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Wednesday, October 6, 1999 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER DT Photos special to the Beaver National team player David Kantor is a member of Canada's national volleyball team, suiting up earlier this year in both World League play and at the Pan-Am games in Winnipeg, where these photos werfc taken. He'd love nothing better than to compete for Canada at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. LEFT PHOTO: Kantor with his Pan-Am Games bronze medal. RIGHT PHOTO: Kantor gets great height in a game against Columbia at the Pan-Am Games. Blakelock grad a smashing success By Norm Nelson BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR I t will be a tough task for Canada's national men's volleyball team to qualify for the 2000 Sydney Olympics, but it's one that Blakelock grad David Kantor relishes. Kantor, who went on to have a stellar career at Queen's University, earning the university's athlete of the year honours in his final year (1996), has been on the national team since 1997. The 25-year-old 6'8" Oakville native is a middle blocker. His high point, so far, came in World League play earlier this year in a game against power­ house Brazil that was carried across Canada on CTV SportsNet. "That was my first match I started for Canada. That's probably the highlight of my volleyball career, so far. It keeps changing, get­ ting better and better. That was unreal." Oakville sports fans also got a rare to chance to see him in action later in the summer on TSN and CBC as he helped the Canadian team to a bronze medal at the Pan Am Games. Two of the world's best teams battled it out for the top two medals with Cuba prevailing over Brazil. In the bronze medal match, he recapped, "we beat Argentina. We had lost to Argentina in pool play so it was nice to come back and reverse things." Kantor was in Oakville recently for a brief break from the national training camp in Winnipeg. Usually at this time of year, Kantor is not even in the country, let alone Oakville. For the past three years, since graduating from Queen's University, he has played profes­ sional volleyball in Europe. It's been quite the experience, with the last season turning out the 7 wouldn't consider it a real sacri­ fice because I 'm playing for Canada. Ever since I started playing volleyball, that was my goal, and my dream was to play for Canada at the Olympics. Right now I 'm going for that, so I 'm happy. ' - David Kantor best. His first season (1996/97) was on a team just outside of Amsterdam in Holland and he con­ ceded it was "a little bit of a trying experience." And for obvious reasons. New job, new country. The team dynamics were eye opening. About' the only thing they shared was talent. After that, it was all over the map. Kantor came from a background of intense training and team cama­ raderie. That's the way it was on the national junior team, on the national university team, on the Queen's University varsity team and prior to that on the Ontario gold medal winning Canada Games team, on the West Side Volleyball Club team under then-coach John Burt (now of the Bronte Beach club) and on the Blakelock High School team. All the players were more or less on the same page, training hard and sacrificing towards the same team goal. In Holland, things were more mercenary. He found that not all players shared the same team concept or training ethic. And Kantor had to deal with all this, for the first time, with no support network. Oakville, Kingston, friends and family were an ocean away. "It was a difficult year, volleyball-wise," he said, although the team did manage to finish middle of the pack. (See 'Kantor" page D3), Oakville Blades split weekend pair A blast in Burlington The Oakville Blades bounced back Sunday night in Burlington with a 7-5 win over the Burlington Cougars in provincial junior A hockey action. Blades general manager George McDonald thought the Blades were even more dominant than the score would indicate. He was particularly pleased with the Blades all­ round game. "I thought we played well in all three zones (defensive, neutral and offensive zones)," said McDonald. Assistant captain Bob Jaggard had a big night with three goals and two assists. Mike Tarantino had a four point night (two goals and two assists). The remainder of the scoring was accounted for with two-point games from Rob Kapuscinski (lg, la), Marc Pinizzotto (lg, la) and Perry Ryerson (2a). UPCOMING The Blades, with a 4-3-1 record, play tomorrow (Thursday) night in Brampton, and are back home at Ice Sports Oakville on Friday, 7:30 p.m., against Georgetown. B lad es cau gh t in B u ffa lo stam pede By Matt Nimmo SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Penalties proved to be the downfall of the host Oakville Blades as they dropped an 8-3 decision to the Buffalo Lightning in provincial junior A hockey action last Friday night. "We showed a lack of discipline," said Blades' coach John McDonald. "We took a lot of penalties. It's tough on (See Blades' page D3) Photo by Peter J. Thompson Oakville Blades assistant captain Bob Jaggard has reason to be happy here as he high fives teammate Mike Gardner (#23). Jaggard ulti­ mately ended up with a hat-trick and two assists for a five point night as the Oakville Blades got back into the win column with a 7-5 win over the Burlington Cougars on Sunday night The Blades play in Brampton on Thursday and are back at Ice Sports Oakville on Friday. IS IN T HE MODE . W I T H A 2 0 T H C E N T U R Y F A S H I O N C E L E B R A T I O N 3 ■ IN T H E MODE F A S H IO N S H O W S in c lu d i n g d e s ig n s by s t u d e n t s of F a n s h a w e C o l le g e , | R ye rso n P o ly t e c h n i c U n i v e r s i t y , S e n e c a C o l le g e , G e o r g e B r o w n C o l le g e and In t e r n a t i o n a l A c a d e m y of M e r c h a n d i s i n g and D e sig n . s - ■ Fashion S h o w s to t a k e p lace in S q u a r e O n e 's C e n t r e C o u r t on 1 T h u r s d a y , O c t o b e r 7 and F r id a y , O c to b e r 8 at 7pm and S a t u r d a y O c t o b e r 9 a t 1 p m . Com e and see stu d e n t -d e s ig n e d g a r m e n t s f ro m 1 90 0 to 1 9 9 9 . 1 FOR MORE DETAILS CALL [905] 279 SHOP [7467] MISSISSAUGA CITY CENTRE «1 Blakelock grad a smashing success By Norm Nelson - David Kantor UPCOMING By Matt Nimmo IS IN THE MODE 3 ■ IN THE MODE FASHION SHOWS including designs by students of Fanshawe College, | Ryerson Polytechnic University, Seneca College, George Brown College and International Academy of Merchandising and Design. s- ■ Fashion Shows to take place in Square One's Centre Court on 1 Thursday, October 7 and Friday, October 8 at 7pm and Saturday October 9 at 1pm. Come and see student-designed garments from 1900 to 1999. 1 FOR MORE DETAILS CALL [905] 279 SHOP [7467]