HOCKEY WOLFPACK: YEAR ONE-THUMBS UP! March 30, 2010
Posted by lread in Men's Hockey.add a comment
David Boychuk was the first captain of the WolfPack and an All-Star (A. Snucins)
The most talked about team among those making up the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack family in 2009-10 had to have been men’s hockey. The return of the sport to the school for the first time in over 10 years can only be described as a huge success.
Following their silver medal finish in the BC Intercollegiate Hockey League playoff tournament, coach Chris Hans had time to reflect on their inaugural campaign. “ It was an incredible journey in many ways,” he said. “ We sort of felt our way through the first half of the season as we didn’t know what to expect and needed to learn as a group where we stood in comparison to other teams in the league. We were more focused in the second half and were prepared when we entered playoffs. “
Hans thought the biggest challenges surrounded the adjustment to the level of officiating in the league along with the players balancing their courses and hockey.
Although some people were surprised with the teams second place finish in the BCIHL (16 and 8 record), Hans was not. “I knew at training camp that we had assembled a pretty good hockey team and set as our goal winning the Championship. The fact we came within a goal of accomplishing our ultimate objective is a testament to our players! They worked hard throughout the season and motivation and desire were areas I had no concerns with!”
TRU also had two players in the top five in league scoring. Jassi Sangha (1st year, forward, Kamloops, BC) was third with 46 points (20 goals and 26 assists). Joel Leonard (3rd year, forward, Kamloops, BC) was fifth with 38 points (13 goals and 25 assists).
Hans looks back on the season and points to a number of highlights. “ I think reaching the Championship final in our first season in the league is an accomplishment everyone on our team is proud of! Other highlights include the electricity of opening night at Memorial Arena against OC and all of the incredible fan support we received this season! Our fans made Memorial Arena the hardest rink in the league for our opponents and our 11-0 record at Memorial is in great part because of our fans!”
Ah, yes the fans. The community—both on campus and the city of Kamloops took a shine to the new hockey team. On many Saturday nights during the regular season, there were over a thousand people at Memorial Arena to cheer the ‘Pack on.
Hans adds that working with the Kamloops Collegiate Hockey Society anchored by Mitchell Zullinick, Troy Clifford and Andre Larouche was a pleasure as he returned to coaching competitive hockey after some time away. Hans plans to work more on the business and Hockey Operations role as he returns to the program in 2010-11
But what about the future on the ice? Says Hans: “Recruiting the missing pieces to replace graduating players such as David Boychuk (4th year, defence, Edmonton, Alta) is the biggest challenge. We will miss having David anchoring our defense but we have a strong player and leader in Korey Gannon (3rd year, defence, Kamloops, BC) returning and Cody Lockwood (3rd year, Kamloops, BC) and Cody Rose (2nd year, Midway, BC) poised to take on bigger leadership roles on the team. Our success sure doesn’t hurt with recruiting. But, feedback I have received from potential recruits indicate the programs offered at TRU is a major determining factor as is the fact we have arguably to best college hockey atmosphere in Canada at Memorial Arena. “
After the success they enjoyed in year one, will the WolfPack hockey program suffer a sophomore jinx?. There are already plans underway to more aggressively market the product to the consumer. As well, TRU would like a chance at hosting the BCIHL league tourney in 2010-11.
How sweet would that be as a carrot? –to win the league title on home ice.
ICE CHIPS: The WolfPack will celebrate their first year at a fundraising year end banquet, dinner, and dance April 9 th at the Ukrainian Hall. Tickets for the whole evening are available for $ 27.50 a piece. Dance tickets are $5.00 in advance and $10.00 at the door. They are available by calling (250) 574-1140 or emailing: tinabuser@hotmail.com.
BASEBALL TO GET EXTRA GAME AGAINST ONTARIO TERRIERS March 30, 2010
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Scott Nevison makes it safely to third (A. Snucins)
The Thompson Rivers University WolfPack will get more game time this week than they first planned. The WolfPack were prepared to play the Ontario Terriers in an exhibition doubleheader on Wednesday (Mar 31). But due to a cancellation in Kelowna, the Terriers will be here this afternoon (Mar 30) to play another game against TRU.
