Nov. 8, 2017

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THE

T H O M P S O N R I V E R S U N I V E R S I T Y ' S I N D E P E N D E N T S T U D E N T N E W S PA P E R

VOLUME 27 · ISSUE 10 · NOVEMBER 8, 2017

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MAKING CONNECTIONS AT WRITERS FEST

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NEW MASTER'S DEGREE PROGRAMS

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POPADYNETZ EARNS PLAYER OF THE YEAR

WolfPack soccer achieves bronze in first-ever playoff appearance Sean Brady EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ω The WolfPack men’s soccer team was back in black and earned bronze with a 2-0 victory against the University of Alberta Golden Bears on Saturday, Nov. 4.

The upset victory for bronze follows a hard-fought 3-1 loss against the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds Friday. The T-birds later defeated the Trinity Western University Spartans to take gold as Canada West champions.

The win at UBC’s Ken Woods Field is a boon for the ‘Pack. The Bears and Wolves never met in the regular season, but TRU knew going in that it was going to be a tough team to beat. Alberta managed to dominate their own prairie division, going 9-1-4 on the regular season.

On Saturday night, the ‘Pack’s offense came through, with goals from Anatoli Leveille and James Fraser.

Leveille opened the scoring just eight minutes in, putting one past Bears keeper Connor James on an assist from Mitch Popadynetz. The next came from

Fraser, as Koffi Nyavor sent the ball across to Fraser to score.

The scoreboard reflects just how defensive a game TRU played. The Golden Bears managed just four shots, two on goal, against keeper Allan Connor.

Connor was in for Lubomir Magdolen, who left the field following a collision near the net in Friday's game against the Thunderbirds.

See OFFENCE Page 7

Ice sculptor Harold Sawatzky (left) works outside culinary arts' Scratch Market Monday. The sculptures are part of a culinary arts fundraiser event taking place later this month. (Juan Cabrejo/Ω)

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NEWS

NOVEMBER 8, 2017

TRU researchers aim to help kids sleep better Kirsten Folvik CONTRIBUTOR Ω A group of researchers at Thompson Rivers University are investigating how children’s sleep reacts to the common sleep-aid melatonin.

The lead investigators on the study are Dr. Allyson Davey, Dr. Mark Rakobowchuk and Les Matthews, joined by medical, research and respiratory therapy students. The project is a collaboration between the Thompson Rivers University Center for Respiratory Health and Sleep Science, and the biological sciences department.

Rakobowchuk said the team is designing a study to look at melatonin, which he says isn’t that well researched.

Melatonin is a naturally occurring substance that helps your body know when to fall asleep and when to wake up. It is commonly used as a supplement to help people get to sleep by resetting their sleep pattern when it’s been altered by such things as travel. Melatonin’s benefits hold true for both children and adults, but it doesn’t work for everyone.

The research underway at TRU aims to understand this better by investigating why some children

see a benefit from taking melatonin and others don’t.

At this stage in the investigation, the team is monitoring melatonin levels as they change throughout the night to see how these levels differ between children with normal sleep patterns and those who have sleeping difficulties.

The testing procedure is simple. Children enrolled in the study have saliva samples taken throughout the afternoon and overnight. The samples are then processed at a TRU lab to check the levels contained within them. Researchers are then able to see if the child’s melatonin levels follow a normal cycle overnight.

“Normally, melatonin increases throughout the night while someone is sleeping, and decreases just before they wake up,” Rakobowchuk says.

Previous research has suggested that some people with sleep disorders may have different patterns in their melatonin levels.

Rakobowchuk said the first step is to see what the normal curve looks like for kids with normal sleep patterns and children with sleep disorders.

“Once we figure that out, there might be subsequent studies where we look at: is a dual dose

A team of TRU researchers is studying how melatonin affects children. (Lars Plougmann/Creative Commons) the best way to create a normal curve and does that normal curve relate to better quality sleep?”

