s just that these smaller cities have put in a better performance recently.

One notable thing these days is how similar the regional job markets look. Ordinarily, the story is one of some regions doing well while others struggle. But not so much these days.

“Convergence remains a theme, with Alberta and Atlantic Canada sturdy, though unspectacular,” Kavcic wrote. “Note that no province is seeing job growth better than 1.9 per cent year over year while, at the same time, no province is seeing job declines of worse than 1.4 per cent — that’s a tight range.”

Job quality improving

What these statistics don’t reflect very well is the quality of jobs being created. We know that Canada has seen the rise of precarious work, even among professionals. Contract work and part-time work has become a common theme.

But to the extent the stats do tell us something about this, it’s good news.

All of Canada’s net job growth over the past year has been in full-time work, while part-time work has been flat. In many parts of the country part-time work declined as full-time work grew — a sign employers are turning low-quality jobs into better ones.

So take advantage of the good times. History tells us they won’t last forever. Here are the 10 best cities in Canada to find work, according to BMO’s labour market report card.

10. London, Ont.

Jobless rate: 5%
Year-over-year job growth: 3.2%
Ranking a year ago: 23

London is pivoting from being a manufacturing economy to a high-tech one, but auto plants and other factories still figure prominently. A lower Canadian dollar in recent years has helped those businesses export more, and the construction industry has been busy, thanks to solid population growth.

9. Oshawa, Ont.

Jobless rate: 5.8%
Year-over-year job growth: 4.9%
Ranking a year ago: 28

Yup, the city that just lost its famed General Motors assembly plant has made the list. The GM shutdown will no doubt damage the job market, but these days, Oshawa has three higher-ed institutions, a network of health care facilities and a busy home construction industry doing the heavy lifting on job growth. The city is well positioned to withstand the hit from GM’s closure at the end of 2019.

8. Edmonton

Jobless rate: 6.3%
Year-over-year job growth: 3.6%
Ranking a year ago: 13

Edmonton’s job market has performed better than Calgary’s in recent years, largely because its economy is less directly reliant on oil. Health care, education and public administration are big employers here, but the recent volatility in oil prices likely won’t spare the city entirely, as its manufacturing and warehousing businesses rely on oil and gas.

7. Peterborough, Ont.

Jobless rate: 5.2%
Year-over-year job growth: 7.8%
Ranking a year ago: 20

Peterborough’s once-thriving manufacturing base is long past its prime, but some of it still remains. Today, its largest employers are its health care and education institutions, and tourism figures prominently as well. The city is increasingly a “bedroom suburb” for commuters from Greater Toronto.

6. Abbotsford, B.C.

Jobless rate: 4.5%
Year-over-year job growth: 4.3%
Ranking a year ago: 17

Though it’s something of an exurb of Greater Vancouver, Abbotsford has an economy of its own as well, with a presence in lumber, aerospace and the film and TV industry. It’s also benefited from a housing boom that may or may not be on its last legs.

5. Halifax

Jobless rate: 5.7%
Year-over-year job growth: 5.1%
Ranking a year ago: 26

Halifax’s economy has gotten a boost from shipbuilding contracts for the Canadian Navy, but it’s also becoming a tech and startup hub. Immigrants and entrepreneurs have been attracted to the city for its affordable living costs, proximity to water and lack of big-city traffic jams.

4. Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont.

Jobless rate: 5.1%
Year-over-year job growth: 4.8%
Ranking a year ago: 16

K-W has been one of Canada’s most important tech hubs for years, but that’s just one part of the region’s success story. In recent years, it has become a popular destination for Torontonians looking to set up shop in a more affordable housing market.

3. Kelowna, B.C.

Jobless rate: 3.3%
Year-over-year job growth: 0.4%
Ranking a year ago: 2

Like some southern Ontario cities, the B.C. interior has benefitted from the spread of wealth from Vancouver. Kelowna’s economy has also seen a booming tech sector that has grown at an average of 15 per cent per year in recent years.

2. Saskatoon

Jobless rate: 5.6%
Year-over-year job growth: 5.4%
Ranking a year ago: 22

Like much of the Prairies, Saskatoon’s economy has been held back by weakness in the oil and gas sector, but its manufacturing has held up nicely. That, combined with solid population growth, means the region added 5.4 per cent new jobs in just the past year.

