Well ECI, fall athletics are over. But, we can look back on the season and be very proud of our Rams.  It was a season full of excitement, intensity and fun, where the lack of action last year (due to the unfortunate strike) was totally dwarfed by the energy of this season.  Athletics for the rest of the year have a good base to build on.
 This fall, ECI athletics has carried on the proud tradition of excellence that was established many years ago, and the banners that line the walls of our big gym symbolize the many years of accomplishments.  Very few schools come close to matching our success in the field of sports, which is very intimidating to our competition.
 Our teams that competed this fall were cross-country, midget, junior and senior girls basketball, junior and senior football, girls and boys tennis and boys volleyball.
 The cross-country team worked hard after school running laps and training in anticipation of success.  The Rams came out strong in all the meets: the boys coming in first place overall and the girls coming in second place overall.  Each individual contributed to the team’s huge success.  The OFSAA cross-country championships were held this year in Ottawa, where ECI sent an unprecedented 25 athletes to compete!  They came back sporting their souvenir shirts, knowing that they had a terrific season.  Our Rams outran the competition and left them breathless.  Congratulations runners!
 Girl’s basketball was a huge operation, encompassing three teams each at a different level: midget, junior and senior.  The midget girl's team made significant improvements over the course of the season, learning to work together as they developed their basketball skills.  Although they didn’t make the playoffs, the girls (all of whom are in grade 9) enjoyed their first swing at sports in the high school level.  The lady rams are sure to be back next year for more early morning practices and continued success.  Our older lady rams of the junior girls were hyped, coming off a regular season of only two losses.  The girls played hard, and came away with a strong second place finish, giving them the title of finalists!  Our senior team, coming off of an undefeated regular season, were matched up against our arch rivals school Richview.  But, the Saints couldn’t outplay our rams, and the girls came away with a  60 to 28 victory, making them the west Toronto champions!  Our lady rams did our school proud and we look forward to next season.  Way to go girls!
 The junior and senior football teams were out on the field every day after school at practise.  Changing in the halls of the zero floor and walking through the school clad head to foot in their equipment, the prospect of their season was a bright one.  The boys were even out trampling the grass into the young hours of the night.  Our junior team was a tough group of boys who were always ready for battle.  They came out hard, and on the rare occasions they didn’t come out top, they kept fighting to the end.  Our boys made it to the prestigious semi-finals to the delight of our school.  Unfortunately, their season ended there.  But, the boys covered a lot of ground this season and are sure to do even better next year.  They did our school proud.  The senior team also worked hard, taking their years of ECI football experience and incorporating it into their game.  They went through long nights of practise, too.  Many of the boys played their last year, as they will be leaving ECI in the not too distant future, and they wanted to make it a year to remember.  Although the senior team didn’t make it to the finals either, their season was a great one that we’ll definitely remember.  Both teams gave it their all, and we’ll be glad to see them next year, ready for battle.  Nice work boys!
 The boys and girls tennis teams practised after school in preparation for a one-day tournament.  Perfecting their singles or doubles game, they were ready to represent our school and show their stuff.  With great strides, wicked forearms and awesome backhands, our team hit the competition hard.  When the day was done, the team had gone through many matches.  But, it well was worth the effort because the team came away with an overall standing of third place!  The team will be back again next year ready to squash the competition.  Awesome job!
 The boys' volleyball team worked hard all season and could often be seen running up and down the many stairs of our school.  They had a great season.  Their spikes were packed with heat, and their teamwork and fighting spirit gave them their regular season standing of first place in their division (an undefeated regular season, actually).  So, they were off to the playoffs to take on tougher competition.  Unfortunately, the boys fell short in the first round and ended their season there.  The team still came away with a huge accomplishment, and we’ll definitely see more from these boys next volleyball season!  Nice job boys!
 A big shout out goes to the coaches, team managers and staff supervisors.  Without their help (which is all volunteer), none of these teams would have been possible.  All three of these groups were very devoted and were crucial elements in each team’s success.  To have teams requires the commitment of more than just he athletes themselves, and these people have given up their time and energy for our teams.  Thank you!
 Aside from the teams that were running, ECI has made a huge splash in the area of school spirit.  Last year saw not only the absence of games, but also the absence of fans at the games we did have.  The school spirit demonstrated during the fall athletics was off the wall.  Our buyout for basketball and football was huge!  The bleachers were filled and the cheers of our fans echoed across the field and the court.  Let's not forget the spirit fingers....WOOSH!!!  The other schools couldn’t help but envy our spirit and wish their school were like ours!! We also saw a landmark in ECI history...the first pep rally EVER.  The turn out was amazing.  Loyal fans enjoyed candy and speeches from the coaches and captains of our senior girls basketball and football teams.  The school was pumped that day, and many could be seen decked out in our school's colours green and gold.
 Knowing that fans are essential participants at each game, the Athletic Exec has introduced the coveted couch seats to the most hard core fans.  The bleachers aren’t bad, but a couch is so much more comfortable!
 Another intricate part of ECI athletics has been our mascot Ruckus.  He used to sit alone in the storage room, neglected.  But now, he has been removed from the dark and has been a huge crowd pleaser at our games.  Dancing, running and strutting his or her stuff, the ultimate ram has been brought back to life while bringing lots of life back into the stands.  Go Ruckus!
 This has just been a summary of the 2001 fall season, we all know there was so much more to it, and the memories will always be there.  Stay tuned, because the rams will be back for the winter and spring to kick even more a**.  Remember, at ECI, there is no off-season.