Figuring out why this is could be very helpful for Davey’s medical practice at the TRU sleep clinic. She focuses on treating children suffering from sleep deprivation which, if left untreated, can lead to a variety of behavioral problems such as memory and attention problems, hyperactivity and increased

anxiety or depression.

This research may become even more relevant in the future, as studies have found that the average amount of sleep that children get is decreasing.

Many of the sleeping issues in children can be improved with behavioural changes, but having a clear understanding of how melatonin affects children’s sleep will be important in facing these challenges.

Some of the key techniques recommended by experts to improve sleep at any age include keeping bedtimes and wake-up times consistent throughout the week, avoiding stimulating activities close to bedtime and restricting caffeine to lunchtime or earlier.

For more information on TRU’s pediatric melatonin study, contact the TRU sleep clinic or James Matthews at 604-363-7598.

Specialized MBAs unique in Western Canada Two new master’s programs focus on environmental sustainability in business and economics Wade Tomko CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Ω Two new master’s degree programs at Thompson Rivers University add a unique element to the university’s school of business and economics. Both the Master of Environmental Economics and Management (MEEM) and the Master in Science of Environmental Economics and Management (MScEEM) degrees focus on bringing sustainability into the world of business management.

According to Laura Lamb, an associate professor in business, the programs, which started this past September, are the first of their kind in Western Canada.

“The only other one I know of in Canada is at the University of Toronto, and that’s in a different league,” Lamb said. “I think it could be a signature program for TRU because of the fact that it is unique.”

Much like TRU’s MBA program, both the MEEM and MScEEM programs can be completed in one year by students with a bachelor’s degree in business administration or commerce.

These programs, while structured similarly to TRU’s existing MBA programs, offer students looking to pursue careers in economics or business management the chance to obtain a more

specialized degree.

Previously, the department allowed students in undergraduate programs to minor in environmental economics and sustainability. This lack of such specialization at the master’s level was partly responsible for the creation of the two new programs, Lamb said.

“Economics has had a minor in environmental and sustainability for a number of years in our undergraduate program,” Lamb said. “We are just taking it to the next level with the master’s program.”

Many faculty, including Lamb, have focused their research on the environment and sustainable economics over the last several years. Lamb said that this research specialization amongst economics professors heavily contributed to the creation of the new programs as well.

Though the programs focus on giving students a skill set that combines maximizing profit with environmental stewardship, these new master’s are for more than just business students, Lamb said.

“It is also applicable to students who want to work with policy in government,” Lamb said. “MBAs are directed more to the private sector, where this is directed at both. So we are providing a skill set that is useful for graduates to work in different

TRU's two new master's degree programs are like its MBA, but with a focus on the environment. (Wade Tomko/Ω) levels of government in terms of developing policy, critiquing policy, policy research and policy development.”

While there are only ten students in total between the two program this semester, Lamb believes that the programs may attract students with undergraduate degrees from other areas of study in the future.

“I could see a student that has an undergraduate degree in Natural Resource Science being interested in this,” she said. “In order to broaden their job possibilities, they might want to take something that would give them business and economics skills.”

Because of the specialization involved in both programs, the cost for each is slightly higher.

Where a regular MBA would cost $44,571 for international students and $29,230 for domestic students, the MEEM and MScEEM programs cost $47,630 and $30,750 respectively.

While the January intake deadline for both programs has already passed, students looking to apply for the May intake can do so until Feb. 15.

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OPINION

The moral argument against fragranced products Use fragranced consumer products in public? You may be causing other people pain and suffering Christopher Lindsay GUEST OPINION In the TV series, The X Files, Dana Scully says to Fox Mulder: “I have identified the effect. I am still looking for the cause.” When something happens (an effect) it can often be a mystery to determine why it happened (the cause).

One cause and effect relationship many people are unaware of is how fragranced consumer products can trigger health problems – including migraine headaches and asthma attacks – in a significant percentage of the population.

If products containing fragrance are proven to cause harm, then it can be argued consumers have a moral responsibility not to use these products in public.

