Ever been to South Korea? Few Canadians have. However 13 University of Calgary student athletes and a pair of coaches will be shipping out for the South East Asian destination later this month for the 2003 Universiade.
The Universiade, formerly known as the World University Games, will be hosted by Daegu, South Korea, following up on the Beijing-hosted 2001 games. The 15 person U of C contingent is tops in the country, ahead of second place University of British Columbia, which also boasts a team of 13.
Led by a trio of Dinos women’s volleyball players (Reid Brodie, Tracy Keats and Amanda Moppett) as well as a septet of waterpolo players (half the Canadian team), half the U of C’s representatives ply their trade in the water.
Also in the pool, Dinos swimmer Emma Spooner is the lone U of C swim team representative, and she is coming off a very successful 2002/03 season, having won a pair of gold medals as well as a silver at the CIS Championships.
On the hardcourt, Dinos men’s volleyball Head Coach Greg Ryan will lead the Canadian troops into battle, getting a helping hand from one of his assistants in Calgary, Robert Lindberg, as well as middle blocker Sean Kendal.
"Most of this team has been training with the national program this summer and there will be some great continuity," Ryan enthused. "We have size, skill and a tremendous leader and all-around athlete in setter Mike Munday. And we’re Canadians–we hate to lose."
Last, but definitely not least among the Daegu-bound Dinos, is energetic sparkplug Jessica Horning, who will be patrolling the midfield for the Canadian women’s soccer squad. A native of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Horning had a breakout season last year and it apparently did not go unnoticed.
"It’s a great honour," Horning explained. "It’s a shame I’m not playing with any of my teammates, but I’m psyched to be going."
Also representing Canada at the 2003 Universiade will be a 2001 Games veteran, Malindi Elmore, a middle distance runner in the 800 and 1,500 metre events. The Kelowna, B.C. native recently completed four years at Stanford and will be enrolled in the U of C’s Environmental Design program this fall.