June 27th

Victory over Japan in a game full of ups and downs

Shaky start for Canada but by the end of the 1st Q, Japan had used all their time outs and we were up. At halftime we were up by 4 with the ball and then we released the foot from the gas pedal and Japan made it close, we won the game by 1.

China in the 2nd game: The Chinese are still improving but still have a long ways to go, hopefully their program will stick around for a long time;)


Marco

June 26th

Notes from Marco

Classification is still ongoing, Crone is a straightforward 1.5 but with uncommon speed. I believe its got to be the new chair;)

Practice was early this morning, passing mostly, lots of guests attending our practice (Brazil, Argentina, Finland, Germany, USA and others)

A couple of video sessions for our boys and on to the games

June 25th


Notes from Marco

Its practice time, we will be on court from 14:30 to 16:00.

We have 14 athletes here Funk, Paradis, Hirschfield, Crone, Simard, Chartrand, Luangkhamdeng, Murao, Willsie, Chan, Lavoie, Whitehead and not playing are Schmutz and Hickling.

We will have a special guest practicing with us Juan Foa from Argentina for both our practice sessions before the action starts on Friday against Japan at 11:00 am.

This tournament is a prelude to Paralympics as all the combatants are here and the pools will be the same so we have USA, Canada, Japan and China in one pool and Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain and Germany in the other.

Classification starts today and it will be interesting to see what comes out of this;)

At the Assembly yesterday we had 14 voting members USA, Australia, Canada, GB, New Zealand, Japan, Germany and China + Sweden, Switzerland, Finland, South Africa, Netherlands and Brazil and observers/ emailers from India, Argentina, Columbia, Austria.

Media game is at 13:00, Trevor Hirschfield will be representing Canada.

Xable.com, will be carrying 5 games this weekend starting on Saturday, I believe its 2 games on Saturday and 3 games on Sunday. John Bishop will be doing the play by play so don't miss any of the action.

Chérie Harris from New Zealand is now the new IWRF Secretary.

IWRF Sport Assembly (part 2)

- On the in-bound a player may bounce the ball as many times as he wants respecting the 10 secs in-bound rule;
- Chairs will be checked prior to tournaments and there will be random checks during tournaments;
- Sanction for an equipment technical foul will result in a technical foul being imposed along with a time out being taken away. In the event that a team doesn't have any time outs, the team will be imposed another technical foul (penalty) served consecutively;
- The point limit will be increased by 0.5 for each female player on the court;
- Any device to hold the ball resulting in a mechanical advantage will be eliminated;
- Flagrant foul: the penalty will be for a fragrant foul will be a personal foul and 2 technical fouls to be served consecutively. Also there will be a yellow and red card system similar to soccer/football that will carry the potential of a suspension for 1 game for a red card.

ThaThaThat's all folks!

IWRF Sport Assembly (part 1)

I'm currently attending the 2008 IWRF Sport Assembly as Canada's official delegate and voting member.

So all the rules voted here will be applied after upon the conclusion of the Beijing Paralympic Games.

The biggies:

- IWRF will become an independent international sport federation
- 12 seconds to cross half once the offensive team gets possession
- 40 seconds score clock once the ball is touched on court
- 4 x 30 secs time outs + 2 one minute time outs on dead balls to be used by the coaches.
- The formation of a commission to review the classification process
- 2 minute pause between 1st and 2nd period and the 3rd and 4th periods
- Introduction of a rule forbidding substitutions on frivolous equipment time outs (if you break your elbow or have a broken chair that would be different, but no more "My bandana is off center and I need a sub!"

Please also note that these rules only apply to sanctioned tournaments.

