A Jo Mcnish story from the Inferno site
Jo Knows
By Norman Kwong
Toronto Inferno
(June
30, 2002)
Joanna (Jo) McNish can tell people which planets in the
solar system have rings around them. She is able to explain how neurons
communicate information with each other. After studying Science at Queen’s
University for five years, those are things Jo ought to know.
McNish now
finds herself teaching grade nine and ten Science at St. Aloysius Gonzaga
Catholic School in Mississauga, Ontario. As a teacher, McNish is blessed with
another title that helps her get through to students and gain their acceptance.
This is especially true with adolescent males who think that it is cool what
their teacher does outside of the classroom. Jo McNish is a soccer player with
the Toronto Inferno.
Jo knows soccer. McNish has played the sport since
the age of five when she began playing soccer with her father in their backyard.
Jo knows difficult situations. With her favourite number two on her
back, Jo starts alongside last season’s W-League MVP Tina Blaskovic up at
forward with the Inferno. In only her first year with Toronto, McNish has not
exactly been placed in an easy situation. Compound that with her desire to
regain her form prior to her torn MCL from last year. If that was not enough, Jo
comes over to the Toronto Inferno after spending two years with their
in-province rival, the Ottawa Fury. McNish’s predicament is similar to that of a
supply teacher trying to replace a well-liked teacher who has called in sick for
the day.
Jo knows how to handle difficult situations. What is the best
way to immerse oneself with a new team? In soccer, scoring a couple goals
usually does the trick. McNish did that in her second game with the Inferno and
ended up having a hand in every goal by assisting on the other in a 3-1 Inferno
victory over the New York Magic. Jo left no doubt in her allegiance and in her
ability to come through when others were not scoring. Since then, a teammate has
even dubbed Jo McNish as her soccer idol at torontoinferno.com.
Jo knows success.
Throughout her tenure at Queen’s, McNish compiled several honours. Among them
was winning gold at the former CIAU (now CIS) national championships of women’s
wrestling in the 75 kg division. McNish was also named Second Team All-Canadian
as a member of the Queen’s women’s soccer team in 2000.
Jo knows
marriage. Those interested in trying to look up Jo McNish’s accomplishments in
record books will not find them. No, the awards were never taken back. Instead,
Jo won them under her maiden name of Hackett. She has been married to Al McNish
for about a year at the time of this article.
Jo knows comfort. McNish
will never wear an ordinary pair of socks in games. Rather than relying on the
luck of the Irish from her part Irish heritage, Jo receives luck from wearing a
certain type of sock. They have to be comfortable socks.
The Toronto
Inferno and their fans are beginning to know Jo. In fact, McNish’s Inferno
teammates are beginning to resemble her comfortable socks. Both are finding ways
to help her perform on the field.
Not all teachers know what Jo knows or
have her comfortable socks. They are opposed with questions each day that they
cannot answer. Jo shrugs off opponents like she would those questions by showing
them what she knows, scoring goals and creating chances for teammates.
With all that knowledge, Jo McNish needs to bring some of what she has
learned in the classroom to the field, where she can show the Ottawa Fury and
every other W-League team just how much Jo
knows.
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To
read Norman's other articles, click here.
Norman can be reached by email
at normkwong@hotmail.com.
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