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Waterloo‘s Paul Mdilveen tries to slip one by by Kitchener‘s Brett Leonhardt Sunday at the Rec Complex e Waterloo Siskins l showed just how desâ€" perate they are for points in the race for the eighth and final playoff spot by trying their hand at curling for the final 10 minutes of Sunday‘s 2â€"2 tie against the Kitchener Dutchmen. Instead of taking any chances, the Siskins simply shot the puck down the ice after giving up the lead, trying to see if they could keep it from going over the hog line. While some of those attempts started to curl before they could be called Large selection N Flyâ€"tying & Instructional tishing supplies courses Your fishin‘ headquarters . Accessoties 10 Wyman Rd., Unit 4, Waterloo _ 746â€"2650 Siskins salvage a point A. despite long winters that has kept the game from being played outâ€" That‘s what teams in Ontario have been doing since the 1980s. Now the Canadian game has reached a stage where they can compete against the rest of the world. That‘s just what the Canadian Indoor Field Hockey team will be doing in February as they participate in the first Indoor Hockey World Cup being held in Leipzig, Germany. The indoor game was on display for local field hockey enthusiasts at the RIM Park Gymnasium last Sunday. The Canadian team was holding one of its last training sessions before fiyâ€" ing off to Germany. Canadian field hockey team takes the game indoors gAaINBOM S SPOR7 x 19 So why not to take the game By Bos VrBanac The session featured a scrimmage ______Chronicle Staff between members of the Canadian team as well as a coaching session Â¥eld hockey has been played in _ with players giving pointers to about Canada for more than 100 years, _ 50 local children from the local Kâ€"W despite long winters that has _ Ofympic Field Hockey Association. the game from being played outâ€" "We‘re looking forward to the By BoB VRBANAC Chronicle Staff icing, most hit the end boards with a thud at the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Comâ€" plex to drive home the sense of urgency the club has as they trail Elmira by one point in the race for the last playoff spot. And the Siskins couldn‘t be blamed for playing it safe after a thirdâ€"period collapse the night before in Camâ€" bridge cost them any chance at a point. The Siskins went into the third down 2â€"1 to the Winter Hawks. Twenty minutes later it ended in an 8â€"1 embarrassâ€" That meant the Siskins could only lose two of their World Cup," said Ehsan Ali, the assisâ€" tant coach of the Canadian team who was putting the players through their paces on Sunday. "We think we can compete with the rest of the world." Head coach Louis Mendonca was in Spain on a scouting trip for the upcoming tournament, leaving Ali to do some fine tuning on the team that has been preparing for the tournaâ€" ment for more than a year. The game itself is fast paced feaâ€" turing hard, pinâ€"point passing with constant movemnent by the five playâ€" ers on the floor. "As a coach I find the indoor gamne . » a lot more interesting and very benefiâ€" « a @ = e _’ cial for the players because they get to â€" â€" P oo n oo > touch the ball a lot more," said Ali. "In _ Team Canada‘s Scott Sandison tries to squeeze the ball by goalie Hari Kant Model Homes Under Construction Coming Soon to Elmira _ priced from $156,900 remaining eight games to give them the edge for the last playoff spot. s "The team fell part in Cambridge," said No. 1 goalie Craig Lizun, settling back in after a fiveâ€"game suspension for shooting a puck into the stands. "I was diving all over the place to try to steal the win but it didn‘t happen." That‘s what made the one point on Saturday so imporâ€" "I don‘t understand this team sometimes," he said. "We beat Kitchener two of the last three times, then we get bombed against Cambridge. "Now we have to go out and try to win every game." SPORTS CHRONICLI hen asked what gets W:)eople involved with sports, it seems too often the last reason they give is they do it for the fun. So when the St. David Celtics decided to ice a girls hockey team in the WCSSAA league, it was refreshing to hear that one of the main reaâ€" sons for playing was for the fun of the game after a 6â€"1 win over Preston last Thursday at RIM Park. More than 25 girls initially expressed interest in playing for the team with the skill level and experience varying with each player. Celtics having some fun Some players, like the Celtics captain Kathleen ey since she was five years old. Others came over from a ringette background and are trying the game for the first "What they‘ve done is biend different levels of hockâ€" ey together," said Celtics‘ coach Pat Bauer. "They‘re a good group that plays well together and gets along, and that‘s super." With little practice time, By Bos VRrRANAC Chronicle Staff that means that most of the teaching comes from the bench during game action. Luckily, the Celtics have been quick learners compiling a 5â€"2 record, good for second place in the league. "We‘re doing all of our coaching on the fly," said Bauer, helped by coâ€"coach Teresa Doyle. "But they‘re all listening and receptive to it which really helps. We‘re havâ€" ing a lot of fun with it." It also helps that the girls Celtic Jen Broxterman fights for the puck against Preston MARCIA MARTIN Peak Realty Ltd. 747â€"0231 For more www.vwwaterloo.com "In Ontario we‘ve used the indoor game for the development of our players, and now we have many clubs with junior programs that can start playing indoors and move slowly to the outdoor program." the outdoor game there are 11 players and if you play leftâ€"wing you might not touch the ball at all. While the outdoor game, an Otympic sport since 1908 is still conâ€" sidered the pinnacle of the sport, Ali thinks the indoor game is catching on. "In indoor field hockey you have to be technically sound," said Ali. "The indoor surface is flat so we can easily teach the kids the game as well." Canadian indoor field hockey is also earning a reputation around the world as an exciting team to watch. "We score most of our goals on fast breaks because we like to catch other tearms off guard," said Ali. "The style we have will probably get picked up in Europe where the indoor game is very CLICK HERE Yolkswagen New & Cortified Preâ€"owned Cars Volkswagen Waterloo with more experience are willâ€" ing to pick up the other girls on the team. "For some it‘s really comâ€" petitive, for others it‘s just time to go out and have some fun and practise on a few things," said Smith, who will be part of Ontario team at the upcoming Canada Winter Games. "We‘re also trying to win too. You don‘t want to lose every game. "We‘ve really worked hard and think that it would be fun to try to win it all." ELMIRA To Waterioo