certified Volvo Of Oakville 905-825-8088 Editor. Norm Nelson Phone: 905-845-3824 (ext 255) Fax: 905-337-5567 email: nnelson@haltonsearch.com Kayaker looks to continue current success at nationals By Jon Kuiperij OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Oakville soccer squads resume Ontario Cup action Eight Oakville soccer teams will compete in Ontario Cup :mifinal action this weekend. Teams scheduled to play tomorrow (Saturday) include the nder-13 girls Phoenix, who face the Brampton Brams nited Rebels in Scarborough, the under-13 girls Demons, ho will play London Supernova in Oshawa, and the under6 boys Tier I Red Devils, who go up against the carborough Wexford tingers in Kitchener. On Sunday, the defending rovincial champion 'om en's Storm plays the ondon United Lightning in carborough, the m en's ilfield United draw the Lanata Soccer Post in North ork, and the under-18 girls oigels face Cambridge Fnited in Markham. Two Oakville under-17 girls squads will also play Sunday. The Explosion will play the Oshawa Kicks and the !obras take on the Mississauga Dixie Dominators. Both ames will be played in Kitchener. Several Ontario Cup semifinal games were originally cheduled to be played at Burlington's Sherwood Forest ark. They have since been relocated due to poor field condions. North Oakville Soccer and Rugby will host its first annu1 Soccer Fun Days this weekend at RioCan Plaza, com er of )undas and Neyagawa. The event takes place tomorrow (Saturday) and Sunday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. with all proceeds going to support the Halton Regional Police Service's efforts for the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics. Soccer Fun Days includes: · 3-A-Side tournament for age groups 10 to seniors: cre ate your own team of four players for this non-contact fast and fun game. Each game will be 18 minutes long and each team will play at least three games. Gift bags will be given to each participant and prizes awarded to the winning teams from each group. Cost is $15 per player which includes Tshirt and BBQ lunch; · Beat the `Keeper' and win a prize: a superb young goal keeper from a highly rated Oakville U-16 boys rep team will try to save your shots. Three tries from the penalty-spot; · Want to know how fast your shot is: the Halton Regional Police Service have kindly offered use o f their radar gun to help determine the hardest shot in town. Prizes for the best from various age groups for both boys and girls; · Target practice: test your aim. A net with targets is wait ing to be hit and when that happens, the player will win a prize. A wide range o f prizes has kindly been donated by the Canadian national women's team (signed shirts), New Balance, Sony Music Canada, Universal Music, Diadora and North Oakville Soccer and Rugby. For more information, contact Mark Whiteson (North Oakville Soccer and Rugby) at 905-469-9576 or 905-2579000. D on't tell Adam van K oeverden this weekend's Canadian club cham pionships in Welland aren't important. True, the nationals are far from a critical part of the Olym pic team selection process, but the 21-year-old kayaker says they still mean a lot. "The nationals are not im portant for determ ining the Olympic team, but they are important to me," says the O akville resident. " I give every single (race) my all, regardless o f the quality o f it... I don't like losing races." The concept of losing a race, at least in Canada, has become foreign to van Koeverden, who has not been beaten in 1,000-metre kayak national competition for nearly three years. OlVHHc "After 1 didn't make the Olym pics as a junior, I decided I wasn't going to lose in k -1,000 anymore in Photo special to The Beaver Canada," says the Burloak Oakville kayaker Adam van Koeverden, seen here taking a breather after a recent race, Canoe Club athlete. "(10 is competing at this weekend's national club championships. The 21-year-old has cap someone beats me. I'd shake their hand and they definite tured medals at three World Cup events already this season. Brazil. ly should feel good about prise," he says. "I didn't Norway for a month. Working with Australian Although a finish in the think I was capable of it but themselves." If van Koeverden comes apparently the training paid Nathan Baggaley, last year's top eight would not guaran k -1,000 world cham pion, tee himself a spot in next off as confident, he has good off." Sponsored by hasn't hurt van Koeverden's year's Olympic Summer reason. The Games in Athens, it would The Running cause either. 2003 season has Com pany, "No one really peaks at qualify a position for the been a break Oakley and New 21 or 22 so I just have to Canadian team. through one as Following a 17th place Balance, van keep training hard and keep van Koeverden, Koeverden my focus. My prime years showing in 2001 and a 13th who had never attributes his are to com e," he says. place finish last year, van finished Top-3 2003 success to `Training hard and staying Koeverden is optimistic he'll in senior compe maturing as an patient might seem like crack the top eight at this tition at a World athlete, training opposites, but it's like going year's competition. Cup before this "It will be a similar field and hard work. on a diet. year, now owns He traveled "You can't go on a diet to the World Cup races, but two silvers and a to Australia last for a week and say `Oh, I it's an outdoor sport and any bronze. In fact, one ot Adam van Koeverden fall for six weeks haven't lost any weight yet, I thing can happen," he says. of training with better quit this diet and try "The semis are really hard to the silvers - won get through because you something new'." in Poland - is from the k- the Swedish and Australian After this weekend's need to be (first or second). 500, what van Koeverden teams, worked out in Florida nationals, van Koeverden If you're stuck with three considers his w eaker dis- for two months with the will turn his attention to the fast guys... it's pretty much tance. Norwegian and Canadian world cham pionships in impossible." "That was a bit o f a sur- squads and then went to SEPTEMBER PRESEASON CONDITIONING D e v e lo p y o u r s k ills a n d co n d itio n in g S h o o tin g , P a s s in g , S tic k lia n d lin g , S k a tin g P r o fe s s io n a l In stru ctio n 8 H o u rs o f ic e / 8 p r o g r a m s to c h o o s e from REGISTER TODAY 905-845-6989 WWW.ICESPORTS.COM