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Show Page 8 Friday, September 9,2005 The Signpost Sports Sports Editor: Jeremy Tyler Phone: 626-7983 Division II hockey skates into season By Jeremy Tyler sports editor | The Signpost As the semester gets underway, Weber State University's Division II hockey club gets ready for the season. The Division II team will be competing in the American Collegiate Hockey Association's Division II western division. The team faces some tough competition, including Utah State University, Colorado State University and San Jose State University, and will face ACHA newcomers Utah Valley State College and Metropolitan State College of Denver. WSU head coach Sean Boyle said they face some really tough competition from the University of Colorado .and Colorado State University because they always build up a strong program. USU is also a really big rival: Boyle said that no matter what the skill level of the players, games against USU are always tough. WSU has had a hockey club program since 1994. It became a Division I team in 2003, but kept the Division II team Football player suffers minor stroke By M. Jared Wilhelmsen asst. sports editor [ The Signpost Weber State University forward Seth Petersen attempts to stop a Utah State University player. Petersen is one of eight players from last semester returning this season. to develop younger players and provide more chances for players to continue playing. The Division I team enjoyed immediate success by finishing in the top 10 in its first two national tournaments. The Division II team has not been as lucky. Boyle hopes to rectify this with three mandatory practices prior to classes and playing two or three games per week. "We're two completely different leagues, it's not a varsity, JV thing," said Jared Smedely, a WSU junior majoring in chemistry. "We're the only school in Utah with two teams and one of the only schools in the country with two teams." Boyle said that the main difference between the Division I and Division II teams is skill level, with the Division I team playing a lot better teams. The returning players are going to be a strength, he said. "We're gonna have a strong team that just wants to win hockey games," Boyle said. see Hockey page 9 While Weber State University's football team talent is still pretty deep, Wildcats are now minus a key player after a running b a c k s u f fe r e d a stroke during practice earlier this WSU running week. S i o n e back, #1, Sione H a v i 1 i , Havili a WSU senior, was expected to get a lot of carries in the opening game against Western State College last Saturday. However, Havili had to sit out the game due to a rare stroke he suffered at practice earlier in the week. Havili, 25, is 6 foot 2 inches and weighs 250 pounds. See Stroke page 9 Coach McBride's influence goes beyond football By Mitch Shaw sr. sports reporter [ The Signpost Not many things in Weber State University's athletic past can rival the kind of excitement generated right now by the Wildcat football team. That excitement is coming from the anticipation of the beginning of what 'Some are calling the "Ron McBride Era," "One of our Wildcat members has been coming to games since the '60s and said that he has never seen this much excitement in all his years," said Shay Wyatt, director of the Wildcat Club, a major fund-raising organization for WSU athletics. "That's just an indication of what coach Mac has started to do for the athletic program." ' ~':''^MJmfc-*--- '" Season-ticket sales have gone up •-drastically for this upcoming season. Even some of McBride's former University of Utah players have purchased season tickets. "The reason former players are so supportive of coach McBride is because he made every one of us feel special," said Chad Kauha'aha'a, a WSU assistant football coach. Kauha'aha'a, who started at defensive end for McBride at Utah from 1993-1996, said McBride left a lasting impression on his players. "He's a loyal, generous person and players don't forget that," he said. Jeff Tingey, WSU athletic program assistant marketing director, said McBride's former players aren't the only ones who feel this way. "People are willing to support coach Fans at the footbal game. Many members of the crowd hold season tickets and some season ticket holders are former players of coach Ron McBride. McBride because he is such a giving person," Tingey said. "It's easy to give back to somebody that is so giving themselves. There are so many external functions that he goes to - just event after event after event - and he just does it out of the goodness of his heart. He did all that stuff at the U of U and those people love him and that is why they support him at Weber State." Not only has McBride's presence boosted ticket sales, but it has also helped with different fund-raising activities and with other athletic departments as well. "We (the Wildcat Club) are the main fund-raising arm for Weber State athletics and he has increased our membership and given our supporters something to rally around," Wyatt said. "When you have excitement in one sport, that just creates awareness of all your other programs. It creates a tremendous forum to market other sports." According to Wyatt, Kauha'aha'a and Tingey, McBride's ability to create such support for his program comes from the type of person he is. "Coach McBride isfirstof all a 'player's See Influence page 9 |