Chargers host Annual Holiday Classics
December 19, 2008
The Camosun College Chargers basketball and volleyball teams will be lighting up the gym in the Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence over the holiday season as they host their annual Christmas and New Year’s Classic tournaments where fans of both sports will have the rare opportunity to watch teams that are in the hunt to place in BC and Alberta playoffs compete under one roof.
Basketball fans can catch the Chargers in action at the Third Annual Camosun Chargers Christmas Classic basketball tournament, December 27-29. Facing Camosun’s men and women on the hardwood are BCCAA conference teams the Capilano Blues (4th nationally ranked women), Island rivals, the VIU Mariners, Langara Falcons, UBC-Okanagan Heat, and the Kwantlen Eagles. Teams from out of province include the Highline T-birds (Des Moines, WA), Centralia Trailblazers (Centralia, WA), Medicine Hat Rattlers (AB) and SAIT Trojans (AB).
Basketball Christmas Classic Tournament schedule
When asked which team the number two nationally ranked Chargers will most look forward to competing against, Chargers women’s basketball head coach Brett Westcott replied, "Anytime you get to play teams from outside your own conference there is an extra incentive. I think we will really look forward to playing Medicine Hat at our tournament on December 29. We feel like they stole our wildcard berth into the national championship tournament last season so we want to make sure that type of decision does not reoccur. Otherwise, we look forward to playing all the teams in the tournament and providing fans with some exciting entertainment over the holidays."
Entering 2009, the Chargers men’s and women’s volleyball teams will host their annual New Year’s Classic Tournament (January 1-3) to shake off the holiday rust and prepare for the push for playoffs. Twelve teams from BC and Alberta will descend upon the PISE gym to ring in the New Year and battle for the title.
Included on the list of visiting teams are the Capilano Blues women, who are ranked number three in the Canadian College’s Athletic Association (CCAA) and the VIU Mariner men who are the country’s top CCAA team. Other teams include the Lethbridge Kodiaks, Medicine Hat Rattlers, University of Fraser Valley Cascades and Douglas College Royals.
Volleyball Welcome 2009 Tournament schedule
Of special interest to fans who have watched the Chargers over the years are the NAIT Ooks men’s and women’s teams who will be travelling to Victoria with their new Athletics and Recreation Director and former, long-time Camosun Chargers men’s volleyball head coach, Linda Henderson. Henderson coached the Chargers for 15 years and took the program to 12 consecutive provincial playoffs and five national championship appearances. Ook’s women’s volleyball head coach Keith Lundgren will also be welcomed back to Victoria as part of the NAIT entourage. Lundgren served as head coach of the Camosun Chargers women’s volleyball program (2003-2005).
“I am really looking forward to our matches against NAIT, as well as seeing Keith and Linda,” stated Chargers women’s head coach Alison Hitesman. “It will also be interesting to see how teams on the other side of the Rockies, like Lethbridge, perform. I’ve always felt that BC and Alberta are neck and neck with their quality of players and level of competition, so now we’ll see first-hand.”
Catch the Chargers’ holiday tournaments at the Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence, 4371 Interurban Road.
Contact
Brett Westcott, Head Coach,
Chargers Women's Basketball
250–388–9807
westcott@shaw.ca
Alison Hitesman, Head Coach
Charger Women's Volleyball
Cell: 250-514-6231
Alison@projectstrategies.ca