More to come later ;)

OT

Canada holding the ball for the last goal after winning the tip, Zupan with the penalty at 1:36, Zupan back

less than 30, what u gonna do when the pressure is on, less than 10

Score with 3.5

Canada wins 32-31

Down the final stretch

Less than 4 mins to go 29-28 USA

Zupan with the turnover, Canada ties it up, USA arrow

USA gets it back

Zupan called 10 secs no dribble Canada down 1

Lavoie with the pass to tie the game deflected by Kirkland to Simard, who scoops it up for the equalizer

31-31 going into OT

4Q

Canada scores to make the spread 1 but its now USA ball and the arrow.

USA setting up in the key

Lots of intensity out there, I wonder what Don Cherry would say?

with 4:08 left USA up 29-27 (Canada ball playing against US key defense)

3rd Q

USA with the ball and their World Championship gold medal team line up

Tie game, Canada arrow

USA forces a turnover but are forced to call time out (1 left) we have 2

Man Krikland is tall, the man makes s*** happen

17 all

Turnover Canada followed by a penalty, USA turning on the heat ready to go up 2, Canada ball though

Canada down 3 now after another turnover.

At this high level its a little difficult for people to keep up to insure the proper administration of the game.

Talking about function over ability...

Wilmoth wipes out Paradis near the goal line in an attempt to go for last goal after the expiration of time, Paradis seems ok, but i'm not sure about the chair.

Canada down 2 at the end of the 3rd Q

2nd Q part deux

Time out Canada still up 1 with the ball

Time out # 2 off the relentless pursuit of class 2.0? Nick Springer. Tell me this, are we looking at a superior conditioned athlete or the triumph of function over talent/ability? A class 2.0 covering anyone 1 on 1 in the world, interesting. Is there more to trunk and hips and thighs and...:) than meets the eye?

USA gets the final goal at 3.9 secs to cut the lead to 1 with the arrow to start the 3rd

Canada up 16-15

2nd Q

Canada starts with the ball and takes a 2 goal lead.

USA with already 2 time outs used, the pressure is on!

halfway through the 2nd Canada up 13-12 with the ball and Zupan in the box

Game 6, Championship game vs USA


Whoa, intensity was high yesterday, its been cranked up tenfold


Canada up 6-5 at the end of the 1st Q

Final thoughts Canada vs NZ

Canada showed good intensity in this game, did the little things well and capitalized on the opponents mistakes.

Refs were good, table officials were Lakeshore good

Now on to the finals

2:42 left in the game

NZ calls time-out to sub in a new ine up now rolling with the 2.5, 2, 2, 1.5 line

Vertical spin on Palmer, Canada going for last goal with 1:28 left

15 secs remaining. goal scored with 5.4 secs

For good measure NZ calls time out to attempt a last goal after they inbound the ball

Final score Canada 34 NZ 30

on to the finals at 13:00 vs the US

start of the 4th

Deuces in

Jump ball, possession back to the Kiwi's, turnover, Canada gets it back Murao with the steal and subsequent penalty on Tinker.

Canada playing keep away, turn over on the pass but shaky offense from NZ results in a jump ball, ball back to Canada. Giveth away, Taketh away, time out Canada up 3 with the ball and no time outs.

Canada back to to hi-lo, Buckingham with the penalty, Canada takes the full minute to score, halfway point of the 4th, Canada up 3 with the ball

Teams going goal for goal which works for us with less than 3 mins up by 4 (31-27)

3rd Q

Canada going for last goal with 2 minutes left, mission accomplished with 2.9 secs left

Canada up 25-22 with the arrow to start the 4th

Start of the 2nd, Buckingham with another spill (this one self inflicted), 3 bumps on the head to go along with a shiner

Tie game NZ possession

Canada forces a turnover and another

Beautiful execution on Canada's last goal attempt with 8 seconds left, double on Buckingham, Chan with the lead pass to Whitehead back to Chan with speed off the inbound who pushes deep into the front court back to Whitehead for the goal with 0.4 left 16-14 Canada at the half

CAN vs NZ (June 22 @ 9:00)

End of the 1st Q

NZ 8 CAN 7 (Arrow for Canada)

This is the game to decide who goes to the final

4th Q

Canada starts off strong again with a quick turnover on the deuces line up

Last time out used by Canada, USA with 3 remaining

Canada showed lots of intensity by the US proved to be too much for Canada to handle today.

