Talent

Like it or not, this team did have some talent. Goaltender Burgundy Biletski was named Canada West's Most Outstanding Contributor and Tanis Bartolome was named CW Rookie of the Year.

Effort

Without any wins and with very few goals this season, the ladies managed to stay positive all season. That must earn them some credit, right?

Coaching

The Dinos field hockey team wrapped up their winless season in Victoria last weekend--their results were par for the course. The tournament opened with a 4-0 loss to the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds, followed by a devastating 6-0 loss to the University of Alberta Pandas, and, finally, a 2-0 loss to the University of Victoria Vikes.

If optimism and enthusiasm were the keys to winning field hockey games, the Dinos would be in the top seat in Canada West. Unfortunately, these statistics aren't recorded, and the team has slipped into fourth place after a disappointing home tournament Sept. 30-Oct. 2.

The Dinos lost 3-0 to the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds, 2-1 to the University of Alberta Pandas and 3-0 to the University of Victoria Vikes.

The Dinos field hockey team began their regular season Sept. 23-25, and are off to a decent start. With two losses and a tie at this first Canada West tournament at the University of Alberta, the Dinos are quickly identifying their strengths and weaknesses.

"We ended up third out of four teams in Canada West," said Assistant Coach Carolyn Fitzgerald. "The team constantly improved all weekend, which is definitely key. But we want to be first or second."

Dinos field hockey is back in action for another season with a team as green as the turf they play on.

"We have a very young team," laughed Assistant Coach Carolyn Fitzgerald. "Because of the lack of experience, we are focusing on team unity. We don't want to depend too much on one player."

There are six rookies and only one fifth-year player on the team this year. But what they lack in experience, they make up for with enthusiasm.

When it comes time to reflect on five years of playing a varsity sport, it can be difficult to put the experience into words.

"There are so many memories... it's tough to put it in a sentence," said Vanessa Kwan, who along with teammates Clare Linton, Liz Allan and Amy Sanderson, is nearing the end of her five-year field hockey career for the Dinos.

"It has pretty much been my life. It's been so great--I've had such an awesome experience," recalled Allan.

There may have been snow on the ground, but that didn't stop the Dinos field hockey team. They hosted their annual indoor invitational field hockey tournament Feb. 11-13. For over 30 years the University of Calgary has played host to teams from all over the country and the U of C Invitational has become one of the largest indoor tournaments in North America. This year, a total of 18 teams participated in senior and junior sides of the tournament.

Talent

Talent is one area in which the field hockey team is not deficient. The team was a mix of veterans and rookies, each with a great deal of individual skill. Two players, Elizabeth Allan and Clare Linton, were named to the Canada West All-Star team. Some players, such as Vanessa Kwan, played all over the field this season, proving to be both flexible and proficient.

Effort

The Dinos field hockey team ended their season on a high note. Their final tournament was played Oct. 22-24 in Victoria, with the team going 0-1-2. Bright moments of the weekend included a one-all draw against the number two University of Victoria Vikes on their home turf.

"It was pretty satisfying, because we knew we could play like that," said Lauren McDougall. "It was nice to pull it all together at the end."

The Dinos women's field hockey team is getting better at losing. After three straight losses on home turf Oct. 8-10, the team is 0-6-0 for the season. While this doesn't sound like the beginning of a great story, being a glass-half-full kind of girl, I prefer to put a positive spin on things.