It’s that time of year again when you start getting numbers back in your classes before your finals and you realize, ‘Hey, maybe I should’ve spent more time at class, and less time in the Den.’
Now the only hope is to cram all those ideas from the textbook. But, don’t forget those notes you stole from that guy in class who was there every day, and couldn’t withstand a love-tap with a baseball bat. The Dinos suffer through the same trials as students, but they also have to go through it as athletes too. As armchair athletes, we here at the Gauntlet have taken to grating er… grading the Dinos, and here they are in no particular order.
Men’s Soccer
Talent:
The Dinos won games at the margins this year, allowing an average of 1.31 goals per game while scoring only 1.44. Fourth-year forward Matthew Deeprose led the way with six goals in 15 games played, only two off the Canada West lead. Standout keeper J.P Crescenzi helped keep the defensive door shut, posting six shutouts in his rookie season.
Effort:
With the exception of the sluggish first half that cost the Dinos a potential berth in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport championships, effort was never in question. Including the 4-1 Canada West playoff loss to the Trinity Western University Spartans, the Dinos only lost three games by more than one goal. The other two were a 3-1 setback at home to the University of Alberta, and a meaningless 3-0 defeat at the hands of the University of British Columbia T-Birds in the final game of the regular season after playoff seedings had been decided.
Coaching:
Head coach Andy Gibbs is in his 19th season, and like fine wine he keeps getting better with age. He has led the Dinos to Canada West silver medals in two of the last three years.
Achievement:
Last year, the team made a surprising run to the playoffs and ended up losing in the bronze medal game. With that experience under their belt, the Dinos were expected to follow up with an even better year. They didn’t disappoint. Despite finishing fourth in a strong Canada West division, the Dinos made a run all the way to the Canada West finals in Edmonton, knocking off the T-Birds–the defending CIS champs–in the process.
The men’s soccer Canada West division is tough, and the Dinos did well to make it all the way to the finals. Though they ended up losing and missing out on a chance to go to the CIS championships, this is by no means a failed season. With all but two of the players potentially returning, next year should see the team challenge for the championship.
Overall Grade: B+
..Jon Roe
Football
Talent:
The talent of this year’s squad was below average compared to other teams in a very good Canada West conference, as the Dinos were a touch young in almost all of the key positions. The youth was given the time to grow and learn, and the Dinos definitely had some growing pains, but the boys were able to turn it around by the end of the year to carry some momentum into the 2007 campaign.
Effort:
The Dinos improved every game this year and are looking poised to tear up the league in the next couple of seasons. Freshman Dalin Tollestrup put up impressive numbers all year en route to becoming the Canadian Interuniversity Sport rookie of the year; a feat that had not been accomplished by a U of C student since 1977. Tollestrup completed 147 of 280 passes for 1,941 yards with six touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Coaching:
Head Coach Blake Nill came in this year to stop the bleeding of previous regimes and not only succeeded in doing so, but also turned the program on its ass, giving the Dinos some respectability. Nill shone in his role as coach this year, the Dinos constantly improved game to game and he has the team looking good going into the next couple of seasons.
Achievement:
This year’s version of the Dinos’ football squad definitely had its ups and downs. The Dinos started the year off going 0-6, including a couple of close losses early in the season, like the 17-15 heartbreaking home-opener to the hated University of Alberta Golden Bears on Sept. 9. The footballsaurs closed the year out in style, winning their final two games of the year, a thrilling 30-27 come-from-behind victory over the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds and a 39-7 stomping of the Simon Fraser University Clan.
The 2-6 record is not all that impressive, but considering the Dinos were able to turn around a 0-6 start, it looks fairly promising with hopes of greatness in the future.
Overall G rade: C+
…Brad Day
Men’s B-Ball
Talent:
This team has all the pieces to make up a Canada West playoff position puzzle, but so far this season, they seem to be trying to jam two-prong pieces into one-prong holes. Ross Bekkering and Joe Schow lead the attack in the paint and are a formidable pair when on their game. Josh Feist controls the floor at the point guard position and sits 16th in Canada West in points per game with 13.9, and second in assists per game with 6.18.
Effort:
The team has come out flat game after game in the first half and has so far been outscored by opponents in the first by almost 100 points, 685-589, but has followed it up with a more concerted effort after half time, only being outscored by 14 points, 771-757. They’ve built up leads with only minutes to play, then surrender huge runs to the opposition to allow them to steal victories away. The Dinos are talented enough, but need to improve on their overall effort, sitting in 10th in scoring offence, and 11th in scoring defence out of 14 teams.
Coaching:
Head coach Dan Vanhooren has managed his players well, making appropriate substitutions, but has yet to see the results. This is Vanhooren’s sixth season but is already far from his best. In 2003/04 the Dinos finished at 15-5 under Vanhooren’s guidance.
Achievement:
The team has yet to live up to its potential, sitting tied for last in the Central Division with a 3-7 record. Going into the winter break, the team is on a five game slide, all starting from a come-from-behind overtime win they surrendered to the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns Nov. 18. On the plus side, the team is 3-1 on home court. On the downside, the team is 0-6 away from the Jack Simpson Gym.
The Dino b-ballin’ boys will need to pick up their road play if they want to make the playoffs. Though that feat is not impossible–the top three teams out of the Central Division make the playoffs and the Dinos are tied for fourth–it still won’t happen if the Dinos can’t win a road game. Dominating the teams they’re better than in the first half and keeping the score close against stronger teams–like the University of Alberta Golden Bears–instead of going into the second half with double-digit deficits to make up would help tremendously.
