PAGE 16 February 1, 1985

 

sports

 

 

 

 

For the first time in Douglas
College’s history an athletic team has
ranked nationally. The event was
remarkable as the college saw_two

by JAYNE MUSKENS

 

teams reach national acclaim.

Both the Douglas College Royals -

Women’s, Volleyball and Basketball
teams placed ninth in the national top
ten, compiled by the Canadian Col-
legiate Athletic Association.

   

   

“ venever hada coach like Al”

 

 

 

Al Singh, coach of the volleyball
team, credits the success of the club
to the ‘‘right’’ mental attitude.
“Eighty per cent of the game is
psychological; if you’re not prepared
mentally, then you just don’t win.’’

Captain of the team Donna Forsyth
didn’t think there was ‘‘much hope’’
at the start of the season, but feels
the new players have ‘‘come a long
way.”’

 

 

- Forsyth credits much of the team’s
success to coach Singh. ‘‘Al’s coach-
ing is what makes the team. I’ve
played volleyball for years, and I’ve
never had a coach like Al,’’ says
Forsyth.

~ Royals hit th

tionals

 

 

4
MN

REELS

 

NOG a eel
SES Jonixcur 1984.

coach who harps on players. Players
benefit a lot more from a sport where
they are self-motivated.’

 

| “the team is basically

: : all rookies”

 

Norman also added that his assist-
ant coach Mike Garisto deserves some
credit for choosing a team with
players who possess the ‘‘right posi-
tive attitudes’’ and have ‘‘good work
ethics.’

As for how Norman feels about the
team making the nationals. ‘‘It’s
something to be proud of, especially
since*the team is basically all rookies,
except for three players from last
year.’

    
 

“serious contenders forthe _

 

provincial championship

 

Singh does consider his coaching
style rather unconventional. ‘My
technique goes against the grain of
others. | involve the team in manda-
tory spiritual exercises the night
before the game, and an hour or two
before the onset of the match,’’ says
Singh.

According to Singh, these exercises
produce a ‘‘spiritual feeling’, which
he considers ‘‘indescribable’’ and the
“ultimate athletic experience,’’ where
“mind and body are working  to-
gether.’

At the moment, Singh’s goals for
the team are realistic. He is hoping to

see his team win the provincial Totem
Conference championship games this
coming March.

Richard Norman, coach of the
basketball team considers the success
of his club ‘’not geared to one person,
but credited to everybody’’ adding
“there are not only a lot of good
players on the team, but the players
are also dedicated and hard-work-
ing.’’

mannan’: approach to coaching is
that he ‘“expects’’ each team member
to be ‘‘responsible’’ and ‘‘able to
motivate themselves.’’

Norman said ‘‘I’m not the type of

     

 

“Coach Norman also said, ‘‘we’re
very serious contenders for the prov-
incial championship games, but that’s
a while away. Right now we’ll just
have to wait and see.’’

Although each of the teams are
proud of reaching national status, the
success has not gone to their heads.
The Royals realize that having attain-
ed this recognition, they are going to
have to work twice as hard just to
maintain reputations as two hard-
working dedicated teams.

 

After last weekend’s two defeats to
Cariboo College, the Douglas College
Royals Men’s Basketball team emerg-
ed victorious Saturday defeating the

 

 

°

Ga

ee

by CYNTHIA KILT

| Royals again victorious

  
   

gai?

 

 

Malaspina Mariners by a 31 point
margin.

The Royals held Malaspina point-
less for the first five minutes of the
game. Then, definitely showing sup-
eriority on the court, the Royals were
in the lead at the end of the first half
with the score 41 to 16.

In the second half, the Royals
maintained the lead until the final
buzzer sounded, clobbering the Mal-
aspina Mariners by a final score of
83 to 52. It was the Royal’s second
victory of the season.

Royal’s Coach Steve Beauchamp,
indicated that the Royals had won the
game by the end of the first half. ‘‘In
the second half, because of this lead,
it gave the players time to freelance
with the basketball,’’ said
Beauchamp.

The Royal’s top scorers were:
Darrell Digby with 13 points, Bill
Matthews and Brian Brown with 11
points each. The next home game for
the Royals is February 1, when they
take on Vancouver Community Col-
lege, game time is 8:15 pm.

eee yerewz

 

 

 

bhoto by Cynthia Kilt