“The Terriers are a traveling PBL team from Ontario who are here to play in the Best of the West tournament this weekend in Kamloops,” says WolfPack head coach Ray Chadwick. “ We usually scrimmage on Wednesdays. Now we’ll be playing a game. Having one today will be a bonus.”
The WolfPack are preparing for a holiday weekend series at home against the University of Calgary Dinos. After falling two the Prairie Baseball Academy twice last Sunday (Mar 28), Chadwick wants to correct some of their early season short comings. These three games should be a step in the right direction.
“Our red shirts and younger players will get most of the field time against Ontario,” Chadwick explains. “ All of our pitchers will throw at least one inning over the next 48 hours in preparation for Calgary.”
Game times Tuesday and Wednesday are 3 pm at Norbrock Stadium.
TRU WOLFPACK BASEBALL: PROUD HOSTS OF THE 2010 CANADIAN COLLEGE BASEBALL CONFERENCE FINAL TOURNAMENT. MAY 13-15 AT NORBROCK STADIUM.
SEVEN WOLFPACK ATHLETES WIN BCCAA ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AWARDS March 29, 2010
Posted by lread in Badminton, Uncategorized, WolfPack.add a comment
Brennan Arduini
Marlee Mertens
Natasha Little
Seven members of the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack athletic program have been honored for academic excellence. The seven were awarded the BC College Athletic Association Academic Excellence Award for 2008-09. All seven achieved the minimum of 3.5 grade point average and had 27 credits for the past year and a half.
Those being recognized for their prowess in the classroom are: Brennan Arduini (Kamloops, BC), Venita Colton (Kamloops, BC), Kia Lidster (Kamloops, BC), Marlee Mertens (Salmon Arm, BC), Alex Perkin (Kamloops, BC) and Caitlin Sharp (Invermere, BC) of the WolfPack badminton team. The other athlete who won the award is women’s soccer player Natasha Little (Kamloops, BC).
For Arduini, it’s the third time he’s won the award in the four years he has attended TRU. “It’s nice that the BCCAA recognizes those athletes that do well in the classroom and on the court,” he said. “ It shows that they value student athletes.”
Arduini has also won a Canadian College Athletics Association Academic Award. He admits that the fourth year of his post-secondary education has been the toughest to balance school and athletics. “ I have been very busy this year and I’m glad my sports finished in the first half of the winter semester.” Arduini was a member of both the badminton and the golf programs. He is hoping to get into the medical school in the future.
Mertens was a CCAA Academic All Canadian as well in 2008-09. She was shocked that she won the BCCAA Academic Excellence achievement in her third year of the Arts program. “ It’s been much tougher this year,” she says. “Being an athlete with decent grades at times is quite difficult. There is always pressure coming from one side if not both. Then, adding a job and a boyfriend is just added time consumption. The best way to deal with it is to be prepared and manage your time properly.”
Mertens is hoping to get into the Bachelor of Education: Physical Education program in 2010-11. “ With any luck, I’ll be accepted and continue playing badminton, returning at the end of the year with a silver medal instead of bronze.” Mertens won a bronze in women’s singles in 2009-10.
Badminton coach Brad Pape is very proud of his student athletes: “it shows that with good time management, you have time to play, practice and study. All of the people that won the award seem to have it all together and I think that you can tell from talking and getting to know them a bit that they have their priorities straight.”
Pape says his players made it a priority to study: even on the road “ Some of them need to study on the road to get these grades while some are naturally smart and plan for our travel days. I think it’s great that these people can enjoy their time at TRU, play on a varsity team and get exceptional grades. My hat goes off to all of them.”
The only non badminton athlete to be recognized is Natasha Little of Women’s Soccer. The Norkam grad red shirted in 2008-09, but played regularly in 2009-10. This, while involved in the Bachelor of Science in Cellular Molecular Microbial Biology program. “ It’s exciting to be recognized for academics in the athletics world,” she said. “ Juggling everything-soccer, school, work, community involvement and a personal life is often challenging and stressful but it’s worth it. I can’t imagine eliminating a single element from my life.”
