Dodging to the finals Local dodgeball team wins provincials, moves on to nationals By TIERNEY GRAT TAN T he Vancouver Dodgeball League is heading to the National Dodgeball Cham- pionships for the first time after a big win at the provincial tryouts. The VDL beat three teams to secure a spot at nationals in Prince Edward Island, April 4 to 7. Byron Wong, a player on the provincial team, said they first real- ized they could make it to nationals last year after playing against a team from Toronto. “We got the idea of thinking about trying out for B.C. and making it for the nationals,” Wong said. The VDL is a non-profit, volun- teer-run organization that creates a community through the sport of dodgeball. People can either try the game for the first time as a drop in, or play on a competitive team. ‘The team's biggest challenge is the difference in playing styles. The VDL created its own style: fast-paced with more action. In comparison, the World Dodgeball Federation plays a slower and more controlled game. “The ball sizes are also different as well. We play with eight inch foam balls. They play with seven,” said night director Justin Tieu. “It makes a big difference in terms of how it works for throwing it.” The league began when Kevin Bao, the founder and chair, first went to a drop-in dodgeball session at SFU. He enjoyed the atmosphere of fitness, fun and team-building. He wanted to expand that community throughout the Lower Mainland. “It was just a drop in at first, but then it grew to 16 teams,” said Truong Cao, executive director of the league. “Now we have, if you include Richmond and our sister leagues, we are standing at 200 teams.” Falcons’ basketball player Renai Fejo eats a banana as her team practises behind her. This is the guard's first year on the team. AUSTIN EVERETT PHOTO Supplements pose risk Some contain banned drugs that could end student dreams By AUSTIN EVERETT thletes who take supple- ments may not be aware they are taking unregu- ated pharmaceutical drugs that could be tainted, said a sports physiologist. Charlie Seltzer, who sees athletes daily, said supplement users are not as careful as they should be, and that could have consequences during competitions. Langara student Roy Lim, who uses pre-workout supplements, said they help him to get the kick he needs to get the workout he wants, but admits they are like a drug. “As soon as you don't get the same feeling as you once did, you look into other products that will give you a better kick,” Lim said. An American study from 2007 to 2016 found unapproved phar- maceuticals were in 776 dietary supplements. The most common were sildenafil (sexual enhance- ment), sibutramine (weight loss) and synthetic steroids. The study confirmed these drugs can have seri- ous health effects when combined with other medications, if overused or if mixed with other pharmaceuti- cals in other supplements. Not all strength-related supple- ments, like creatine, are unhealthy for athletes. It varies with individu- als, Seltzer said. A substance good for one athlete could be harmful for another. Seltzer said it is crucial for athletes to consult a medical profes- sional before using any supplements. Most stimulants found in supple- ments are prohibited under the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport, which implements and manages Canada’s Anti-Doping Program. It is a program which Jake McCal- lum, Langara director of athletics and intramurals, said teams at the college must abide by. Falcons basketball player Stepha- nie von Riedemann said any kind of banned boost would get an athlete kicked off the roster. “With crazy a mounts of caffeine in your system, you'd be all jacked up. It would improve your endur- ance which would give you an unfair advantage.” The Langara men's soccer team is put through a series of drills. Open trials for the new season are happening this month. pov GAGNE PHOTO Academics lure Some athletes eye Langara for school, not team By LIAM HILL-ALLAN s tryouts approach, the Langara men’s soccer team is looking for players, and players are looking for a school. Some athletes seek out Langara specifically for its academic offer- ings, said Jake McCallum, director of athletics and intramurals. “Sometimes, it’s purely educa- tional,” said McCallum. ‘The team is holding open trials this month. These sessions offer coaches the chance to see a wide array of players, though qualified players will only be eligible after meeting Lang- ara’s academic standards. For team captain Joey Ratcliffe, who currently studies marketing management, the choice to join the team was as much about academics as it was about sports. “T originally listed all my options based on academics,” Ratcliffe said. After narrowing down his academic options, Ratcliffe decided to try out for Langara’s soccer team. While Ratcliffe is interested in an academic career as a high school business teacher or professor, a job in athletics is still in the picture. “I am actually a soccer referee,” Ratcliffe said. “That’s something ’m actually trying to pursue.” In order to make the team and continue playing for the college, players must meet Langara’s academic requirements. Soccer play- ers at Langara are required to stay registered in a minimum of nine credit hours in order to participate. Ratcliffe said balancing sports and academia can be difficult, especially for new recruits used to high school. “It’s a balance of freedom,” Ratcliffe said. “You get to create your own schedule and so it takes a little bit more responsibility.” Langara soccer head coach Marc Rizzardo said when it comes to recruitment, he is not looking for students with any specific talents. “We just look at the best players available,” Rizzardo said. W-L 6-11 Ranked: 5th W-L 8-9 Ranked: 4th vs. CBC Home TBD vs. Douglas Away Feb. 15, 2019 6 p.m. In the Feb. 7, 2019, edition of The Voice, it was stated that Antonio Jhuty attended Abbotsford Senior Secondary School. He actually attended R.C. Palmer Secondary School in Richmond, B.C.