Countless products have fragrance added to them. This includes perfumes, colognes, aftershaves, laundry detergents, fabric softeners, air fresheners, deodorants and soaps. In 2010, the Environmental Working Group did laboratory tests and found that the average fragrance product tested contained 14 secret

chemicals. Fragrance companies do not have to list the chemicals on the product label due to trade secret protections. The combined ingredients are labelled as “fragrance” or “parfum.” According to the International Fragrance Association, there are 3,999 different ingredients (both natural and synthetic) used in making fragrance.

Fragranced consumer products can negatively impact a person’s health. A 2016 Australian study of more than 1,000 people found that 33 per cent of respondents reported health problems after exposure to such products. Negative effects included migraine headaches, asthma attacks, contact dermatitis, respiratory difficulties, and mucosal symptoms. Nearly eight per cent of respondents had lost work days in the past year because they were exposed to fragrance. Exactly why fragrance can trigger health problems is not fully understood by scientists, but the effects are real.

If an individual uses fragranced consumer products at work (or in other public places), other people may experience negative health

symptoms. Even though it is legal to use these products in public, just because something is legal does not make it moral. It is a universal moral principle that no one should intentionally harm an innocent person. If this principle is true, then it is morally wrong to use fragranced products in public because doing so will cause other people pain and suffering.

A lot of suffering in this world is unavoidable, but the harm caused by fragrance is 100 per cent preventable. Instead of buying products with fragrance, consumers can buy brands that are labelled fragrance-free. (Fragrance-free means the product has no fragrance, while unscented means it contains a fragrance that will mask the odor caused by the chemical ingredients.)

Fragrance-free products are often higher in price, but the more people who buy them, the more corporations (and small businesses) will produce them, and the more alternatives there will be for consumers.

Christopher Lindsay is a TRU staff member concerned with the use of fragrances on campus.

Have an opinion you'd like to share?

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NEWS

NOVEMBER 8, 2017

Sessional profs walking a tight rope

Number of contract faculty continues to grow despite efforts of faculty associations Wade Tomko CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Ω According to Statistics Canada, the number of contract staff at post-secondary institutions in Canada has increased by 200 per cent since 1999. At the same time, the number of regular professors has only increased by 14 per cent.

“It’s not just the lack of job security and the lower pay, it’s that they don’t have the ability to upgrade their professional development, they don’t have the same support, if any, and they also can’t fully participate in the governance of the institution,” said TRU Faculty Association president Tom Friedman.

TRUFA’s collective agreement with the university currently allows for only 30 per cent of the university’s faculty and academic support workers to be sessionals. While certain departments may have a higher percentage of sessionals than others, TRU as a whole must maintain at least 70 per cent of their faculty as tenure or tenure-track.

While the number of contract faculty at TRU is comparatively low to other post-secondary institutions across the globe, Friedman would rather see less, not more sessionals at the university.

“The university basically says we have to run a third of our programs with these individuals,” Friedman said. “We keeping telling them that isn’t a target. If it was under 30 per cent we would be delighted.”

Across North America, faculty associations participated in Fair Employment Week at the end of October. For TRUFA and Friedman, this meant a chance to talk with students and staff about the precarity of being a sessional professor, an issue that has been highlighted by the college faculty strike engulfing Ontario.

In the Ontario college system, nearly 70 per cent of faculty are sessionals. Yet according to George Davison, president of the Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of B.C. (FPSE), Ontario faculty are also fighting for more academic freedom.

“They don’t have educational councils or senates,” Davison

said. “Our system is dual governance. In the Ontario colleges, faculty are second-class citizens. It's the administration who makes the decisions on educational policy.”

Though Ontario’s situation is dire, the number of contract faculty at universities has increased across Canada, a result of what Friedman says is the corporatization of universities.

“Most of the universities now are being run like corporations, which is a troubling trend,” Friedman said. “Instead of being a public institution, largely supported by the government through public grants, we are becoming a private institution largely supported by student tuition and private donations.”

