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April update

» Women’s softball showing they're the real deal

=

%,
eC [i have high
expectations, and with this
team this year it doesn’t change.
We have a very talented squad,

Eric Wilkins
Sports Editor
M sports

|, , @theotherpress.ca

/

far these girls take it; it’s their
season to run with. They have
to play their game and execute
the little things right. The
confidence is there and they are
excited to get going.”

Coach Michelle Peters had
faith in her team right from the
very start of the season, and
now as the squad heads into
May and the playoffs, that faith
is being proved well-founded.
Comfortably perched atop the

including tournament play—
the Royals are flying high. With
four games left, the team is
riding a nine-game winning
streak and showing no signs
of stopping after blowing out
Edmonds 18-1 (mercy rule after
the fifth inning) in their final
home game.

Along with the group’s
success, several players have

: made their presence felt in

: various individual statistical

: categories as well. At the plate,
: a pair of Royals cracked the

: top 15 as both Hillary Strelau

: (602) and Allison Wiens (.471)
: have posted ridiculous batting
: averages. In terms of pitching,
: both Tori Belton (1.96) and

: : Morganne Blattman (2.00)
and I am very excited to see how : are in the top 10 for ERA while
: Belton is also in the top 10 for

: wins with 9. Looking through

: the team’s stats though, it’s

: clear each and every player can,
: and has, contributed to the

: squad’s accomplishments. The

: one difficulty a top-performing
: team faces is when asked what’s
: the key to their success; as put

: by Veronika Boyd, “Our defence :
: has been really good... and

: our bats aren't bad either; our
: pitching is awesome as well.

NWAACC North Division witha : Just solid all-around”

15-1 regular season record—22-4 :

Statistics don’t tell the

: whole story though, and one

: highlight for the Royals this

: season has been their character.
: Case in point: participating

: in the Swing for a Cure

: tournament, a tourney which
: raises money for breast cancer
: awareness. It was a cause the

: team had approached coach

: Peters about back in October,
: and something that clearly

Keeping up with Laxton

» Women’s soccer gets a new coach

y Eric Wilkins
Sports Editor
Hy

M sports

@theotherpress.ca
Cores are often the

unsung heroes of teams.

When the going’s good, the
on the squad. But when the
going’s bad, attentions shift
to the one patrolling the
sidelines. Fortunately for
the new head coach of the

women’s soccer team, Chris
Laxton, his resumé, quality

a man well-equipped to avoid
the latter.
“Chris is a coaching

foundation in both theory
and practice. His extensive
education, coupled with years

: of experience make him the

: right person to take this team
: of eager athletes to the next

: level. Ultimately we want a

: program that is successful in

: both the classroom and on

: the field. I am thrilled with

: Chris’s plans to build upon the :
i - : strength of the current group:
recognition usually falls chiefly one econ meee
: that his recruiting plans will

: help this program make an

: impact on both the provincial
: and national stage in coming
: seasons,” commented Paul

: Cohee, director of student

. : affairs and services.
group, and confidence point to :

If Cohee was looking

: for someone who can be an
: example both athletically

’ ‘ _, | and academically, it would
professional who brings a solid : seem difficult to find a better
: man for the job than Laxton.
: The product of Dunbar’s

: youth system joins the Royals

(¥ Tortorella follows Gillis out the door

: struck a chord with her:

“I’m blown away by

: this team in the sense of

: their character. The coach’s

: philosophy last year was all

: about character and I have a

: huge expectation on that as

: well. These girls think outside

: of the box, care about each one

: of their teammates, and are

: beyond respectful of every team
: in our region and in our league.
: They’re always a class act. For

: them to approach me about

: this cause really demonstrates

: the maturity of them and their

: character on many different

: levels. I couldn’t be more proud.
: These girls are something

: special.”

The squad went 2-2 in the

: tournament against some tough
: competition while showing that
: they can win off the field as well
: as on it.

And now as the Royals head

: into the playoff season, there’s a
: buzz about the team, knowing

: that their potential still hasn’t

: been reached yet. “There's

: more yet to come,” commented

: Blattman. “We're really happy

: with where we're at, but we can

: still improve.”

The squad hasn't

disappointed yet; why doubt
: them now?

: with a short story’s worth of
: qualifications, having held

: head coaching positions

: with both Fusion FC and
Vancouver FC, assistant

: coaching positions with Quest
: University and UBC, and

a slew of others including

; appointments with Coastal FC
:; and Abbotsford of Super Y. He
: also holds a Canadian Soccer
: Association “B” National

: Licence, National Coaching

: Certification Program Level

: 4 theory, National Soccer

: Coaches Association of

: America “Premiere” Certificate :
: and Goalkeeping Coach

: Diploma, and a British

: Columbia Soccer Association

: Goalkeeping Certificate. On

: the academic side, Laxton

: boasts a master’s degree in

: coaching sciences, a bachelor’s
: degree in education, anda

: bachelor’s degree in human
: kinetics, all from UBC. Players :
: could do much worse in terms
: ofa role model.

: Laxton’s was keeper growing

: up. “I went in goal when I was
: in Ui2 because I wasn't fit

; enough to play out and found
: I was quite good at it.” While a
: professional career as a player
: was never in the cards, Laxton :
: knew froma young age that he :
: would end up asa bench boss,
: citing his father coaching him

: before remarking why he does
: it: “It’s seeing them progress

: and build their confidence

: onand off the pitch—seeing

: them blossom and players and :
: growing that passion for soccer :
: [makes it worth it] :

Know the score?

Contact: Eric Wilkins, Sports Editor

M sports@theotherpress. ca

www theotherpress.ca

 

Douglas College women’s softball team
By Jerald Walliser/Douglas College Campus Life (Flickr)

Though obviously capable :
of coaching all positions,

as a child as a major influence

”

The keeper from Kits

: likes what he’s seen from his

new squad so far: “They’re a

: very eager group—eager to
: start seeing more success in

terms of results. They work

: hard and seem like a cohesive

: unit, which isa good starting

: point.” The talent on the roster
: will likely lend itself well to

: Laxton’s style of play, which

he describes as “an attacking

: style—taking risks going

forward.”
“I’m very excited to join

: the Royals. Looking forward to
: putting on the green and black
: again—Dunbar colours—

: working with the group, and
creating a program that we

: canall be proud of, finished

: Laxton.

The team has the ability
and the coach has the resumé;

: September can’t come soon
: enough.