Final score USA 38 Canada 30

Final standings for the double round robin portion of the tournament

USA 4-0
CAN 1-3
NZ 1-3

start of the 3rd

Canada with a quick start, creating a turnover and they capitalize

USA with Joel "will he stay or will he go" Willmoth, Groulx, McBride and Regier vs Lavoie, Chan, Simard and Funk, USA gets the turnover back.

Canada turnover on the inbound, USA 7up with the jump

USA setting up in the key against the 3, 2, 1.5, 1.5 line up

USA clicking on all cylinders up now by 8 (32-24) with the arrow to start the 4th Q

Wilmoth turns it over off of Lavoie pressure to start the 2nd Q

Canada turns it over 2 times, US up 3 (16-13)

Canada turns it over again, US by 4, USA height and power proving to be a little much

Turnover # 4 in this quarter

Turnover Canada, USA sends in fresh troups with the deuces line up, USA gonna go up by 6

Turnover # 6, USA up by 7

Canada gets the last goal and cuts the lead to 6 with the ball to start the 3rd

Whoa, gotta to love the intensity that a Canada vs USA brings

USA going for lat goal leading 12-11. Zupan called in and out at goal line

What a period!

USA -CAN subs

Whitehead-Chan-Simard and PAradis vs Zupan, Cohen, Groulx and Hoggsett at 4:08

USA wins the jump

Canada turnover

US turnover

Intensity is there

Canada has shown up

game time people

Sumner, Kirkland, McBride and Lyduch vs Lavoie, LKD, and the 1.5's

44 minutes to game time, boys have made adjustments, lets see how they come out

4th Q

Canada scores 1st but NZ answers

Class 1.0 Wakeford for NZ about to make is 1st appearance

NZ calls time out for a sub, Buckinham back in

Canada gets a turnover, maybe this will light up the team

Good pressure, but a reaching penalty (4:50) is called, NZ using the full minute

Canada showing some guts here, pushing NZ and forcing them to use 2 more time outs

Game in the books, learn your lessons and move on ASAP;)

Hold the phone, Canada with a flurry but falls a little too short

Final score NZ 29-27 CAN

USA at 17:00

USA 3-0
CAN 1-2
NZ 1-2

Start of the 3rd Q

Buckingham out and NZ reverts to the key defense.

Canada with the turnover on Palmer, Simard with the goal

Canada turns it over NZ back in the lead

Canada turns it over again, NZ looking to go up by 2

3:28 left NZ 17 Can 15

Arrow favors Canada

Canada playing uninspired ball

Time out Canada, 1 left

Buckingham back in the game, NZ pressing

Canada turns the ball over, 10 secs no dribble

NZ up 21-18

Canada turns the ball over, sloppy play

The wake up call hasn't come yet

Another turnover, wheels falling off the chairs, NZ up by 5, Canada calls an ill advised time out with 0.5 seconds left

Canada down 5 after 3Q 23-18

2nd Q CAN vs NZ

Still not many goals as NZ sets up in the key and Canada as trouble scoring against a well coordinated defense.

Buckingham still hasn't seen the floor but he's getting ready to sub in the late stages of the 1st half.

NZ up by 1 (11-10) with about 2 mins left in the half.

Canada so far has used 2 time outs and NZ hasn't used any.

NZ going for the last goal at 11-11

Simard knocked out at the key but NZ can't score.

11 draw through 2Q

NZ with the ball to start the 3rd Q

Canada vs NZ

Canada started with the deuces, they held their own but turned the ball over once.

Not many goals in this period as teams were prudent, setting up in the key and waiting for their opportunities.

NZ ahead of Canada 7-6 at the end of the 1st with the jump

USA vs NZ (June 21st, 2008 at 9:00)


Quick start by the US with Wilmoth, Kirkland, McBride + Regier and the Kiwi's never were in the game. Complete domination, US looking strong.