The result of the corporatization of universities isn’t just higher tuition and unfair pay for contract faculty either. With continued budget cuts, more contract faculty are being hired, less research is being conducted, class sizes are getting bigger and many universities, including TRU, aren’t able to fully meet their regional mandates.

Under the former B.C.

TRU Faculty Association president Tom Friedman. (Wade Tomko/Ω) Liberals, FPSE and local unions weren’t given much room for bargaining on such issues. But both Davison and Friedman have hope for what a future under the NDP may bring.

“Ever since the Liberals came to power in 2001, it’s been very difficult to bargain anything.

Now that we have a friendly government again, we will see what we can do when we come to bargaining in March of 2019,” Davison said. “The reality for any of us, is that’s been a difficult bargaining atmosphere for the past several years. So, we are hoping things change.”

Storytellers Gala shines a light on unsafe drinking water in Canadian Aboriginal communities Jennifer Will NEWS EDITOR Ω The ninth annual TRUSU Storytellers Gala will be a discussion about access to clean and safe drinking water in Aboriginal communities in Canada. The gala will create awareness for an issue many Canadians are unaware of.

James-Dean Aleck, TRUSU’s Aboriginal students’ representative, said the discussion is long overdue.

“We are focusing on the broader scale, because within Canada there’s more than 150 Indian reserves that don’t have clean or safe drinking water.

What we’re hoping to do is bring in people to discuss solutions, but we are also open for people’s personal stories about how it’s affected them on their reserves,” Aleck said.

Aleck said we can’t always rely on the government to step in, and that the best way to create change is to be proactive.

“It’s very easy to point fingers and to point the blame. It’s very easy to complain. All of that is the easy part. The Prime Minister made a promise that this was going to be one of the issues he was going to tackle,” Aleck said.

“Of course, it’s been a couple of years and the issue has been pushed aside as something that’s not important, when really it is.

These Indian reserves need this

TRUSU Aboriginal representative James-Dean Aleck (middle) with speakers from last year's Storytellers Gala. (Submitted) clean water because it’s affecting the people now and it’s affecting the children of the future generations,” Aleck said.

The gala will consist of five panelists, each from different backgrounds and areas of expertise.

Casey Neathway (interior manager of environmental

public health services for the First Nations Health Authority), Chief Francis Alec (Ts’kw’aylaxw First Nation), Ruth Johannes Madsen (chair, Thompson Institute of Environmental Studies), Lisa Clark (drinking water engineer, Urban Systems) and Jeffrey More (social work lecturer at TRU) will all speak to

the subject.

“What we want to focus on is actually finding solutions. We want to gather different people from different perspectives to share their knowledge and try to piece together a plan for all Indian reserves,” Aleck said.

Aleck added that this is not just an Indigenous issue, it’s a

Canadian issue.

“We live in a time and an age where there’s so many problems and issues that could be solved if we would just band together,” Aleck said.

The event will take place from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 16 in the International Building’s room IB 1020.

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ARTS

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Upcoming Events

Karen Hofmann, Alix Hawley, Chris Bose and Patrick Blennerhassett chatted with attendees Friday evening after a candid conversation on the craft of writing.

Photo Cailyn Mocci

TRU Remembrance Day Ceremony Nov. 9 10:30 to 11:15 a.m.

Old Main Student Street Honour fallen, retired and still serving members of the different forms of Canada’s military.

Connecting authors and mentors in seventh annual Kamloops Writers Festival Cailyn Mocci ARTS EDITOR Ω This past weekend the Kamloops Society for the Written Arts hosted their annual writers festival.

Established in 2010 by Sylvia Olson with the help of the Kamloops Arts Council, the three-day event was hosted in downtown Kamloops at the Doubletree Hilton Hotel and the Kamloops Library. Attendees took in readings and workshops from authors Alix Hawley of Kelowna, Chris Bose of Kamloops, TRU faculty member Karen Hofmann and TRU alumni Patrick Blennerhassett.

