news // 4 Welcome to the block party! » Previewing the 2014/15 Douglas volleyball season Michael Sopow Sports Reporter A year of Royals’ corner, and both the men’s and women’s teams are confident that they will leave a definitive mark in the upcoming season. Last year the men’s team was a dominant force, taking home the gold medal at the PACWEST Provincial Championships and having a strong showing at Nationals. The standards are just as high for this season as the team has set its sights on a repeat showing at nationals and a CCAA (Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association) national championship. “Our objective every year is to put ourselves in a position to compete for a National Championship,” said Brad Hudson, head coach of the men’s volleyball team. “The commitment to the process is what will ultimately determine whether or not we can be : successful. We have to find : a way to maximize both our : individual and collective talents : : in order to earn the right to call volleyball is just around the ourselves champions.’ The men’s volleyball : team at Douglas is not short : of individual and collective : talent, as proven by last year’s : exemplary performance. : This season there are some : key players moving on from : Douglas’ volleyball program, : but the team will still be : comprised of a steady mixture : of veteran players who have : the experience needed to : lead, and newer players who : possess drive, dedication, and a : willingness to learn. : “Obviously we'd like to have : : guys play all five years here, but : that’s simply not the case ...” : says Hudson. “We have guys in : our gym who have been here : before. They understand what : it means to bea Royal and what : it takes to find team success. : It falls to them to assume the : responsibility of both moving : our program forward and : maintaining an environment : where their new teammates can : learn, grow, and contribute.” The other side of Douglas : volleyball is of course the : women’s team. Last season, the : women’s volleyball team was : composed of many talented, : hard-working players who did : the team justice on the court. : This year, Douglas’ women’s : team has reconstructed their : roster with many new players. “I have high expectations : for this group ...” says head : coach Kyra Iannone. “We have a : very competitive and supportive : gym culture this year. Iam : hoping this will be the year : we represent DC and BC at : Nationals.” This year’s women’s team is : looking as though it’s brimming : with potential and ready to dive : into the season. The players : appear motivated, confident : in their abilities, and ready to : embrace the upcoming year : with passion. With everyone : able to bring something to the : team, the start of the season for : Douglas’ women’s volleyball is : looking bright. theotherpress.ca Royal security on edge over “sleazy” overnight guests » Many of Queen’s servants turning to Tinder, Grindr to meet local people Patrick Vaillancourt Senior Columnist ecurity at the British Royal houses across the United Kingdom has been tightened in week that servants in the royal houses are inviting guests to stay with them overnight. Royal servants are apps such as Grindr and Tinder to unwind after a tiring day of serving the British monarch. The demands of a position asa royal servant mean that, for the most part, the servants reside in quarters near Buckingham There are approximately 800 staffers, who are housed at Palace, only a few hundred metres away from the Queen’s official London residence. Staffers have previously enjoyed a fair amount of freedom to invite family and friends, even spouses and partners, to their quarters within palace walls. Palace security has long-maintained a tradition of not vetting or screening the guests of staffers. : However, security officials have : grown increasingly concerned : about overnight guests who : are unfamiliar to staffers, such : as those one would meetinan : : unconventional setting—in this : response to reports released last : “45 online. Tinder is a geosocial : network which allows a user : to meet local men or women : as potential love interests, but apparently turning to “hook-up” has been heavily criticized for : promoting casual sex among : virtual strangers. Grindr follows : : the same principle as Tinder, : but is reserved for men who are : gay, bi-sexual, or curious. One unnamed palace source told the Daily Mail Palace, if not in the palace itself. : last week, “There are real and : serious security concerns at : Buckingham Palace about the Royal Mews and at St. James : members of staff use of dating : apps such as Tinder, which can : be rather sleazy.” The source went on to say that police working security : for Buckingham Palace are “ : “particularly unhappy about the : : number of guests of servants : staying overnight, especially : when they have only just met : on Tinder.” Dai Davies, former chief : superintendent and the former Security officials have grown increasingly concerned about overnight guests that are unfamiliar to staffers. head of the Royal protection service, told the Daily Mail : that the presence of these : unchecked guests “makes : acomplete mockery of the : security structure” at the Royal : household. Davies believes that : security officials will be more vigilant in vetting the guests of : royal servants, especially since : the United Kingdom is under : the second-highest terrorism threat alert level. There has been no official comment from Buckingham : Palace or the Queen, but a palace spokesperson has : suggested that there is a specific : protocol staffers must follow in inviting guests to their quarters, : which includes signing guests in and out.