Little also coordinated the Tim Hortons/Blackwell Dairy WolfPack Kids Club which ran at all home ‘court’ sports games during the season.
The seven athletes will be recognized at the TRU WolfPack Athletics Awards Banquet on April 8 th.
BASEBALL LOSES TWICE TO PBA TO EVEN RECORD IN CCBC PLAY March 29, 2010
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(A. Snucins photo)
The Prairie Baseball Academy Dawgs have sent a message to the rest of the Canadian College Baseball Conference: they are going to be a tough team to sweep. After losing to the host Thompson Rivers University WolfPack twice on Saturday (Mar 27), the Dawgs came back to beat the defending CCBC Champion ‘Pack twice on Sunday (Mar 28).
The scores at Norbrock Stadium were 4-3 and 15-7. That squares both team’s record at two wins and two losses after the opening weekend of play.
In the first game, the teams were tied at two until the top of the sixth inning when PBA scored twice. The Dawgs wound up with four runs on eight hits. The ‘Pack also had eight hits.
Jordan Williams (1st year, left field/pitcher, Montreal, Que) was the third of four PBA pitchers. He picked up the win going only an inning and a third. He helped his own cause with two RBI. Third baseman Brad Regehr (1st year, Linden, Wash) was three for four to pace the Dawgs.
TRU was led by Yoshi Nakamura (4th year, left field,Yokohama, Japan) and Brian Ivan (2nd year, third base, Toronto, On) each had an RBI. Matt Walker (4th year, RHP, Bowen Island, BC) pitched a complete game but took the loss. He surrendered eight hits, struck out three and walked three.
The ‘Pack left 11 men stranded in the contest.
In the second game, PBA was down 3-2 when they scored four runs in the fourth and added six runs in the eighth inning. First baseman Greg Friesen (1st year, Regina, Sask) went four for five with four runs batted in.
Dillon Morgan (3rd year, first baseman, Camp Verde, Az) and Doug Clark ( 3rd year, utilityman, Prince George, BC) each had two hits for TRU.
Josh Lowden (2nd year, LHP, Cranbrook, BC), the third of five PBA pitchers, got the win. He tossed an inning and gave up a run and a hit. Mike Juarez (2ndyear, RHP, Calgary, Ab) started for TRU and went five innings. He was replaced by Matt Leschuk (1st year, RHP, Kamloops, BC) who was tagged with the loss. He went an inning and a third surrendering six hits and five runs, while striking out two.
Both teams had 20 hits in the contest. TRU left 10 men on base.
“We reverted to the way we played earlier this spring,” said WolfPack head coach Ray Chadwick. “ We just couldn’t put things together.”
That sentiment was echoed by TRU assistant coach Duaine Bowles. “We didn’t execute on both ends of theball. We couldn’t make plays, we left men on base. Our pitchers got into trouble and when they tried to get out of it, they threw the ball down the middle of the plate. That is never a good thing.”
The WolfPack have a couple of days off before playing the Ontario Blue Jays in a pair of exhibition games on Wednesday (Mar 31). Game times are 3 pm and 5 pm at Norbrock Stadium.
TRU WOLFPACK BASEBALL: PROUD HOSTS OF THE 2010 CANADIAN COLLEGE BASEBALL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT. MAY 13-15 AT NORBROCK STADIUM.
WSOC Benefit Soccer Clinic 2010 March 28, 2010
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The TRU WolfPack women’s soccer team held a benefit soccer clinic on March 28 th at Hillside Stadium. Just under 100 children took part in the event, which raised money for breast cancer. $ 860 was raised.
The WolfPack would like to thank the City of Kamloops for Donating the field and to the TRU Bookstore for donating frisbees and candy.
here is what the camp looked like.
Jen Knopp plays pass
some U-10 Orange Crushers
Natasha Little and Ashley Piggott
Shannen Meyer and Amanpreet Dhillon
Jenn Knopp explains drill