Former Falcon to return as head coach Alumnua Rachael ‘Rae’ Pelat to replace Ryan Birt for 2017 and beyond By LAURA BROUGHAM angara Falcons have signed for- L mer student Rachael “Rae” Pelat as the head coach of the wom- en’s soccer team. ‘The announcement was made on Jan. 27, after former coach Ryan Birt decid- ed to step down after 16 years with the team. Pelat played for the Falcons’ from 2004-2007, a time that she described as successful years for her. In the 2004-05 season Pelat was PACWEST’s Rookie of the Year, she was the CCAA and PacWest Player of the Year in 2006-07, and the team won the national championships in 2005- 06 and 2006-07, among other titles won. Between now and the start of the f season in Septem- ber, Pelat is hoping to get the team to- gether regularly, to get to know them better, and to bond as a team. “Getting them together is a big prior- ity right now,” said Pelat. “I don’t know who the leaders are, or what their per- sonalities are like off the field, on the field. Those are all things that are im- portant to me to know as a coach.” Last season, the team lost the bronze medal game in the PacWest provincial game. Jake McCallum, director of athletics and intramurals, believes that Pelat will be a good person for the team to look up to, and thinks her coaching past will be a good example. “She'll be a great role model,” said McCallum, mentioning her past coach- ing teams from under eight to under 18, as well as at the college level. “I think that’s great for [the team] to see, you start work at a certain level and kind of work your way up” Captain Sydney Bell said the team is looking forward to working with Pelat, and are excited about the opportunity to work with a female head coach. “None of us have had a female head coach before, so it’s a good change,” said Bell. “Everyone is very excited to have [Pelat] as a coach, and can’t wait until the season starts.” Pelat hopes to always push the wom- en’s soccer team to the best of their abilities. Rachael Pelat HEAD COACH, FALCONS “Tm passionate about the game and about them succeeding,” said Pelat. “Challenging themselves, on the field, off the field, always wanting to be bet- ter.” Falcons in action at the PacWest pro- vincial game. 84/4 YOGESH PHOTO e ee —— at Forward Grant Galbraith jump-shooting in the middle of the second period. viol ETT4 KRYAK PHOTO Falcons shoot to second Victory over Camosun propels Falcons closer to finals By VIOLETTA KRYAK he Langara Falcons men’s basketball team earned an 82-63 victory in a home game with Camosun Col- lege. The game left them in second place tied with Capilano University. Despite the “slow and sloppy” start of the game according to the shooting guard Gary Minhas, the Falcons were the first to score, one minute into the game. The Falcons got into their usual pace at the end of the first period with Camosun players committing five fouls. “We played together and stayed in the zone, even though the shots were not falling early, but they started falling midway through the first period,” said forward-centre Grant Galbraith. By the end of the second period the Falcons were 10 points ahead and the difference only grew. “The decisive moment in the game was the beginning of the third quarter because that’s when we really came out; we stepped up our defence, gained a 10-point lead and never looked back,” said Minhas. Gary Minhas This game sO- SHOOTING GUARD lidified Langara's FALCONS position in second place in the league after their loss to first-place Vancouver Island University on Friday. Assistant coach Jon Acob compared the results of the two back-to-back games and attributed the large gap in the score to the different styles of the teams. “We are fast, so it is hard for Camo- sun to keep up with us, where VIU is much more the same style that we play,” said Acob. The VIU game was a big one for Langara because it would decide the first-place team in the league. Prior to the start of the two weekend games, Falcons head coach Paul Eber- hardt described their preparations for the season ahead. “It is our goal as a team to win the Pac West League title or at least come second, that’s what we expect to do,” said Eberhardt. The Falcons were scheduled to play against Quest University on Thursday, Feb. 9. On Friday, Feb, 10 at 8:00 PM At CBC On Friday, Feb, 17 at 8:00 PM At Langara On Saturday, Feb, 18 at 7:00 PM At Douglas On Saturday, Mar. 04, at 8:00PM AT TBC For live updates: Follow Langara Atheletics & Intramurals Curling sees a rebound in B.C. Winter Olympics helped sport to reach youth By SAM MOWERS he Marpole Curling Club is one of four clubs in the Lower Mainland to host a curling bonspiel in the upcoming weeks as the popularity of the sport has enjoyed a resurgence. The annual bonspiel hosted by Mar- pole Curling Club EZ has a theme for each year and, this edition, they’re run- ning a “Yukon Gold Rush’ from Feb. 24- "The Olympics really made a difference. It a theme. For each bonspiel, they try to think of something fun.” One of the club members, Gerry Waller, thinks the 2010 Olympic Win- ter Games in Vancouver was a catalyst for young people adopting the sport. “The Olympics really made a difter- ence,” Waller said. “It was waning, but it’s having a resurgence. I think that the young people are replacing the older people.” The Marpole Curling Club opened its doors in 1959. Since then it has be- come a fixture in the community, run- ning 18 leagues seven days a week of both a competitive and recreational nature. The club is open to beginners ~] but still attracts many of the origi- nal members from its inception. “There’s about five of those guys 26. Pam Langham, * that till curl- general manager of was waning but ing where “that the club, explained a+! o started in 1959,” what the event will it s having a said club member look like. resurgence." Gerry Waller, who “The upstairs himself joined in lounge and _possi- bly the lobby gets decorated in a gold rush theme,” she said. “They all have — GERRY WALLER, CURLER AT MARPOLE 1996 with his wife. “They're — curling two or three times a week still.” Marpole Curling Club's me Marpole Open. sav MoweRS PHOTO rr wi i n hit the ice on Feb. 1 to practice for the upcoming Sweepers waiting for the stone at Marpole practice session. sai mowers PHOTO