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_ Sports PAGE 26 â€" WATERLOO CHRONICLE, WEDNESDAY JULY 6. Many fee! â€" including the coaches â€" that the 1987â€"88 version of the University of Waterloo hockey Warriors was a much better team than the one that bowed out in the first round of the playoffs. Not one to take the lack of success lightly, Warriors‘ coach Don McKee and his threeman coaching staff have assessed the situation and have already implemented a number of plans for the upcoming season. McKee shared those plans with Chronicle sports editor Mark Bryson this week during an interview at the Columbia Icefields® hockey office. In this. the first of a twoâ€"part series, the focus will be on the changes made. Next week‘s followâ€"up piece will deal with how the changes came about. Four years ago. the hockey program at University of Waterloo had an image of not having an image. Jack Birch‘s Warriors had just finished a dismal 12th place in the 13}team Ontario Universities Athletic Association standings and there was no reason to believe the 1985â€"86 season would be any different. * But then came Don McKee and his threeâ€"year plan. In his first year at the helm, McKee sparked the team to an 11â€"11â€"2 wonâ€"lostâ€"tied record, good for the sixth and final playoff spot. Despite the regularâ€"season success, the team made a quick exit from the playoff picture, dropping a 4â€"3 decision to York Yeomen in a suddenâ€"death playoff. â€" The improvement continued the following season. Warriors posted a 16â€"4â€"4 record and finished in a thirdâ€"place deadlock with University of Toronto Blues (17â€"5â€"2). Toronto was awarded third place by virtue of posting more wins. Once again the regularâ€"season play did not carry over to the playoffs as UW dropped a bestâ€"of three series to Wilfrid Laurier University in two straight. The cards were finally to have fallen into place last season â€" but they didn‘t. Showing flashes of brilliance throughout the season. UW finished third in their division with a 14â€"6â€"6 record and fifth overal} among 17 teams. But like a reâ€"occurring nightmare, McKee‘s Warriors went down in the playoffs without so much as a whimper. losing two straight to University of Western Mustangs. Four months after the loss to Western. McKee and his threeâ€"man coaching staff feel they have put together the right ingredients to bring the OUAA title to Waterloo next year. Anything less. said McKee. would be a failure. * "It‘s not good enough for us to think we have a good hockey club that gets ranked in the top 10 anymore â€" we have to win. "And if we don‘t win today and immediately. the credibility will tome right back onto the people in this room." said McKee, pointing at assistant coaches Bob Cassidy, Kevin Fitzpatrick and Jeff LeClair, a former UW player and a recent addition to the UW coaching staff. "Since losing to Western. we‘ve evaluated everything. We‘ve looked at our jobs, we‘ve looked at the program and we‘ve evaluated the players. I honestly believe that we‘ve got everything in.its place With training camp schedule for Sept. 19, the only unpleasant task that lies ahead for the UW staff, said McKee, will be telling "as many as seven" of last yeat"s players that they will not be skating with the team this season. "Considering the talented players we‘ve recruited this summer, there‘s no way that everyone from last year will be back with us," he "Western beat us because they were physically tougher than we were. Their defence pounded our forwards and that was the difference. That won‘t happen this year, we‘ll be a newâ€"look team." The offâ€"season acquisition list is indeed impressive. Already accepted at the school are: Tony Crisp, a smoothâ€"skating centre from the Ontario Hockey League‘s Kitchener Rangers; Steve Seftel, a leftâ€"winger from the Kingston Canadiens who will likely join the team if unsuccessful at the Washington Capitals training camp; Rod Thacker, a defenceman from the Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds; and Brad Schlege}, a London Knights‘ defenceman who McKee says will be the "finest" defenceman in university hockey. Schlegel will also audition with Washington and may consider an offer to play in Europe McKee ready Mark Bryson (Continued on page 27) Waterloo gets 1990 midget ball event Mark Bryson _ _ Windsor will now represent Ontario Chronicle Staff in the Canadian finals, slated for late Please excuse Gary Marciniak if he _ August in Chatham, N.B. didn‘t seem too upset about Waterâ€" This weekend‘s tournament was a loo‘s finish at the Ontario Baseball joint effort of the Kitchener and Association midget elimation tournaâ€" _ Waterloo Minor Baseball Associaâ€" ment this weekend tions He had other things on his mind Despite not advancing to the finals. "I still can‘t believe it." said the _ the Waterloo entry was the only team Waterloo minor baseball president of 7 his offâ€"field coup. # "Waterloo has been awarded the j 1990 allâ€"Canadian Midget Baseball o Championships." $ P Ontario Baseball Association viceâ€" president Dennis Ryan told Marciâ€" niak the good news Saturday, saying Waterloo‘s solid reputation in the baseball community was the deciding "They (Canadian Federation of Amateur ‘of Baseball) feel we can put on a good show and I think they‘re right," said Marciniak. "And not only do we want to host it we want to win it." Waterloo midget Optimists, as host team, will be one of seven teams battling for the national title The winner from that year‘s Ontario midget elimination tournament will also be in attendance, as will three also be in attendance, ngovnll three teams from the west, one from Quebec and another from the Maritimes. 3 a On the field this weekend, Waterloo 5& tw was forced to be a spectator at the BM h"‘*’” "® g midget tournament, watching Windâ€" hn ism sor Selects down Clarkson 86 in the _ Warriors‘ Ross Ferrier is forced out at home plate in 3â€"1 finals tournament win over Windsor. Rob Cartwright of Nepean watches his drop volley clear the net in men‘s singles final match against Ernesto Lingen of Ecuador. Cartwright won the point but Lingen won the Mutual Life Open championship. Richard O ‘Brien photo DROP VOLLEY to knock off Windsor during the fourâ€" day event. Pitcher Marty Newbigging tossed a threeâ€"hitter as Waterloo downed the eventual champions 3â€"1. Waterloo also defeated Kingsway on a forfeit and upended Yorkâ€"7â€"2, before suffering backâ€"toâ€"back defeats to Hamilton Mahoney, 114, and Clarkâ€" son, 4â€"1. .