Overall Grade: D
…Jon Roe
Women’s Volleyball
Talent:
There is no question in the talent this team has. With the return of fifth-year Joanna Niemczewska, the team is immediately several tiers better. Especially when you count in fourth-years Deanna Delisle, Willemina Stikker-Breemhaar, Brittany Hutton and talented third-year Holly Harper, who has begun to compliment Niemczewska in the Dinos offence in the last two weekends. This is a formidable and experienced squad.
Effort:
With no question in the talent department, it’s all in how the skill is utilized. Despite the 6-0 start the Dinos achieved, head coach Kevin Boyles noted there were inconsistencies in the Dinos’ play. Those inconsistencies eventually hurt them in their two-match series against the University of Manitoba Bisons Nov. 24-25. Though they took both games to five-sets, the Dinos could’ve easily won both matches with a more thorough and consistent effort.
Coaching:
This is Boyles’ seventh season and he continues to show he’s the man for the job. After seven seasons, he’s compiled a 112-31 record. This year, he faces the challenge of leading an incredibly talented squad to their potential–a Canadian Interuniversity Sport championship. Boyles hasn’t been afraid to make changes when needed, including pairing Harper and Niemczewska on opposite sides which has balanced the Dinos’ offence.
Achievement:
This team is in for a marathon, not a sprint, but yet still came galloping out of the gates with a 6-0 start against weak opposition. The last two weekends were going to be the true test of the Dinos’ strength and they came through with flying colours. Even though both games against the Bisons were counted in the loss column, the Dinos took them to five-sets, weren’t discouraged and followed the losses up with two five-set victories over the arguably equally skilled University of Alberta Pandas.
The Dinos are marred by their two matches against the Bisons, which may end up costing them the chance to host the Canada West championships. However, regardless of who wins Canada West, the Dinos still get a shot at the CIS Championship, their true goal, and this team has all the prerequisites needed to do it.
Overall Grade: A-
..Jon Roe
Men’s Volleyball
Talent:
The Dinos are led by the effort and determination of setter Glen Handley. Others, like Blake Adair, Tyler Fraser and Ryan Lenz, also have the combination of talent and leadership to play big for the Dinos.
Effort:
The Dinos have displayed an excellent overall effort so far this season. Their record so far isn’t strong at 1-5, but they have put up a consistent effort through all their games taking their losses down to the wire. The opposition have had to work hard to get their wins against the Dinos.
Coaching:
Head coach Rod Durrant has a lot of coaching experience and continues to improve. This being his first season as the Dinos coach he has gotten off to a rocky start. However, there is a lot of time for the tables to change.
Achievement:
The Dinos’ biggest achievement so far this season was their Husky Dino Cup gold medal back in October, winning the tournament for the first time since 2000. The other big highlight would be the team’s first win of the season at the Jack Simpson Gym Nov. 24, an upset over the nationally fifth-ranked University of Manitoba Bisons.
Overall Grade: C
..Alex Baron
Women’s Hockey
Talent:
This is where the team’s inexperience rears its ugly head. Players are often too slow on the backcheck and get caught by faster opposing skaters. Passes need to be stronger, and players turn the puck over too many times in the neutral zone. However, they possess great puck-control deep in the offensive end and are apt at putting bodies in front of the net, creating most of their goals by simply outworking their opponents.
Effort:
Easily the team’s greatest strength is their passion. These women play their hardest night in and night out, showing a determined desire to not only win the game, but also to play 60 minutes of strong hockey. They work great together as a team and are able to feed off of each other’s strengths, whether ahead or behind in the game.
Coaching:
Led by head coach Dean Holden, the Dinos coaching staff is top notch. Their focus on addressing team weaknesses is easily recognized from one game to the next. Holden presses the girls to play to their full capacities while overseeing that the framework of the team stays strong.
Achievement:
The record for the Dinos thus far is far from flattering, but for this team it should be counted as an afterthought. This group of rookies and few veteran leaders has been giving all of their opponents a run for their money game in and game out, losing decisions that could have easily gone either way. If this team continues on its current path gaining experience along the way, by the time these girls are third- or fourth-year students there will be a new university female hockey team to watch out for.
After rebounding from a dismal prior season and replacing most of their veterans with rookie players, not much was expected out of the University of Calgary Dinos women’s hockey team. But, even though they currently sport a losing record at 4-8-1-1, it would be safe to say that these upstart girls have been surprising a lot of their critics with valiant effort and hockey charisma ahead of their time.
Overall Grade: C+
..Derek Neumeier
Men’s Hockey
Talent:
At one time, Jarret Lukin and Ryan Annesley were leading Canada West in goals, and high on the list in points. Annesley and Lukin are both still up there, sitting second and fifth in points respectively, and both tied for third in goals.
Effort:
The hockeysaurs come charging out of the dressing room every night, but tend to fall apart as soon as they find themselves down in the score. They also tend to get a little relaxed once they build up a lead, which has come back to bite them in the hide on more than one occasion. Nevertheless, they keep working on their shaky defence, and are improving their effective special teams.
Coaching:
Head coach Scott Atkinson has returned for his sixth season with the Dinos, and has seemingly spent the entire season drilling the meaning of defence into his team. Though extremely proud of his team’s success, Atkinson makes sure his players are aware of any weaknesses and more importantly, how to improve.
Achievement:
The hockeysaurs have let a few games slip away, and made others more nail-biting than necessary. However, such disappointments have come few and far between for the Dinos, as they went on an impressive seven-game winning streak and now sit in second place in the Mountain Division.
Though still inconsistent, the male hockeysaurs have come a long way from giving up five goal leads in four minutes as they did last season. Instead, they now give up five goals in eight minutes. But expect the Dinos to come out strong in the new year, with rested legs and renewed intensity.
Overall Grade: B+
..Alyzee Sibtain