Red Deer College Athletics held their media press conference letting everyone know where they stand this year. For the RDC Queens hockey team, new head coach Trevor Keeper is impressed at what he’s seen coming out of camp.
“This is my first year coaching female (hockey). I coached male elite hockey for a long time. We’ve been really impressed with the skills and depth of the girls that are there.”
Their goals this year are not so much about winning the ACAC title, as they’re about being competitive after posting their worst season on record last year.
“We want to be getting better every week and be competitive and I don’t know where we’re going to be in terms of our record, but I know we want to make the playoffs.”
For the RDC Kings Volleyball team, it’s a different story. Their season last year wasn’t a disappointment. Actually, the Kings volleyball team does three things: They smash, they dig, and they win. And last year they finished third in the ACAC behind, Briercrest and NAIT, but they also finished fifth in the country.
Coach Aaron Schulha was not busy recruiting over the summer. “We have 10 returning guys and five new guys. We’ve had some really good practices already where the learning curve isn’t too steep just with the few new guys we have now. So I’m really pleased where we are right now.”
That’s a good sign for those who love volleyball. Another good sign? Consistency. The King’s volleyball team is consistently good, which means the volleyball action at RDC is always top notch.
To hoops now, and a new face on the bench for the men’s basketball team. Former University of Alberta Golden Bear, Clayton Pottinger takes over as the bench boss.
Pottinger led his Golden Bears to a national championship in 1994. And 1997 was the last time we saw an ACAC championship in Red Deer. So what are coach Pottinger’s goals? “We’re trying to win a championship,” he said. “Whether or not it happens it remains to be seen.”
Look, we haven’t mentioned badminton and curling or golf, cross-country and soccer which have already kicked off for the season.
Red Deer College is teeing up a ton of great sports action. And even if you don’t think that one of their particular teams has a shot at winning a championship, remember that on any given day, there’s a sports story to be told.
sports@reddeerexpress.com
