Fanshawe Athletics prepared for season
Fanshawe College is not wasting any time jumping into the 2006 — 2007 athletic season.
“Things are happening really quick,” said Men's Athletic Officer Ernie Durocher.
With intercollegiate sports and intramural sports right around the corner, Fanshawe Athletics is already in full swing for the upcoming year.
Many events are in store for Fanshawe, including hosting the 2006 Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Golf Championships on October 2 to 4, and putting together a bid to host next years 2007/2008 OCAA Volleyball Championships.
Durocher is also taking on a new responsibility as Sr. Convener for OCAA Men's basketball.
Although many coaches of the various intercollegiate teams are returning, several new recruits have been added to the mix.
Kevin Gordon is moving up from his assistant role and taking over for former head coach Lori Mackay for women's basketball, former assistant coach Roger Robbins has returned from a year of traveling to help with men's basketball, and Ron Becht has been added to assist with the women's cross-country team.
“We're very happy to have Ron,” said Women's Athletic Officer Joanne Verbeek. “He has a long history of coaching women, and is a very accomplished athlete himself.”
Interest has been on the rise for nearly all intercollegiate teams as well.
“We had sixty prospects for women's soccer, eighty for men's soccer, forty-seven for men's basketball, and approximately twelve women and twenty men for the cross-country team, “ said Durocher.
The Athletic Department said they did not do anything out of the ordinary to gain more interest in the programs, but concentrated on marketing and recruiting initiatives used in past years.
“We notified high schools of our programs, had advertisements in the OFSAA [Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations] newsletters and soccer for example, the World Cup was on this summer, and I think that sparked a lot of interest,” Durocher said.
Among the numerous prospects for the various teams the Athletic Department said to keep an eye on two athletes, Taylor Knipe from women's basketball and Justin McCall, who stands 6'11 and transferred to Fanshawe from the University of Western Ontario, from the men's basketball team.
Verbeek said that many athletes from each intercollegiate team deserved praise but said she would not be able to narrow down the list.
“I wouldn't know where to start,” said Verbeek. “We have a lot of prospects and a lot of great athletes coming to our programs.”
Numbers are still low for the women's basketball team and the women's golf team, and interested athletes should contact the Athletic Department for further information.
Students interested in part-time jobs should also contact Athletics. Jobs including public relations and promotions assistant, men's and women's ice hockey convener, referees and scorekeepers, trainers, and team managers are still available.
Intramural sports are about to begin in the near future and Durocher said he is specifically excited about the second-year of the Recreational Program running Sunday and Tuesday's from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m.
“We're going to be concentrating on this program to get residence students participating,” Durocher said. “It is an open gym concept, getting people involved with various sports such as basketball, volleyball and other sports like soccer baseball. It's a lot of fun.”
Durocher said he hopes the student population will get involved with both intramural sports and with supporting intercollegiate sports as fans.
“The biggest thing is support,” Durocher said.“We want people to come and see the action, soccer is starting up, and basketball is starting up so we would love to see some students out.”
For more information on athletics programs, intramural sports or employment opportunities, visit the athletics website www.fanshawec.ca/athletics or stop by the Athletics centre in J 10-34.
“Things are happening really quick,” said Men's Athletic Officer Ernie Durocher.
With intercollegiate sports and intramural sports right around the corner, Fanshawe Athletics is already in full swing for the upcoming year.
Many events are in store for Fanshawe, including hosting the 2006 Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Golf Championships on October 2 to 4, and putting together a bid to host next years 2007/2008 OCAA Volleyball Championships.
Durocher is also taking on a new responsibility as Sr. Convener for OCAA Men's basketball.
Although many coaches of the various intercollegiate teams are returning, several new recruits have been added to the mix.
Kevin Gordon is moving up from his assistant role and taking over for former head coach Lori Mackay for women's basketball, former assistant coach Roger Robbins has returned from a year of traveling to help with men's basketball, and Ron Becht has been added to assist with the women's cross-country team.
“We're very happy to have Ron,” said Women's Athletic Officer Joanne Verbeek. “He has a long history of coaching women, and is a very accomplished athlete himself.”
Interest has been on the rise for nearly all intercollegiate teams as well.
“We had sixty prospects for women's soccer, eighty for men's soccer, forty-seven for men's basketball, and approximately twelve women and twenty men for the cross-country team, “ said Durocher.
The Athletic Department said they did not do anything out of the ordinary to gain more interest in the programs, but concentrated on marketing and recruiting initiatives used in past years.
“We notified high schools of our programs, had advertisements in the OFSAA [Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations] newsletters and soccer for example, the World Cup was on this summer, and I think that sparked a lot of interest,” Durocher said.
Among the numerous prospects for the various teams the Athletic Department said to keep an eye on two athletes, Taylor Knipe from women's basketball and Justin McCall, who stands 6'11 and transferred to Fanshawe from the University of Western Ontario, from the men's basketball team.
Verbeek said that many athletes from each intercollegiate team deserved praise but said she would not be able to narrow down the list.
“I wouldn't know where to start,” said Verbeek. “We have a lot of prospects and a lot of great athletes coming to our programs.”
Numbers are still low for the women's basketball team and the women's golf team, and interested athletes should contact the Athletic Department for further information.
Students interested in part-time jobs should also contact Athletics. Jobs including public relations and promotions assistant, men's and women's ice hockey convener, referees and scorekeepers, trainers, and team managers are still available.
Intramural sports are about to begin in the near future and Durocher said he is specifically excited about the second-year of the Recreational Program running Sunday and Tuesday's from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m.
“We're going to be concentrating on this program to get residence students participating,” Durocher said. “It is an open gym concept, getting people involved with various sports such as basketball, volleyball and other sports like soccer baseball. It's a lot of fun.”
Durocher said he hopes the student population will get involved with both intramural sports and with supporting intercollegiate sports as fans.
“The biggest thing is support,” Durocher said.“We want people to come and see the action, soccer is starting up, and basketball is starting up so we would love to see some students out.”
For more information on athletics programs, intramural sports or employment opportunities, visit the athletics website www.fanshawec.ca/athletics or stop by the Athletics centre in J 10-34.
