SS ports EDITOR SASCHA PORTEOUS THE VOICE, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012 8 Hockey crowd turns to Giants Vancouver’s next best team hooks new fans thanks to NHL lockout By KATJA DE BOCK ustin Vetterl’s life is all about hockey. The 18-year-old Van- couver Giants player is happy to see more Western Hockey League supporters as a result of the NHL lockout. Vetterl, also a Langara College student, said it’s obvious that fans will always want to watch hockey. “TThe lockout] is kind of good in a way for us.” The lockout has resulted in more ticket sales at the Pacific Coliseum, said Vancouver Giants ticket sales and service manager Sheldon Arsenault. Due to good weather in early fall, the sale increase was slow, but the Giants predict it will climb. Arsenault wasn’t working with the Giants during the 2004-05 NHL lockout, but was told that ticket sales skyrock- eted after the NHL cancelled the entire season in February 2005. Arsenault isn’t happy about the lockout. “Pm a hockey fan first and foremost,” he said. “But there is hope that [WHL] attendance will in- crease.” NHL labour ne- gotiations have resulted in a pre- season lockout. Last week, the NHL cancelled all games until Oct. 24. No professional hockey on televi- sion means more time to study for Vet- terl, who is one of 15 Giants players enrolled at Langara College. However, you won’t see the athletes on campus. The players go to class near the Gi- ants’ training facility in Ladner. “They’ve all passed their Langara English test,” said Steve Fera, educa- tion advisor for the Vancouver Giants. The athletes study communications in an online course because they are on the road for half of their games. On Friday, Oct. 12, the Giants lost at home to the Seattle Thunderbirds 6-4, but you couldn’t tell from the enthusi- astic crowd of nearly 7,000 supporters. Brenda Jung prefers the Giants to the Canucks. “It’s less expensive and the players are better,” the fan said. “They play hard, they give it their all.” Jung’s sup- port goes so far that she emblazoned her red car with a gigantic Giants logo. She says they are a good team, and well-behaved young men. “When they are not playing and you run into them, they’re so polite.” AUSTIN VETTERL 18-year-old Giants forward Za SASCHA PORTEOUS photo Seattle Thunderbird defenceman, Jesse Forsberg, (left) and Vancouver Giants forward, Tan- ner Moar, release some steam during a heated game, Friday night at the Pacific Coliseum. The Thunderbirds defeated the Giants 6-4 in front of 7,000 WHL supporters. Vancouver Giants Finished last season losing in the first round of the playoffs M15 players enrolled in Langara online learing Hs Team is off to a slow start with only two wins in nine games HM Next home game - Oct. 20 vs. Calgary Hitmen Whitecaps battle for playoff spot Fans hope that with two games left, Vancouver can clinch a place in top five By BRONWYN SCOTT Martin Rennie, hopes to take his soccer team to new heights of hope and glory. With only two regular season games to go, the Whitecaps are vying for the final playoff spot, in what is just their second year in Major League Soccer. Five Western Conference teams will meet with five Eastern Conference teams late November to battle for the MLS Cup. Langara soccer fans are op- timistic that the Whitecaps will clinch the final playoff spot. “First and fore- most, [Rennie’s] got a lot of Scottish players, which for me is good,” said David Shankland, head coach of the men’s soccer team. “He’s definitely At done his home- STEFANO MATTIA work on his league Whitecaps ball and the players.” manager and Langara soccer Langara Falcon players agree. “They’re gelling as a team,” said Falcons player Stefano Mattia, ball manager for the White- caps. “[Rennie’s] got a different aspect of a European game, .. .which helps a lot,” he said. “And its worked.” Another Whitecaps fan attributes the teams success to the large number of home games. Four of the last eight have taken place in Vancouver. “T think they are better at home than away,” said Jesse Holowaty, a general studies Langara student who plays soc- cer on the women’s team. “If they keep the momentum going they’ll do well... . I think they’re going to make it,” she said. Business student and men’s soccer player, Ramsey Alfantazi, predicts that they’ll make it to playoffs but not get far. “They just got in [to MLS]... they shouldn’t get too ambitious right now.” How far they go depends on how much the players want it. “It’s up to them ... if they have the desire to win,” said Shankland. The Oct. 21 game against the Port- land Timbers will be in Vancouver, and the Oct. 27 game will be in Utah against Real Salt Lake. T Vancouver Whitecaps coach, New men’s b-ball coach changes it up 66 This isa special year be- cause most of the guys have been with us for three years PAUL NAKA, Falcons Assistant Coach The Falcons are stacked with senior players ready to bring their A-game By BRANDON KOSTINUK has a new head coach, but the real buzz is around the team’s depth and experience, says assistant coach Paul Naka. Naka said this year’s squad is ex- traordinary because of their strong team chemistry. “We've had social cohesion before but not like this,” he said. “This is a special year because most of the guys have been with us for the last three years.” Given Langara’s academic structure it’s common to see second-year players graduate or move on to another institu- T: Langara men’s basketball team tion, so having several third-years is unique, said head coach Paul Eber- hardt. The Falcons finished in fourth place last year and succumbed to an early playoff exit, but with several re- turning _ players, they are ready to shake off last year’s disappoint- ing playoff run. The team opens the season at home on Friday, PAUL EBERHARDT Nov. 2. against Falcon basketball Douglas College. team head coach It will be Eber- hardt’s season de- but. He takes over for Jake McCallum who is now acting director of athletics and intramurals at Langara. Eberhardt brings decades of coach- ing experience, most recently at R.C. Palmer Secondary School where he led the boys team to a BC Championship title in 2011. Eberhardt admitted his philosophy is different than his predecessor’s. “IT emphasize a running game a lot more, more transition, more fast- break,” he said. “Sometimes it’s diffi- cult for the players to stay in their lanes, but they’re willing to learn.” Third-year centre Jitinder Lohcham commented on the team’s new playing style. “This year it’s all about transi- tion, run-and-gun, fast-paced ball,” he said. “We could be one of the top teams this year.” Forward Garrett Ling-Lee looks for- ward to the season. “Tt should be an exciting year, expect to see increased intensity and up-tem- po play on both sides of the ball.” BRANDON KOSTINUK photo Garrett Ling-Lee trains for the men’s basketball opening game, Nov. 2, against Douglas College