Young Royals Squad Expected to Surprise Many Douglas College Athletics The Douglas College Royals’ Women’s Volleyball program is expected to raise a few eyebrows and surprise many of the top teams in their 2006-2007 campaign. After a successful 2005-2006 season, Head Coach Ryan Vijandre has added sev- eral new faces to replenish the six graduating seniors of last year. This year’s freshman class starts with Pinetree Secondary graduate Courtney Ann of Coquitlam, BC. Ann was integral part of her team’s Silver medal finish at the AAA Provincial Championships. Also joining the Royals is Team BC’s, Brooke Hannela. Hannela was the Libero for Team BC and will be the back- bone of the Royals’ serve receive and defence. Gleneagle’s graduate Sydney Moore will also strengthen the backcourt and provide dynamic shots in the front row. In the middle, the Royals will rely on North Surrey’s Nicole Schmidt and Pinetree Secondary graduate Kristen Robb who will fill in the middle blocker position. Defensive and serving specialists Caitlin Barnes from Centennial Secondary and St. Thomas Aquinas’s graduate Bianca Cronin will increase the intensity in practice and in be Royals Shine Douglas College Athletics This past weekend, the boys and girls of the Jr. Royals Basketball program took to the floor during the half-time break of the Men’s basketball game to participate in the 3rd Annual Future Stars Game. Every Sunday morning, local kids from the New Westminster and Burnaby communities practice their basket- ball skills with coaches and players from the Douglas College basketball programs. Leading this year’s program was Royals’ newcomer, Donald Lindo and the new Head Coach of the women’s program, Katie ‘Coach K’ MacLeod. “Tt was lots of fun,” said MacLeod after the halftime kids game. “It was a great opportunity for the kids to show what they have learned in the past five weeks and also to see their Sunday morning coaches in action.” Unfortunately, due to injury, Donald Lindo was unable play, but he was able to provide the Royals with the support they needed from the bench. “T’m still nursing an injury, but I need to be with my team,” said Lindo. Thanks in part to the men’s basketball coaching staff; the 1 2 THE OTHER PRESS OCTOBER 26 2006 Future Stars—Jr. Jr. Royals were involved through- out the whole game and even took part in starting introductions. “Wow. That’s was awesome,” said Greg, a Jr. Royal player, after high fiving Royals Forward, Andrew Sturgeon. “He’s my favourite player... he dunked over me at Summer Camp.” After the half time show, Assistant Coach Lee Borschowa asked the Jr. Royals to give the ‘Big’ Royals some support. “I want to hear you screaming ‘Defence’ in the crowd,” said Borschowa. The Jr. Royals will fin- ish their six week session this Sunday at the New Westminster gymnasium. competition. One advantage that the freshmen class will have is cohesion. Six of the players are products of the BC Club program the Coquitlam Ducks and have experience playing together during their years with the Ducks. Returning for the Royals will be power hitter Lauren Johnston, and rightside Kristin Knapp, who will be called upon to utilize their experience to lead this young team to another successful season. Along with Johnston and Knapp, sophomores Jayme Greig, Allison Wipf and Aleks Arnaut, will act as role models for the first year players. The Royals have a had a great preseason as they finished second in the Grant MacEwan Thanksgiving Tournament defeating Alberta powerhouse Grant MacEwan in semi-finals in an exciting five game match. In the final gold medal match, the Royals were defeated by the Grant MacEwan Alumni team in another exciting five games. The Royals will wrap up their pre-season schedule with scrimmages against UCFV and SFU as well as competing in the CBC tournament in Abbotsford. The Royals’ Home Opener is on November 4th as they face the Okanagan Lakers at the New West campus.