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Times Advocate, 1997-08-20, Page 17Tinlr's-Adrriar. te, Armrest 2(), 1997Page 17 . This' Week in Sports... • Hopeful futurebackstops take over Lucan Arena - page 18 • Nationals fizzle at season finale - page 19 1 Provolleyballers h�►t the Bensand d Olympic bronze medalists Mark Heese and John Child were the main attractions at thepro tour stop Call Sports Reporter Craig Bradford with your sports tips (519) 235-1331 • Fax (519) 235-0766 Diggin' it. Top photo: Canadian Olympic beach volieVbal bronze medalist Mark .Heese'digs one out during recent'ac tion on the Labatt Blue Pro Tour-. Bottom: Heese, left, and partner-Johri Child show their co-operti.e trays during the pro tour stop at Grand Bend on the weekend: By Craig Bradford T -A Reporter (iKi1ND BEND - Mark Hccsc really dies his work..• - What's not to like about a job whcrc yi►u niakc a lair salary .play- ing a spprt you love while catching sonic ray . on the beach :* . Neese., 27. and partner .• John Child.. 30. aro. Canada's premier men's, pro Keach volleyball pair - "We like the at iii phcre." Heese said Friday prior to the Labatt Blue Pro Beach Volleyball Tour stop at Grand Bend•beach where the tea- turgid match -up will be Canada ver- sus Australia, though players •from many other nations will participate. "We're outside on the beach. not in some smelly gym." Nov - ranked fifth in the world, the hair won .the bronze medal at; the '96 Atlanta Olympics and hope to three -peat as national champions during the Canadian pro champion ships at Sauh e Beach On Aug. 23- 241.The pair also took the bronze at the '95-96 Federation of Inter -- national Volleyball (FIVB) World -Championship - Series•. Finals. - Hcesc. along with then - partner Frank -13Jasr: won the national title in '94 while -Child has won the '92 and '93 nationals- with other part • - ners. - Hecsc.and Child, both..from'To- ronto. are nicknamed, The Crazy. Defenders' for their relentless pur-. sun of the ball and their top notch delcnsivt' skills. The pair tour the world on the FIVE circuit, competing in such far-flung spots as, Rio De Janeiro, Portugal. Turkey and are planning to hit the sand at:. the Nike world chainpionships in Los Angeles on Sept. • li)-13 and in Durban.South Africa on' N. ov. 28-30. But beach volleyball isn't just fun in the sun. It takes cstrente fitness and tons of practice. to conipeIe at the top letcl, Hccsc said. Players must endure up to six hour-long in- tensive .games on a weekend tourna- ment in sometimes blistering heat. "It's not the kind of game you can pick up and dominate," Heese said. "You have to practice. prat- tice. practice." • But as any beach bunny- knows. the "sport can be played at any level by. just about everyone. The spurt is easier on players than indoor vol- leyball because there's less pound-. 'Mg on the knees and tither joints.. "Beach volleyball is excellent as tar as . injuries are concerned," Hccse said. "The sand is very nor - giving... . Less pounding also means pro players can remain in their prirpe well.into their 30s. In fact. Heese and Child were heat out for the gold in the Olympics by teams fea- turing players in their•mid to late 10s "i think John and -I have a few good years, left," Heese,. who once taught high school phys cd in Clin- ton. said. While.m'ose of the rules of indoor volleyball apply to the beach.game there are some notable differences (besides the sand) including: ,the outdoor ball is heavier. and water- proof six on die floor per team for. indoor, only two 'for beach: blocks count as contacts on the beach. With only two per team on the beach,' it's important a pair develop exacting teamwork.' "it's really important for. the part- ners to be comparable in skill'lev- els " Heese said. "You can't hide anyone on the court. It helps that Heese and Child are both- on -beach and off --beach friends, especially when they're globe-trotting every weekend . oh the international circuit from mid - The other thing to keep in mind when playing on the hcach is the • sun • West! said he and ('bald never • play w ithout their sunglasses (they have a sponsor) and either SPE Is or 30 sunscreen, depending.on what is supplied at the event. . • Anothcr'plus for the sport is the demographic breakdown; with the • ratio between the nuntti r;of ntaic and -female . players almost the .same.