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SPORTS Roundup of athletes scores Patterson chasing pucks in sun BYJOHNCUDMORE com About the last place Thomas Patterson expected to be playing hockey this season was in Florida Yet there he is as a business management student at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers and a member of the nonvarsity Eagles hockey program I knew I had another year in Newmarket if I wanted it said Patterson who served as captain of the Hurricanes for the 200809 season to cap a threeyear Junior A career I was almost set to return but this was an opportunity and after a yearandahalf I was really due to go to school The Newmarket resident real ized he was at a crossroads He either could return for a fourth season hoping to gain a Division III package in the NCAA or move on and get back in the classroom for the first time since graduating Sir William Mulock Sec ondary School a couple of years earlier The combination of going to Florida showing up at the rink every day in shorts receiving fund ing for school and continuing to play hockey was too much to turn down he said Receiving academic and merit financial aid made the decision easier The Eagles compete as an inde pendent member in Division n of the American Collegiate Hockey Association an organization with more than 375 clubs competing at Division II and III levels across the United States I looked at some schools in Wisconsin and Boston said Pat terson who had eight goals and seven assists in 17 games before a pair of games this weekend against the Missouri State Bears But Im a golfer too and theres a lot of courses within a couple of miles so the chance to connect the two sports in Florida was one I couldnt turndown As a nonvarsity program the privately funded hockey operation is not permitted to offer athletic scholarships Players pay a nominal fee but are represented on a board of directors Outofstate road trips are by air travel and players receive the same equipment and treat ment as any varsity sport Typically the competition is against the nonvarsity often feed er teams to varsity programs at bigname NCAA schools such as Boston University Colorado State Ferris State and University of Con necticut The ACHA is just as competitive as the NCAA said university direc tor of communications Matthew Maida a former player and Cana dian recruiter for the program pointing out the Eagles program is affiliated with the Florida Ever- blades of the East Coast Hockey League He also noted 94 per cent of the players in the hockey pro gram receive financial aid based on marks and merit Were selective in the players we go after Maida said Were not trying to develop NHLers but serve as an aphrodesiac to get these play ers through college We have had kids go on to play pro through the Everblades and in Europe Sporting an 1172 record the Eagles are setting their sights on naSS chXiSprfo Patterson the second straight season Myers Ha He is also eanung a business degree STAFF PHOTOSUSIE Coyotes spike Ottawa title BYIOHNCUDMORE Members of the Clearmeadow Public School Coyotes senior girls volleyball team have good reason to howl The Coyotes capped a dream season last Saturday by rallying to in the 33rd annual Spik- ers Invitational elementary schools tournament championship in Otta wa with a 2522 2726 victory over the Samuel Genest Lasers of Ottawa in the final Winners of the York Region ele mentary schools championship last month in Aurora the Coyotes swept to seven straight victories in Ottawa to win the 16team double- A category featuring several of the 16 top teams in the province In all 42 schools competed in various divi sions The triumph capped an unde feated season for the Coyotes com prised of Grade 7 and 8 students In fact the 10player squad did not lose a set all season This was the most enjoyable experience in all my years of coach ing said head coach Ken Milne also physical education teacher We have a very small team but theyre very good at keeping the ball in play Their positional play is phe nomenal The ability to maintain focus no matter the situation was a critical factor in the Coyotes success The Coyotes won four straight matches in pool play before spiking the Durham Rebels In quarterfinal action and topping Ottawas Franco- Cite in the semifinal round Cupids arrow targets synchronized skating event Division titles are on the line for four categories as the Skate Cana daCentral Ontario Cupids Capers synchronized skating competition heads into its final day of competi tion this morning at the Ray Twin- ney Complex The first of two skates at the pre- novice level opens the days action at 8 am and followed by three adult categories Gold final skates start at 1257 pm The host Iced Energy is entered in three of the four categories including prenovice Eightone teams and about 1 200 skaters were scheduled to compete in the twoday event that started yesterday Tickets range from for adults to for seniors and children and younger Check out wwwicedenergyorg for a full schedule of todays Cupids Capers events Jets Ices gold at Oakville meet Ryan Baskin won the juvenile division title and ORourke finished second in the midget cat egory to highlight the performanc es of Newmarket Jets members at a Western Regional speed skating meet in Oakville last weekend Sarah Mulcahy also managed a top five finish as she placed fourth in the juvenile division Tigers in Junior A matinee The Aurora Tigers resume a threegame homestand this after noon when the Trenton Golden Hawks visit the Aurora Community Centre in Ontario Junior A Hockey League action The Tigers began the weekend in eighth place in the 15team league and will seek their third win in four meetings with the Golden Hawks this season Game time is 230 pm GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR SENIORS FAMILIES GET EXERCISE WHILE EARNING CASH CHILDREN WILL LEARN WHILE THEY EARN mi in Newmarket Aurora Holland Landing Bradford Ml Albert Sharon Queensville King City As a Carrier your child will be enrolled in our special points program which encourages himher to do well in school a sense of pride In their ach Topic Abvocak the era Distribution Department