MAD HATTER 2

 

 

 

Douglas College.

 

Cathie Bisset is coordinator of the new Perinatal Education Program at

 

HANDBALL

The popularity of team handball is
rapidly getting “out of hand” in British
Columbia.

And this month, the game will get an
even bigger boost in British Columbia
when the National Team Handball
Championships are held here May 15,
16and 17.

Centred at Douglas College and other
venues around the Lower Mainland,
the championships will include teams
from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan,
Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick
and last year’s winners, Quebec.

There are four categories participating
in the championshps: junior men and
women, and senior men and women.
The categories each have six teams
competing, except for the senior
men's, which will include two B.C.
teams.

 

“The B.C. teams will be comprised of
many players from the Lower Mainland
and Prince George, the two main
regions for team handball in B.C.,”
says Gary MacDonald, coach of the
Burnaby Handball Club, who teaches
the Olympic sport to students and
teachers throughout the province.

“The junior men's team and the senior
men’s and women's will have Douglas
college students included in their line-
up.”

Team handball (different from court
handball) is similar to basketball. The
ball is moved around the court, but a
net similar to that in field hockey is
used as a goal. Each team has six
players and a goalie on the court at one
time, with unlimited substitutions
allowed.

 

Game Extremely Popular in Europe

The game has been extremely popular
in Europe for many years before it
came to North America. Canada was
one of the last countries to join the
International Federation.

MacDonald, who will coach one of the
B.C. teams in the championsips, has
played team handball since 1972 and
has toured in Europe, the United
States, Mexico and Australia.

“When | started out, there were 34
registered players in B.C. In Quebec
there were over 10,000,” says MacDo-
nald. “We (B.C.) are second to last in
the country when it comes to funding
and participation.”

But he has been working hard to
change that. For four years MacDonald
has toured to every part of the province
to teach the game and has succeeded
in making schools more aware of a
sport that is part of the high school
curriculum. He is now working on an
instructional video tape which will en-
able teachers to learn a little more
about the game.

“The Douglas College Sports Institute
and Instructional Media Services have
helped us a great deal and the govern-
ment is being very supportive in this
project.”

For more information about the
championships, tickets’ or the video
call Chris Johnson at local 5334.

JAPAN —

I's difficult to learn a language
thousands of miles away from where
the language is spoken. The best
alternative is to visit the country.

And that's the chance Douglas College
offers this July through its sixth annual
Language and Culture Study Tour to
Japan.

SS