• • . "There's just . -as much op pc►rtunity • for sten and women,"- Heese said. "In Canada there's just • as much prize mow ey for both." Hccse and next compete at the nationals where they're the nurnher one seeds and then travel to Alan- ya. Turkey fait 'the second last FIVB tour stop on Aug. 29-31. Here's sr nc.bcach volleyball lin- go. courtesy of Hccse:• • Dig — a-dcit'nsivc mire uiean- ing.to pop up an opponent's 'spike. with your fore.irms.. • • Spike serve- — servers leap up in the air and drive the ball over the • net overhand. - • Joust -- when tw•o opponents are up at the net,• jump up and both touch the hall. • Pokey — when you get to the net heli►re your opponent docs and simply 'knuckle' the hall over for the.point. - .Hc ese and Child defeated Aus- ,tralia's top men's- pair of Julien -Prosser and Lee•Zahner 15-I3.dur- ing Sunday's final. , "I th and Ih good y ink Jolted ave afet4' ears left." May to late -September. "That's a big part of beach vol- leyball," Heese said. "If you don't get along you're in trouble." Express have another chance, at league title :EXETER - The. 1 ,,eter Express senior men's hardball team kept their league ichampionsbip hope: alive by crushing the London Chiefs 12-2 on Sunday Starting pitcher Don Masse gate up tw runs un tour hits while•strik- rng out one oscr his tour innings while reliever RR.1. Boon pitched three scoreless innings. giving up twofitts and striking girl emir: Exeter bats were led by Scot Rus- sell who swatted four bits including a homerun. Other Exeter hits came from Fred Gregus with three, Paul Macintosh with two (including a :I)omerun), Dave Russell with three, Masse with two 'and boon, Marty Mosquitos buzz to WOBA `B' title-=-- LI_;CAN - 71►e 1, •.iter M syurtu A' Mercury's bugged their way to the Western Ontario Baseball Association consolation title h) ss inning the tournament final tier Clinton 16-12 on Sunday. • Coach Dane Reid said Exeter . comeback in the late going wa. sparked by a base& loaded triple b) Matthew Iredale in the sixth. Iredale led Exeter `hats with the triple. a double and a single. Mat- thew Johns was •hon at .the plate. hitting a double -and tNu singles **and scoring four runs. Inc Co- sman and Mitchell Iredale also played . key offensive rules b) reaching base three times. each. ' Brent Pyin's stellar pitching over the last four innings was key. Reid said. Pym 'and. starter Jason Sangster combined for •.16 outs in the final. Exeter beat Clinton 10-5 and Lucan 17-8 td reach the final. Catcher Mitch Homuth Jed Exeter batters• with a double and a single in the Clinton game.. Pyni notched the win. / Matt (redale earned the 'W' in the •Lucan game and smacked an- other bases loaded triple: Pym scored three runs and Lucan's con- trol problems netted Exeter hatters 16 walks • at up "Ne Pita ' a olki • .1449 pity, Not so tiny title. The Exeter Mosquito 'A' Mercury's won the Western Ontario Baseball Association consolation tour- nament title on the weekend in Lucan by beating Clinton 16-12 in the final. Front left: Matt. Johns, Clint Homuth, Mitch Hornuth, Corrine Bilcke, Matthew Iredale, Curtis Masse; middle left: Jason Sangster, Chad Taylor, Matthew Richardson, Brent Pym, Eric Cosman, Brent Hackett; back left: coach John Maclean, manager Kathy Sangster, coach Dave Reid. Absent: Mitchell Iredale, Tony Allan and coach Terry Iredale. Lucan 3 -on --3 expands to Stephen Arena LUCAN - The Lucan 3 -on -3 , Hockey Tournament set for Sept. 5- • 7 has expanded to Stephen ,Town- , ship Arena due to higherthar( ex- pected interest. Organizer Chet Couture said the tournament has attracted 36 teams from throughout southwestern On- tario: though he noted there are no Ezetcr teams yet. The tournament needs four more teams for she 40, team field. One team each is need- , ed for players bornin '83, '84: '89 ,' and '90. • , Cost is 5200 per team and four grimes are guaranteed. 