Mosher was impressed with his team’s performance and saw the tournament as a chance to prepare for the upcoming season. “[The WEUFT] allowed us to really grow on the field... It’s the equivalent to a really good preseason exercise."
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“To play pro and then to play [in the] Olympics is every kid’s dream... It’s nice because I can learn more about my roots and about my heritage and having that option of playing in the Olympics is still amazing.”
Are you one of those Vancouverites who finds the sun to be a bit of a jerk and secretly enjoys the cold? Well you are not alone; I too despise the summer heat and am constantly looking for activities that don’t involve tan lines or allergies.
“Dragon boat is an easy sport to pick up but a difficult sport to master. Anyone can pick up a paddle and paddle in a boat and make a boat move. But to actually make a boat move fast as a team, you really have to be loyal to your team.”
This year’s national competition, held in Barrie, Ontario, was the second tournament in as many weeks for the team. The team had previously been in Florida for the NAIA Championships, a tournament where Kennedy wasn’t satisfied with her performance.
While travelling can impact performance, the degree of impact it can have depends on multiple variables such as the timing of the trip during the academic semester, competitions during the trip and the physical distance travelled to competitions.
Even with the USports season finished, many Thunderbirds came out to break in the new facility and use the stacked field of competition to warm up for upcoming summer international meets including the FINA World Aquatics Championships in Budapest.
For Mosher — who has been head coach since 1996 — the 2018 championship will be the first time his team hosts the nationals in over a decade. UBC last hosted the national championship back in 2007, where the ’Birds won CIS gold.
“That’s pretty remarkable,” said Primeau of the 'Birds small championship roster. “Generally speaking, the teams that are in the top four have significantly bigger rosters representing them at the NAIA championships.”
For this edition of the T-Birds 5-on-5, five athletes discuss everything from their favourite pirates to their opinions on the renowned cinematic masterpiece, Titanic. They also discuss their training regimens over the summer months.
Unexpectedly, we discovered E.C Manning Provincial Park from a totally new perspective — we entered the wondrous Realm of Faerie.The magical world of wild forests with abundant wooden bridges connecting the two sides of the lake left us speechless.
This year, the meet will be headlined by many ’Birds including olympians Markus Thormeyer, Yuri “The Missile” Kisil, Erika Seltenreich-Hodgson and senior UBC swim team members Carson Olafson and Stefan Milosevic.
As Danielle Brisebois, a fifth-year outside-hitter, served at game-point, a hush fell over the spectator-filled bleachers. The Pandas’ reception went too long and UBC left-side hitter Laura MacTaggart ended the game with a two-handed smackdown.
With impressive numbers on saddle, UBC took home their first team reserve high point — a second place finish — at the UO Hunt Seat Show in Oregon in January. The team was never large enough in past seasons to gain points for a team award.
“Professor Ono’s been really supportive of it and it’s great to have a president that’s willing to help start these talks,” said McKaig. “Then it’s up to us with the schools to see if we can make it work.”