Sports.

 

Athlete of
the Week

 

Isaac Kojo Kyei

By Josh Martin, Sports Editor

his week I had a chance
Te meet up with Douglas

College’s very own Isaac
Kojo Kyei of the men’s soccer

team. Here’s what the classy
gentleman had to say:

How many years have you
been playing soccer here at
Douglas?

Isaac: This is my first year
playing soccer [at Douglas].

What are your plans with
regards to soccer?

I: Basically try to play
throughout three years and then
hopefully transfer to UBCO
(University of British Columbia,
Okanagan) and just play up
there—and then see if I can play
overseas in my country, Ghana.

How long have you been
playing soccer?

I: Basically since I was eight
years old, so that’s like 10 years
almost.

Do you have any inspirations?
Any soccer idols?

I: [just watch YouTube videos
like tactics and Manchester
United, and Real Madrid, and
just how they play and stuff.

It’s the offseason now, so are
you still practicing?

I: Well the Douglas team

right now... they’re playing
elsewhere for like VMSL, and
right now I’m playing for the
FVSL (which is the Fraser
Valley Soccer League), and I’m
playing for premier div 1. Then
I’m playing for the North Delta
community... So yeah I’ll be
doing that for the pre-season.

What are your goals for the
next year?

I: Basically just win it all—
provincials and nationals. And
just make the coach happy and
just try and bring a banner to
Douglas [College].

 

Hurling:

The Crazy Game of the Irish

 

By Eric Wilkins, Staff Writer

sticks. A hard leather ball. Two goals. One field.
This, is hurling.
Hurling, like all things Irish, is pure awesomeness.
Think of hurling as a wonderful mix of baseball,
lacrosse, and

‘Ts aggressive males. Big, heavy, steel-banded

perhaps, more so. The keeper’s only piece of different
equipment is a hurley with a larger bas (flat face). I
mean, hard leather ball being fired at a speed of up to
150 km per hour. No heavy-duty padding. Insanity.

The game, as stated before, has 30 players involved,
15 for either team—spread six and six in the attacking
and defending zones, with two midfielders in the centre

of the park, and a

hockey. The goalie. The rules
point of the on contact are
game is to hit “The point of the game is to hit a leather ball (the sliotar) with a similar to soccer,
a leather ball stick (the hurley)— either into an opponent’s goal for three points, or with shouldering
(the sliotar) between field-goal-like posts over the crossbar for one point.” allowed, but full-
with a stick out body checks
(the hurley)— prohibited. To

either into an

opponent's goal for three points, or between field-
goal-like posts over the crossbar for one point. The ball
can be advanced by hitting it with—or balancing or
bouncing it on—the hurley, kicking it, or hitting it with
the hand. Players may catch the ball with their hands,
but can only carry the ball in their hand for four steps
before switching to one of the above methods.

Despite the various possible hazards of this fast
game, the protective equipment for players is minimal.
Apart from the helmet (with a full face-mask), there
is no padding worn (though players may wear shin
guards and/or a special glove called an ashguard,
if they so desire) Goalies in any sport are typically
completely mental, and hurling is no exception... it is

preside over the

game are eight officials; two on either goalpost, two
linesman, a sideline official, and of course, a referee.

The game, being Ireland’s national game, is
predominantly played in the land of Guinness, but
has seen gradual growing interest in other countries,
namely the United States due, in no small part, to its
large population of immigrated Irish. While it can see
massive, stadium-filling crowds, hurling remains an
amateur sport. Among the many reasons for this is the
preservation of playing for love of the game instead of
being a hired gun, as can be observed in other sports.
The other key point is that it promotes loyalty to your
area or club.

Hurling: a man’s game. Ireland’s game. A good game.