© Sports the other press Flash Gordon e dcsportseditor@yahoo.ca June 2003 Men’s Basketball Flash Gordon Sports Editor Dave Munro, like myself, is an Ottawa boy—a graduate of Sir Robert Borden High School, a rival to my Alma madder. Years and years later, Munro is the head honcho of men's basketball at Douglas College in New West and I am the pest asking him questions. A little more background reveals Dave played at Simon Fraser University for the current Canadian men’s bas- ketball coach, Jay Triano; Munro was apart of the Grizzly organization for a few years. The Royals’ were at one point ranked first in the BCCAA and; ranked top ten of Canadian Colleges; Guard Taylor Cherris-Wilding was named all- Canadian; and the team appeared in the provincial tourna- ment as a possible candidate to win the BCCAA. It looked like a pretty successful season by any standards, but Munro shrugs it off as not a major accomplishment. Douglas fell in the first round of the BCCAA tournament, hosted by Douglas, to the University of Northern British Columbia—the only team Douglas did not beat last season in three matches. Munro is not visibly disappointed by the loss and says of the Timberwolves, “...they matched up against us well.” Six-foot-nine post, Ian Hogan admitted they were tough team to play against. The tournament played out like a Dave Pearcy OP Contributor One-on-One with Thunder Dave game of chess. If the brackets were arranged differently, the outcome might have changed. BCCAA champions, Capilano College took a 30-point beating from the Royals in the regu- lar season but their run-and-gun style won out over UNBC in the tourney. As unfortunate as a result is, Munro doesn’t see it as a set- back. This coming year could be something to watch because there are eight returning players even though Hogan and Cherris-Wilding will not be back. Two-year program schools make it difficult to cultivate a solid core of veterans. Every other season, the system has to be reintroduced for the new players. Universities have an advantage because a player could be around for up to five years of eligibility. Is Thunder Dave interested in coaching at the CIAU level? It’s not something he is currently addressing since he is quite comfortable with his current position as Sport Development Officer with the Centre for Sport, Recreation and Wellness. June, July and August will be especially busy for Dave Munro since the col- lege hosts up to 52 summer camps for the community. In clos- ing, Munro said his most meaningful accomplishment to date would be seeing his first group of players graduate. BCRU Honours Douglas Rugby Player The BC Rugby Union Presidents Dinner took place on Friday, May 2nd and the HSBC Premier Player of the year awards were given out. The female award was presented to flyhalf Kirstie Smith from the Douglas Rugby Club. Smith was one of three finalists selected in the voting by the coaches of all the Premier women’s teams. The other play- ers who received consideration were Burnaby Lake centre Kary Steele and Capilano scrumhalf Aidan McKinnon. The trophy and $300 cash prize went to a Douglas player for the 2nd year in a row, as Kelly McCallum won last year before heading off to the UK Smith (normally a centre) took over McCallum’s position this past season and had an outstanding year leading Douglas to an overall record of 13 wins, 4 losses, and a tie. Although Douglas was upset by Nanaimo in the league playoffs, they were the highest scoring team in the league for the third straight year. Smith led the way for her team with 16 tries and 33 conversions for a total of 146 points. Smith has been a member of the Provincial team for the past three years and was selected for the Canadian under-23 squad last year. On Monday, May 5, she will be in Ontario for a week-long training and selection camp for the Canadian senior women’s team that will take on England and the USA in the inaugural Churchill Cup tourna- ment in Vancouver this June. Ten days after being selected as the BC Premier Women’s league player-of-the- year, Douglas flyhalf Kirstie Smith has been named to the Canadian Senior Women’s Team that will take part in the http://otherpress.douglas.be.ca =e Churchill Cup Tournament against England and the USA from June 14 to 28 at UBC’s Thunderbird Stadium. Smith returned this past Monday from a week long selection camp in Ontario involving 40 invited players from across Canada. On Tuesday (May 13) she received the phone call from National Team coach Rick Suggitt that confirmed her place on the team. Smith was the only one of several BC players at the camp to be selected. Ironically, the only other flyhalf select- ed to the squad is former Douglas stand- out Kelly McCallum. McCallum played for Richmond in the top women’s league in England this past season. Because of playing commitments in the UK, McCallum was not required to attend the selection camp. Page 29