8 THE VOICE | THURSDAY, OCT. 26,2017 | EDITOR JASON GILDER Tackling teen head injuries BC Secondary Schools Football Association's new rules seem to be helping decrease con- cussions a By JASON GILDER ith new rules in place to fight concussion issues in football, local high school programs are encouraged by the initiatives. Earlier this year, the BC Second- ary Schools Football Association passed new rules and regulations in an attempt to decrease the amount of concussions and head trauma high school players may absorb. New rulings include less full con- tact practices, certified team doc- tors at practices and games, and concussion education workshops for coaches. Dr. Gary Koss of the Vancouver College football program has been the team’s physician since 1987. Koss is pleased with the actions taken by the BCSSFA, especially the mandating of designated in- dividual assess a concussed player. However, the long-time team doc- “That's afairtrade | off for the health of the players.” — TONY HOWIE, ATHLETIC DIRECTOR OF NOTRE DAME REGIONAL SECONDARY SCHOOL tor believes players who lead with their head when tackling should face tougher penalties. “I think they should get ejected from the game and not get a 15- yard penalty,” said Koss. “It is a se- rious infraction.” With over 30 years of coaching experience, Tony Howie, Athletic Director of Notre Dame Regional Secondary School in Vancouver, B.C., said the shortened amount of full contact practices has led to weaker in-game play to begin the season. Nevertheless, Howie feels the most important result of the practice rule is that a young player's long-term health is unhinged. “By cutting down the frequency in practice, we lose a bit in terms of technique in games because we are not going full speed in practice as much,” said Howie. “But that’s a fair tradeoff for the health of the players.” ‘lhe practice rule states that, once the regular season starts, full con- tact should be narrowed to 30 min- utes a day and 90 minutes a week. Dino Geremia, Defensive Co- ordinator for the NDRSS varsity football team, was the facilitator of a coaches development clinic in August that educated coaches on how to be aware of concussions, as well as strategies to make the game safer. The main aspect Geremia wants coaches to gain from the clinic is to be able to teach proper tackling techniques. “It’s been proven that teaching the proper techniques, safer tack- ling, safer blocking, decreases the risk significantly,” said Geremia. —With Files From Taran Gill Sportsnews New Falcons guard Martin Bogajev (navy blue t-shirt) transferred from Capilano University for basketball reasons, and is expected to bring leadership and experience to the Langara men's basketball team this season. NATALIA BUENIDA CALVILLO PHOTO. A new leader on the court Ex-Blues Bogajev brings scoring touch to the Falcons lineup =By NATALIA BUENIDA CALVILLO s the Langara men’s basketball team prepare for regular season ac- tion, the addition of a former PacWest scoring leader has the group buzzing. New Falcons Guard Martin Bo- gajev enters the fray for Langara after transferring from the Cap- ilano University Blues for basket- ball-related reasons. In the 2015/16 season, Bogajev led the PacWest in scoring with a 21.8 points-per- game average and was named a PacWest First Team All-Star. The former Blues guard has high expec- tations for himself this season. “My expectations are to go to nationals. Help the team the best I can and get wins, right? Trying to win is the best of my angles,” Bo- gajev said. ‘The third-year guard joins a Fal- cons squad that finished second- place in the PacWest regular season standings a season ago, with 14 wins in 18 games. Langara followed it up with a fourth-place showing in the 2017 provincial champion- ships. The Falcons are currently in the exhibition season, where they have a 2-2 record. Their next exhi- bition game is on Oct. 28 against Okanagan College at Immaculata Regional High School in Kelowna, B.C. Falcons Head Coach Paul Eber- hardt has known Bogajev since he was 12 years-old and coached him when he was younger. Eberhardt recognizes Bogajev’s sharp shoot- ing abilities are extremely valuable to the lineup. “He is probably our best shooter,” said Eberhardt. “I expect him to bring some experience and leader- ship to this team.” Entering his fourth season with Langara, six-foot-nine center Grant Galbraith previously played against Bogajev when he was still a member of the Blues. Galbraith has been pleased by Bogajev’s high commitment level to begin the sea- son and believes he has a chance to be an all-star once again. The fourth-year center is happy to be playing with him, not against. “It is good to have him on the team because we don’t have to wor- ry about him shooting against us,” said Galbraith. “He is a tough guy because he's a great shooter.” LANGARA VS OKANAGAN COLLEGE (EXHIBITION) Saturday, Oct. 28, 7:00 PM At Immaculata Regional High School, Kelowna, B.C. LANGARA VS OKANAGAN COLLEGE (EXHIBITION) Sunday, Oct. 29, 1:00 PM At IRSS, Kelowna, B.C. LANGARA VS DOUGLAS Friday, Nov. 10, 8:00 PM At Douglas LANGARA VS CAPILANO Saturday, Nov. 11, 7:00 PM At Capilano Striking The mixed gay’ bowling league meet every Wednesday night = By ALLISON HAYES he ‘mixed gay’ Wet and Wild Wednesdsay Bowling League has created a safe environment for people to hit the lanes. ‘The Wet and Wild league meets every Wednesday night at REVS Bowling Centre in Burnaby, B.C. It is a league that is predomi- nately made up of people from the gay community, but also includes straight people. Jennifer Robinson, a league member and former com- petitive softball player in Langley, said what she enjoys most is the secure environment established by other members of the league. “We get to see people that we know and like, kind of a safer at- mosphere,” said Robinson. Sydney Malcolm is entering his a bond through b second year as league secretary of Wet and Wild, and has played in Vancouver gay bowling leagues for 21 years. Malcolm values the camaraderie the event brings ev- ery Wednesday night because he understands the significance for people either living in the suburbs or new to Vancouver to find events in the queer community. “It’s a nice mixed crowd, we've got gay we've got straight, it’s just open,” said Malcolm. “A lot of our members join this league to meet people, they're new to Vancouver and they wanna get out there, that’s why I joined.” Malcolm also said the location of the league may be in trouble, as the land REVS sits on has been sold for highrise development. Howev- et, Malcolm is not fazed about the matter. He believes the strong fol- lowing Wet and Wild brings to the community will remain solid even if they have to move to the next closest location in Coquitlam. Jennifer Gregg, a league member for five years, comes from Langley, B.C. every Wednesday. “This is kind of the closest gay or lesbian community event that we've got,” said Gregg. Jennifer Gregg, entrepreneur, claims a strong stance in friendship and social- izing at the Wet and Wild Wednesday Bowling League. 4/1 SON HAYES PHOTO Tam Jones rolls the bowling ball down the lanes of REVS Bowling Centre in Burnaby, B.C. ALL/SON HAYES PHOTO