20 Something Sudbury | Page 19

Sports www.20somethingsudbury.ca Pride and Tradition Laurentian Voyageur Basketball Basketball season is here! With new additions and a renewed determination the Voyageurs promise to bring you an exciting, action packed season. We sat down with Danielle Harris from the women’s team and Alex Ratte from the men’s team to find out what fans can expect this season. 20SS: What is your biggest strength as a team this year? AR: Everyone knows their role. We are playing well together as a team and no one tries to go out of their element. DH: We’ve really been working at hustling – being the first to dive for a loose ball and putting forth 100% of our effort. 20SS: What is your biggest challenge as a team this year? AR: Staying focused throughout the year is a challenge for us. It’s easy to get exhausted when we are practicing three hours a day. The key to being successful is staying focused. DH: Overcoming culture change is probably our biggest challenge this year. We have new additions to our coaching staff and a new head coach this year, so there are a lot of changes to the way we do things. 20SS: What games should fans watch for – are there any particular teams you are matched well with? AR: Ottawa U and Ryerson. We’ve had a rivalry against Ryerson. We’ve had some close games with them and have played them in the playoffs – they’ve been scrappy games. DH: York. We are well matched with them and we’ve always had close games against them. 20SS: What is your goal as a team this year? AR: We want to make it to nationals this year and be in the top eight – that’s the ultimate goal. DH: We want to make it to the playoffs. We haven’t made it since I’ve been playing here, but it’s a goal I know we’re capable of. We’ve also been focusing on getting back to “Pride and Tradition” standards – the foundation that the Voyageur program was built on. PAGE 19