March 10, 2010: Keyano College Athletics is pleased to announce that Stephen Shields of Brandon, Manitoba has been recruited to suit up for the Huskies in Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference  men's volleyball for the 2010-2011 season. Here is a quick 90-second Question and Answer with Shields.

NAME:  Stephen Shields

AGE:  20

BIRTHDATE:  January 11th, 1990

HEIGHT:  6 foot 6

HITTING HAND:  Right

VERTICAL: Not sure but spike touch is 332 cm

POSITION:  Right Side

HOMETOWN:  Brandon, Manitoba

HIGH SCHOOL:  Neelin High School

HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS NICKNAME: Spartans 

COACH(ES) IN HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL:

 Ed Zalusky, Don Thompson, Greg Beckwith

PLANNED COURSE AT KEYANO:  Physical Education

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS COMING TO PLAY FOR THE HUSKIES IN 2010 – 2011: Improve as player, Help build the program into a National contender 

WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS AS A VOLLEYBALL PLAYER:  Attacking 

PERSONAL VOLLEYBALL AWARDS:

 2007-08 MHSSA Volleyball Championship MVP 

MOST MEMORABLE VOLLEYBALL MOMENT TO DATE:

 Winning Provincials in Grade 12   

OTHER SPORTS PLAYED AND TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS AND PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENTS:

 2007-08 AAA Basketball Provincial champion and all-star

2007-08 Neelin High School shared Male Athlete of the Year

Basketball Manitoba A-AAA All Manitoba first team.

VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES: Mini-Spartan Athletics Coaching

Brandon Minor Volleyball League Coach 

YOUR HOBBIES:  Xbox 360  and basketball 

BELOW IS A SIMPLE ONE ANSWER FOR EACH. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE?

MOVIE: Superbad

TELEVISION SHOW:  One Tree Hill

BOOK:  Harry Potter series

SONG:  DJ Khaled - We Takin over

FOOD:  Chicken Caesar Wrap

PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAM: NBA Phoenix Suns

PROFESSIONAL SPORTS ATHLETE:  Brandon Roy 

Saturday,  March 6, 2010: Keyano College Huskies women’s basketball proudly announces the first four recruits committed for the 2010-2011 Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference season. Here is a quick Question and Answer to introduce you to the recruits.

Anita Balogh
Hometown: Sylvan Lake, Alberta
High School: H.J. Cody High School
Height 5-foot-11
Position: Centre/Forward

Q: Why did you choose Keyano College over the other schools you were thinking of?
 A: It has a smaller campus compared to the other schools.

Q: What programs are you interested in taking?
 A: I am interested in taking a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and/or also a Bachelor in Education.

Q: What were your impressions of Keyano College on your visit?
A: It was a very nice campus, with a lovely gym (Syncrude Sport & Wellness Centre)

Q: What is your basketball background?
A: I have played basketball since Grade 6, and I am now the captain of the senior girl’s basketball team at H.J Cody.  

Sam Connolly
Hometown: Lethbrigde, Alberta
High School: Lethbridge Collegiate Institute
Height: 5-foot-6
Position: Point guard.
Points per Game Average: 7.0

Q: Why did you choose Keyano College over the other schools?
A: I chose Keyano because it is a good move academically and for basketball. They have the courses I want to take and I wanted to continue playing basketball after high school.
 
Q: What program are you interested in taking?
A: Social Work, as I am able to take all four years here.
 
Q: What were your impressions of the school on your visit?
A: School is very nice. I liked the Syncrude Sport & Wellness Centre and I’m excited to play in it.
It’s definitely a place I will enjoy.
 
Q: What is your basketball background?
A: I have been in basketball my whole life. I’ve played every year I have been in school. Except for Grade 6. I was cut!  I live in a very basketball family (father is Keyano Huskies men’s coach Mike Connolly) and had a basketball in my hand before I could walk.

 March 4, 2010: “We have the energy” is the unofficial slogan for Fort McMurray and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.

“We have the energy” may also be the unofficial slogan for the sport of futsal in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Association (ACAC).

“ There has been a lot of energy generated at the two venues who have hosted the first two futsal tournaments this year,” said ACAC futsal convener Alan Rogan, of the sport which debuted in exhibition format in 2010 with tournaments held January 22-24 at Lakeland College in Lloydminster and February 12-13 at Medicine Hat College. “Crowds of upward 200 people at times attended!”

A third and final exhibition tournament is scheduled to be held March 19-21, 2010 at the Syncrude Sport & Wellness Centre in Fort McMurray with the host Keyano College Huskies.

 Rogan, who is athletic director at Lakeland College, said that it has been “quite some time since (the ACAC) has introduced a new sport.”

“When we first discussed the new sport (futsal) a couple of years ago many of the ACAC institutions voiced interest in competing but with the current financial situation a number of the institutions are having to relook at whether or not they can join immediately or have to wait. We have had some questions around what is the best format and operating rules but the coaches who have attended the tournaments have been very engaged when it comes to helping set the future direction for the sport in the ACAC.

“It is important to go through an exhibition season to work through things like sport specific rules, scheduling and to have all the stakeholders coaches, athletic directors and student-athletes to supply feedback to make sure that if the sport moves forward the process moves forward as smoothly as possible.

” Futsal is a sport that would complement the outdoor soccer season as it runs in the winter semester.”

So what is the sport of futsal you ask?

COREY ATKINSON: Fort McMurray Today staff

Wednesday March 3, 2010:  While shopping in Fort McMurray, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology Trojans men's volleyball coach Ryan Marsden got two for the price of one.

Left side/right side Erik Kuhr and former Huskies setter Keegan Kuhr — both Father Patrick Mercredi High School grads — have joined the Trojans this year. Keegan is a back-up setter and Erik is redshirting, and both are considered valuable members of the present and future of the Trojans

And now Marsden and the Trojans have an ACAC championship for the first time in 25 years and a chance to win nationals at Grant MacEwan University.

"First, I thought I won the lottery when I got contacted," Marsden said. "Keegan had given me a heads-up that he was going to be taking a program here at SAIT and then (last year's Huskies coach) Trent Mason … was also courteous to give me a heads up."

Erik's interest in SAIT helped Keegan keep playing competitive volleyball.

"I talked to the coach and he said, 'Yeah, we need a backup setter,' and so I jumped all over that opportunity," Keegan said.

Marsden waited until the official contact was made between he and Keegan and found out the five-foot-10 setter would be taking a nutrition course at SAIT and wanted to try out for the volleyball team. Oh, and he has a six-foot-four brother who plays volleyball as well…

The 2008-2009 Canadian College Athletic Association (CCAA) Male Player of the Year Alwyn Piche now wears the university uniform of the Saskatchewan Huskies.

Two other former Huskies, Robyn Denney and Keegan Kuhr are now off to the CCAA women’s and men’s volleyball championships respectively.

Robyn Denney is heading east to Gatineau, Quebec for the CCAA women’s championships March 12-14 with the Red Deer College Queens. The Queens captured the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) banner recently with a 25-17, 25-11, 25-21 decision against Edmonton’s Grant MacEwan Griffins.

Denney, a graduate of Westwood Community High School Trojans program, is not only a champion on the court but off of it as well.

“This year at college has been great, my GPA was 3.9,” said Denney, who’s younger sister Desiree was a first-year libero for the Keyano Huskies. “Some of the highlights were having a 19-1 record this year, winning provincials and now going to nationals.”