N Cd
S e November 2000

  

Igali's coach on top of world after

Dave McKay continues to
walk on air after wrestler
Daniel Igali’s gold-medal
win at the Sydney
Olympics October 1.

“It’s still very exciting,” says
McKay, who coaches both
the national Olympic team
and Douglas College’s
wrestling team.

“The reality of the
situation ts setting in. A
long journey has taken us
to the top here.”

That journey began in
Summer 1994 when Igali
competed for Nigeria in
the Commonwealth Games
in Victoria.

McKay became Igali’s
coach that Fall while Igali
was a Douglas College
Criminology student.

In those early days, Igali
was physically talented but
lacked the technical and
psychological skills to

compete ata high level,

The Douglas College Newsletter

McKay says.

Since then, McKay has
worked with Igali to
develop his mental focus,
attention and toughness,
and by 1999 he was world
champion in his sport.
“It’s been the biggest
turnaround in his career,”
says McKay, who
competed as a wrestler
himself in the 1984 Los
Angeles and 1988 Seoul
Olympic Games.

McKay described Igali as a
model athlete who is quick
to adapt and learn,
receptive to new ideas and
very self-motivated.
“Really, my role as a coach
is to give the athlete the
right conditions and
empower him to make
decisions,” McKay says.
“T’ve been very fortunate to
have been able to coach
Daniel Igali. Very few

coaches get a chance to

m@ New Westminster Campus, David Lam Campus & Thomas Haney Campus

work with an athlete of this
level. He had world-class
potential from day one.”
There were huge
expectations on Igali going
into Sydney, so McKay
ensured that his athlete
steered clear of distractions
in the days leading up to
the competition.
“Fortunately, he was able
to keep his composure
under very extreme
conditions” during five
Olympic matches, McKay
says.

And while the gold medal
was a triumph, McKay says
the key win for Igali came
during his second-last
match against American
arch-rival Lincoln
Mcllravy.

“That, in my mind, was
emotionally a very key
point,” McKay says,
adding that Mcllravy was

Igali’s toughest competitor

and largest obstacle to
winning gold.

How did McKay feel when
Igali took the gold?
“Actually, I was fairly
calm,” he recalls.

“It’s kind of hard to put it
into words. It was surreal. |
was numb, and it took a
while to sink in.”

McKay says Igali’s win is
important for current
Douglas College students.
“It’s a great opportunity for
them to see that they can
combine education and
sport, and they can succeed
in both. Daniel is living
proof.”

McKay is now getting into
the college wrestling
season, while Igali heads
back to SFU to finish his
degree in Criminology.
Both are slated to head to
the World Wrestling
Championships in New
York in September 2001.

IN

Douglas College

iy
Jy
yj

 

    

Wrestling coach Dave McKay, shown in March
2000 when he received the Douglas College
Athletics Coach of the Year Award. Photo by

Jerald Walliser.

 

Coach takes wheelchair basketball
team to third gold in Paralympics

a

A Douglas College Sport
Science and Coaching
instructor has taken the
Canadian women’s
wheelchair basketball team
to its third consecutive
Paralympic gold medal in
Sydney.

Tim Frick’s team defeated
Australia 46-27 to win the
gold on October 27.
“Everyone played
extremely well tonight,”
head coach Frick said after
the game. “Our
preparation was thorough,
and all 12 players came
through under the pressure
of the intimidating crowd.”
Playing before 17,000
fans, Canada and Australia
both started out strong,
and the lead seesawed back
and forth until midway
through the first half when
the Canadians exploded on
a 14-2 run to go into the
break with a 23-13 lead. In

the second half, the intense

 

Tim Frick

Canadian full-court
defense began to have its
effect as Australia’s shooting
percentage dropped to 27
per cent. The Aussies were
never able to regain
momentum, and Canada
cruised to the victory.

Frick previously coached
the team to Paralympic
gold-medal wins at the
1996 Atlanta games and
the 1992 Barcelona games.
The team is now
undefeated in 43 straight
championship tournament

games.

A Port Coquitlam resident,
Frick has been with
Douglas College for 14
years and has 20 years of
coaching experience.

He is a recipient of the
Order of British Columbia,
coached Rick Hansen
during the Man in Motion
tour, and won the Sport
BC Coach of the Year
Award in 1998.

In an interview prior to
Sydney, Frick said the
games were about more
than medals.

“Whatever we end up
with, we will take great
pride in that
accomplishment,” he said.
“The medal is just a
byproduct and gets
people's attention, but to
be honest it’s more about
being better as players,
coaches and as a team.”
Japan beat the Netherlands

to take the bronze medal.

 

Support students, sip and savour

at "A Class

The Douglas College
Foundation is proud to
present “A Class Act”, the
third annual Wine Fest on
Nov. 16.

The festival will offer
opportunities to taste fine
wines from around the
world in an elegant setting.
Enjoy hors d'oeuvres,
entertainment, door prizes
and live and silent
auctions.

The auctions offer a great
opportunity to catch up on
your Christmas shopping.
Students from the Hotel &
Restaurant Management
Program will help host this
event.

Tickets cost $40 per person
(including GST).

Part of the proceeds will go
toward financial aid for
students in the college's
Hotel & Restaurant
Management and Athletics

programs, as well as to the

CKNW Orphans’ Fund.
Last year’s festival raised
more than $16,000 for
student financial aid and
drew more than 300
guests.

This year’s festival will take
place at the Executive Inn,
405 North Road,

Act" Wine Fest

Coquitlam on Thursday,
Nov. 16, from 7 p.m. to

10 p.m.

To join in on what will
truly be “A Class Act” or
for further information,
contact Karen Esau at 527-
7876 or Barbara Bessey at
527-5380.

 

 

 

Digital
drums

Bob Caldwell
works over the
drum kit as
part of a Noon
at New West
concert
October 12
entitled MIDI -
Keys and
Percussion.
Also playing
were Joel
Noftle and
Blair Fisher.

 

Quote of the Month

“Its a great opportunity for [Douglas College students] to see that they can

combine education and sport, and they can succeed in both. Daniel is living proof.”

Wrestling coach Dave McKay, commenting on Daniel Igali’s Olympic gold medal win