The festival kicked off Friday with a panel discussion with all four authors, moderated by TRU storyteller and writer Alicia Ashcroft.

Attendees listened as the authors candidly shared the ups and downs of the craft and personal anecdotes.

The night followed with questions

of process and creation with different insights from all the authors.

“I write for myself,” Blennerhassett said. “If I’m not having fun, I’m not going to do it” Saturday afternoon consisted of facilitated workshops and readings from the panel of authors.

TRU’s Hofmann gave a workshop straight from her classroom, educating budding authors and experienced writers alike on the importance of developing your story from the bottom up. Those attending Hofmann’s workshop were encouraged to dive deeper into their stories and get sometimes simple ideas into skillful points fit for successful work.

TRU alumni Blennerhassett took a different approach when it came to his workshop. He focused on the importance of marketing yourself and your work after you’ve finished writing – a more back-end look at the publication process.

“You’re either going to

self-promote yourself or no one’s going to promote it,” Blennerhassett told those at the workshop.

Blennerhassett spoke from both an author and journalistic point of view while explaining to fellow writers the process and competition news media swims in. He used a number of his own experiences and interviews to demonstrate the good promotional skills an author needs, as well as things to avoid.

Blennerhassett has been a fulltime freelance journalist for several years, writing mainly for Business in Vancouver and the publication’s parent company, Glacier Media.

Growing up, Blennerhassett always looked at the world through a “question” filter, investigating constantly and debating issues that, in his teacher's eyes, might have been far beyond him.

Blennerhassett’s parents encouraged him and pointed him to focus his inquisitive mind towards developing a career in journalism. He

published his first article in 1998 – a concert review of a band called Big Rack in the Kamloops Daily News.

“That was it. I was hooked,” Blennerhassett said on his first taste of published writing.

Blennerhassett began his career with an internship at the Kamloops Daily News. He has worked in many different news organizations, in government media relations and has published four of his own books.

“When I first started I thought I was just going to do journalism until the fiction kicked off, but now I don’t think I’d quit the journalism.”

Currently, Blennerhassett is the author of Random Acts of Vandalism, Monument, A Forgotten Legend and The Fatalists.

Blennerhassett plans of going back to school at UBC for their graduate journalism program.

The Kamloops Writers Festival is continuously growing, and with that, the growth of the creative community in Kamloops is thriving.

Competition wants to bridge the gap between cultures with song Cailyn Mocci ARTS EDITOR Ω The TRU Chinese Students and Scholars Association is set to launch a cultural singing competition on campus featuring students from all over the world.

This event aims to boost cultural exchange through music and bridge the gaps between nations.

TRU student participants hail from China, Russia, India, Canada, Nigeria and Vietnam. Thirty singers have signed up to compete.

Jonas Loza will be one of the singers representing Canada in the competition. Loza is a tourism management student as well as a singer and songwriter, who says he’s very open to different styles.

Loza has performed a number of covers in the past, but recently made the push to produce more of his own original music and has several songs in the works. Along with singing, Loza plays the guitar and started learning to play the

piano this past summer.

“I’m super last minute,” Loza said when asked about his plans for his performance. “I know it’ll be acoustic so I’ll have my guitar up there, for sure.”

Loza is confident and believes that he will do well in the upcoming preliminary round.

Prizes are $500 for first place, $200 for second, $100 for third and $100 for voter’s choice.

The competition will focus on showcasing the cultures of TRU’s students and displaying traditions through a live singing show.

Performers are urged to perform songs in their native tongue to represent the culture and traditional music styles of their home.

The preliminary round of competition is set for Nov. 9 in the Terrace Room of the Campus Activity Centre, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

More information on this event and the singers set to perform is available on their website at trucssa.ca.

Music Bridge 2018 Singing Competition Preliminary Round Nov. 9 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Terrace Room (CAC) Music Bridge 2018 is an opportunity for Canadian and international students to communicate their cultures and traditions through the fun and engaging way of singing.