1. Guelph, Ont.

Jobless rate: 2.3%
Year-over-year job growth: 0.8%
Ranking a year ago: 21

Guelph has seen a very strong manufacturing sector in recent years, combined with an influx of new residents, many of them Torontonians looking for more affordable housing. That has out the city’s economy into overdrive, giving it a 2.3-per-cent unemployment rate, far and away the lowest in the country.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story indicated that Guelph is northwest of Toronto. It is actually southwest of Toronto.

Dallas, TX – The Dallas Charge are pleased to announce the signing of the team’s first head coach, Olympic gold medalist and current University of Texas assistant coach Jennifer McFalls. A native of Grand Prairie, Texas, McFalls went on to a Hall of Fame career at Texas A&M, an Olympic gold medal in the 2000 Games, and coaching stints in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area before spending the last five years with the Longhorns. McFalls brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and leadership to the professional level and Dallas Charge organization.

“The addition of coach McFalls cannot be understated. Her level of experience is difficult to come by. She is a quality person who understands our objectives and will amplify them on the field, in the dugout, and in the community. We are so pleased and proud to have her helping lead the organization,” said Charge General Manager and NFCA Board of Directors Travel Ball representative Kevin Shelton.

McFalls, who is a member of the NFCA, is currently in her fifth season with the University of Texas. Under her guidance, the Longhorns had three players selected to the All-Big 12 Defensive Team in 2014. She helped lead Texas to the 2013 Women’s College World Series (WCWS), their first trip back to the WCWS since 2006. Further, she has helped the Longhorns to three consecutive NCAA Regional appearances from 2011-2013.

“I am thankful to have the support from the University of Texas and Coach Connie Clark to coach in the NPF this summer. Everyone is excited about Texas getting a professional team and continuing the growth of softball. Coach Clark and Corrie Hill have really helped me develop as a coach so I am excited to have the opportunity to lead the Dallas Charge,” said McFalls.

The Charge’s first head coach has strong roots in the Dallas area. McFalls grew up in Grand Prairie, Texas, a suburb southwest of Dallas, where the city has named a softball complex Jennifer McFalls Park in her honor. The idea of returning to Dallas to help grow the sport was very appealing.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to coach the first NPF team in Dallas.  I had tremendous support growing up here playing the game, and now I am excited to continue helping the sport develop at the professional level.  It’s been amazing to see the growth of fastpitch softball in Texas. I am excited for the fans to see the level of talent that these ladies will bring,” said McFalls.

Following a career at South Grand Prairie High School, McFalls was an NFCA All-American shortstop and led the Aggies in batting average, hits, total bases and slugging percentage in all four seasons of her career. McFalls was named A&M’s Female Athlete of the Year in 1994 and elected in the Texas A&M Hall of Fame in 2001. She graduated from A&M with a degree in kinesiology.

After college, McFalls was a member of the U.S. National Team from 1994-2000. She scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning in the US’s 2-1 victory over Japan in the gold medal game in 2000. She also spent 2001 playing in the Women’s Professional Softball League (WPSL) exhibition tour.

As a coach, McFalls began her career as an assistant at her alma mater, Texas A&M, from 1995-1997 and at the University of Oklahoma in 1998. She then spent seven years in the Dallas area as an Assistant Athletic Director and Head Softball coach at the Hockaday School from 2003-2005 and Midlothian High School from 2006-2010.

McFalls said she is also looking forward to working with Charge General Manager Kevin Shelton. “I am really looking forward to working with Kevin Shelton.  I have a tremendous amount of respect for him and his knowledge of the game. He has spent many years building the grassroots of our sport so I know he will make this a positive experience for the both the fans and the players.”

The Dallas Charge inaugural season kicks off at home on June 3, 2015 against the Pennsylvania Rebellion. For more information about the Dallas Charge, visit the team website www.dallascharge.com or call the front office at 724-CHARGE1 (724-242-7431).You can also follow the Charge on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

— Courtesy of the NPF

I was lying on the floor of the bathroom, face angled towards the toilet, a week before a big flight. My body was on fire and any movement made me feel overwhelmed with nausea. Everything felt like a blur apart from one consistent thought: I was making a huge mistake.