'Tants are limited to nine skaters and a goalie. To register. contact Couture at Merncr, Paul Smith and Mark Gla- vin all adding singles. "The bats were really going for us," coach Doug Fairbairn said. "Everything came together for the win.'.' •- Exeter next visits Tillsonhurg to- night. if Exeter wins they, play the winner of yesterday's Lakcside- Strathroy- match -up=on- the-.-weck. end. Exeter's league season is otiet if they lose in Tillsonhurg. • . "That will be a bigger challenge for us," Fairbairn said of the Till- sonhurg game. Exeter heat Tin- sonburg twice in their five games this season and lost one in extra in- nings. Exeter travels to the Pori Hope- Kendall-Cohourg area for the On- tario Baseball Association Senior 'D' tournament on Labor Day weekend. "I'm real optimistic," Fairbairn said of picking up an all -Ontario 'D' title. "We have real good pitch- ing, solid defence and some hot hats." Exeter Iasi won provincial 'I)' ti- tles in '86 and when they hunted the tournament in '88. Durand nails hole -in -one (iRANi) BEND - Zurich's Ji"• Durand made his Oakwood Inn Golf and Country Club men's league buddies proud Thursday night by acing the 109 -yard 18th hole. Durand used a 9 -iron for the hole -in -one. Brantford's Roy Walsh aced the 162 yard eighth hole at Oakwood) recently with a 4 -iron. Pro meet first step towards 2001 Games GRAND BEND - The Labatt Blue Pro Beach Volleyball Tour stop on the weekend was one small step to- wards the 2001 Canada Summer Games, a giant step for Grand Bend. Grand Bend Mayor Cam Ivey said the 2,000 plus spectators during the wet weather on the weekend shows there's interest in the upstart sport. He added the success of the event shows Grand Bend can host simi- lar and even larger events. "I think we want to build on it (for the 2001 Games)," Ivey said. "We hope they'll come back next year." Grand Bend will host beach volleyball and sail- ing events during the 2001 Games while its partners in the winning bid, London, St. Thomas and Wood- stock, will host the remain- der of the events. While the organizers of the Blue pro beach volley- ball tour stop will be valu- able contacts for that event, the Grand Bend Yacht Club will serve a similar role when it comes to 2001 Games sailing. "We're relying on their expertise for running those events," Ivey said. "We'd like to work with that group and the OVBA (Ontario Volleyball Association) to hone our spectator facili- ties." Village administrator Paul Turnbull said the tourna- ment was a "mini version" of what the 2001 Games will be like. "The organizers said this venue was one of the easi- est (on the tour)," Turnbull said. "That bodes well for the future." Hockey tryouts at Lucan Arena LUCAN - Combined tryouts for • 'AA' and 'B' midget and 'A',and bantam Bluewater/Lambion hockey teams will be held at Lucan Arent on Sept. 4 at 8 p.m. For more information. contact Les Drury'at (519) 293-1145tr Rick Abel at (519) 293-3030. Foot race Who's faster? Lucan Division 11 women's_ soccer player Kel- ly Maslen trys to outrun a South Sniper player during their game at the Lucan pitch on Sunday. Lucan lost 6-3. Alison Hodgins.scored two for Lucan and Kelly Maslen picked up the single. The Snipers were up 4-1 at the end of the first half and continued to hold Lucan off in the second. -We worked hard to bring it back but we ran out of time," Lucan player Anna -Lee Pitman said. Lucan's record is now 4-6. Lu - can played Curinga/Bell yesterday after press ,and visit Ex- eter on Sunday at 5 p:m. Their next home game is Aug. 27 at 6:30 p.m. versus St. Columbian.