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Sports Briefs

B.C. Snowboard Team hosting tryouts

Several members of the current Canadian Snowboard Team got their start with the B.C. Snowboard Team. For many it was their first opportunity to work with coaches and follow a plan that includes year-round training, camps and travelling to contests - all experiences that are necessary if you want to make the national team.

While most of the B.C. Snowboard Team has already been selected for the 2010-2011 season, the B.C. Snowboard Association is hosting more tryouts Saturday, Dec. 4 at Mount Seymour.

The provincial and development programs target kids aged 13 to 18 with some competitive experience. Programs are based out of the interior and Lower Mainland.

You must pre-register to take part. Contact coach Andrew George at g1curious@hotmail.com. You must register by Dec. 2 for the Mount Seymour camp. There is also a camp at Big White on Dec. 11, with registration closing on Dec. 9.

Candidates should be athletic and competition-oriented and looking to improve their skills. They should be interested in competing at a provincial level, experienced at competing locally and dedicated to train on the snow and off.

There is no cost to participate in the selection camp.

Competition experience can be in halfpipe, slopestyle, snowboardcross, big air or other disciplines.

 

Girls soccer team in finals

The Whistler Under 12 Girls Soccer team won their semi-final match in the North Shore Girls Soccer - House League Community Cup last Sunday, defeating the West Van Devils 2-1. Daisy Andrew scored both goals for Whistler.

The team will play in the finals in early December.

The team includes Daisy Andrew, Stephany Derynck, Savanna Ellott, Shannon Isnardy, Nicola McDonald, Sophia Seidler, Stefanie Tomcheck, Eve von Rosen, Arnica Wight and Rhegan Williamson. The team plays nine-on-nine soccer.

 

Whistler Mountain Ski Club hosting opener

On Dec. 18-19 the Whistler Mountain Ski Club will be hosting the season opener for the Teck Coast Zone Cup, an event that's open to clubs from the Lower Mainland and Mt. Washington. For many K1 athletes (age 11 and 12) it will be their first formal competition, while experienced K2 athletes will be chasing zone and provincial titles, as well as spots in the national championships and a chance to represent Canada in the international Whistler Cup races in April.

On Dec. 18, skiers will take part in a one-run giant slalom race. On Dec. 19, the poles are moved closer together for the opening slalom.

The event is looking for a few volunteers to help out. Contact volunteers@wmsc.info if you can help out.

 

Wolfpack losing streak continues

The Squamish Wolfpack's losing streak extended to 16 games after two games on the weekend.

The first loss was a 10-0 drubbing by the North Delta Devils on Saturday night. The Wolfpack were down 4-0 after the second period, but then the Devils added six in the final period. The Wolfpack were outshot 45 to 27, and one Devils player, Coltyn Hansen, scored four goals and an assist.

The Wolfpack showed more life on Sunday against the Grandview Steelers, but went down 8-4. They were outshot 39 to 22 in that game. The good news is that Whistler's Matt Bonin had a good game, scoring two of the Wolfpack's goals.

The Wolfpack's chances of making the post-season are pretty well over at this point, with the team a full 22 points behind the Grandview Steelers for fourth place. As in past years the team can expect to lose some of its top players to trades, as other teams pick up players heading into the playoffs. The Wolfpack has supported those trades in the past because it gives the players a chance at a championship title, and improves their chances of graduating to Junior A and being recruited by U.S. colleges.

The Wolfpack return to Brennan Park on Saturday, hosting the Grandview Steelers at 7:15 p.m. The cost is $8 per ticket, or $5 for youth and students.

Wolfpack coach Matt Samson says the issues with the team include the number of young players and rookies, compared to other teams with strong cores of returning 19- and 20-year-old players. The fact that many teams are local and can recruit from thousands of young players in their areas is also a factor, while Squamish and Whistler are smaller communities that sometimes struggle to field rep teams at the midget level.

"It is a challenge for Whistler/Squamish right now, the level of competition at the midget level when kids get there isn't where it needs to be in terms of comparing to Major Midget or Tier 1 AAA hockey," he said. "That being said there are some good players up here. Just from a numbers standpoint there are so many more kids in Surrey, Langley, etc."

Samson is also lobbying the league to change the format. Currently there are two conferences in the Pacific International Junior Hockey League, and the top four teams from each five-team conference qualify for the playoffs each year. Given the fact that the Wolfpack have been playing in a stronger conference, Samson would like to change the process so the top eight teams overall advance, and are reseeded according to their record. Getting rid of the conferences would also be a good idea, considering that there's really no geographical difference among teams.

Samson says the team is committed to Squamish but they need more support from the league to be a contender - something that also translates to more ticket sales. "We need to go into every season with just as fair of an opportunity as the other nine teams," said Samson.

Samson says it's a challenge to keep the team motivated.

"It is tough mentallly for the guys to see the hole we are in, so when you get down two goals or give up a soft one it is more of a challenge to battle through it," he said. "We are better than our record indicates, without a doubt, but wins and losses are what counts."