Ss BRIAN KUROKAWA photo Women’s basketball coach Mike Evans (standing, right) runs a drill during his last year at the helm of the team. Coach retires after 14 years Mike Evans to step down after long coaching tenure at Langara Awards under Evans ME Three Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association All- Canadian Awards ME 20 PacWest All-Star Awards HE PacWest Provincial Championship (2005-2006) Source: Brian Kurokawa By BRIAN KUROKAWA fter 14 years of coaching, Mike Evans has stepped down as head coach of the Langara Falcons women’s basketball team. Evans started coaching in 2002, mak- ing him the longest serving women’s basketball coach in the school’s history. During his time coaching the team, they won three Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association All-Canadian Awards, 20 PacWest All-Star Awards, and one PacWest Provincial title. Evans was also named PacWest Coach of the Year three times. Jake McCallum, director of athletics and intramurals at Langara, said that he was sad to see Evans go. “He meant a lot to the program... and he gave a lot of time and is a good friend, it’s a little sad,” said McCallum. When asked why he stepped down as coach, Evans said that he didn’t have a say in the matter. “Well, it wasn’t really my choice,” said Evans. “Our athletic director want- ed to go in another direction and I couldn’t really argue with that.” Evans said that leaving might be the best for the team. “I think it will be good for the pro- gram to bring in someone younger, maybe a female coach, something like that would be good for the girls going forward,” he said. Evans said that it’s going to be hard to leave the team. “T loved the team, the kids are great,” said Evans. “It’s not easy, but you don’t always get to do what you want to do,” However, Evans did say that some- body has to be held accountable when a team’s record suffers, and in this situa- tion, it’s usually the coach. “You know, you kind of are what your record says you are, so you know, I don’t have any complaints or anything,” he said. When asked about the vacant coach- ing position, McCallum said the position is still open and that some applications came in over the long weekend. “So I’m going to get my feet under me and sift through the [applications] this week, and then move forward from there.” teams in the playoffs for the first time since 1969-70, fans will still watch games By ALYD LLEWELLYN years NHL playoffs won’t have a major effect on Rogers’ viewership, according to an SFU professor. For the first time in over 40 years, the NHL playoffs won’t feature any of the seven Canadian hockey teams as they currently sit in seven of the bottom 10 spots in the league standings with less than two weeks left in the season. This will also be the first time this has hap- pened since media conglomerate Rog- ers Communications bought the rights to broadcast all NHL games for 12 years in Canada for $5.2 billion back in 2014. Despite Canada’s lack of representa- tion in this year’s playoffs, Yupin Yang, an associate professor of marketing at SFU’s Beedie School of Business, doesn’t think this will have a drastic im- pact on their viewership. “I think itll impact the viewership but it won’t totally fall off because peo- ple will still want to follow their favou- rite players,” Yang said. “Because it’s a long-term contract, [Rogers] should ex- pect some ups and downs overall.” Cole Blight, assistant coach of the North Vancouver Storm hockey team, thinks the lack of a Canadian team to rally behind will end up costing Rogers. “I definitely think they’re going to lose money, and they won’t be happy about it,” Blight said. “Whenever your team gets bounced, you always think, ‘Alright, what Canadian team is left?’ T: lack of Canadian teams in this because you’re Canadian and [the team’s] Canadian so there’s a bit of a bond there.” Oliver Robertson, a film arts student at Langara, isn’t planing on paying much attention to the playoffs this year. MARK STUART photo The Canadian flag passes by fans during the national anthem of a game between the Ottawa Senators and the Toronto Maple Leafs. “Tf there’s a game on, I might watch it, but without the Canucks or any Cana- dian teams there isn’t the same level of investment,” said Robertson. Rogers was unavailable for comment by deadline. 66 I think itll impact the viewer- ship but it won't totally fall off because people will still want to follow their fa- vourite players. Because it’s a long- term con- tract, [Rog- ers] should expect some ups and downs overall YUPIN YANG MARKETING PROFESSOR SFU Parkour growing in Vancouver Origins Parkour is open to all those interested and welcomes all ages and skill levels By VERONNICA MACKILLOP ple knew what parkour was, but with a developing community in Vancouver, more and more people are getting involved. Origins Parkour, the first parkour gym to open in Vancouver in 2012, has about 300 to 400 visits per week, and is gaining popularity with all ages. Rene Scavington, one of the found- ers of Origins, said that the sport is starting to become better known. “Most people are starting to know what parkour is,” said Scavington. Al- though he said there are still some in- consistencies about what people think of the sport. “Basically, we’re trying to interact with spaces that include structures, so it’s trying to find a route that gets you from one place to another,” said Scav- ington. “You can be creative, add in tricks, and make it your own thing. I’m more of a traditional parkour guy, but everyone has their own style.” Origins is open to the experienced, but people of any age and skill level are welcome. “T[Members] start at the age of five, and we have some participants as old as 60 come in,” said Scavington. “Tt is really something that anyone can do, everything is scalable. If you’re older or you’re not physically fit, you’re starting with ground level stuff,” he said. “You’re doing really tiny move- ments and trying to build up on them.” Jaxon Wong, a coach at Origins, be- gan parkour when he started teaching martial arts tricking at Origins when it first opened. “I started taking a few parkour classes, and it was too fun not to do,” said Wong. He said that it’s really nice seeing younger people getting involved in the parkour community. “A lot of kids are coming in, and putting in the time and work,” said Wong. “Before, the [park- our] communities were just teenagers and adults, but now that we have a gym and classes available, younger kids are starting to get into it.” Wong said that when kids start out, the coaches focus more on motions, and less on technique. “The structure comes with prac- tice.” Ae: year's ago, not very many peo- VERONNICA MACKILLOP photo Jaxon Wong at Origins Parkour.