Gravity? What a drag

> Space sports and the future of athletics

Katie Czenczek
Staff Writer

 

f you're even half as fascinated by space
as lam, it is likely that you've searched

up videos online of astronauts goofing
around on their shuttle. You may have
even come across astronauts playing a
variety of different sports while floating
around above Earth’s atmosphere.
Everything from soccer to baseball to
wrestling has occurred while people
orbit their home. There’s been first
pitches thrown from space by die-hard
baseball fans and there has even been a
new sport invented using water jugs.

Although I have no intentions
of becoming an astronaut any time
soon, I would love to experience what
it is like to traverse around in space,
especially if I were to learn what it feels
like to kick a soccer ball while floating
in the air. I know I wouldn't pass the
strict psychological tests astronauts go
through in order to determine whether
or not they’ll lose it while stuck ina
metal container for six months with the
same three crewmembers, so I’]] have to
find an activity that could replicate space
athletics.

It is a feeling that the majority of

the population will never experience in
their lifetime, unfortunately; unless, that
is, youre willing to shell out thousands
of dollars to hop on board the Zero-G
aircraft. Since I, like many other college
students, do not have the funds to pay
$5,000 to be weightless for a day, I will
be one of the many missing out on space
aerobics.

There is, however, aerial yoga.

Aerial yoga, though not nearly as
exciting as a hopping aboard a plane and
reaching low atmospheric pressure, is a
more affordable and attainable solution
for my need to try out weightlessness.
The other great thing about it is that
there are classes held around Vancouver,
starting at a mere $15. Being suspended
in hammocks in the air while you move
from pose to pose is both physically
challenging and can possibly give you
the feeling of weightlessness that you
may desire.

If yoga isn’t your thing on land and
youre certain it won't change suspended
by a silk hammock, you could also
always try out scuba diving. It is often
said that weightless can be simulated
through diving, so there’s that! However,
if you're going to shell out the bucks
to try and learn how to dive, you can
probably hop on board a Zero-G aircraft,
at least once in your life. Bring a ball!

 

PACWEST Soccer Championships preview

> Some will win, some will lose

Davie Wong
Sports Editor

 

[: finally here! After eight long weeks
of waiting, the PACWEST Soccer
Championships are back! This year’s
edition brings a whole new cast of
intrigue. Let’s start with the ladies.

The women’s bracket of the
championships consists of the Douglas
College Royals, Capilano University
Blues, Langara College Falcons, and VIU
Mariners, seeded in that order. The first
round sees the Royals taking on the VIU
Mariners.

It’s an interesting matchup to
say the least. The Mariners have had
themselves a disappointing year. They
look to be a shadow of who they were
last year, and it’s hard to say if they’ve
improved enough to beat the Royals.
However, if any team can peak at the
right time, it’s the Mariners.

The Royals will need to be on
their guard. They'll have to be at their
best to top the Mariners. As proven in
previous years, no lead is safe against
the Mariners. This one will be epic.
Don’t miss it!

If the Royals fall here, it’ll be a
heartbreaker. They'll likely face off
against the Langara Falcons for bronze,
which should be attainable. However,
speaking of Falcons, if the Royals
win, they'll likely face off against the
Capilano Blues. That is their preferred
matchup. In a scenario where the
Falcons upset the Blues, the Royals will
face an interesting match.

No wildcard seed means that only
the winner goes to Nationals this year.
Against the Falcons, the Royals are

1-2. They are the only team to have
defeated the Royals twice this season.
Safe to say that the Royals are hedging
on a Capilano Blues victory. If the Blues
win, then the Royals will be in familiar
territory. They've defeated the Blues
twice this season, losing only once at
the beginning of the year.

The key for the Royals will be
to play their game. No other team
is as strong throughout the field as
the Royals. Their strong defence and
flamboyant midfield are the key areas
of play. While their offence will be
important, if the midfield and defence
do their jobs, Mikayla Hamilton should
have a dandy of a time against the other
team’s keeper. Of course, getting balls
to her may be difficult if teams decide
to shadow her with several defenders.
But this year, the Royals have several
threats, including the PACWEST top
goal scorer Sam Kell.

The women have what it takes
to bring home gold. Let’s see what
wrenches the other teams decide to
throw into the works.

On the men’s side of the bracket,
it’s a bit more a moot picture. In order of
the seedings, we have the VIU Mariners,
the Capilano University Blues, the
Douglas College Royals, and the Quest
Kermodes. The VIU Mariners and the
Capilano University Blues are clear
favourites to win the tournament.

The first round sees the Royals
taking on the Capilano Blues. This one
is easier to break down than it sounds.
The last time the Royals played the
Blues, they lost, 6-2. That was just one
week ago. The Blues are simply on a
different level than the Royals. Sure,
the Blues have their weaknesses, but
the best hope for the Royals here is to

hold on to a tie and hope they can make
it into penalties—though underdogs
stories have been made from far less.

On the off chance they win, they
will probably play the VIU Mariners.
The Mariners have been a monster of
a team, but the Royals always seem to
be able to get under their skin. This
matchup might not be as bad for the
Royals as it looks statistically, but they
have to get there first.

 

The Royals’ more likely matchup
will be against the Quest Kermodes.
I want to say this is a winnable match
for the Royals, and that bronze is
achievable. But the Kermodes are
hosts of this year’s PACWEST Soccer
Championships, and a home crowd
advantage can always throw a team off.

The Royals could definitely take
home bronze this year, but anything
higher than that is optimistic.

Image via Aliexpress.com

Photo by Davie Wong