I was about to pack up my life in New York and head to the other side of the world for who knows how long. With Australia as my base, I had plans upon plans for all the things I wanted to see. Yet, in that moment on my bathroom floor, I didn’t want any of it. I couldn’t believe I had ever thought it was a good idea.

After it felt like I was having a heart attack, my panic subsided and I fell into a restless sleep. The next morning, the doubt was gone and, a week later, I got on a plane and headed Down Under.

It’s been over 10 months since I became overwhelmed with panic on that bathroom floor. It’s been 10 months since I left home and moved to the other side of the world from all my friends and family. And, most importantly, it’s been 10 months since I found the strength to overcome my panic disorder and get on the plane.

I’d love to say that it ended with that strength, a single moment of bravery and I was fine. Well, as anyone with a mental illness can tell you, it doesn’t work like that. This isn’t the story about how I conquered my panic disorder in that moment to come travelling, it’s about how I’ve coped with my panic disorder every day since.

My mental health journey

My journey with mental health started in October 2016, when I was diagnosed with a panic disorder. After dealing with a lifetime of incidents in which I felt like I was dying, I learned I suffered from panic attacks. I wasn’t dying, my body just felt like it was. The constant doubts and worries in my mind? Those were a manifestation of anxiety. Every time I felt swallowed by a cloud of grey? I was experiencing a low grade depressive episode.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, panic disorder is diagnosed in people who experience spontaneous seemingly out-of-the-blue panic attacks and are very preoccupied with the fear of a recurring attack.

“Panic attacks occur unexpectedly, sometimes even when waking up from sleep. Panic disorder usually begins in adulthood (after age 20), but children can also have panic disorder and many children experience panic-like symptoms (‘fearful spells’),” according to the association.

While it can feel quite isolating when you’re experiencing a panic attack, it’s far more common that I ever knew. Stats Canada reports that 12-month and lifetime prevalence rates are 1.6 per cent and 3.7 per cent, respectively, for those who experience panic disorders. And women are twice as likely to develop the disorder than men.

The way my psychiatrist explained the condition made me feel as if every thought I ever had finally made sense. She broke it down into anxiety, panic, OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) and depression. My doctor described how a panic disorder can manifest through obsession over when the next panic attack will come. And someone may find themselves having depressive episodes, as well as a strong sense of anxiety when they have panic disorder.

Down under, not down and out

In December 2017, when I was getting ready to leave for Australia, I had been on anti-anxiety, anti-depressant medication for over a year. And I had spent just as long learning a variety of coping mechanisms. I was more in control of my mental health than ever before and I was ready for adventure.

When I arrived in Sydney, it felt as if every doubt I’d had was for nothing. I immediately met lots of cool people in my hostel, found a place to live and was overjoyed to have summer in December.

But then I moved into a shared house and realized my panic disorder had only taken a temporary back seat. The second I moved in, nothing was how I expected it to be. My anxiety flared, panic overtook me and I moved out as quickly as I had moved in. It was a new experience, with new people and I found it too overwhelming.

And I quickly realized that it’s in those moments of doubt that the panic has risen. There are moments where I can feel the entire essence of my panic disorder, floating around the surface of my brain, looking for any opening to let itself in. Will anyone like me? Should I go somewhere else? Is this all a mistake? Is it time to go home? These are the questions it presses me to ask.

Try not to panic about your panic attacks

I needed to learn how to deal with it. What works for someone won’t necessarily work for everyone, so trying different things can make a huge difference. Try not to get too down if the first few things don’t work, it will take time. Once you find those tricks, dealing with a panic disorder will become infinitely easier.

If you’re struggling with a panic disorder, the most important first step is finding the strength to get help. While it may seem easier to deal with on your own, having support is important. So is acceptance of your mental health.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned while travelling, it’s that you can’t run from yourself. No matter where you are, what you see, and what you do, you’re still, at your core, you. And having a mental health condition does not define you. For me, it helped me to better understand myself and others.

I’m thankful everyday that I got on that plane and refused to let my panic disorder control me. I refuse to let it write the narrative of my time abroad. My panic disorder is something I’ll have to deal with no matter where in the world I go. The most I can do is refuse to allow it to stop me from doing the things I love.

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