Canada 150+ art Exhibition Nov. 9 to 17 TRU Art Gallery In this juried exhibition of works by students, faculty and staff, artists answer the question: “What Does Canada Mean to Me?” National Men’s Soccer Championship Nov. 9 to 12 Cheer on the TRU WolfPack as they host the U Sports Canadian men’s soccer championships for the first time in their history.

Drink & Draw @ Red Collar Nov. 8 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Join Red Collar Brewery with a night of art, friends and a good drink.

Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker Nov. 13 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Sagebrush Theatre Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker features over-the-top production values and world class Russian artists. Larger than life puppets and nesting dolls, and gloriously hand-crafted costumes bring the Christmas spirit to life.

The final event for Music Bridge will take place Feb 2, 2018.

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COMICS & PUZZLES

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Puzzle of the Week #9 — Friends' Block Five friends (Allison, Beth, Bob, Sue, and Tom) live in consecutive houses on the same side of one block of an eastwest street. There are only the five houses on that side of the block. From the clues, determine who lives where.

Bob does not live at either end of the block.

Exactly one girl and one boy live next to Sue. Tom lives west of Beth.

Bob lives east of Allison.

Usually, the friends meet at Sue’s because the total distance everyone has to travel to get there is lower than that for any other of the five friends.

This contest is sponsored by the Mathematics and Statistics department. The full-time student with the best score at the end of the year will win a prize. Please submit your solution (not just the answer but also why) by noon next Wednesday to Gene Wirchenko (<genew@telus.net>). Submissions by others are also welcome. The solution will be posted the Wednesday after that in my blog (http://genew. ca/). Come visit the Math Centre (HL304): we are friendly.

NOVEMBER 8, 2017

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7

SPORTS

Popadynetz named Canada West player of the year Alvin Mutandiro SPORTS EDITOR Ω

The WolfPack's Mitch Popadynetz has been named the Canada West men's soccer player of the year. In Saturday's bronze medal game, he assisted on one of TRU's two goals. (TRU Athletics)

Cross-country team ready for nationals over weekend Alvin Mutandiro SPORTS EDITOR Ω The WolfPack men’s and women’s cross-country running teams are getting ready for the 2017 U Sports nationals to be hosted at the University of Victoria.

The nationals will be run on Nov. 12.

The cross-country program is now in its fourth year and has made tremendous strides, but hopes to take even bigger strides at the upcoming nationals.

The team has been involved in a few competitions so far this season, the last being the B.C. cross-country championships held in Abbotsford’s Clearbrook park on Oct. 28.

Ten athletes took part in those championships, five men and five women.

The highest finisher for the ‘Pack in the men’s eight kilometre race was Tony Kiprop (Eldoret, Kenya).

He finished 20th overall with a time of 25 minutes 23 seconds.

Second highest was Troy Morgan (Hythe, Alta.), who finished 23rd

overall with a time of 26:03. Captain Conlan Sprickerhoff (Williams Lake, B.C.) was 24th overall in a time of 26:16.

In the women’s six kilometer race, the ‘Pack’s highest finisher was Faryn Brown (Kamloops), who was 22nd overall with a time of 22:09. Right behind her was Kendra Murray (Whitehorse, YT) in a time of 22:13. Zoe Painter, (Whitehorse, YT), came 27th with a time of 23:56.

It was a decent showing for TRU and presented an opportunity for the ’Pack to get some race time under their belts.

A number of factors will play a role in the ‘Pack’s performance at the nationals, such as weather and the type of course. To get more on how preparations for the nationals are going for TRU, The Omega caught up with team captain Conlan Sprickerhoff and one of the fastest athletes on the team, Tony Kiprop.

“Feeling pretty good,” said Captain Conlan Sprickerhoff on his team’s preparations. “We’ve got a full team, seven on each side, hopefully. It’s looking really strong.”

