issue 22 // volume 40

But wait, there’s more!

» Sochi 2014 continues with the Paralympics

Jerrison Oracion
Columnist

he 2014 Sochi Winter

Olympic Games last month
had a lot of moments that
got the whole world talking.
Among those moments was
Canada exhibiting their hockey
dominance en route to picking
up 25 medals—io of which were
gold. Perhaps more interesting
than the brilliant athletic
displays though, was that they
happened without any major
events affecting them. Now,
shortly after the games have
ended, another major sporting
event will happen: the 2014

Sochi Winter Paralympic Games.

With a little luck, the March
7-16 event will create moments
that will be as magical as those
that happened during the Sochi
games.

While the situation in
Ukraine almost affected the
Olympics, there is a chance that
it will affect the Paralympics.
There have been whisperings
of the Ukrainian Paralympic
Team pulling out if the situation
worsens.

Another concern, though
an admittedly lesser one, is
the coverage. Fortunately,
such worries are unnecessary.
Although most of the live
coverage of the Paralympic
games will not be as in-depth as
the live coverage of the Olympic
games, there will be plenty of the
live coverage of the Paralympic
games via the Internet and, of
course, endless highlights on TV.

One highly anticipated sport
in the Paralympic Winter games
this year is called snowboard
cross. If you only plan on tuning
in to select events, you might
want to make sure you watch
this one. Adding another level of
difficulty to an already strenuous
sport is sure to make snowboard
cross a fan favourite.

If you only plan
on tuning in to
select events,
you might want
to make sure you
watch this one.
Adding another
level of difficulty
to an already
strenuous sport
is sure to make
snowboard cross
a fan favourite.

Canada’s chances for

: medals look good this year. In

: skiing, Canada is led by the

: inspirational tale of Josh Dueck,
: who wona silver medal in the

: men’s sit-ski downhill race.

: In sledge hockey, Canada will

: make a strong push for a gold.

: Although the team picked up

: a gold in 2006, they failed to

: medal in Vancouver in 2010,

: so look for them to reclaim

: their top spot. In curling,

: which is mixed gender in the

: Paralympics, Canada’s curling

: team of Sonja Gaudet, Ina

: Forrest, Dennis Thiessen, Jim

: Armstrong, and Mark Ideson

: will try to repeat their country’s

: 2010 success. If Brad Jacobs and

: Jennifer Jones can get a gold

: medal in curling in the Olympics
: games, then trust Gaudet to lead
: her team to a similar finish in the
: Paralympics.

The Olympics will always

: bea worldwide spectacle, but
: for those who take in some of
: the Paralympics, they won't be
: disappointed.

1

sports // 19

ns eT

 

Billy Bridges from Team Canada’s sledge hockey team // By www.newswire.ca

 

Canadian pride

» Baseball team is prepared to play in NWAACC

   

Courtnie Martin
Sports Reporter

-

cea

he men’s baseball squad is
prepared for yet another
challenging year playing in the

Community Colleges (NWACC)
based out of Washington State.
After falling only one game shy
of the regional tournament last
year, the more than 40-man team
is full of returnees and hungry to
compete at the American-level

: again. The Royals are the only
: Canadian college in the league.

Pre-season training has been

: difficult due to the ever-so-lovely

: winter. “The guys have been

: working that much harder in

: the weight room [because of the

: weather] so we are hoping that

: translates to on-field success,” said

Northwest Athletic A iati f :
ormwes rence ABsociaon © : head coach Cavanagh Whitely.

While the Royals

: acknowledge that certain aspects
: of their game need to tighten up,
: they are extremely enthusiastic

: about the upcoming season. With :
: asolid group of pitchers, the

: team has a right to be confident.

: Returning pitcher Quinn

: Allen and University of British

: Columbia transfer Matt Trimble
: will be expected to throw a solid
: six to seven innings to lead the

: way.

Other strong names on

: the roster include Logan

: Wedgewood, Second Team All-
: American Tanner Robertson,

: Jackson Temple, Brayden

: Munro, Jared Frew, Jordan

: Kornberger, and Colby Rossi.

: The team maintains a tight-

: knit sense of chemistry both

: on and off the field, and their

: relationships make their goal
: that much more achievable.

“The coaches are optimistic

: and expect the best in us, as

: we expect it of ourselves. With

: the season approaching it’s

: evident they are starting to

: switch out from coaching mode
: and allowing mistakes as part

: of growth, but at this point I

: think it needs to be [that way].

: They've started expecting results :
: and contributions, cutting

: down errors, both mentally

: and physically, and are pushing
: us forward as a unit to achieve

: what we all want collectively: the
: NWAACC championship,’ said
: sophomore Wedgewood.

Because the Royals are

: in the American league they

: are limited to just two years of

: eligibility; this means that this is
: many of the players’ last year at

: Douglas. “Our team chemistry

: is good. Everyone gets along

: and bonds well. I believe this is

very important because it helps

: uson the field when we are all
: on the same page. It should be
: an interesting season,” remarks

: Allen.