(¥Y The sports and games of the ruins (¥ Make Noise for Mental Health (¥ Swinging to the top Staying strong > Women’s basketball still one of the best I think they build off each other. Maybe one time, someone And more! cave Wong isn't doing so well, someone else can rise to the top.” MEN'S BASKETBALL ports Editor DW: Has anyone surprised you the most this season? M any may or may not remember last year’s Royals wom- INSTITUTION CONF PTS en’s basketball team that went toe to toe with nearly SB: “I’ve been pleased with the contributions that we're everyone they faced. Lead by one Courtney Gerwing, the getting from everybody. If we think back to the beginning ae cae we team performed admirably in the regular season. Similarly, of the season, we talked a lot about scoring by committee. LANGARA 8-2 16 this year’s squad, now led by Steve Beauchamp, has done Sure, Rachel has been kind of that leader in the sense that incredibly well in regular season play. They sit second inthe she’s leading with 15 points a game, but then you've got CAPILANO 8-2 16 PACWEST with a record of 7-3. As the team gears up forthe three or four other girls that are in that 8-10 range. It’s dif- last half of their season, I sat down to talk about the first ferent people at different times. They can take advantage of DOUGLAS 4-6 8 half with their head coach. either a hot hand or take advantage of what the defence is . giving us. It’s trying to utilize the strengths of different peo- QUEST 4-6 8 Davie Wong (DW): How do you feel the team has per- ple. People knowing their roles, and where they could make formed so far this season? a difference, I think is really important.” CAMOSUN 3°7 6 Steve Beauchamp (SB): “Generally, I’m pretty pleased with DW: Has there been a single most impactful player? CBC 0-10 o how we've performed. Especially after the first third of the season, being in second place, losing a hard fought game SB: “We're the type of team where we need everybody going. to the Capilano Blues. But at the same time, that’s the com- _It’s one of those where it could be somebody different each WOMEN’S BASKETBALL petitiveness of the league. We had a tough match against time.” Quest, a close game with Langara, and another really good game with VIU. The league is really competitive. So when DW: Where do you see the season going from here? INSTITUTION CONF PTs hw look at it that way, to be 5-1 after the first third, you SB: “We can't look past anybody. I think we have to ap- CAPILANO 10-0 20 ave to be pretty happy. ws , proach each game as it is. | would say that we don’t neces- DOUGLAS 7-3 14 DW: Did you expect the level of performance that the sarily have the fire power that someone like Capilano where team has shown? they have so many weapons. Our game really starts at the VIU 7-3 14 defensive end, and that’s where we have to continue to fo- SB: “I guess you have expectations, in terms of what you cus, and then make adjustments to fit what teams are trying CAMOSUN 4-6 8 have. We have a really good nucleus of players that set high —_ to take away from us.” expectations, work really hard, and have a good work ethic. QUEST 4-6 8 Certainly, if you look around, you have a lot of good parts, DW: As the team closes in on locking in a playoff po- so you thought you had to be pretty good, but you neverre- _Sition, will there be more diversity of players on the LANGARA 3°7 6 ally know until you get out on the court against other teams. court? CBC 7 Being new to the league in that respect, not knowing what - “I think we've d fairly d ‘ob of getti | O10 ° the other teams were going to be like, I think it was a good SB: 'T think we ve done a fairly cecent Jo) of getting prayers surprise to be 5-1? out there and going fairly deep into our bench, and that would be the expectation going forward for sure. Getting MEN'S VOLLEYBALL DW: At the beginning of the season, was top ofthe ta- _ People out there and having them play as hard as they can, ble anywhere you thought the team would be? and if youre playing as hard as you can, youre probably only INSTITUTION CONF PTS going to be able to go three or four minutes, then you're SB: “I thought we'd be in the mix for sure. The perennial fa- _ probably going to need a break, and then somebody else is VIU 15-1 30 vourite, VIU, is always going to be there. We had great bat- _ going to be able to get in there. The key thing is, it’s a slow tles with Capilano last year and knew that they prettymuch — march to playoffs. You've got great coaches in this league. UFV 14-4 28 had their old team back with a few additions. You kind of Everybody is making adjustments. Everybody is making had them as the ones you expect to be fighting against. And —_ changes to what they’re doing and putting in new things, CAMOSUN 10-6 20 the unknowns were Quest, Langara, and Camosun, and and | think one of the keys for our team and for players in now seeing those guys, they all have talented teams as well.” _ terms of playing is that they have to stay up-to-date with DOUGLAS 79 at . the things that we are trying to do. So we put in new things, DW: How has the confidence of the team affected their people have to be on top of that. That would be the only COTR 6-10 12 level of play? thing that would hold people back from being on the court.” CAPILANO 6-10 2 SB: “I think the team definitely likes to be front runners. I DW: What have your losses taught your team? think that’s just human nature. You like to be winning and CBC 0-18 oO stuff like that. We’ve done a good job when we're ahead, but —_ SB: “As a coach, you never like to lose, and as a team, you if you look back at Capilano, we were ahead and it was back _ never like to lose. But when you do lose, you learn more and forth, but for the most part we were ahead most of the from that than perhaps the win. The loss to Capilano was WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL time. But this team, their confidence isn’t very fragile. When _ bittersweet. It was one that we were quite frustrated about. we lose a game or two, I think their confidence is such that You look at itand go, ‘How did we not come out on top?’ I INSTITUTION CONF PTS they know they’re in the mix. It’s not like they stepped out think that in itself makes them want it more. They realize onto the court and were totally embarrassed by the other that that’s how close you are. It then becomes, challenge VIU 13-3 26 team. But it’s like any other sport. Sometimes it’s a bounce each other in practice, challenge each other to get better. here or there, or it’s a call that makes the difference in the So I think that’s helped us in that respect. That loss to VIU DOUGLAS 12-4 24 game, and you try to make sure they understand that, and1 —_ showed us that you really have to take care of that basket- think that we have enough experience that they’re confident __ ball. You have to value each possession” CAPILANO 11-5 22 enough about that, too.” DW: Is there a team that you don’t want to face come COTR 7-9 14 DW: Has the experience of the team helped with playoffs? bouncing back from losses? UFV 7u 14 SB: “Our focus right now is on finishing as high in the SB: “I certainly think that some of that experience and standings as possible. Obviously, first and second is CAMOSUN 511 10 veteran leadership has been important. You see that in dif- preferred because you get that first round bye for the extra CBC 7 6 ferent people, too. It’s not necessarily your fifth-year players —_ day off. Playing three games in a row would bea physical 35 all the time. Sometimes it’s a fourth-year, or a third-year. So grind. But if that does happen, we just have to adjust to it.”