Rolling along on all fours

> Plus the extra, so five

Davie Wong
Sports Editor

 

he Douglas College Royals men’s

volleyball team is in the midst of a
re-tolling season. A new head coach,
all new players, and new goals have
been the focus of media around the
PACWEST. But as new as the team was,
they didn’t come into the league looking
like it.

After a tough pre-season, the new
Royals squad had their trial by fire
on Friday, October 14. They faced off
against a testy Columbia Bible College
squad. Game one was a thriller that
went the whole length, with the Royals
taking the game in a nail-biting five sets
(25-21, 25-21, 21-25, 23-25, 16-14). The
rematch was much more convincing for
the Royals, as they beat out the Bearcats
in four sets (25-15, 25-21, 28-26, 25-18).

The next week saw them take on
the Capilano Blues. The Royals youth
capsized the Blues at home, grabbing
another two wins, with one of them
being a sweep. But week three of
PACWEST action saw the team hit a
speed bump. Playing against a vastly
improved College of the Rockies squad,
the Royals dropped both games on the
weekend, picking up their first loss in a
game, and loss ina series.

The struggle continued into the

  

next week, when the team played the
University of the Fraser Valley. They
dropped two games to the UFV team,
going 3-1 and 3-0 against the Cascades.
Then came the Camosun Chargers.

The Chargers came into the Royals
home, hoping to grab two wins on the
weekend. The men gave them one, but
they had to work for it. Game two was
electric for the Royals. They dragged the
match to five sets, using their youth and
energy to outlast the aging Camosun
team.

The Royals capped off the first
half of their season by visiting the
VIU Mariners in a battle of the titans.
The Mariners just had the edge on the
Royals that weekend, and had no issues
with closing, as they shut the door on
the Royals before they really even had a
chance to look at what was on the other
side.

They go into the season break at
5-7, which is good enough for them to
hold 5th in the PACWEST. With CBC
yet to pick up a win in 12 games, the fear

Photograph by Davie Wong

of missing playoffs isn’t too relevant. As
coach Jay Tremonti believes, the team
is continuing to grow, and aiming to hit
their stride just before the Provincial
Championships.

The concern is that by the time
the team hits their stride, they'll be
too banged up to make it count. With
a roster of 12, the Royals have one of
the medium-sized teams in the league.
It gives Tremonti the ability to give
his players the playing time they need
to develop. But injuries have been
a nuisance for the team so far, and
several players have found themselves
on the backend of some nasty results.
The break will really give the team a
chance to rest up some sore bodies and
lingering injuries.

As far as individual performances,
it seems that Jay has the team really
playing together. On the scoresheet,
nearly everyone on the court has
had strong individual performances.
The only aspect the team has kind of
struggled in is the libero position. Jay
has rotated several liberos through
the team, as players have recovered or
lapsed into injury.

Other than that, the team looks
fairly strong individually. There have
been some growing pains, as evident in
their 3-0 loss to the CBC Bearcats, but
no more than any other team.

Snowboarding safety tips for a risky winter

> Warm year promises heavy snowfall and dangerous weather

Greg Waldock
Staff Writer

 

O: November 26, a man was killed
on Blackcomb Peak after crashing
while snowboarding down the slope.
He suffocated in the snow, and was
found hours later by search and rescue.
The death comes after one of Whistler-
Blackcomb’s heaviest snowfalls in
recent years, and though this makes
the resort a much more tempting target
for snowboarders, it should also be an
opportunity to look at the risks and
safety measures for riding the slopes.

One of the best things you can do
when going up the mountain is bringing
company. It’s not just for making the
trip more fun. Having a buddy while
snowboarding is like having a spotter
in the weight room—it’s for safety and
backup if things go wrong. Let people in
your group know which slope you plan
on going down, and make sure to go
down in pairs. Having a shoulder to lean
on makes all the difference when you
have a twisted ankle, and if something
goes really wrong, it'll give search and
rescue a starting point.

Be sure to check any warnings.
Weather and environmental hazards
are killers. Snowboarders and skiers
are regularly injured at the bottoms
of cliffs marked with “Hazardous Fall
Ahead” signs. Keeping note of weather

patterns when planning your trip to the
slopes can make the whole thing much
safer and more enjoyable. Since most
mountains around Vancouver have very
stable and predictable weather, this
should be very easy—any anomalies will
be widely reported. Just keep an eye out
and plan the days’ rides around any bad
winds or good snowfalls.

What you wear can change the
whole snowboarding experience. If you
don’t want to spring for the expensive

equipment, just go for the essentials.
Gloves, boots, and thick socks are
critical for keeping the extremities
warm. Nothing kills a holiday like
frostbite. Lined helmets, earmuffs, and
heavy parkas are also easy to find. A
good parka can easily be the difference
between life and death if you get stuck
on the mountainside. Watch the
temperature, always dress accordingly,
and keep everything you have dry

for as long as you can. Most regular

  

Image via Marc Buehler on Flickr

snowboarders will swear by a good pair
of long-johns.

Despite being incredibly safe, the
snowboarding and skiing mountains
around Vancouver can—and do—kill
people. Be aware of your surroundings,
don’t play chicken with warning signs in
the snow, watch the weather alerts, and
wrap up appropriately. It’s pretty easy to
have a good time on the mountains as
long as you remember to stay safe.