Sprickerhoff also spoke about the importance of his team having mental toughness, especially at times in the race when fatigue has built up considerably.

“I want to see everybody work together and run as fast as they can,” Sprickerhoff said.

With cross-country being an outdoor sport, weather plays a major part in preparations, but it hasn’t hurt the TRU team much.

“So far nothing has affected us, apart from when it snowed recently,” Kiprop said. “Hopefully no one gets injured. That is the focus.”

Kiprop also spoke of what he aims to achieve personally going into the nationals.

“My own personal goal is to improve my time by two to three minutes. If i can achieve that, that would be perfect,” he said.

With it being the WolfPack team’s fourth year in the U Sports program, TRU hopes to make an even bigger impact than in previous years.

The team continues to grow under the leadership of coach Carmin Mazzotta, who also looks forward to a strong performance on Nov. 12.

The WolfPack men’s soccer team has had a historical season. For the first time ever, the team made the playoffs and ended up with a bronze medal.

A key part of that success was Mitchell Popadynetz.

Mitchell Popadynetz was named player of the year and first-team Canada West all-star after an excellent season where he led the team with seven goals, 10 assists with 17 points, tying first in Canada West in points and leading the league in assists.

He is the third WolfPack athlete to be named a Canada West player of the year.

Popadynetz, a product of Nelson Youth Soccer, transferred to TRU from UBC, where he was part of a team that won a national championship gold medal.

In 2013, Popadynetz also guided team B.C. to a silver medal at the Canada Summer Games in Sherbrooke, Que. “The award is very well deserved for Mitch,” head coach John Antulov told TRU Athletics.

“Not only this season, but over

the last three years. We knew we were getting a special player when he came to us from UBC,” Antulov said.

“He is not only an offensive guy, he has taken to everything we talked about on the defensive side of the ball and has become an excellent all-around player. Overall, it has been a fantastic thing for our program. Great leader, great person and I am very happy for him.”

Popadynetz continued his good form into the playoffs providing an assist for Anatoli Leveille in the bronze medal game against Alberta.

Popadynetz is not just involved with U Sports soccer but also with the Premier Development League, where he will play for the TSS Rovers out of Vancouver. The league is a semi-pro organization for players under the age of 23. It is two leagues below MLS. The WolfPack soccer team has its own star and match winner. His contribution this season has been a huge reason for their success and the ’Pack team will be hoping that good form continues as they head into the nationals. Given the challenge, the ’Pack will need him at his best.

Mitchell Popadynetz — 2017 season statistics STATISTICS COUNT LEAGUE RANK Games started 15 35th Goals 7 18th Assists 10 1st Points 17 3rd Shots 39 12th Shot Pct .179 217th Penalty kicks 3-3 6th Game-winning goals 2 21st

Offence solid in final Canada West game, nationals still to come CONTINUED (COVER) TRU kept its offence up throughout the game, sending 14 shots, five of them on goal.

After the game, TRU head coach spoke with TRU Athletics and said he was very happy with the win.

“To come away with a medal in our first time at the final four is massive for our program and our players. Couldn’t be happier for the guys,” he said.

“The guys played fantastic and

represented the university well.

This is a great motivator and confidence builder going into our first game at nationals against York next week.”

Despite the medal, if this was any other year, the WolfPack’s season would be over, but as hosts they’ll play again next week in the U Sports soccer nationals, and the bronze they earned Saturday will likely give them some confidence as they head even further into uncharted territory.

8

THE OMEGA

NOVEMBER 8, 2017

Do you have a dentist appointment? Need to find your health plan number? Wondering what is covered on your plan?

visit trusu.ca/health-dental for more info

STORYTELLERS GALA Safe Water for Aboriginal Communities Panel Discussion Nov 16, at 6PM in International Building 1020

details at trusu.ca/events

Struggling to make ends meet? details at trusu.ca/food-bank /TRUStudentsUnion

@TRUSU15

@TRUSU15