The UBC Thunderbirds will take on Northern Idaho in a special pre-season game in Oliver this Saturday at 8 pm in the new gymnasium at SOSS. Shown here with the ball is Thunderbird Jordan Jensen-Whyte in a recent game. Assistant coach Spencer McKay, formerly of Oliver, helped bring this Saturday’s matchup to his home town.
Wilson Wong photo
SOSS Hornets looking to improve this game season
The senior boys basketball team at SOSS is looking forward to the upcoming year. The team is returning six players from last year’s team that finished 9th at the AA provincial championships.
Gurk Dhaliwal, Malcolm Heinrichs and Navi Dhaliwal are returning starters from last year’s team and the rest of the Hornets will be looking to them for leadership in this upcoming season.
The Hornets have been getting in some serious pre-season training so far and this weekend they will play an inter-squad game at 6 pm before the main attraction between UBC Thunderbirds and Northern Idaho Cardinals on Saturday at 8 pm at the Hornets Nest (gym) at SOSS.
This year’s Hornets are looking to improve on their 9th place finish last year and this game between UBC, one of the best teams in Canada, will give the players the opportunity to see what it takes to play at the highest level.
Spencer McKay, a former alumni of SOSS (1986 AA Championship team), will be working the sidelines for UBC as their top assistant coach. The next day the Thunderbirds will be putting on a camp from 10-2 for players wishing to advance their skills and to become more aware of the game of basketball.
You can get tickets to the event by calling the high school, Parks and Rec or OK Tire. The cost for both games is $15, and anyone purchasing tickets to the game gets into the camp for free.
The Hornets will open their season on the road at the Westside tournament in Kelowna on November 29-30. The team will play at home on December 6-7 at the 54th annual Okana-Qen tournament.
Mo Basso
Special to the Chronicle
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Why not give curling a try?
Richard Brooks lines up a shot during a game of curling at the Eastlink Curling Centre.
Photo contributed
Why should you take up curling? People who curl seem to share a certain fun-loving attitude toward this winter pastime. Even at national and world championships, players in the middle of a high-stakes game have been known to share a few laughs. Imagine seeing that at a hockey or football game!
Some of the best reasons to curl are; you can play at any age, both sexes can play and curling with your significant other can be a lot of fun. Other great reasons to curl are: the rules are also easy to learn, you don’t have to pay a lot to play, and curling is good for your health.
If you decide you want to start curling there are four positions you should know. But you only have to be good at one of them.
Curling at the Eastlink Curling Centre starts this week with free, open ice in the evening from 7-9 pm.
If you have not registered, there will be people there to sign you up for a league for the coming winter. Beginners are welcome, and fun will be had by all!
Contributed
