issue 09 / volume 41

Preview of Douglas
women’s soccer

» What to expect from the 2015/16 women’s soccer season

Michael Sopow
Sports Reporter

ith a new season of
Douglas College soccer

head coach, Chris Laxton,
opened up about the future of
the team and what students
can hope to expect.

In the off-season, the team
has been making the effort to
stay in shape and routinely
practice. The Royals’ women’s
team is showing no signs of
negligence when it comes to
staying in form.

“Currently we train
outdoors once a week,” said
Laxton. “That will increase to
twice a week come springtime.
They’re also training, doing
football once a week, as
well as doing [strength and
conditioning coach] Jake
[Elder]’s training. They’ve
also all been asked to join
club teams and are playing on
weekends.”

As with every season, new
players are expected to arrive

: and veteran players will add
> previous experience to their
> game.

“What we do for the

3 , : 2015/16 season really comes
on the horizon, women’s soccer : down to the health of the
: team,” said Laxton, “the

: recruits that we're able to

: bring in, and how we look

: through the pre-season and

: off-season games, including

: the tournament that we're

: hosting with UBC, UBCO,

: and the Whitecaps elite that

: will be showing up. I think we
: will change things from this

: past season, and hopefully fit
: players in positions that they
will succeed and push this

; team even higher up and give
: usa chance at nationals.”

Laxton went on to

describe some of the expected
: challenges for the upcoming

: season, based on what he’s

: experienced as coach in the

: past.

“T think the teams around

us are getting better. It’s a very
: strong recruiting year, and
: all the schools including our

> own will benefit depending on
: whether the other schools stay
: healthy, as well as ourselves.
Every team is strong and every
: team can pose a threat. There

: were some changes at some of
: the other schools, and change
: always brings uncertainties,

: so that’s something that we'll

: face. The biggest challenges

: are staying fit, staying healthy,
: and being able to maintain
fitness over a short but very

; intense season.”

The women’s team will

: continue training and working
: together in the coming months
: as they prepare for what could
be their year at nationals.

“We're returning most of

: our starters, we're pushing

: for our first ever nationals

: come the fall. We’re returning
with the league MVP, we're

: returning with the league

: co-scoring leader, and we're

: adding some pretty good

: pieces to this team that I think
; can take us over that hump if

: everything goes well.”

news // 5

 

Photo by Campus Life and Athletics flickr (photo from 2014 soccer season)

 

Local news roundup

» Fire damages businesses, BC Hydro scam in Coquitlam

E Angela Espinoza
4 News Editor
Minews
: ‘ @theotherpress.ca
oquitlam

In the early morning of
January 22, a severe fire broke
out at Eagle Ridge Square, a
strip mall in Coquitlam.

The fire is believed to
have started in the Sushi
Mori restaurant, eventually

spreading to several other stores :

and causing smoke and water
damage to others.

Reportedly at least 30
firefighters appeared at the
scene, successfully eliminating
the fire after several hours.

several businesses will need
time for repairs in the coming
weeks or months. Amongst
other damages, part of the

caved in.
“Tt certainly had the
potential to spread to all of the

Wade Pierlot in an interview
with the Vancouver Sun.

The latest BC Hydro scam

: has been targeting Coquitlam
: residents, as well as residents of
: the Okanagan.

Reportedly on January 13,

: Coquitlam police were informed
: of several calls falsely presented
: as being from BC Hydro. The

: January 13 calls were targeted

: at a Coquitlam-based business

: demanding nearly $2,000 for

: a supposed “overdue power

: bill,” as reported by the Tri-City

: News. :
“Fortunately the shopkeeper :
: didn’t fall for the scam and

: reported the call to police so we
: can prevent others from being

: victimized,” Corporal Jamie

: Chung said ina press release.

As calls are expected to

. toes : continue, Coquitlam RCMP

While no injuries were reported, : . :
: are insisting businesses and

: residents who receive similar

: calls to immediately contact BC

: Hydro at 1-800-BCHYDRO for

,. } clarification.
Pallas Athena Greek restaurant’s :

storefront and ceiling eventually : already been taken advantage of

: by the scam are encouraged to
: contact Coquitlam RCMP and/
: or the Canadian Anti-Fraud

businesses there,” said Fire Chief :
: Centre.

Those who may have

New Westminster
: Andrew Boyd, founder of

: New Westminster’s Westcoast
: Genesis Society, passed away on
: January 14 at the age of 55.

The Genesis Society was

: started by Boyd in 2000 asa

: social housing project for the
: homeless, mentally ill, and

: those struggling with legal

: troubles.

Boyd’s career spanned

many years and included
: a presidency at the New
: Westminster Downtown

Residents Association,

: recovery counselling in

: the Vancouver Downtown

: Eastside, and involvement with
: the Correctional Service of

: Canada, the New Westminster

: Homelessness Coalition Society,
: and the New Westminster Inter-
: Agency Council.

“Andrew had a vision for

assisting marginalized men

: and worked tirelessly to make it
: happen both at Genesis House

: and at Maria Keary Cottage,”

: said Genesis House business

: manager Robert Chesterman in
: an email to the New West News
: Leader.

A memorial service was

held in Boyd’s honour on
: January 23 at Holy Trinity
: Cathedral.

 

Photo by @MsAmandaLong on twitter