Final score USA 47 NZ 35

Next game at 13:00 CAN vs NZ

last 4 mins of the 4th

Lavoie calls time out, Canada must scoree quickly, Zupan with the foul at 3:24

USA going back to the key unopposed

Foul on Simard with 2:37 left

USA using the full minute on Simard's penalty and they score upon Simard's returnà

Lavoie throws deep and finds Hoggsett at half court for an easy steal, put a fork in it its done!!

Early turnovers cost our boys dearly but our guys put up quite a battle in the 2nd half

Final score those guys 36, Canada 32;)


Schedule for tomorrow 13:00 vs NZ and 17:00 vs USA

4th Q

Canada starting with Whitehead, Willsie, Simard and Crone vs USA 2006 World's starters Zupan, Kirkland, Cohen and Hoggsett

5:26 sub for Canada Lavoie, Chan, Simard and Funk are in

Bad inbound USA, Lavoie deflects ball off of Kirkland, turnover, Canada scores and it makes it USA 30-28 approaching the halfway point of the 4th

USA setting up in the key

3rd Q

Canada rolling with the deuces, USA counters With Sumner 3.0, Kirkland and McBride 2.0 and Lyduch

Jump ball US gets the ball, Lavoie steals the inbound, Canada scores, giveth away taketh away ;)

Wilmoth back on the floor with Groulx, McBride and Lyduch vs Lavoie, Chan, Crone and Funk

Groulx back on the floor, solid hit by Lavoie

USA now running Zupan, Cohen, Groulx and Hoggsett

Last minute of play, Canada going for last goal going 2 on 3 with Crone and Funk trapping Groulx, goal with 2.0 seconds left

Score at the end of 3: USA 28-24 Canada ball to start the 4th

both teams with 2 time outs left

2nd Q

Canada rolling with the deuces, USA going with Wilmoth 3.5, Kirkland 2, McBride 2 and Regier .5

USA setting up in the key, Canada takes over 1 mintute to score

Canada turnover

Sub at 5:32 (Whitehead. LKD and the 1.5's)

Zupan, Kirkland, Cohen and Lyduch in at 2:52

US 19- CAN 15

USA vs Canada (NORAM Cup, June 20th, 2008 at 17:00)

Canada running 3, 3, 1.5, 0.5 (Whitehead, Chan, Simard, Funk) US counters with Deuces.

USA quick start, a couple of turnovers for Canada and a sub at 5:53 of the 1st (Lavoie, LKD, Willsie and Hirschfield (3, 2, 2, 1)

Kirkland with the jump on Lavoie, Canada retains possession, USA deuces putting lots of pressure.

Kirkland visits the ground courtesy of Lavoie and he's called for a hold.

USA up by 2 with the ball at 3:08

USA turnover at 3:07 Lavoie retrieves the bad pass.

Canada subs with Lavoie, Chan, Crone and Paradis, USA still running the deuces.

Groulx visits the floor, penalty on Lavoie, USA setting up the trap, Lavoie calls for inbound, USA now running 3, 2, 2, 1 (Zupan, Cohen, Groulx and Hoggsett)

1:22 left Canada turnover USA going for last goal and they capitalize

End 1st quarter USA up 11-8 with the jump

Hello out there, we're on the air, it's Rugby day today


One game in the books 38-35 win over New Zealand.

Whitehead, LKD (Say), Simard, Crone started and set the tone with a couple of turnovers. The deuces line up followed by the 3, 2, 2, 1 line up. We played all our line ups except the line ups with the 0.5's as they have the day off today.

Game 2 is at 17:00 vs the US of A. The US defeated NZ by 9 for the 13:00 game.

The format here with the 3 teams present is double round robin, followed by 2 vs 3 and the final.

CThe team is now reviewing the game plan against the US.


Later people,


Marco