Ss By VERONNICA MACKILLOP ight Hoops, a late night Metro Vancouver basketball league for at-risk youth, is celebrating its 20th anniversary. They recently introduced a senior girls division, and also conduct work- shops promoting female empower- ment, career advice, and financial re- sponsibility. “It’s much more than just basket- ball,” said business manager Chad Cowles. “The coaches are talking about females in sports and breaking some of the stereotypes.” These programs are called #girls- gotgame and Cowles said it’s sparking conversation. There are related workshops offered for the boy’s teams called #manup that talk about their role in female empow- erment. Night Hoops was created in 1996 to help at-risk youth with a love for bas- ketball learn and grow in a supportive environment. The program runs out of a variety of locations. South Vancouver gyms are located in Marpole-Oakridge and Champlain Heights. There are no tryouts or cuts. Anyone between the ages of 13 and 18 who is referred through a youth worker, probation officer or police offi- cer can play. Most of the coaches are former players, and all three league co- ordinators are former coaches. “There’s a real trust between the players and coaches,” said Cowles. Shirley Lockhart, former player and current coach, said that it gives the youth something positive to do. “It keeps them out of trouble and it gets them to socialize with other peo- ple,” said Lockhart. “Night Hoops has been really posi- tive for me, because growing up in the ‘hood there’s a lot of crime and busi- VERONNICA MACKILLOP photo Members of Night Hoops junior girls division goof off after a Saturday night game.The program recently started a senior girls division. League bolsters at-risk youth Night Hoops is hoping to empower vulnerable girls in its 20th year ness that I don’t want to be a part of. It kept me out of that.” Surprise Munie, a member of the ju- nior girl’s division, said that the experi- ence has helped 66 her meet people, The coach- ane improve her- es are talk- self. . “There are so 4g about many bad things females in going on in this : part of Vancouver i one and and I think it’s reaking SHIRLEY renal keeping kids out of some o f the pormer Nig nt trouble,” said Mu- and current nie. stereotypes coach Lockhart — said that it’s been amaz- CHAD COWLES ing to build rela- tionships with the girls. “ve always wanted to do that be- cause I’ve had mentors that have helped me,” said Lockhart, “and Night Hoops gave me the opportunity.” NIGHT HOOPS Falcons’ playoff campaign precarious BRIAN KUROKAWA photo Members of the women’s team practice for an upcoming game. They hope to make the playoffs this season. Both Falcons’ basketball teams hope success in the second half of the season will solidify a playoff spot By BRIAN KUROKAWA a successful second half will lead them to the playoffs. The women’s team is in a three-way tie for fifth place with Camosun College and Columbia Bible College, with five wins and nine losses. Despite this, women’s head coach Mike Evans is hoping to make it into the playoffs. Evans attributed the team’s rough start to them getting used to playing at the college level. “T have the youngest team in the league, by quite a bit. It’s part of our growing process,” said Evans. Evans believes he has to be better, not the team. “Everyone else is doing the best they can,” he added. Evans also said that veteran players need to perform to their best every night, and if that happens, he likes the team’s chances. The men’s team is sitting in third place with nine wins and five losses, behind Quest University and Vancou- ver Island University. Men’s head coach Paul Eberhardt said they hope to finish the season in T:: Falcons’ basketball teams hope second place, but at the very least re- main in third. “We want to make sure we keep that third place spot for sure, going into the playoffs,” said Eberhardt. “We're not as big a team as some of the others,” said Eberhardt, adding that the team needs to work on its rebounding. Both teams played Quest Uni- versity on Jan. 29, with the women PAUL EBERHARDT winning 59-46, and Men’s head bas- the men losing 81- ketball coach 68. Ravi Basra, point guard for the men’s team believes they did well until the half. “We just had a defensive letdown,” said Basra adding that the deficit was too big to overcome. On Feb. 5, the men and women play Camosun College and Vancouver Is- land University respectively. The next home game for both teams is against Columbia Bible College on Feb. 12. & Falcons’ Tally i) WOMEN'S BASKETBALL MEN'S BASKETBALL W-D-L W-D-L 5-0-9 9-0-5 Ranked: Tied for 5th Ranked: 3rd Student aid program shelved After its failure to re- launch last fall, the Adopt- A-Falcon program seems delayed indefinitely By ALYD LLEWELLYN ment of athletics and intramurals announced the delay of an old fi- nancial aid program last semester, the school seems to have shelved the pro- gram indefinitely. The Adopt-A-Faleon program— which helps cover Langara athletes’ equipment and athletic costs—was meant to be brought back last fall. In the New Year however, it appears the programs re-launch is nowhere in sight. “The Adopt-A-Falcon program is not currently something we’re doing at the moment,” said Carly Scarr, department assistant of athletics and intramurals. “Tt’s not currently up and running be- cause it’s in the midst of being re- vamped.” Despite the program being put on hold, Scarr hopes to see its return at some point. “It’s always better to have as many financial aid options as possible for stu- dents. Hopefully we see it brought back in the future,” she said. Mare Rizzardo, head coach of the Langara men’s soccer team, said that despite some of his athletes using the Adopt-A-Falecon program in the past, he doesn’t believe its unavailability is a problem. “Athletes are still eligible for aca- demic awards, and there are other forms of sponsorship they can apply for,” Rizzardo said. All of last semester’s fees for the men’s soccer team were covered through sponsorship deals. “It’s just kind of a lost opportunity for some good PR I think,” Rizzardo added. First year computer science student, Joey Spencer, didn’t know of the pro- grams’ existence and thinks the fact that it isn’t too well known may have hurt it. “The program needs more word of mouth because it sounds like a good program that was doing the right thing,” Spencer said. “If people don’t know about it, who’s going to care?” Despite the Adopt-A-Falcon program being unavailable at this time, dona- tions are still being requested on the Langara College website. Ae the Langara College depart- FOULS PLAYER FOUL |_| SCORE MATCH ALYD LLEWELLYN photo A Langara Falcons banner dis- played in the Langara gym.